Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Greatest Show on Earth, TheThe Greatest Show on Earth | Television series | |
| 1964 | Goodbye Charlie | Franzie Salzman | |
| 1964 | For Those Who Think Young | Dr. Pauline Thayer | |
| 1969 | Virginian, TheThe Virginian | Kate Burden (as Ellen MacRae) | Television series, season 7, episode 16: "Last Grave at Socorro Creek" |
| 1969 | Winner, TheThe Winner | Ellen McLeod | |
| 1970 | Alex in Wonderland | Beth Morrison | |
| 1970 | Tropic of Cancer | Mona Miller | |
| 1971 | Last Picture Show, TheThe Last Picture Show | Lois Farrow | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture |
| 1972 | King of Marvin Gardens, TheThe King of Marvin Gardens | Sally | |
| 1973 | Exorcist, TheThe Exorcist | Chris MacNeil | Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actress Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama |
| 1974 | Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore | Alice Hyatt | Academy Award for Best Actress BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama |
| 1974 | Harry and Tonto | Shirley Mallard | |
| 1974 | Thursday's Game | Lynne Evers | television film |
| 1977 | Providence | Sonia Langham | |
| 1978 | Dream of Passion, AA Dream of Passion | Brenda | |
| 1978 | Same Time, Next Year | Doris | Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actress Nominated — American Movie Award for Best Actress |
| 1980 | Resurrection | Edna Mae McCauley | Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actress Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress |
| 1981 | Silence of the North | Olive Frederickson | Nominated — Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress |
| 1981 | People vs. Jean Harris, TheThe People vs. Jean Harris | Jean Harris | Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film |
| 1984 | Ambassador, TheThe Ambassador | Alex Hacker | |
| 1984 | Terror in the Aisles | archival footage | |
| 1985 | Into Thin Air | Joan Walker | Television film |
| 1985 | Twice in a Lifetime | Kate MacKenzie | |
| 1985 | Surviving: A Family in Crisis | Tina Brogan | Television film |
| 1986 | Ellen Burstyn Show, TheThe Ellen Burstyn Show | Ellen Brewer | Television series |
| 1986 | Act of Vengeance | Margaret Yablonski | Television film |
| 1986 | Something in Common | Lynn Hollander | Television film |
| 1987 | Look Away | Mary Todd Lincoln | television film |
| 1987 | Pack of Lies | Barbara Jackson | Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie |
| 1988 | Hanna's War | Katalin | |
| 1990 | When You Remember Me | Nurse Cooder | television film |
| 1991 | Grand Isle | Mademoiselle Reisz | |
| 1991 | Dying Young | Mrs. O'Neil | |
| 1991 | Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love | Lillian "Lil" Lambert | television film |
| 1992 | Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story | Wilma | Television film |
| 1993 | Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story | Joan Delvecchio | Television film |
| 1993 | Cemetery Club, TheThe Cemetery Club | Esther Moskowitz | |
| 1994 | Trick of the Eye | Frances Griffin | Television film |
| 1994 | Getting Gotti | Jo Giaclone | Television film |
| 1994 | When a Man Loves a Woman | Emily | |
| 1994 | Getting Out | Arlie's Mother | Television film |
| 1994 | Color of Evening, TheThe Color of Evening | Kate O'Reilly | |
| 1995 | How to Make an American Quilt | Hy Dodd | Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 1995 | Baby-Sitters Club, TheThe Baby-Sitters Club | Emily Haberman | |
| 1995 | Follow the River | Gretel | Television film |
| 1995 | My Brother's Keeper | Helen | Television film |
| 1995 | Roommates | Judith | |
| 1996 | Timepiece | Maud Gannon | television film |
| 1996 | Our Son, the Matchmaker | television film | |
| 1996 | Spitfire Grill, TheThe Spitfire Grill | Hannah Ferguson | |
| 1997 | Flash | Laura Strong | Television film |
| 1997 | Deceiver | Mook | |
| 1997 | Deadly Vision, AA Deadly Vision | Yvette Watson | Television film |
| 1998 | Playing by Heart | Mildred | |
| 1998 | Patron Saint of Liars, TheThe Patron Saint of Liars | June Clatterbuck | Television film |
| 1998 | You Can Thank Me Later | Shirley Cooperberg | |
| 1999 | Walking Across Egypt | Mattie Rigsbee | |
| 1999 | Night Ride Home | Maggie | Television film |
| 2000 | Mermaid | Trish Gill | Television film Nominated— Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special |
| 2000 | Requiem for a Dream | Sara Goldfarb | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Female Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Stockholm International Film Festival Award for Best Actress Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actress Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Cast Nominated — Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama Nominated — National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress Nominated — New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated — Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble Cast Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Nominated — Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated — Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress |
| 2000 | Yards, TheThe Yards | Val Handler | |
| 2001 | Within These Walls | Joan Thomas | Television film |
| 2001 | Dodson's Journey | Mother | |
| 2002 | Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood | Viviane Joan 'Vivi' Abbott Walker | |
| 2002 | Red Dragon | Grandma Dolarhyde (voice only) | |
| 2003 | Brush with Fate | Rika | Television film |
| 2004 | Five People You Meet in Heaven, TheThe Five People You Meet in Heaven | Ruby | Television film |
| 2004 | Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel, TheThe Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel | Tommie | Television film |
| 2005 | Mrs. Harris | Ex-lover #3 (Former Tarnower "Steady") | Television film Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie |
| 2005 | Down in the Valley | Ma | |
| 2005 | Our Fathers | Mary Ryan | television film |
| 2006 | Fountain, TheThe Fountain | Dr. Lilian Guzetti | |
| 2006 | Wicker Man, TheThe Wicker Man | Sister Summersisle | |
| 2006 | Elephant King, TheThe Elephant King | Diana Hunt | |
| 2006 | 30 Days | Maura | |
| 2007 | Stone Angel, TheThe Stone Angel | Hagar Shipley | Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Nominated — Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress in a Canadian Film |
| 2007 | For One More Day | Pauline Benetto | Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
| 2007–11 | Big Love | Nancy Davis Dutton | Television series Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress – Drama Series |
| 2008 | Lovely, Still | Mary | |
| 2008 | W. | Barbara Bush | |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Bernie Stabler | Television series, episode: "Swing" Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress – Drama Series Nominated — Prism Award for Performance in a Drama Episode |
| 2009 | Velveteen Rabbit, TheThe Velveteen Rabbit | Swan | voice |
| 2009 | According to Greta | Katherine | |
| 2009 | PoliWood | Herself | Documentary |
| 2009 | The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond | Miss Adie | |
| 2010 | Mighty Macs, TheThe Mighty Macs | Mother St. John | |
| 2010 | Main Street | Georgiana Carr | |
| 2011 | Another Happy Day | Doris | |
| 2011 | Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You | Nanette | |
| 2012 | Political Animals | Margaret Barrish | Television miniseries |
| 2012 | Coma | Mrs. Emerson | Television miniseries |
Read more about this topic: Ellen Burstyn