Ellen Burstyn

Ellen Burstyn is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women in dramas, she is the recipient of numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, making her one of the few performers to achieve the "Triple Crown of Acting."

Born in Detroit, Burstyn left school and worked as a dancer and model. At age 24, she made her acting debut on Broadway in 1957 and soon started to make appearances in television shows. Stardom followed several years later with her acclaimed role in The Last Picture Show in 1971, which earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her next role in The Exorcist, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films of all time, earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Burstyn reprised her role in the 2023 sequel, The Exorcist: Believer.

She has also appeared in Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, winning both the BAFTA Award and the Academy Award for Best Actress in the title role. In 1975, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role in Same Time, Next Year. Her performance in the 1978 film adaptation won her a Golden Globe Award.

Burstyn appeared in numerous television films and gained further recognition from her performance in the films Resurrection, How to Make an American Quilt, and Requiem for a Dream. She portrayed a lonely drug-addicted woman in the latter, and she was again nominated for an Academy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to winning an Independent Spirit Award and Satellite Award for her performance. In the 2010s, she made appearances in television series including "Political Animals" and "House of Cards," both of which earned her Emmy Award nominations. Since 2000, she has been co-president of the Actors Studio, a drama school in New York City. In 2013, she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame for her work on stage.