Mary Steenburgen
Mary Nell Steenburgen, born in 1953, is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter whose career blossomed following her training at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse in the 1970s. She made her professional acting debut in the 1978 Western comedy Goin' South and quickly gained critical acclaim for her performances in Time After Time (1979) and Jonathan Demme's Melvin and Howard (1980), the latter earning her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Steenburgen's versatile talent has seen her navigate diverse genres with equal aplomb, cementing her status as a reliable and respected figure in American cinema.
Known For
The roles that explain the career.
Filmography
80 credits across 2 departments.
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | The Dink | Candace | Film |
| 2025 | Last Train to Fortune | Miss Maybelle | Film |
| 2023 | Book Club: The Next Chapter | Carol | Film |
| 2021 | Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas | Maggie Clarke | Film |
| 2021 | Nightmare Alley | Mrs. Kimball | Film |
| 2020 | Happiest Season | Tipper | Film |
| 2018 | Book Club | Carol | Film |
| 2017 | I Do... Until I Don't | Cybil Burger | Film |
| 2014 | The One I Love | Mom (voice) | Film |
| 2014 | Song One | Karen Ellis | Film |
| 2013 | Brahmin Bulls | Helen West | Film |
| 2013 | Last Vegas | Diana Boyle | Film |
| 2012 | Outlaw Country | Anastasia Lee | Film |
| 2011 | Fight for Your Right Revisited | Café Patron | Film |
| 2011 | The Help | Elaine Stein | Film |
| 2010 | Dirty Girl | Peggy | Film |
| 2009 | The Open Road | Katherine | Film |
| 2009 | Did You Hear About the Morgans? | Emma Wheeler | Film |
| 2009 | The Proposal | Grace Paxton | Film |
| 2009 | Clarkworld | Self | Film |
| 2009 | In the Electric Mist | Bootsie Robicheaux | Film |
| 2008 | Four Christmases | Marilyn | Film |
| 2008 | Step Brothers | Nancy Huff | Film |
| 2007 | Elvis & Anabelle | Geneva Leigh | Film |
| 2007 | Numb | Dr. Blaine | Film |
| 2007 | Nobel Son | Sarah Michaelson | Film |
| 2007 | Honeydripper | Amanda Winship | Film |
| 2007 | The Brave One | Carol | Film |
| 2006 | O Lucky Malcolm! | Self | Film |
| 2006 | Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School | Marienne Hotchkiss | Film |
| 2006 | The Dead Girl | Leah's Mother | Film |
| 2006 | Inland Empire | Visitor #2 | Film |
| 2004 | Elf: That's a Wrap | Self | Film |
| 2004 | It Must Be Love | Clem Gazelle | Film |
| 2003 | Joan of Arcadia | Helen Girardi | TV |
| 2003 | Casa de los Babys | Gayle | Film |
| 2003 | Elf | Emily | Film |
| 2003 | Hope Springs | Joanie Fisher | Film |
| 2002 | Wish You Were Dead | Sally Rider | Film |
| 2002 | Living with the Dead | Detective Karen Condrin | Film |
| 2002 | Sunshine State | Francine Pinkney | Film |
| 2002 | Character Building: Inside 'Life As a House' | Self | Film |
| 2001 | The Trumpet of the Swan | Mother (voice) | Film |
| 2001 | Nobody's Baby | Estelle | Film |
| 2001 | Life as a House | Colleen Beck | Film |
| 2001 | I Am Sam | Dr. Blake | Film |
| 1999 | Noah's Ark | Naamah | Film |
| 1998 | About Sarah | Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey | Film |
| 1996 | Ink | Kate Montgomery | TV |
| 1996 | The Grass Harp | Sister Ida | Film |
| 1996 | Gulliver's Travels | Mary Gulliver | Film |
| 1996 | Ink | Producer | TV |
| 1995 | Powder | Jessie Caldwell | Film |
| 1995 | My Family | Gloria | Film |
| 1995 | Nixon | Hannah Nixon | Film |
| 1994 | Clifford | Sarah Davis | Film |
| 1994 | It Runs in the Family | Mrs. Parker (Mother) | Film |
| 1994 | Pontiac Moon | Katherine Bellamy | Film |
| 1993 | Philadelphia | Belinda Conine | Film |
| 1993 | What's Eating Gilbert Grape | Betty Carver | Film |
| 1991 | The Butcher's Wife | Stella Keefover | Film |
| 1991 | Back to the Future | Clara Clayton (voice) | TV |
| 1990 | The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy | Self | Film |
| 1990 | Back to the Future Part III | Clara Clayton | Film |
| 1989 | Miss Firecracker | Elaine Rutledge | Film |
| 1989 | Parenthood | Karen Buckman | Film |
| 1988 | The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank | Miep Gies | Film |
| 1987 | Dead of Winter | Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn | Film |
| 1987 | End of the Line | Rose Pickett | Film |
| 1987 | The Whales of August | Young Sarah | Film |
| 1985 | One Magic Christmas | Ginny Grainger | Film |
| 1983 | Little Red Riding Hood | Little Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary | Film |
| 1983 | Cross Creek | Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings | Film |
| 1983 | Romantic Comedy | Phoebe Craddock | Film |
| 1982 | A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy | Adrian | Film |
| 1981 | Ragtime | Mother | Film |
| 1980 | Melvin and Howard | Lynda Dummar | Film |
| 1979 | Time After Time | Amy Robbins | Film |
| 1978 | Goin' South | Julia Tate | Film |
| Let's Have Kids! | Sue | Film |
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