Ellen Burstyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ellen Burstyn
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Burstyn in 2009
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| Born |
Edna Rae Gillooly
December 7, 1932 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
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| Other names | Ellen McRae |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1955–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
William Alexander
(m. 1950; div. 1957)Paul Roberts
(m. 1958; div. 1961)Neil Burstyn
(m. 1964; div. 1972) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
| 10th President of the Actors' Equity Association | |
| In office 1982–1985 |
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| Preceded by | Theodore Bikel |
| Succeeded by | Colleen Dewhurst |
Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly on December 7, 1932) is a famous American actress. She is known for playing strong and interesting women in movies and plays. Over her long career, she has won many awards. These include an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Winning these three major awards is called the "Triple Crown of Acting," and only a few actors have done it.
Burstyn started acting on Broadway in 1957. In 1975, she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for the play Same Time, Next Year. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for playing a widow named Alice Hyatt in the movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974).
She has been nominated for an Oscar for many other roles. These include The Last Picture Show (1971), The Exorcist (1973), Resurrection (1980), and Requiem for a Dream (2000). You might also know her from movies like Interstellar (2014), The Age of Adaline (2015), and Pieces of a Woman (2020).
Burstyn has also won Emmy Awards for her roles on TV. She won for a guest role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2009 and for the miniseries Political Animals in 2013. Since 2000, she has been a co-president of the Actors Studio, a famous acting school in New York City. In 2013, she was added to the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and First Jobs
Ellen Burstyn was born Edna Rae Gillooly in Detroit, Michigan. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she lived with her mother, stepfather, and two brothers.
She went to Cass Technical High School, a special school where students could focus on a specific subject. Burstyn chose to study fashion illustration. She was also a cheerleader and president of the drama club. She left high school before graduating.
After leaving school, Burstyn worked as a dancer and a model. She later moved to Dallas and then to New York City to continue her career. She decided to become an actress and chose the professional name "Ellen McRae." She later changed her last name to Burstyn.
Acting Career
Starting on Stage and Screen (1950s-1960s)
Burstyn's first big role was on Broadway in 1957. During the 1960s, she appeared in many popular TV shows. These included Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, and The Big Valley. She used the name Ellen McRae until 1967, when she started going by Ellen Burstyn. In 1975, she won a Tony Award for her role in the play Same Time, Next Year.
Becoming a Star (1971–1979)
Burstyn became very famous in the 1970s. In 1971, she starred in The Last Picture Show. The movie was a big success and was praised by critics. Burstyn was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In 1973, she played the lead role of Chris MacNeil in the supernatural movie The Exorcist. In the film, she plays a mother whose daughter is possessed by a mysterious spirit. The movie was very popular and became one of the highest-grossing films of its time. For her performance, Burstyn was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Her next major role was in the 1974 movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. She played a woman who becomes a widow and tries to start a new life as a singer. Burstyn loved the script because the character felt similar to her own life. Her performance was a huge success, and she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
In 1978, she starred with Alan Alda in the movie version of Same Time, Next Year. The movie is about two people who meet once a year for a romantic get-together. She was nominated for another Academy Award for this role and won a Golden Globe Award.
An Established Actress (1980s-1990s)
In the 1980s, Burstyn continued to star in movies and on TV. In 1980, she starred in the drama Resurrection. She played a woman who gets special powers after surviving a car crash. This role earned her another Oscar nomination.
She also starred in her own TV comedy show, The Ellen Burstyn Show, in 1986. It also starred Megan Mullally as her daughter. The show ran for one season.
During the 1990s, Burstyn appeared in several movies. These included When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) with Meg Ryan and How to Make an American Quilt (1995). How to Make an American Quilt is about a group of women who share their life stories while making a quilt.
Later Work in Film and TV (1999–2009)
In 2000, Burstyn gave a powerful performance in the psychological drama Requiem for a Dream. She played Sara Goldfarb, a lonely woman from Brooklyn. To prepare for the role, Burstyn had to wear special suits to look heavier and also lost weight to show her character's journey. Her performance was highly praised, and she received her fifth Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
From 2000 to 2002, she starred in the TV show That's Life. She also appeared in the popular movie Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002).
In 2008, she played former First Lady Barbara Bush in the movie W.. A First Lady is the wife of the President of the United States. In 2009, Burstyn won a Primetime Emmy Award for playing a guest role on the TV show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Recent Roles (2010–Present)
Burstyn has remained very active in recent years. In 2012, she was in the TV series Political Animals. She played the mother of a former First Lady who becomes the Secretary of State. For this role, she won another Emmy Award.
In 2014, she appeared in Christopher Nolan's science fiction movie Interstellar. The film is about astronauts searching for a new home for humanity. That same year, she also had a guest role on the TV series Louie.
In 2015, she played the daughter of Blake Lively's character in the fantasy movie The Age of Adaline. In 2016, she had a guest role on the political TV show House of Cards, which earned her another Emmy nomination.
In 2020, Burstyn appeared in the drama Pieces of a Woman. Her performance was praised by critics and earned her several award nominations. In 2021, she returned to the Law & Order world in the series Law & Order: Organized Crime. She also played Sara Roosevelt, the mother of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in the series The First Lady.
Personal Life
Burstyn was married three times. Her first marriage was to Bill Alexander from 1950 to 1957. She then married Paul Roberts in 1958, and they adopted a son named Jefferson. They divorced in 1961. Her third husband was actor Neil Burstyn, whom she married in 1964. They divorced in 1972.
Burstyn was raised in the Catholic faith but now says she connects with all religions. She is interested in Sufism, a spiritual practice. She says, "I am a spirit opening to the truth that lives in all of these religions."
She has been involved in many causes. From 1982 to 1985, she was the president of the Actors' Equity Association, a group that represents stage actors. Since 2000, she has been a co-president of the Actors Studio with Al Pacino and Alec Baldwin.
Awards and Honors
Ellen Burstyn is one of the few actors to have won the Triple Crown of Acting. This means she has won the top awards for film, television, and theater.
- Academy Award (Oscar) for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1975)
- Tony Award for the play Same Time, Next Year (1975)
- Primetime Emmy Award for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2009)
She has been nominated for six Academy Awards in total. She has also won a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award.
Works
- Burstyn, Ellen (2006). Lessons in Becoming Myself. Riverhead Books (New York City, New York). ISBN: 978-1-59448-929-7.
See also
In Spanish: Ellen Burstyn para niños
- List of actors with Academy Award nominations
- List of Primetime Emmy Award winners
- List of Golden Globe winners
