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 Discovery
(2017)
Interviewer
The Proposal
(2009)
Grace Paxton
Nightmare Alley
(2021)
Mrs. Kimball
Back to the Future Part III
(1990)
Clara Clayton
Nixon
(1995)
Hannah Nixon
Elf
(2003)
Emily
Step Brothers
(2008)
Nancy Huff
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
(1993)
Betty Carver
Clifford
(1994)
Sarah Davis
Philadelphia
(1993)
Belinda Conine
Powder
(1995)
Jessie Caldwell
The One I Love
(2014)
Mom (voice)
The Brave One
(2007)
Carol
I Am Sam
(2001)
Dr. Blake
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
Little Red Riding Hood
(1983)
Little Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary
Cross Creek
(1983)
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
One Magic Christmas
(1985)
Ginny Grainger
End of the Line
(1987)
Rose Pickett
Dead of Winter
(1987)
Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
The Whales of August
(1987)
Young Sarah
The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank
(1988)
Miep Gies
Miss Firecracker
(1989)
Elaine Rutledge
Parenthood
(1989)
Karen Buckman
The Long Walk Home
(1990)
Narrator (voice)
The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy
(1990)
Self
Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret
(1990)
Self
Back to the Future Part III
(1990)
Clara Clayton
The Butcher's Wife
(1991)
Stella Keefover
Earth and the American Dream
(1992)
Reader (voice)
Philadelphia
(1993)
Belinda Conine
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
(1993)
Betty Carver
Pontiac Moon
(1994)
Katherine Bellamy
Clifford
(1994)
Sarah Davis
It Runs in the Family
(1994)
Mrs. Parker (Mother)
My Family
(1995)
Gloria
Powder
(1995)
Jessie Caldwell
The Grass Harp
(1995)
Sister Ida
Nixon
(1995)
Hannah Nixon
About Sarah
(1998)
Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey
Picnic
(2000)
Rosemary Sydney
The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story
(2000)
Life as a House
(2001)
Colleen Beck
Nobody's Baby
(2001)
Estelle
I Am Sam
(2001)
Dr. Blake
The Trumpet of the Swan
(2001)
Mother (voice)
Wish You Were Dead
(2002)
Sally Rider
Sunshine State
(2002)
Francine Pinkney
Living with the Dead
(2002)
Detective Karen Condrin
Casa de los Babys
(2003)
Gayle
Hope Springs
(2003)
Joanie Fisher
Elf
(2003)
Emily
Remembering Ragtime
(2004)
Mother (archive footage)
It Must Be Love
(2004)
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
Elvis & Anabelle
(2007)
Geneva Leigh
Nobel Son
(2007)
Sarah Michaelson
Numb
(2007)
Dr. Blaine
The Brave One
(2007)
Carol
Honeydripper
(2007)
Amanda Winship
Step Brothers
(2008)
Nancy Huff
Four Christmases
(2008)
Marilyn
Clarkworld
(2009)
herself
The Proposal
(2009)
Grace Paxton
Did You Hear About the Morgans?
(2009)
Emma Wheeler
In the Electric Mist
(2009)
Bootsie Robicheaux
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
Last Vegas
(2013)
Diana Boyle
Brahmin Bulls
(2013)
Helen West
Song One
(2014)
Karen Ellis
The One I Love
(2014)
Mom (voice)
A Walk in the Woods
(2015)
Jeannie
7 Days in Hell
(2015)
Louisa Poole
Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow
(2015)
Aunt Cly
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
Flannery
(2019)
Flannery O'Connor (voice)
Antiquities
(2019)
Dr. Margot
30 Rock: A One-Time Special
(2020)
Mary Steenburgen
Happiest Season
(2020)
Tipper
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