Person
Mary Steenburgen
Acting · Born 1953-02-08 · Newport, Arkansas, USA
Biography
Mary Nell Steenburgen (born February 8, 1953) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. After studying at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse in the 1970s, she made her professional acting debut in the Western comedy film Goin' South (1978). Steenburgen went on to earn critical acclaim for her role in Time After Time (1979) and Jonathan Demme's comedy-drama film Melvin and Howard (1980), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Known for
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Grace Rinato
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self - Guest
American Dad!
(voice)
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
The View
Self
The Talk
Self
Filmography
- 2026The DinkCandace
- 2025Last Train to FortuneMiss Maybelle
- 2025Easy's Waltz
- 2025BULLDOZERKathy
- 2024A Man on the InsideMona Margadoff
- 2024In the Kitchen with Harry HamlinSelf
- 2023Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of MagicSelf
- 2023Book Club: The Next ChapterCarol
- 2022The Jennifer Hudson ShowSelf - Guest
- 2022Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden GirlSelf
- 2021Nightmare AlleyMrs. Kimball
- 2021Zoey's Extraordinary ChristmasMaggie Clarke
- 2021Mr. MayorAdriana
- 2020Happiest SeasonTipper
- 2020Best Summer EverExecutive Producer
- 202030 Rock: A One-Time SpecialMary Steenburgen
- 2020Reunited ApartSelf
- 2020Stars in the HouseSelf
- 2020Zoey's Extraordinary PlaylistMaggie Clarke
- 2019FlanneryFlannery O'Connor (voice)
- 2019Bless the HartsCrystalynn (voice)
- 2019The Kelly Clarkson ShowSelf - Guest
- 2019On Becoming a God in Central FloridaEllen Joy Bonar
- 2019AntiquitiesDr. Margot
- 2018The ConnersMarcy Bellinger
- 2018Book ClubCarol
- 2018Katie Says GoodbyeMaybelle
- 2017I Do... Until I Don'tCybil Burger
- 2017The DiscoveryInterviewer
- 2017The Book of LoveJulia Mureaux
- 2016The Good PlaceTeacher
- 2016DeanCarol
- 2015Jim Henson's Turkey HollowAunt Cly
- 2015A Walk in the WoodsJeannie
- 20157 Days in HellLouisa Poole
- 2015Grace and FrankieMiriam
- 2015The Last Man on EarthGail Klosterman
- 2015TogethernessLinda
- 2014The One I LoveMom (voice)
- 2014Late Night with Seth MeyersSelf - Guest
- 2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonSelf - Guest
- 2014Song OneKaren Ellis
- 2013Last VegasDiana Boyle
- 2013Brahmin BullsHelen West
- 2013Orange Is the New BlackDelia Powell
- 2012Outlaw CountryAnastasia Lee
- 2012Finding Your RootsSelf
- 2011The HelpElaine Stein
- 2011WilfredCatherine Newman
- 2011Fight for Your Right RevisitedCafé Patron
- 2010Tales from the FutureSelf
- 2010The TalkSelf
- 2010Dirty GirlPeggy
- 2010Weird: The Al Yankovic StoryMrs. Yankovic
- 2010JustifiedKatherine Hale
- 2009Did You Hear About the Morgans?Emma Wheeler
- 2009ClarkworldSelf
- 2009Bored to DeathJosephine
- 2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest
- 2009The ProposalGrace Paxton
- 2009In the Electric MistBootsie Robicheaux
- 2009The Open RoadKatherine
- 2008Four ChristmasesMarilyn
- 2008Step BrothersNancy Huff
- 2007The Brave OneCarol
- 2007HoneydripperAmanda Winship
- 2007NumbDr. Blaine
- 2007Nobel SonSarah Michaelson
- 2007Elvis & AnabelleGeneva Leigh
- 2006Inland EmpireVisitor #2
- 2006The Dead GirlLeah's Mother
- 200630 RockDiana Jessup
- 2006O Lucky Malcolm!Self
- 2006Bye Bye BenjaminExecutive Producer
- 2006Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm SchoolMarienne Hotchkiss
- 2005American Dad!(voice)
- 2005The Late Late Show with Craig FergusonSelf
- 2004Remembering RagtimeMother (archive footage)
- 2004Elf: That's a WrapSelf
- 2004The Tony Danza ShowSelf - Guest
- 2004It Must Be LoveClem Gazelle
- 2003ElfEmily
- 2003Joan of ArcadiaHelen Girardi
- 2003Casa de los BabysGayle
- 2003E!'s 101Self
- 2003Hope SpringsJoanie Fisher
- 2003Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to HollywoodMary
- 2002Sunshine StateFrancine Pinkney
- 2002Wish You Were DeadSally Rider
- 2002Living with the DeadDetective Karen Condrin
- 2002Living with the DeadDetective Karen Condrin
- 2002Character Building: Inside 'Life As a House'Self
- 2001I Am SamDr. Blake
- 2001Life as a HouseColleen Beck
- 2001Good Day LiveSelf
- 2001Dinner for Five
- 2001The Trumpet of the SwanMother (voice)
- 2001Nobody's BabyEstelle
- 2000Curb Your EnthusiasmMary Steenburgen
- 2000The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story
- 2000PicnicRosemary Sydney
- 1999Law & Order: Special Victims UnitGrace Rinato
- 1999Noah's ArkNaamah
- 1999Noah's ArkNaamah
- 1998BeckerPatient (uncredited)
- 1998About SarahSarah Elizabeth McCaffrey
- 1997The ViewSelf
- 1996InkKate Montgomery
- 1996The Grass HarpSister Ida
- 1996Gulliver's TravelsMary Gulliver
- 1995NixonHannah Nixon
- 1995PowderJessie Caldwell
- 1995My FamilyGloria
- 1994Pontiac MoonKatherine Bellamy
- 1994It Runs in the FamilyMrs. Parker (Mother)
- 1994CliffordSarah Davis
- 1994EllenSelf (uncredited)
- 1993PhiladelphiaBelinda Conine
- 1993What's Eating Gilbert GrapeBetty Carver
- 1993FrasierMarjorie (voice)
- 1992Earth and the American DreamReader (voice)
- 1992Shelley Duvall's Bedtime StoriesNarrator (voice)
- 1991Back to the Future: Dickens of a ChristmasClara Clayton Brown (voice)
- 1991The Butcher's WifeStella Keefover
- 1991Back to the FutureClara Clayton (voice)
- 1990The Long Walk HomeNarrator (voice)
- 1990Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept SecretSelf
- 1990The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' TrilogySelf
- 1990Back to the Future Part IIIClara Clayton
- 1989ParenthoodKaren Buckman
- 1989Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group TheatreSelf (voice)
- 1989Miss FirecrackerElaine Rutledge
- 1988LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelf - Guest
- 1988The Attic: The Hiding of Anne FrankMiep Gies
- 1987The Whales of AugustYoung Sarah
- 1987End of the LineRose Pickett
- 1987Dead of WinterJulie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
- 1985One Magic ChristmasGinny Grainger
- 1985Tender Is the NightNicole Diver (née Warren)
- 1983Little Red Riding HoodLittle Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary
- 1983Romantic ComedyPhoebe Craddock
- 1983Cross CreekMarjorie Kinnan Rawlings
- 1982Faerie Tale TheatreMary / Little Red Riding Hood
- 1982A Midsummer Night's Sex ComedyAdrian
- 1981RagtimeMother
- 1980Melvin and HowardLynda Dummar
- 1979Time After TimeAmy Robbins
- 1978Goin' SouthJulia Tate
- 1953The OscarsSelf
- —Let's Have Kids!Sue
- —A Dog’s Perfect ChristmasClaire
- —Happiness Isn't EverythingAudrey Veill
- —Southern DiscomfortMary Lou Dobson
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