Actor profile

Mary Steenburgen

8th February 1953 Newport, Arkansas, USA Acting

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.

97 Movies 47 TV Shows 1 In Production 145 Credits

Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

Last Train to Fortune poster

Last Train to Fortune 8th November 2025 as Miss Maybelle

Easy's Waltz poster

Easy's Waltz 11th September 2025

Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic poster

Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic 21st December 2023 as Self

Book Club: The Next Chapter poster

Book Club: The Next Chapter 11th May 2023 as Carol

Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl poster

Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl 31st January 2022 as Self

Nightmare Alley poster

Nightmare Alley 2nd December 2021 as Mrs. Kimball

Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas poster

Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas 1st December 2021 as Maggie Clarke

Happiest Season poster

Happiest Season 26th November 2020 as Tipper

30 Rock: A One-Time Special poster

30 Rock: A One-Time Special 16th July 2020 as Mary Steenburgen

Flannery poster

Flannery 25th October 2019 as Flannery O'Connor (voice)

Antiquities poster

Antiquities 25th January 2019 as Dr. Margot

Book Club poster

Book Club 18th May 2018 as Carol

Katie Says Goodbye poster

Katie Says Goodbye 8th March 2018 as Maybelle

I Do... Until I Don't poster

I Do... Until I Don't 1st September 2017 as Cybil Burger

The Discovery poster

The Discovery 31st March 2017 as Interviewer

The Book of Love poster

The Book of Love 13th January 2017 as Julia Mureaux

Dean poster

Dean 16th April 2016 as Carol

Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow poster

Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow 21st November 2015 as Aunt Cly

A Walk in the Woods poster

A Walk in the Woods 2nd September 2015 as Jeannie

7 Days in Hell poster

7 Days in Hell 8th July 2015 as Louisa Poole

The One I Love poster

The One I Love 8th August 2014 as Mom (voice)

Song One poster

Song One 20th January 2014 as Karen Ellis

Last Vegas poster

Last Vegas 31st October 2013 as Diana Boyle

Brahmin Bulls poster

Brahmin Bulls 5th October 2013 as Helen West

Outlaw Country poster

Outlaw Country 24th August 2012 as Anastasia Lee

The Help poster

The Help 9th August 2011 as Elaine Stein

Fight for Your Right Revisited poster

Fight for Your Right Revisited 22nd April 2011 as Café Patron

Tales from the Future poster

Tales from the Future 26th October 2010 as Self

Dirty Girl poster

Dirty Girl 12th September 2010 as Peggy

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story poster

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 22nd March 2010 as Mrs. Yankovic

Did You Hear About the Morgans? poster

Did You Hear About the Morgans? 17th December 2009 as Emma Wheeler

Clarkworld poster

Clarkworld 3rd November 2009 as Self

The Proposal poster

The Proposal 2nd June 2009 as Grace Paxton

In the Electric Mist poster

In the Electric Mist 15th April 2009 as Bootsie Robicheaux

The Open Road poster

The Open Road 7th February 2009 as Katherine

Four Christmases poster

Four Christmases 26th November 2008 as Marilyn

Step Brothers poster

Step Brothers 25th July 2008 as Nancy Huff

The Brave One poster

The Brave One 12th September 2007 as Carol

Honeydripper poster

Honeydripper 10th September 2007 as Amanda Winship

Numb poster

Numb 30th April 2007 as Dr. Blaine

Nobel Son poster

Nobel Son 28th April 2007 as Sarah Michaelson

Elvis & Anabelle poster

Elvis & Anabelle 10th March 2007 as Geneva Leigh

Inland Empire poster

Inland Empire 6th December 2006 as Visitor #2

The Dead Girl poster

The Dead Girl 7th November 2006 as Leah's Mother

O Lucky Malcolm! poster

O Lucky Malcolm! 1st August 2006 as Self

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School poster

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School 12th January 2006 as Marienne Hotchkiss

Remembering Ragtime poster

Remembering Ragtime 16th November 2004 as Mother (archive footage)

It Must Be Love poster

It Must Be Love 15th February 2004 as Clem Gazelle

Elf poster

Elf 7th November 2003 as Emily

Casa de los Babys poster

Casa de los Babys 19th September 2003 as Gayle

Hope Springs poster

Hope Springs 9th May 2003 as Joanie Fisher

Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood poster

Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood 22nd April 2003 as Mary

Sunshine State poster

Sunshine State 21st June 2002 as Francine Pinkney

Wish You Were Dead poster

Wish You Were Dead 21st May 2002 as Sally Rider

Living with the Dead poster

Living with the Dead 28th April 2002 as Detective Karen Condrin

I Am Sam poster

I Am Sam 28th December 2001 as Dr. Blake

Life as a House poster

Life as a House 25th October 2001 as Colleen Beck

The Trumpet of the Swan poster

The Trumpet of the Swan 11th May 2001 as Mother (voice)

Nobody's Baby poster

Nobody's Baby 1st January 2001 as Estelle

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story poster

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story 31st May 2000

Picnic poster

Picnic 16th April 2000 as Rosemary Sydney

Noah's Ark poster

Noah's Ark 2nd May 1999 as Naamah

About Sarah poster

About Sarah 4th October 1998 as Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey

The Grass Harp poster

The Grass Harp 11th October 1996 as Sister Ida

Nixon poster

Nixon 22nd December 1995 as Hannah Nixon

Powder poster

Powder 27th October 1995 as Jessie Caldwell

My Family poster

My Family 3rd May 1995 as Gloria

Pontiac Moon poster

Pontiac Moon 3rd November 1994 as Katherine Bellamy

It Runs in the Family poster

It Runs in the Family 23rd September 1994 as Mrs. Parker (Mother)

Clifford poster

Clifford 1st April 1994 as Sarah Davis

Philadelphia poster

Philadelphia 22nd December 1993 as Belinda Conine

What's Eating Gilbert Grape poster

What's Eating Gilbert Grape 17th December 1993 as Betty Carver

Earth and the American Dream poster

Earth and the American Dream 1st October 1992 as Reader (voice)

Back to the Future: Dickens of a Christmas poster

Back to the Future: Dickens of a Christmas 23rd November 1991 as Clara Clayton Brown (voice)

The Butcher's Wife poster

The Butcher's Wife 25th October 1991 as Stella Keefover

The Long Walk Home poster

The Long Walk Home 21st December 1990 as Narrator (voice)

Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret 27th August 1990 as Self

The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy poster

The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy 12th June 1990 as Self

Back to the Future Part III poster

Back to the Future Part III 25th May 1990 as Clara Clayton

Parenthood poster

Parenthood 31st July 1989 as Karen Buckman

Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre 26th June 1989 as Self (voice)

Miss Firecracker poster

Miss Firecracker 28th April 1989 as Elaine Rutledge

The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank poster

The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank 17th April 1988 as Miep Gies

The Whales of August poster

The Whales of August 14th October 1987 as Young Sarah

End of the Line poster

End of the Line 28th August 1987 as Rose Pickett

Dead of Winter poster

Dead of Winter 6th February 1987 as Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn

One Magic Christmas poster

One Magic Christmas 22nd November 1985 as Ginny Grainger

Little Red Riding Hood poster

Little Red Riding Hood 10th November 1983 as Little Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary

Romantic Comedy poster

Romantic Comedy 7th October 1983 as Phoebe Craddock

Cross Creek poster

Cross Creek 21st September 1983 as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy poster

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy 16th July 1982 as Adrian

Ragtime poster

Ragtime 20th November 1981 as Mother

Melvin and Howard poster

Melvin and Howard 19th September 1980 as Lynda Dummar

Time After Time poster

Time After Time 28th September 1979 as Amy Robbins

Goin' South poster

Goin' South 6th October 1978 as Julia Tate

A Dog’s Perfect Christmas as Claire

Let's Have Kids! poster

Let's Have Kids! as Sue

BULLDOZER 28th January 2025 as Kathy

A Man on the Inside poster

A Man on the Inside 21st November 2024 as Mona Margadoff

In the Kitchen with Harry Hamlin poster

In the Kitchen with Harry Hamlin 15th May 2024 as Self

The Jennifer Hudson Show poster

The Jennifer Hudson Show 12th September 2022 as Self - Guest

Mr. Mayor poster

Mr. Mayor 7th January 2021 as Adriana

Reunited Apart poster

Reunited Apart 27th April 2020 as Self

Stars in the House poster

Stars in the House 16th March 2020 as Self

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist poster

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist 7th January 2020 as Maggie Clarke

Bless the Harts poster

Bless the Harts 29th September 2019 as Crystalynn (voice)

The Kelly Clarkson Show poster

The Kelly Clarkson Show 9th September 2019 as Self - Guest

On Becoming a God in Central Florida poster

On Becoming a God in Central Florida 25th August 2019 as Ellen Joy Bonar

The Conners poster

The Conners 16th October 2018 as Marcy Bellinger

The Good Place poster

The Good Place 19th September 2016 as Teacher

Grace and Frankie poster

Grace and Frankie 8th May 2015 as Miriam

The Last Man on Earth poster

The Last Man on Earth 1st March 2015 as Gail Klosterman

Togetherness poster

Togetherness 11th January 2015 as Linda

Late Night with Seth Meyers poster

Late Night with Seth Meyers 25th February 2014 as Self - Guest

Orange Is the New Black poster

Orange Is the New Black 11th July 2013 as Delia Powell

Finding Your Roots poster

Finding Your Roots 24th March 2012 as Self

Wilfred poster

Wilfred 23rd June 2011 as Catherine Newman

Justified poster

Justified 16th March 2010 as Katherine Hale

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen poster

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen 16th July 2009 as Self - Guest

30 Rock poster

30 Rock 11th October 2006 as Diana Jessup

American Dad! poster

American Dad! 6th February 2005 as (voice)

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson poster

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson 3rd January 2005 as Self

The Tony Danza Show 13th September 2004 as Self - Guest

Joan of Arcadia poster

Joan of Arcadia 26th September 2003 as Helen Girardi

E!'s 101 13th July 2003 as Self

Living with the Dead poster

Living with the Dead 28th April 2002 as Detective Karen Condrin

Good Day Live 17th September 2001 as Self

Dinner for Five poster

Dinner for Five 6th July 2001

Curb Your Enthusiasm poster

Curb Your Enthusiasm 15th October 2000 as Mary Steenburgen

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit poster

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 20th September 1999 as Grace Rinato

Noah's Ark poster

Noah's Ark 4th May 1999 as Naamah

Becker poster

Becker 2nd November 1998 as Patient (uncredited)

The View poster

The View 11th August 1997 as Self

Ink poster

Ink 21st October 1996 as Kate Montgomery

Gulliver's Travels poster

Gulliver's Travels 4th February 1996 as Mary Gulliver

Ellen poster

Ellen 29th March 1994 as Self (uncredited)

Frasier poster

Frasier 16th September 1993 as Marjorie (voice)

Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories poster

Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories 21st April 1992 as Narrator (voice)

Back to the Future poster

Back to the Future 14th September 1991 as Clara Clayton (voice)

LIVE with Kelly and Mark poster

LIVE with Kelly and Mark 5th September 1988 as Self - Guest

Tender Is the Night poster

Tender Is the Night 23rd September 1985 as Nicole Diver (née Warren)

Faerie Tale Theatre poster

Faerie Tale Theatre 11th September 1982 as Mary / Little Red Riding Hood

The Oscars poster

The Oscars 19th March 1953 as Self

Happiness Isn't Everything as Audrey Veill

The Dink poster

Coming soon

The Dink 23rd July 2026 as Candace