Ellen Burstyn

Biography

Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly, December 7, 1932) is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women in dramas, she receives 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". She has also received a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award.

Burstyn made her acting debut on Broadway in Fair Game in 1957 before winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for Same Time, Next Year (1975). She earned the Academy Award for Best Actress as the widow Alice Hyatt in Martin Scorsese's romantic drama Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974). Her other Oscar-nominated roles were in The Last Picture Show (1971), The Exorcist (1973), Same Time, Next Year (1978), Resurrection (1980), and Requiem for a Dream (2000). Her other notable films include Harry and Tonto (1974), How to Make an American Quilt (1995), Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), W. (2008), Interstellar (2014), The Age of Adaline (2015), and Pieces of a Woman (2020).

She won Primetime Emmy Awards for her guest role in the NBC legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2009) and supporting role in the USA Network political miniseries Political Animals (2013). Her other Emmy-nominated roles include Pack of Lies (1988), Mrs. Harris (2005), Big Love (2008), Draft Day, Flowers in the Attic (both 2014), and House of Cards (2016). 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 onstage.

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CritifyHub Reviews Featuring Ellen Burstyn

Fading Frames, Lasting Echoes: The Last Picture Show’s Haunting Snapshot of Time

on The Last Picture Show | Aug 23, 2025

Ever wonder what it feels like to watch a town and its dreams wither in real-time? The Last Picture Show (1971), directed by Peter Bogdanovich, captures that ache with a raw, unflinching lens, turning... Read more

Time’s Tapestry: Unraveling the Cosmic Grief of The Fountain

on The Fountain | Jul 17, 2025

Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain (2006) is a cinematic mosaic that dares to weave love, death, and eternity into a singular, if occasionally unwieldy, vision. The film’s ambition lies in its triptych n... Read more

Beneath the Cross: The Exorcist’s Primal Dance of Faith and Fear

on The Exorcist | Jul 13, 2025

William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973) remains a cinematic crucible, forging terror and theology into a singular, unsettling experience. Its power lies not in its shocks though they are legion but in ... Read more

"No matter what you’ve got, it’s never enough." This stark line encapsulates the insatiable desires and tragic consequences explored in "Requiem for a Dream."

on Requiem for a Dream | May 31, 2025

Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream is a visually arresting and emotionally devastating psychological drama that delves into the parallel and increasingly desperate lives of four individuals consum... Read more

"Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here." This ambitious statement encapsulates the epic scope and hopeful desperation of "Interstellar."

on Interstellar | May 29, 2025

Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar isn’t just a science fiction film about space travel; it’s a visually stunning and emotionally resonant exploration of love, loss, time, and humanity’s yearning for su... Read more