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Ellen Burstyn

BIRTH NAME Edna Rae Gillooly
BORN December 7, 1932, Detroit, Michigan, USA
ASSOCIATION Actor
NATIONALITY American
HEIGHT 170 cm
REVIEWED ENTRIES 12 (10)
MAX. RATING

(Requiem for a Dream)

MIN. RATING

½

AVERAGE RATING 4.25

 

FILMOGRAPHY (ONLY REVIEWED ENTRIES)

YEAR TITLE ROLE RATING
1971 The Last Picture Show Lois Farrow

½

1973 The Exorcist Chris MacNeil

½

1974 Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Alice Hyatt

½

1978 Same Time, Next Year Doris

½

1995 How to Make an American Quilt Hy

½

2000 Requiem for a Dream Sara Goldfarb

2002 Red Dragon Grandma Dolarhyde
2006 The Fountain Dr. Lillian Guzetti

½

2008 W. Barbara Bush

½

2014 Interstellar Elderly Murphy  
2018 The Tale Nettie

½

2020 Pieces of a Woman Elizabeth Weiss

½

 

BIO

Arriving fairly late in films, and even later in the Hollywood celebrity scene, Ellen Burstyn's career has been distinguished by recurring, often low-key, critically acclaimed performances in ambitious and groundbreaking movies. Her cinematic successes stand in stark contrast to her turbulent personal life, which includes three broken marriages and a childhood marked by abuse. That she has persevered through it all is a testament to Burstyn's personal resilience – a strength that has often been reflected in her characters.

As an actress, Burstyn is unpretentious and highly professional. She portrays both elegance and desperation with equal conviction. Her best roles have often been characters pushed to their limits, such as in The Exorcist or Requiem for a Dream. What is remarkable is how she's managed to retain credibility even in extreme segments, bordering on the fantastical.

After a string of successes in the 1970s, Burstyn struggled to find strong roles in films during the 1980s and 1990s, turning to television work instead. However, well into her senior years, she returned to the limelight and remained as prolific and ambitious as ever. Burstyn has become a role model for women, without ever overtly adopting the feminist label.

 

AWARDS

The Academy Awards (Oscars)

1972

Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Last Picture Show

1974

Nominated for Best Actress for The Exorcist

1975

Best Actress for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

1979

Nominated for Best Actress for Same Time, Next Year

1981

Nominated for Best Actress for Resurrection

2001

Nominated for Best Actress for Requiem for a Dream

 

WHAT DO THE CRITICS SAY?

Alex in Wonderland  (1970)

"Burstyn stands out as Sutherland's wife" - Leonard Maltin

The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)

"Burstyn's performance as an aging beauty is chilling in its perfection" - Leonard Maltin

Resurrection (1980)

"Burstyn's moving performance is the centrepiece of a wonderful and underrated film." - Leonard Maltin