
Mary Steenburgen
Known for Acting · 146 credits
- Born
- 1953-02-08 (age 73)
- Place of birth
- Newport, Arkansas, USA
- Also known as
- Mary Nell Steenburgen
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (48)

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Grace Rinato

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

Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self - Guest

American Dad!
2005
as (voice)

The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self - Guest

Frasier
1993
as Marjorie (voice)

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2005
as Self

Curb Your Enthusiasm
2000
as Mary Steenburgen

The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
as Self - Guest

The View
1997
as Self

LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self - Guest

30 Rock
2006
as Diana Jessup

Orange Is the New Black
2013
as Delia Powell

Justified
2010
as Katherine Hale

Grace and Frankie
2015
as Miriam

Ellen
1994
as Self (uncredited)

Becker
1998
as Patient (uncredited)
Good Day Live
2001
as Self

The Good Place
2016
as Teacher
The Tony Danza Show
2004
as Self - Guest

Stars in the House
2020
as Self

The Conners
2018
as Marcy Bellinger

Finding Your Roots
2012
as Self

The Oscars
1953
as Self

The Last Man on Earth
2015
as Gail Klosterman

Faerie Tale Theatre
1982
as Mary / Little Red Riding Hood

Joan of Arcadia
2003
as Helen Girardi

A Man on the Inside
2024
as Mona Margadoff

Wilfred
2011
as Catherine Newman

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist
2020
as Maggie Clarke

Reunited Apart
2020
as Self

Bless the Harts
2019
as Crystalynn (voice)

Mr. Mayor
2021
as Adriana

On Becoming a God in Central Florida
2019
as Ellen Joy Bonar
E!'s 101
2003
as Self

Togetherness
2015
as Linda

Back to the Future
1991
as Clara Clayton (voice)

Ink
1996
as Kate Montgomery

Gulliver's Travels
1996
as Mary Gulliver

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

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

Noah's Ark
1999
as Naamah

In the Kitchen with Harry Hamlin
2024
as Self

Dinner for Five
2001
BULLDOZER
2025
as Kathy

Living with the Dead
2002
as Detective Karen Condrin
Happiness Isn't Everything
as Audrey Veill
Southern Discomfort
as Mary Lou Dobson
Movies (98)

The Proposal
2009
as Grace Paxton

The Help
2011
as Elaine Stein

Back to the Future Part III
1990
as Clara Clayton

Elf
2003
as Emily

I Am Sam
2001
as Dr. Blake

What's Eating Gilbert Grape
1993
as Betty Carver

Nightmare Alley
2021
as Mrs. Kimball

Step Brothers
2008
as Nancy Huff

Philadelphia
1993
as Belinda Conine

Parenthood
1989
as Karen Buckman

Last Vegas
2013
as Diana Boyle

Inland Empire
2006
as Visitor #2

Powder
1995
as Jessie Caldwell

The Brave One
2007
as Carol

Book Club
2018
as Carol

Nixon
1995
as Hannah Nixon

Four Christmases
2008
as Marilyn

Book Club: The Next Chapter
2023
as Carol

Ragtime
1981
as Mother

Happiest Season
2020
as Tipper

Hope Springs
2003
as Joanie Fisher

Nobel Son
2007
as Sarah Michaelson

In the Electric Mist
2009
as Bootsie Robicheaux

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

The Discovery
2017
as Interviewer

Clifford
1994
as Sarah Davis

Life as a House
2001
as Colleen Beck

Song One
2014
as Karen Ellis

Did You Hear About the Morgans?
2009
as Emma Wheeler

Goin' South
1978
as Julia Tate

Last Train to Fortune
2025

The One I Love
2014
as Mom (voice)
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
1989
as Self (voice)

Picnic
2000
as Rosemary Sydney

The Butcher's Wife
1991
as Stella Keefover

A Walk in the Woods
2015
as Jeannie

Fight for Your Right Revisited
2011
as Café Patron

The Dead Girl
2006
as Leah's Mother

Pontiac Moon
1994
as Katherine Bellamy

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School
2006
as Marienne Hotchkiss

Time After Time
1979
as Amy Robbins

The Book of Love
2017
as Julia Mureaux

The Long Walk Home
1990
as Narrator (voice)

The Dink
2026
as Candace

Dirty Girl
2010
as Peggy

Antiquities
2019
as Dr. Margot

Elvis & Anabelle
2007
as Geneva Leigh

The Grass Harp
1996
as Sister Ida

Numb
2007
as Dr. Blaine

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

The Trumpet of the Swan
2001
as Mother (voice)

Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas
2021
as Maggie Clarke

My Family
1995
as Gloria

Earth and the American Dream
1992
as Reader (voice)

Living with the Dead
2002
as Detective Karen Condrin
Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret
1990
as Self

The Whales of August
1987
as Young Sarah

Sunshine State
2002
as Francine Pinkney

Miss Firecracker
1989
as Elaine Rutledge

Honeydripper
2007
as Amanda Winship

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
2010
as Mrs. Yankovic

7 Days in Hell
2015
as Louisa Poole

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy
1982
as Adrian

Dean
2016
as Carol

Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic
2023
as Self

Melvin and Howard
1980
as Lynda Dummar

The Open Road
2009
as Katherine

Cross Creek
1983
as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

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

Nobody's Baby
2001
as Estelle

End of the Line
1987
as Rose Pickett

One Magic Christmas
1985
as Ginny Grainger

Dead of Winter
1987
as Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn

Katie Says Goodbye
2018
as Maybelle

Outlaw Country
2012
as Anastasia Lee

The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank
1988
as Miep Gies

Wish You Were Dead
2002
as Sally Rider

I Do... Until I Don't
2017
as Cybil Burger

Brahmin Bulls
2013
as Helen West

Tales from the Future
2010
as Self

Romantic Comedy
1983
as Phoebe Craddock

Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow
2015
as Aunt Cly

Casa de los Babys
2003
as Gayle

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story
2000

Clarkworld
2009
as Self

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

About Sarah
1998
as Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey

Noah's Ark
1999
as Naamah

Flannery
2019
as Flannery O'Connor (voice)

Easy's Waltz
2025

Let's Have Kids!
as Sue

Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood
2003
as Mary

Little Red Riding Hood
1983
as Little Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary

O Lucky Malcolm!
2006
as Self
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas
as Claire

Remembering Ragtime
2004
as Mother (archive footage)

It Must Be Love
2004
as Clem Gazelle

Back to the Future: Dickens of a Christmas
1991
as Clara Clayton Brown (voice)
About 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. With 146 credits spanning from 1953 to 2026, Mary Steenburgen has appeared in 98 films and 48 TV shows.
Fans searching for Mary Steenburgen movies, Mary Steenburgen filmography, or the latest projects starring Mary Steenburgen can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Mary Steenburgen Movies
- The Proposal (2009) — as Grace Paxton
- The Help (2011) — as Elaine Stein
- Back to the Future Part III (1990) — as Clara Clayton
- Elf (2003) — as Emily
- I Am Sam (2001) — as Dr. Blake
Where to Watch Mary Steenburgen Films
Most Mary Steenburgen movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Mary Steenburgen, check our movies catalogue and browse page.