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.
Academy Awards
Best Supporting Actress
Golden Globe Awards
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Best Supporting Actress
Known For
The Help
(2011)
Elain Stein
Inland Empire
(2006)
Visitor #2
The Proposal
(2009)
Grace Paxton
The Discovery
(2017)
Interviewer
Nightmare Alley
(2021)
Mrs. Kimball
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
(1993)
Betty Carver
Step Brothers
(2008)
Nancy Huff
Last Vegas
(2013)
Diana Boyle
Nixon
(1995)
Hannah Nixon
Back to the Future Part III
(1990)
Clara Clayton
Happiest Season
(2020)
Tipper
Parenthood
(1989)
Karen Buckman
Book Club
(2018)
Carol
Philadelphia
(1993)
Belinda Conine
Four Christmases
(2008)
Marilyn
Clifford
(1994)
Sarah Davis
Full Filmography
Acting
Goin' South
(1978)
Julia Tate
Time After Time
(1979)
Amy Robbins
Melvin and Howard
(1980)
Lynda Dummar
Ragtime
(1981)
Mother
A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy
(1982)
Adrian
Romantic Comedy
(1983)
Phoebe Craddock
Cross Creek
(1983)
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Little Red Riding Hood
(1983)
Little Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary
One Magic Christmas
(1985)
Ginny Grainger
The Whales of August
(1987)
Young Sarah
End of the Line
(1987)
Rose Pickett
Dead of Winter
(1987)
Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank
(1988)
Miep Gies
Parenthood
(1989)
Karen Buckman
Miss Firecracker
(1989)
Elaine Rutledge
Back to the Future Part III
(1990)
Clara Clayton
The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy
(1990)
Self
The Long Walk Home
(1990)
Narrator (voice)
Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret
(1990)
Self
The Butcher's Wife
(1991)
Stella Keefover
Earth and the American Dream
(1992)
Reader (voice)
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
(1993)
Betty Carver
Philadelphia
(1993)
Belinda Conine
Clifford
(1994)
Sarah Davis
It Runs in the Family
(1994)
Mrs. Parker (Mother)
Pontiac Moon
(1994)
Katherine Bellamy
Nixon
(1995)
Hannah Nixon
Powder
(1995)
Jessie Caldwell
The Grass Harp
(1995)
Sister Ida
My Family
(1995)
Gloria
About Sarah
(1998)
Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey
The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story
(2000)
Picnic
(2000)
Rosemary Sydney
Nobody's Baby
(2001)
Estelle
The Trumpet of the Swan
(2001)
Mother (voice)
Life as a House
(2001)
Colleen Beck
I Am Sam
(2001)
Dr. Blake
Wish You Were Dead
(2002)
Sally Rider
Sunshine State
(2002)
Francine Pinkney
Living with the Dead
(2002)
Detective Karen Condrin
Elf
(2003)
Emily
Hope Springs
(2003)
Joanie Fisher
Casa de los Babys
(2003)
Gayle
It Must Be Love
(2004)
Remembering Ragtime
(2004)
Mother (archive footage)
Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School
(2005)
Marienne Hotchkiss
The Dead Girl
(2006)
Beverley, Leah's Mother
Inland Empire
(2006)
Visitor #2
O Lucky Malcolm!
(2006)
Self
The Brave One
(2007)
Carol
Nobel Son
(2007)
Sarah Michaelson
Numb
(2007)
Dr. Blaine
Elvis & Anabelle
(2007)
Geneva Leigh
Honeydripper
(2007)
Amanda Winship
Step Brothers
(2008)
Nancy Huff
Four Christmases
(2008)
Marilyn
In the Electric Mist
(2009)
Bootsie Robicheaux
The Proposal
(2009)
Grace Paxton
Clarkworld
(2009)
herself
Did You Hear About the Morgans?
(2009)
Emma Wheeler
The Open Road
(2009)
Katherine
Dirty Girl
(2010)
Peggy
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
(2010)
Mrs. Yankovic
Tales from the Future
(2010)
Self
Fight for Your Right Revisited
(2011)
Café Patron
The Help
(2011)
Elain Stein
Outlaw Country
(2012)
Anastasia Lee
Brahmin Bulls
(2013)
Helen West
Last Vegas
(2013)
Diana Boyle
Song One
(2014)
Karen Ellis
The One I Love
(2014)
Mom (voice)
Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow
(2015)
Aunt Cly
7 Days in Hell
(2015)
Louisa Poole
A Walk in the Woods
(2015)
Jeannie
Dean
(2016)
Carol
The Book of Love
(2017)
Julia Mureaux
I Do... Until I Don't
(2017)
Cybil Burger
The Discovery
(2017)
Interviewer
Katie Says Goodbye
(2018)
Maybelle
Book Club
(2018)
Carol
Antiquities
(2019)
Dr. Margot
Flannery
(2019)
Flannery O'Connor (voice)
Happiest Season
(2020)
Tipper
30 Rock: A One-Time Special
(2020)
Mary Steenburgen
Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas
(2021)
Maggie Clarke
Nightmare Alley
(2021)
Mrs. Kimball
Book Club: The Next Chapter
(2023)
Carol
Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic
(2023)
Self
Production
End of the Line
(1987)
Executive Producer
Bye Bye Benjamin
(2006)
Executive Producer
Best Summer Ever
(2020)
Executive Producer
Crew