Melissa Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in 1985, for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Ingenue/Woman in the Drama Series “All My Children”. Her most notable role as was as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on “Homicide: Life on the Street” for the show's first five seasons from 1993–1997.
Following several films, Leo received critical acclaim and national attention in earning several nominations and awards, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Leo earned several awards for her role as Alice Ward in the critically acclaimed film, “The Fighter” (2010). For this role Leo won the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Leo currently appears on the television series Treme.
Leo currently resides in Stone Ridge, New York and two sons John Matthew Heard (born 1987), and Adam (adopted - born 1984).
Academy Awards
Best Supporting Actress
Golden Globe Awards
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Known For
The Equalizer 3
(2023)
Susan Plummer
The Equalizer
(2014)
Susan Plummer
The Equalizer 2
(2018)
Susan Plummer
Prisoners
(2013)
Holly Jones
Olympus Has Fallen
(2013)
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
Oblivion
(2013)
Sally
London Has Fallen
(2016)
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
Snowden
(2016)
Laura Poitras
Flight
(2012)
Ellen Block
The Big Short
(2015)
Georgia Hale
The Fighter
(2010)
Alice Ward
Thunder Force
(2021)
Allie
Hide and Seek
(2005)
Laura
21 Grams
(2003)
Marianne Jordan
Body Brokers
(2021)
Dr. White
All the Way
(2016)
Lady Bird Johnson
Full Filmography
Acting
I'm Only There...
(1984)
Maggie
Streetwalkin'
(1985)
Cookie
Always
(1985)
Peggy
Silent Witness
(1985)
Patti Mullen
Deadtime Stories
(1986)
Judith 'MaMa' Baer
A Time of Destiny
(1988)
Josie Larraneta
Nasty Boys
(1989)
Katie Morrissey
The Bride in Black
(1990)
Mary Margaret
Carolina Skeletons
(1991)
Cassie
Immaculate Conception
(1992)
Hannah
Venice/Venice
(1992)
Peggy
The Ballad of Little Jo
(1993)
Beatrice Grey
Last Summer in the Hamptons
(1995)
Trish Axelrod
In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice
(1995)
Carol Manning
Who Is Henry Jaglom?
(1997)
Self
The 24 Hour Woman
(1999)
Dr. Suzanne Pincus
Code of Ethics
(1999)
Jo DeAngelo
Homicide: The Movie
(2000)
Kay Howard
Fear of Fiction
(2000)
Sigrid Anderssen
21 Grams
(2003)
Marianne Jordan
From Other Worlds
(2004)
Miriam
Hide and Seek
(2005)
Laura
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
(2005)
Rachel
Runaway
(2005)
Lisa Adler
American Gun
(2005)
Louise
Confess
(2005)
Agnes Lessor
The House Is Burning
(2006)
Mrs. Miller
The Limbo Room
(2006)
KC Collins
Black Irish
(2007)
Margaret McKay
Racing Daylight
(2007)
Sadie / Anna
One Night
(2007)
Wendy
Midnight Son
(2007)
Rita
Hollywood Dreams
(2007)
Aunt Bee
The Cake Eaters
(2007)
Ceci Kimbrough
I Believe in America
(2007)
Soto
Dear Lemon Lima
(2007)
Mrs. Howard
Mr. Woodcock
(2007)
Sally Jansen
Bomb
(2007)
Stephanie Daley
(2007)
Miri Daley
Frozen River
(2008)
Ray Eddy
Lullaby
(2008)
Stephanie
Righteous Kill
(2008)
Cheryl
Santa Mesa
(2008)
Maggie
The Alphabet Killer
(2008)
Kathy Walsh
Veronika Decides to Die
(2009)
Mari
According to Greta
(2009)
Karen
Everybody's Fine
(2009)
Colleen
Don McKay
(2009)
Marie
Dear Lemon Lima
(2009)
Mrs. Howard
True Adolescents
(2009)
Sharon Mitchell
Stephanie's Image
(2009)
Stephanie
Welcome to the Rileys
(2010)
Lois Riley
The Dry Land
(2010)
Martha
Conviction
(2010)
Nancy Taylor
The Fighter
(2010)
Alice Ward
Queen of the Lot
(2010)
Aunt Bee
Red State
(2011)
Sara
The Space Between
(2011)
Montine
Seven Days in Utopia
(2011)
Lily
The Sea Is All I Know
(2011)
Sara
Francine
(2012)
Francine
Flight
(2012)
Ellen Block
Why Stop Now?
(2012)
Penny
Charlie Countryman
(2013)
Kate
Oblivion
(2013)
Sally
Prisoners
(2013)
Holly Jones
Olympus Has Fallen
(2013)
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
(2013)
Robin
Bottled Up
(2013)
Fay
Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy
(2013)
Narrator (voice)
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn
(2014)
Bette Altmann
Dwegons and Leprechauns
(2014)
Grandma Fitz / Butterfly McDweg / Mrs. Fitzgerald
The Equalizer
(2014)
Susan Plummer
The Ever After
(2015)
Penny
She's The Best Thing in It
(2015)
Self
The Big Short
(2015)
Georgia Hale
Damnation: The Flashback
(2015)
Noda Marra
After the Spill
(2015)
Narrator
The Butterfly, The Harp, and The Timepiece
(2015)
Papillon
All the Way
(2016)
Lady Bird Johnson
London Has Fallen
(2016)
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
Snowden
(2016)
Laura Poitras
Burn Country
(2016)
Gloria
The Most Hated Woman in America
(2017)
Madalyn Murray O'Hair
Novitiate
(2017)
Reverend Mother
The View from Up Here
(2017)
The Ashram
(2018)
Chandra
The Equalizer 2
(2018)
Susan Plummer
Unlovable
(2018)
Maddie
Furlough
(2018)
Joan Anderson
The Parting Glass
(2018)
Al
Mabel, Mabel Tiger Trainer
(2018)
Narrator
Body Brokers
(2021)
Dr. White
Thunder Force
(2021)
Allie
Ida Red
(2021)
Ida ‘Red’ Walker
Alone Together
(2022)
Deborah
Jane
(2022)
Principal Rhodes
Bonnie
(2022)
Self
Measure of Revenge
(2022)
Lillian
Coast
(2022)
Olivia
The Equalizer 3
(2023)
Susan Plummer
King Ivory
(2024)
Ginger Greene
Production