1958–1970: Early work and Broadway debut Burstyn debuted on
Broadway in 1957 and joined
Lee Strasberg's
The Actors Studio in New York City in 1967. Starting in the late 1950s, and throughout the 1960s, Burstyn frequently played guest roles on a number of
primetime television shows, including
Dr. Kildare,
77 Sunset Strip,
Ben Casey,
Perry Mason,
Cheyenne,
Wagon Train,
Gunsmoke,
The Big Valley,
The Virginian,
Laramie and
The Time Tunnel. Burstyn was credited as Ellen McRae until 1967, when she and her then-husband Neil Nephew both changed their surname to Burstyn, and she began to be credited as Ellen Burstyn. In 1970, she appeared uncredited in the
Joseph Strick adaptation of
Henry Miller's controversial novel
Tropic of Cancer. In 1975, she won a
Tony Award for
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her performance in the comedy
Same Time, Next Year, a role she reprised in a
film adaptation in 1978.
1971–1979: Breakthrough, acclaim and awards success After many small film roles, Burstyn gained recognition after starring in
The Last Picture Show (1971), a
coming-of-age story, directed by
Peter Bogdanovich and adapted from a semi-autobiographical 1966 novel by
Larry McMurtry. The film received critical acclaim for its nostalgia and visual style that is reminiscent of 1951, the year in which the plot takes place. The film was nominated for eight
Academy Awards, including
Best Supporting Actress for Burstyn and her co-star
Cloris Leachman, with the latter winning the award. Next she appeared in the drama
The King of Marvin Gardens in 1972, with
Jack Nicholson,
Bruce Dern, and
Scatman Crothers. A story about a daydreamer who convinces his brother to help fund a get-rich-quick scheme, the film was well received by critics. In 1972, Burstyn sought the lead role of Chris MacNeil in the supernatural horror film
The Exorcist (1973). The film studio was initially reluctant to cast her, but when no other actors were put forward, Burstyn was chosen for the part. Her co-stars were
Max von Sydow,
Lee J. Cobb,
Kitty Winn,
Jack MacGowran,
Jason Miller, and
Linda Blair.
The Exorcist had a production budget of $12 million, and its
principal photography was held in various parts of New York City. Filming proved to be challenging for the entire cast; it took "six-day weeks, twelve-hour days for nine months" to film, and director
William Friedkin used a
prop gun to get genuine reactions from the cast. Burstyn also injured her
coccyx, which led to permanent injury to her spine. Film critic
Roger Ebert praised Burstyn for her ability to capture MacNeil's "frustration" when her daughter is possessed by an evil spirit. Against expectations,
The Exorcist was a major commercial success at the box-office. Adjusted for inflation, the film is the
ninth highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S. and Canada and the top-grossing R-rated film of all time. It won two Academy Awards –
Best Adapted Screenplay and
Best Sound Mixing, and earned Burstyn her first nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Actress. Burstyn followed up with a small role in the comedy-drama
Harry and Tonto (1974). Her next major role was in
Martin Scorsese's romantic drama ''
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'' (1974) where she played a widowed woman, raising a son and yearning to start a new life for herself as a singer. She was drawn to the script because of the character's resemblance to her own life. Burstyn was also inspired by the works of
Betty Friedan and
Gloria Steinem, who found that women were searching to "redefine their roles in society".
Vincent Canby of
The New York Times wrote, "Burstyn never misses the eccentric beat that distinguishes it—that makes Alice such a hugely appealing character who is both banal and very rare". Her performance in the film earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. In 1975, she became a graduate of the first group of participants in the
American Film Institute Directing Workshop for Women. In 1977, she served as a member of the jury at the
27th Berlin International Film Festival. Burstyn played supporting roles in
Providence (1977) and
A Dream of Passion (1978). Although the films were independent dramas and not widely seen, the latter was nominated for the
Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Also in 1978, Burstyn starred in
Same Time, Next Year opposite
Alan Alda, a romantic-comedy about two people, married to others, who meet for a romantic tryst once a year for two decades. The film is based on a
1975 play of the same title by
Bernard Slade. Upon its release on November 22, the film garnered mixed reviews, with
Janet Maslin of
The New York Times stating, "Slade's screenplay isn't often funny, and it's full of momentous events that can't be laughed away", but praises Burstyn for giving the role "warmth and grace".
Same Time, Next Year received four Academy Award nominations, including a third Best actress nomination for Burstyn. At the annual Golden Globe Awards, Burstyn won
Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, while the film received two other nominations—
Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Alda and
Best Original Song.
1980–1998: Established actress Burstyn hosted NBC's
Saturday Night Live, a popular late-night
sketch comedy and
variety show, in December 1980. That year, Burstyn starred in the drama
Resurrection, a story about a woman who possesses strange powers after a surviving an automobile crash. Her performance in the film earned her a fourth nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and a third nomination for the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama. In 1981, she starred in the biographical television film
The People vs. Jean Harris (1981), based on the real life murder of
Herman Tarnower, a well-known
cardiologist and
author of the best-selling book
The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet. Burstyn's portrayal of the murderer,
Jean Harris, earned her nominations for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film. In 1981, Burstyn recorded "The Ballad of the Nazi Soldier's Wife" for
Ben Bagley's album
Kurt Weill Revisited, Vol. 2. In the mid-1980s, Burstyn starred in several television films, including
The Ambassador (1984),
Surviving (1985),
Into Thin Air (1985),
Act of Vengeance (1986),
Something in Common (1986) and a 1987 adaptation of the play
Pack of Lies, which was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, including another for Burstyn as Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series or Movie. For the theatrical release
Twice in a Lifetime (1985), co-starring
Gene Hackman and
Ann-Margret, she portrayed Kate, the wife whom Hackman's character divorces when he falls in love with another woman. In 1986, Burstyn starred in an ABC television
sitcom,
The Ellen Burstyn Show, with co-stars
Megan Mullally as her daughter and
Elaine Stritch as her mother. Created by
David Frankel it ran only for one season. In 1987, she appeared in ''
Hanna's War (1987), and the television movies Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam and Look Away''. In 1988, she then participated again as a member of the jury for the
38th Berlin International Film Festival. In 1990, Burstyn won the
Sarah Siddons Award for her work in
Chicago theatre. A variety of acting performances followed suit, including in the dramas
When You Remember Me (1990),
Dying Young (1991) and
Grand Isle (1991). In addition to television movies, Burstyn appeared in
When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) with co-stars
Andy Garcia and
Meg Ryan. In 1995, Burstyn portrayed Judith in the comedy-drama
Roommates (1995). The film received negative reviews and emerged as a commercial failure at the box-office, but received a nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Also that year, Burstyn appeared in
How to Make an American Quilt (1995), based on the 1991 novel of the
same name by
Whitney Otto, which tells the stories of several generations of women who are part of the same
quilting circle. Despite a mixed critical response, the cast received a nomination for the
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 1998, Burstyn appeared in
Playing by Heart, with co-stars including
Sean Connery and
Angelina Jolie, a story of eleven ordinary people in Los Angeles who are connected in different ways. Some critics such as Roger Ebert viewed the film positively despite its lackluster performance at the box office. Burstyn next found supporting roles in
The Spitfire Grill (1996), about a woman starting a new life after being released from prison, and
Deceiver (1997), a murder crime drama. Although not box office hits, each film garnered mixed to positive responses, according to film review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes. Next, she appeared in
James Gray's
The Yards (2000) alongside a principal cast of
Mark Wahlberg,
Joaquin Phoenix,
Charlize Theron,
Faye Dunaway and
James Caan. The crime drama was unpopular and a commercial failure, earning less than $1 million worldwide from a budget of $24 million.
1999–2009: Dramas and television work In 1999, director
Darren Aronofsky offered Burstyn the role of Sara Goldfarb in the psychological drama
Requiem for a Dream (2000). She initially rejected the part, objecting to the depressive nature of the story; however, she changed her mind after seeing Aronofsky's previous work. She had to wear
fat suits and lose about 10-pounds (4½ kg) to showcase her character's weight-loss. Burstyn and her co-stars
Jennifer Connelly,
Jared Leto, and
Marlon Wayans, found the filming schedule of forty days challenging and intense.
Requiem for a Dream premiered at the
2000 Cannes Film Festival and was released to theaters on October 6, 2000. The film was well received and praised for its visual style and depiction of drug abuse.
Peter Travers of
Rolling Stone writes, "Burstyn gives an award-caliber performance that is as raw and riveting as the movie that contains it". Burstyn's performance earned her a fifth nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. |alt=Burstyn at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival From 2000 to 2002, Burstyn starred in the
CBS television series ''
That's Life. The series, set in suburban New Jersey, ran for two seasons. Burstyn appeared in several more films, including Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), Brush with Fate (2003) and The Five People You Meet in Heaven'' (2004). Burstyn starred in the
Broadway production of Martin Tahse's
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, based upon
the novel of the same title by
Allan Gurganus. The show played 19 previews and officially opened November 17, 2003. Due to unfavorable reviews, all performances after the opening night were cancelled. She provided a supporting role as the mother of two sons in the 2006 romantic drama
The Elephant King. The film originally premiered at the
2006 Tribeca Film Festival, and opened in U.S. theaters October 2008. In January 2006, she starred as an
Episcopal bishop in the
NBC comedy-drama series
The Book of Daniel. The series, which also starred
Aidan Quinn as a drug-addicted Episcopal priest married to an alcoholic wife, was met with controversy from religious and spiritual leaders due to its unconventional portrayals of religious figures. Conservative groups including
American Family Association and
Focus on the Family urged supporters to complain to NBC affiliates that carried the show. NBC removed the series from its line-up after four episodes, but did not publicly provide a reason. In 2006, Burstyn appeared in the epic drama
The Fountain, her second collaboration with Darren Aronofsky. Portraying Dr. Lillian Guzetti, the film is about a scientist (played by
Hugh Jackman) struggling with mortality and is seeking a medical breakthrough to save his wife (
Rachel Weisz) from cancer. Budgeted at $35 million, the screenplay is a blend of
fantasy,
history,
spirituality, and
science fiction.
The Fountain premiered on November 22, 2006, to mixed reviews and under-performed at the box office. Ruthe Stein of the
San Francisco Chronicle writes, "The movie is overloaded with imagery. At times, it's stunning to look at, but gradually becomes too much", but praises Burstyn for her character's "impressive depth". Since its release, the film managed to gain a
cult following causing media to revisit the film. s In 2006, Burstyn was nominated for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for the role of Former
Tarnower Steady in
HBO's
Mrs. Harris, another biopic about Jean Harris. Soon after the nominations were announced, questions were raised regarding the worthiness of the nomination due to her minor role in the film, consisting of 14 seconds of screen time and 38 words of dialogue. The nominating committee were accused of approving a "familiar" name without actually seeing their performance. The
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, administrator of the Emmy Awards, insisted it was a legitimate nomination. Burstyn reacted, "I thought it was fabulous. My next ambition is to get nominated for seven seconds, and ultimately, I want to be nominated for a picture in which I don't even appear", adding, "This doesn't have anything to do with me... work it out yourself". Ultimately,
Kelly Macdonald, who starred in
The Girl in the Cafe, won the award. In March 2007, the academy adjusted the eligibility criteria. Burstyn also appeared in the thriller
The Wicker Man (2006), a remake of the 1973 British film of the
same name, which was a commercial flop and negatively received by critics.
Slant magazine was critical of the cast performances, writing that Burstyn "feigns arrogant malevolence". A year later, Burstyn starred in
The Stone Angel, based on the 1964
novel of the same name by
Margaret Laurence. Like its predecessor, the film also garnered negative reviews, with
Stephen Holden of
The New York Times writing, "a film of tightly assembled bits and pieces that don't fit comfortably together despite clever dashes of magical realism connecting past and present... it leaves you frustrated by its failure to braid subplots and characters into a gripping narrative". Burstyn followed up with parts in
Lovely, Still (2008) and
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond (2008). In addition to film roles, between 2007 and 2011, Burstyn had an occasional recurring role on the HBO television drama series
Big Love, playing the mother of
polygamist wife Barbara Henrickson. Burstyn returned to the stage in March 2008, in the
off-Broadway production of
Stephen Adly Guirgis's
The Little Flower of East Orange, directed by
Philip Seymour Hoffman in a co-production by
LAByrinth Theater Company and
The Public Theater. In addition to her stage work, Burstyn portrayed former
First Lady Barbara Bush in
Oliver Stone's biographical film
W. in 2008. In 2009, Burstyn won the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of the
bipolar estranged mother of Detective
Elliot Stabler on NBC's
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
2010–present Throughout the early 2010s, Burstyn starred in various independent films such as
Main Street (2010),
Another Happy Day (2011), and
The Mighty Macs (2011). In 2012, she joined the cast of
Political Animals, a television series about the life of a divorced former First Lady, serving as
Secretary of State.
Political Animals received generally favorable reviews from critics according to
Metacritic. The series was nominated for the
Golden Globe Award for Best Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film, with Burstyn winning the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Burstyn portrayed the grandmother of Lou (played by
Mackenzie Foy) in
Wish You Well (2013). A year later, Burstyn and Foy worked together again in
Christopher Nolan's epic science fiction film
Interstellar. Set in a
dystopian future where humanity is struggling to survive, the film follows a group of
astronauts who travel through a
wormhole in search of a new home for humanity. The film grossed over $700 million at the box-office. In 2014, Burstyn made a guest appearance in five episodes of
Louis C.K's critically acclaimed
FX series
Louie. She portrayed an elderly
Hungarian neighbor of Louis C.K. in
season four. Critic
Emily St. James of
The A.V. Club described Burstyn's performance as "marvelous". Despite not receiving an Emmy nomination, she garnered awards buzz for her performance. In an interview with
The New York Times, Burstyn was asked about her reaction to the accusations of sexual misconduct against Louis C.K. She responded by saying, "Louis just broke my heart because I love him. When I worked with him, I had such admiration for his talent and his person, his being. I know he's a good person, but even good people have sexual hang-ups that hurt other people. I just wish he had gone to therapy or whatever so it didn't have to ruin his life." In 2014, she also starred in a thriller
, The Calling, and the television film
Flowers in the Attic. In 2015, Burstyn played Flemming, the daughter of
Blake Lively's immortal character in the romantic fantasy film
The Age of Adaline. Production started in March 2014, and the film was released in April 2015. In 2016, Burstyn guest starred in five episodes of the critically acclaimed political thriller
House of Cards.
The New York Times praised Burstyn's character for adding "vitality and heart"; her performance in the series earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She acted in a succession of low-budget films, including
Custody (2016),
The House of Tomorrow (2017),
All I Wish (2017), and
Nostalgia (2018). Burstyn also starred in
Jennifer Fox's mystery drama
The Tale, which premiered on
HBO on May 26, 2018. Burstyn served as an executive producer for Peter Livolsi's film
The House of Tomorrow (2017)
, about her friend
R. Buckminster Fuller, in which she also starred. In 2019, she appeared in the drama film
American Woman and the space drama
Lucy in the Sky; both films were met with mixed reviews. In 2019, Burstyn played
musicologist Katherine Brandt in an acclaimed Australian production of
Moisés Kaufman's play
33 Variations at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre. In 2020, Burstyn appeared in
Kornél Mundruczó's drama
Pieces of a Woman to great acclaim. The film premiered at the
77th Venice International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for the performances, with critic David Rooney of
The Hollywood Reporter describing Burstyn's performance as "formidable". She received several award nominations for her performance, including a
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and a
London Critics Circle Film Award. In 2021, she played the role of Bernadette Stabler in
Law & Order: Organized Crime and then portrayed
Sara Roosevelt in the series
The First Lady. In 2014, Burstyn indicated she was working on directing a feature film,
Bathing Flo. It was announced in July 2021 that Burstyn would reprise her role as Chris MacNeil for the first time since 1973 in
the upcoming trilogy of sequels to
The Exorcist. In 2024, Burstyn was featured in filmmaker
John Larkin's
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist documentary, where she discussed her time working on the original film and her spiritual beliefs. She also discussed why she was reprising the role of Chris MacNeil for
The Exorcist: Believer. ==Personal life==