Mary Steenburgen

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.

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Known For

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009 • as Self - Guest

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

2005 • as Self

Late Night with Seth Meyers

2014 • as Self

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999 • as Grace Rinato

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019 • as Self

Good Day Live

2001 • as Self

Filmography

2025

BULLDOZER

as Kathy

TV - Released: 1/28/2025

2024

In the Kitchen with Harry Hamlin

as Self

TV - Released: 5/15/2024

2023

Book Club: The Next Chapter

as Carol

Movie - Released: 5/11/2023

Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic

as Self

Movie - Released: 12/21/2023

2022

Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl

as Self

Movie - Released: 1/31/2022

2021

Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas

as Maggie Clarke

Movie - Released: 12/1/2021

Nightmare Alley

as Mrs. Kimball

Movie - Released: 12/2/2021

Mr. Mayor

as Adriana

TV - Released: 1/7/2021

2020

Happiest Season

as Tipper

Movie - Released: 11/26/2020

30 Rock: A One-Time Special

as Mary Steenburgen

Movie - Released: 7/16/2020

Stars in the House

as Self

TV - Released: 3/16/2020

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

as Maggie Clarke

TV - Released: 1/7/2020

Reunited Apart

as Self

TV - Released: 4/27/2020

2019

Antiquities

as Dr. Margot

Movie - Released: 1/25/2019

Flannery

as Flannery O'Connor (voice)

Movie - Released: 10/25/2019

Bless the Harts

as Crystalynn (voice)

TV - Released: 9/29/2019

The Kelly Clarkson Show

as Self

TV - Released: 9/9/2019

On Becoming a God in Central Florida

as Ellen Joy Bonar

TV - Released: 8/25/2019

2018

Katie Says Goodbye

as Maybelle

Movie - Released: 3/8/2018

Book Club

as Carol

Movie - Released: 5/18/2018

The Conners

as Marcy Bellinger

TV - Released: 10/16/2018

2017

The Book of Love

as Julia Mureaux

Movie - Released: 1/13/2017

I Do... Until I Don't

as Cybil Burger

Movie - Released: 9/1/2017

The Discovery

as Interviewer

Movie - Released: 3/31/2017

2016

Dean

as Carol

Movie - Released: 4/16/2016

The Good Place

as Teacher

TV - Released: 9/19/2016

2015

7 Days in Hell

as Louisa Poole

Movie - Released: 7/8/2015

Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow

as Aunt Cly

Movie - Released: 11/21/2015

A Walk in the Woods

as Jeannie

Movie - Released: 9/2/2015

The Last Man on Earth

as Gail Klosterman

TV - Released: 3/1/2015

Togetherness

as Linda

TV - Released: 1/11/2015

Grace and Frankie

as Miriam

TV - Released: 5/8/2015

2014

Song One

as Karen Ellis

Movie - Released: 1/20/2014

The One I Love

as Mom (voice)

Movie - Released: 8/8/2014

Late Night with Seth Meyers

as Self

TV - Released: 2/25/2014

2013

Brahmin Bulls

as Helen West

Movie - Released: 10/5/2013

Last Vegas

as Diana Boyle

Movie - Released: 10/31/2013

Orange Is the New Black

as Delia Powell

TV - Released: 7/11/2013

2012

Outlaw Country

as Anastasia Lee

Movie - Released: 8/24/2012

Finding Your Roots

as Self

TV - Released: 3/24/2012

2011

Fight for Your Right Revisited

as Café Patron

Movie - Released: 4/22/2011

The Help

as Elaine Stein

Movie - Released: 8/9/2011

Movie

Clinton Foundation: Celebrity Division

as Self

Movie - Released: 10/1/2011

Wilfred

as Catherine Newman

TV - Released: 6/23/2011

2010

Dirty Girl

as Peggy

Movie - Released: 9/12/2010

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

as Mrs. Yankovic

Movie - Released: 3/22/2010

Tales from the Future

as Self

Movie - Released: 10/26/2010

Justified

as Katherine Hale

TV - Released: 3/16/2010

2009

In the Electric Mist

as Bootsie Robicheaux

Movie - Released: 4/15/2009

The Proposal

as Grace Paxton

Movie - Released: 6/2/2009

Clarkworld

as Self

Movie - Released: 11/3/2009

Did You Hear About the Morgans?

as Emma Wheeler

Movie - Released: 12/17/2009

The Open Road

as Katherine

Movie - Released: 2/7/2009

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

as Self - Guest

TV - Released: 7/16/2009

2008

Step Brothers

as Nancy Huff

Movie - Released: 7/25/2008

Four Christmases

as Marilyn

Movie - Released: 11/26/2008

2007

The Brave One

as Carol

Movie - Released: 9/12/2007

Nobel Son

as Sarah Michaelson

Movie - Released: 4/28/2007

Numb

as Dr. Blaine

Movie - Released: 4/30/2007

Elvis & Anabelle

as Geneva Leigh

Movie - Released: 3/10/2007

Honeydripper

as Amanda Winship

Movie - Released: 9/10/2007

2006

The Dead Girl

as Beverley, Leah's Mother

Movie - Released: 11/7/2006

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School

as Marienne Hotchkiss

Movie - Released: 1/12/2006

O Lucky Malcolm!

as Self

Movie - Released: 8/1/2006

Inland Empire

as Visitor #2

Movie - Released: 12/6/2006

30 Rock

as Diana Jessup

TV - Released: 10/11/2006

2005

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

as Self

TV - Released: 1/3/2005

2004

Remembering Ragtime

as Mother (archive footage)

Movie - Released: 11/16/2004

It Must Be Love

Movie - Released: 2/15/2004

The Tony Danza Show

as Self - Guest

TV - Released: 9/13/2004

2003

Elf

as Emily

Movie - Released: 11/7/2003

Hope Springs

as Joanie Fisher

Movie - Released: 5/9/2003

Casa de los Babys

as Gayle

Movie - Released: 9/19/2003

Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood

as Mary

Movie - Released: 4/22/2003

Joan of Arcadia

as Helen Girardi

TV - Released: 9/26/2003

E!'s 101

as Self

TV - Released: 7/13/2003

2002

Wish You Were Dead

as Sally Rider

Movie - Released: 5/21/2002

Living with the Dead

as Detective Karen Condrin

Movie - Released: 4/28/2002

Sunshine State

as Francine Pinkney

Movie - Released: 6/21/2002

Living with the Dead

as Detective Karen Condrin

TV - Released: 4/28/2002

2001

Nobody's Baby

as Estelle

Movie - Released: 1/1/2001

The Trumpet of the Swan

as Mother (voice)

Movie - Released: 5/11/2001

Life As A House

as Colleen Beck

Movie - Released: 10/25/2001

I Am Sam

as Dr. Blake

Movie - Released: 12/28/2001

Dinner for Five

TV - Released: 7/6/2001

Good Day Live

as Self

TV - Released: 9/17/2001

2000

Picnic

as Rosemary Sydney

Movie - Released: 4/16/2000

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story

Movie - Released: 5/31/2000

Curb Your Enthusiasm

as Mary Steenburgen

TV - Released: 10/15/2000

1999

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

as Grace Rinato

TV - Released: 9/20/1999

Noah's Ark

as Naamah

TV - Released: 5/4/1999

1998

About Sarah

as Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey

Movie - Released: 10/4/1998

Becker

as Patient (uncredited)

TV - Released: 11/2/1998

1997

The View

as Self

TV - Released: 8/11/1997

1996

Ink

as Kate Montgomery

TV - Released: 10/21/1996

Gulliver's Travels

as Mary Gulliver

TV - Released: 2/4/1996

1995

Nixon

as Hannah Nixon

Movie - Released: 12/22/1995

Powder

as Jessie Caldwell

Movie - Released: 10/27/1995

The Grass Harp

as Sister Ida

Movie - Released: 9/10/1995

My Family

as Gloria

Movie - Released: 5/3/1995

1994

Clifford

as Sarah Davis

Movie - Released: 4/1/1994

Pontiac Moon

as Katherine Bellamy

Movie - Released: 11/3/1994

It Runs in the Family

as Mrs. Parker (Mother)

Movie - Released: 9/23/1994

Ellen

as Self (uncredited)

TV - Released: 3/29/1994

1993

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

as Betty Carver

Movie - Released: 12/17/1993

Philadelphia

as Belinda Conine

Movie - Released: 12/22/1993

Frasier

as Marjorie (voice)

TV - Released: 9/16/1993

1992

Earth and the American Dream

as Reader (voice)

Movie - Released: 10/1/1992

Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories

as Narrator (Voice)

TV - Released: 4/21/1992

1991

The Butcher's Wife

as Stella Keefover

Movie - Released: 10/25/1991

Back to the Future

as Clara Clayton (voice)

TV - Released: 9/14/1991

1990

Back to the Future Part III

as Clara Clayton

Movie - Released: 5/25/1990

The Long Walk Home

as Narrator (voice)

Movie - Released: 12/21/1990

The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy

as Self

Movie - Released: 6/12/1990

Movie

Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret

as Self

Movie - Released: 8/27/1990

1989

Parenthood

as Karen Buckman

Movie - Released: 7/31/1989

Miss Firecracker

as Elaine Rutledge

Movie - Released: 4/28/1989

Movie

Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre

as Herself

Movie - Released: 6/26/1989

1988

The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank

as Miep Gies

Movie - Released: 4/17/1988

1987

The Whales of August

as Young Sarah

Movie - Released: 10/14/1987

End of the Line

as Rose Pickett

Movie - Released: 8/28/1987

Dead of Winter

as Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn

Movie - Released: 2/6/1987

1985

One Magic Christmas

as Ginny Grainger

Movie - Released: 11/22/1985

Tender Is the Night

as Nicole Warren Diver

TV - Released: 9/23/1985

1983

Romantic Comedy

as Phoebe Craddock

Movie - Released: 10/7/1983

Cross Creek

as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Movie - Released: 9/21/1983

Little Red Riding Hood

as Little Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary

Movie - Released: 11/10/1983

1982

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy

as Adrian

Movie - Released: 7/16/1982

Faerie Tale Theatre

as Mary / Little Red Riding Hood

TV - Released: 9/11/1982

1981

Ragtime

as Mother

Movie - Released: 11/20/1981

1980

Melvin and Howard

as Lynda Dummar

Movie - Released: 9/19/1980

1979

Time After Time

as Amy Robbins

Movie - Released: 9/28/1979

1978

Goin' South

as Julia Tate

Movie - Released: 10/6/1978

1953

The Oscars

as Self

TV - Released: 3/19/1953

Unknown

Movie

Last Train to Fortune

Movie

Let's Have Kids!

Movie

The Dink

Movie

Happiness Isn't Everything

as Audrey Veill