Sissy Spacek

Sissy Spacek

Mary Elizabeth 'Sissy' Spacek (born December 25, 1949) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and nominations for four British Academy Film Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award. Spacek was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011. Born and raised in Texas, she initially aspired to a career as a recording artist. In 1968, at age 18, she recorded a single, "John, You Went Too Far This Time," under the name Rainbo. She began her professional acting career in the early 1970s, making her debut as an extra in Andy Warhol's Women in Revolt (1971). Her breakout role came with Terrence Malick's influential crime film Badlands (1973), which earned her a nomination for the British Academy Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles. She rose to international prominence with her portrayal of Carrie White in Brian De Palma's horror film Carrie (1976), for which she received her first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. After appearing in the acclaimed films Welcome to L.A. (1976) and Robert Altman's 3 Women (1977), she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Loretta Lynn in the biographical musical film Coal Miner's Daughter (1980). Her other Oscar-nominated roles include Missing (1982), The River (1984), Crimes of the Heart (1986), and In the Bedroom (2001). Her other prominent films include Raggedy Man (1981), JFK (1991), Affliction (1997), The Straight Story (1999), Tuck Everlasting (2002), Nine Lives (2005), North Country (2005), Four Christmases (2008), Get Low (2010), The Help (2011), and The Old Man & the Gun (2018). She received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for the television films The Good Old Boys (1995) and Last Call (2002), and for her guest role on the HBO drama series Big Love (2011). She portrayed matriarch Sally Rayburn on the Netflix drama thriller series Bloodline (2015–2017), Ruth Deaver on the Hulu psychological horror series Castle Rock (2018), and Ellen Bergman on the Amazon Prime Video psychological thriller series Homecoming (2018). She has also ventured into music, and recorded vocals for the soundtrack album of Coal Miner's Daughter, which peaked at number two on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart and garnered her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. She released a studio album, Hangin' Up My Heart (1983), which was critically well-received and peaked at number 17 on Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

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Known For

Filmography

2025

Dying for Sex
Dying for Sex
as Gail
TV - Released: 4/4/2025

2022

Sam & Kate
Sam & Kate
as Tina
Movie - Released: 11/11/2022
Night Sky
Night Sky
as Irene York
TV - Released: 5/19/2022

2021

Without Getting Killed or Caught
Without Getting Killed or Caught
as Narrator / Voice of Susanna Clark (voice)
Movie - Released: 7/23/2021

2018

The Old Man & the Gun
The Old Man & the Gun
as Jewel
Movie - Released: 9/27/2018
Castle Rock
Castle Rock
as Ruth Deaver
TV - Released: 7/25/2018
Homecoming
Homecoming
as Ellen Bergman
TV - Released: 11/1/2018
GQ Presents: Iconic Characters
GQ Presents: Iconic Characters
as Self
TV - Released: 3/23/2018

2016

HyperNormalisation
HyperNormalisation
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 10/25/2016
Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl
Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl
as Self / Loretta Lynn
Movie - Released: 3/4/2016
River of Gold
River of Gold
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 3/26/2016

2015

Bloodline
Bloodline
as Sally Rayburn
TV - Released: 3/20/2015

2014

And the Oscar Goes To...
And the Oscar Goes To...
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 2/1/2014
Off Camera with Sam Jones
Off Camera with Sam Jones
as Self
TV - Released: 2/6/2014

2013

Making Badlands
Making Badlands
as Self
Movie - Released: 3/19/2013

2012

Deadfall
Deadfall
as June
Movie - Released: 11/8/2012

2011

The Help
The Help
as Missus Walters
Movie - Released: 8/9/2011

2010

Get Low
Get Low
as Mattie Darrow
Movie - Released: 7/30/2010

2008

Four Christmases
Four Christmases
as Paula
Movie - Released: 11/26/2008
Lake City
Lake City
as Maggie
Movie - Released: 1/1/2008

2007

Hot Rod
Hot Rod
as Marie Powell
Movie - Released: 8/3/2007
Pictures of Hollis Woods
Pictures of Hollis Woods
as Josie Cahill
Movie - Released: 12/2/2007
Gray Matters
Gray Matters
as Dr. Sydney
Movie - Released: 2/23/2007

2006

Big Love
Big Love
as Marilyn Densham
TV - Released: 3/12/2006

2005

An American Haunting
An American Haunting
as Lucy Bell
Movie - Released: 5/5/2005
The Ring Two
The Ring Two
as Evelyn
Movie - Released: 3/10/2005
North Country
North Country
as Alice Aimes
Movie - Released: 2/12/2005
Nine Lives
Nine Lives
as Ruth
Movie - Released: 9/2/2005

2004

A Home at the End of the World
A Home at the End of the World
as Alice Glover
Movie - Released: 7/23/2004

2003

Absence of Malick
Absence of Malick
as Self
Movie - Released: 5/26/2003
A Decade Under the Influence
A Decade Under the Influence
as Self
Movie - Released: 4/25/2003

2002

Tuck Everlasting
Tuck Everlasting
as Mae Tuck
Movie - Released: 10/11/2002
Last Call
Last Call
as Zelda Fitzgerald
Movie - Released: 5/25/2002
Rosy-Fingered Dawn: A Film on Terrence Malick
Rosy-Fingered Dawn: A Film on Terrence Malick
as Self
Movie - Released: 9/1/2002

2001

In the Bedroom
In the Bedroom
as Ruth Fowler
Movie - Released: 11/23/2001
Acting 'Carrie'
Acting 'Carrie'
as Self
Movie - Released: 8/28/2001
Visualizing 'Carrie'
Visualizing 'Carrie'
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 8/28/2001
Midwives
Midwives
as Sibyl Danforth
Movie - Released: 4/2/2001

2000

Songs In Ordinary Time
Songs In Ordinary Time
as Marie Fermoyle
Movie - Released: 10/22/2000

1999

The Straight Story
The Straight Story
as Rose
Movie - Released: 10/15/1999
Blast from the Past
Blast from the Past
as Helen
Movie - Released: 2/12/1999
The Rage: Carrie 2
The Rage: Carrie 2
as Carrie White (archive footage) (uncredited)
Movie - Released: 3/12/1999

1998

Affliction
Affliction
as Margie Fogg
Movie - Released: 2/12/1998

1997

The View
The View
as Self
TV - Released: 8/11/1997

1996

If These Walls Could Talk
If These Walls Could Talk
as Barbara Barrows
Movie - Released: 9/11/1996
Beyond the Call
Beyond the Call
as Pam O'Brien
Movie - Released: 6/23/1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
as Self - Guest
TV - Released: 6/10/1996

1995

The Grass Harp
The Grass Harp
as Verena Talbo
Movie - Released: 9/10/1995
The Good Old Boys
The Good Old Boys
as Spring Renfro
Movie - Released: 3/5/1995
Streets of Laredo
Streets of Laredo
as Lorena
TV - Released: 11/12/1995
Thomas Jefferson: A View from the Mountain
Thomas Jefferson: A View from the Mountain
as Martha Jefferson Randolph (voice)
TV - Released: 4/4/1995

1994

Trading Mom
Trading Mom
as Mommy / Mama / Mom / Natasha
Movie - Released: 3/4/1994
A Place for Annie
A Place for Annie
as Susan Lansing
Movie - Released: 5/1/1994
Inside the Actors Studio
Inside the Actors Studio
as Self
TV - Released: 8/14/1994

1993

Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
as Self
Movie - Released: 1/20/1993

1992

Hard Promises
Hard Promises
as Christine Ann Coalter
Movie - Released: 1/31/1992
A Private Matter
A Private Matter
as Sherri Finkbine
Movie - Released: 6/20/1992
Movie
Fonda on Fonda
as Self - The 53rd Annual Academy Awards (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 1/13/1992
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories
as Narrator (Voice)
TV - Released: 4/21/1992

1991

JFK
JFK
as Liz Garrison
Movie - Released: 12/20/1991
Voices That Care
Voices That Care
as Self - Choir Member
Movie - Released: 2/28/1991
Movie
The Talking Eggs
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 9/14/1991

1990

The Long Walk Home
The Long Walk Home
as Miriam Thompson
Movie - Released: 12/21/1990

1987

TV
Seitenblicke
as self
TV - Released: 10/7/1987

1986

'night, Mother
'night, Mother
as Jessie Cates
Movie - Released: 9/12/1986
Crimes of the Heart
Crimes of the Heart
as Babe Magrath
Movie - Released: 12/12/1986
Violets are Blue
Violets are Blue
as Augusta "Gussie" Sawyer
Movie - Released: 4/4/1986

1985

Marie: A True Story
Marie: A True Story
as Marie Ragghianti
Movie - Released: 9/27/1985

1984

The River
The River
as Mae Garvey
Movie - Released: 12/1/1984

1983

The Man with Two Brains
The Man with Two Brains
as Anne Uumellmahaye (uncredited) (voice)
Movie - Released: 6/10/1983

1982

Missing
Missing
as Beth Horman
Movie - Released: 2/12/1982

1981

Raggedy Man
Raggedy Man
as Nita
Movie - Released: 9/18/1981

1980

Coal Miner's Daughter
Coal Miner's Daughter
as Loretta Lynn
Movie - Released: 3/7/1980
Heart Beat
Heart Beat
as Carolyn Cassady
Movie - Released: 4/25/1980

1978

Verna: USO Girl
Verna: USO Girl
as Verna Vane
Movie - Released: 1/25/1978

1977

3 Women
3 Women
as Mildred "Pinky" Rose
Movie - Released: 4/10/1977
Movie
Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary
as Self
Movie - Released: 11/25/1977

1976

Carrie
Carrie
as Carrie
Movie - Released: 11/3/1976
Welcome to L.A.
Welcome to L.A.
as Linda Murray
Movie - Released: 11/12/1976

1975

Katherine
Katherine
as Katherine Alman
Movie - Released: 10/5/1975
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
as Self - Host
TV - Released: 10/11/1975
Arena
Arena
as Self
TV - Released: 10/1/1975
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
as Self
TV - Released: 1/12/1975

1974

Badlands
Badlands
as Holly Sargis
Movie - Released: 1/5/1974
The Migrants
The Migrants
as Wanda Trimpin
Movie - Released: 2/4/1974

1973

Ginger in the Morning
Ginger in the Morning
as Ginger Brown
Movie - Released: 3/2/1973
The Girls of Huntington House
The Girls of Huntington House
as Sara
Movie - Released: 2/15/1973

1972

Prime Cut
Prime Cut
as Poppy
Movie - Released: 6/1/1972
The Rookies
The Rookies
TV - Released: 9/11/1972
The Waltons
The Waltons
TV - Released: 9/14/1972

1971

Great Performances
Great Performances
as Verna Vane
TV - Released: 1/28/1971

1953

The Oscars
The Oscars
as Self
TV - Released: 3/19/1953

1951

Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame
as Susan Lansing
TV - Released: 12/24/1951

Unknown

Die, My Love