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 2
(2018)
Susan Plummer
The Equalizer
(2014)
Susan Plummer
Oblivion
(2013)
Sally
Olympus Has Fallen
(2013)
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
Prisoners
(2013)
Holly Jones
Snowden
(2016)
Laura Poitras
London Has Fallen
(2016)
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
The Big Short
(2015)
Georgia Hale
Flight
(2012)
Ellen Block
The Fighter
(2010)
Alice Ward
Hide and Seek
(2005)
Laura
21 Grams
(2003)
Marianne Jordan
Conviction
(2010)
Nancy Taylor
Thunder Force
(2021)
Allie
Everybody's Fine
(2009)
Colleen
Full Filmography
Acting
I'm Only There...
(1984)
Maggie
Streetwalkin'
(1985)
Cookie
Silent Witness
(1985)
Patti Mullen
Always
(1985)
Peggy
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
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
(2005)
Rachel
American Gun
(2005)
Louise
Confess
(2005)
Agnes Lessor
Hide and Seek
(2005)
Laura
Runaway
(2005)
Lisa Adler
The House Is Burning
(2006)
Mrs. Miller
The Limbo Room
(2006)
KC Collins
Racing Daylight
(2007)
Sadie / Anna
The Cake Eaters
(2007)
Ceci Kimbrough
Dear Lemon Lima
(2007)
Mrs. Howard
Hollywood Dreams
(2007)
Aunt Bee
Stephanie Daley
(2007)
Miri Daley
Black Irish
(2007)
Margaret McKay
Mr. Woodcock
(2007)
Sally Jansen
Bomb
(2007)
Midnight Son
(2007)
Rita
I Believe in America
(2007)
Soto
One Night
(2007)
Wendy
Santa Mesa
(2008)
Maggie
The Alphabet Killer
(2008)
Kathy Walsh
Righteous Kill
(2008)
Cheryl
Lullaby
(2008)
Stephanie
Frozen River
(2008)
Ray Eddy
Stephanie's Image
(2009)
Stephanie
True Adolescents
(2009)
Sharon Mitchell
Dear Lemon Lima
(2009)
Mrs. Howard
Everybody's Fine
(2009)
Colleen
Don McKay
(2009)
Marie
Veronika Decides to Die
(2009)
Mari
According to Greta
(2009)
Karen
Queen of the Lot
(2010)
Aunt Bee
Conviction
(2010)
Nancy Taylor
The Dry Land
(2010)
Martha
The Fighter
(2010)
Alice Ward
Welcome to the Rileys
(2010)
Lois Riley
The Sea Is All I Know
(2011)
Sara
Seven Days in Utopia
(2011)
Lily
The Space Between
(2011)
Montine
Red State
(2011)
Sara
Flight
(2012)
Ellen Block
Francine
(2012)
Francine
Why Stop Now?
(2012)
Penny
Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy
(2013)
Narrator (voice)
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
(2013)
Robin
Olympus Has Fallen
(2013)
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
Prisoners
(2013)
Holly Jones
Bottled Up
(2013)
Fay
Oblivion
(2013)
Sally
Charlie Countryman
(2013)
Kate
The Equalizer
(2014)
Susan Plummer
Dwegons and Leprechauns
(2014)
Grandma Fitz / Butterfly McDweg / Mrs. Fitzgerald
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn
(2014)
Bette Altmann
The Big Short
(2015)
Georgia Hale
She's The Best Thing in It
(2015)
Self
Damnation: The Flashback
(2015)
Noda Marra
The Ever After
(2015)
Penny
The Butterfly, The Harp, and The Timepiece
(2015)
Papillon
After the Spill
(2015)
Narrator
Snowden
(2016)
Laura Poitras
London Has Fallen
(2016)
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
All the Way
(2016)
Lady Bird Johnson
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)
Mabel, Mabel Tiger Trainer
(2018)
Narrator
Furlough
(2018)
Joan Anderson
The Parting Glass
(2018)
Al
The Equalizer 2
(2018)
Susan Plummer
The Ashram
(2018)
Chandra
Unlovable
(2018)
Maddie
Ida Red
(2021)
Ida ‘Red’ Walker
Body Brokers
(2021)
Dr. White
Thunder Force
(2021)
Allie
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
The Knife
(2024)
Detective Carlsen
Production