Mary Steenburgen
Known for
Mary Steenburgen, an American actress born in Arkansas, burst into film under the patronage of Jack Nicholson, who chose her for the comedy 'Goin' South'. Very soon she reached the top by winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Jonathan Demme's comedy-drama 'Melvin and Howard'. Earlier she had charmed in 'Time After Time', and over the years she has become a beloved presence in comedy cinema, with titles like 'Elf' and 'The Hangover Part II'. Her register combines sweetness, warmth, and a comic timing honed over the years.
Mary Steenburgen
72 Movies
26 Series
Mary Steenburgen, an American actress born in Arkansas, burst into film under the patronage of Jack Nicholson, who chose her for the comedy 'Goin' South'. Very soon she reached the top by winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Jonathan Demme's comedy-drama 'Melvin and Howard'. Earlier she had charmed in 'Time After Time', and over the years she has become a beloved presence in comedy cinema, with titles like 'Elf' and 'The Hangover Part II'. Her register combines sweetness, warmth, and a comic timing honed over the years.
Movies
Plays Candace
The Dink
2026
Plays Clara Clayton
Back to the Future Part III
1990
Plays Grace Paxton
The Proposal
2009
Plays Emily
Elf
2003
Plays Elaine Stein
The Help
2011
Plays Mrs. Kimball
Nightmare Alley
2021
Plays Dr. Blake
I Am Sam
2001
Plays Betty Carver
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
1993
Plays Nancy Huff
Step Brothers
2008
Plays Diana Boyle
Last Vegas
2013
Plays Carol
The Brave One
2007
Plays Visitor #2
Inland Empire
2006
Plays Belinda Conine
Philadelphia
1993
Plays Marilyn
Four Christmases
2008
Plays Carol
Book Club
2018
Plays Tipper
Happiest Season
2020
Plays Karen Buckman
Parenthood
1989
Plays Jessie Caldwell
Powder
1995
Plays Hannah Nixon
Nixon
1995
Plays Carol
Book Club: The Next Chapter
2023
Plays Emma Wheeler
Did You Hear About the Morgans?
2009
Plays Mom (voice)
The One I Love
2014
Plays Interviewer
The Discovery
2017
Plays Joanie Fisher
Hope Springs
2003
Plays Jeannie
A Walk in the Woods
2015
Plays Leah's Mother
The Dead Girl
2006
Plays Amy Robbins
Time After Time
1979
Plays Bootsie Robicheaux
In the Electric Mist
2009
Plays Mother
Ragtime
1981
Plays Adrian
A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy
1982
Plays Julia Tate
Goin' South
1978
Plays Gloria
My Family
1995
Plays Colleen Beck
Life as a House
2001
Plays Peggy
Dirty Girl
2010
Plays Ginny Grainger
One Magic Christmas
1985
Plays Katherine
The Open Road
2009
Plays Sister Ida
The Grass Harp
1996
Plays Carol
Dean
2016
Plays Mother (voice)
The Trumpet of the Swan
2001
Plays Julia Mureaux
The Book of Love
2017
Plays Geneva Leigh
Elvis & Anabelle
2007
Plays Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
Dead of Winter
1987
Plays Sarah Davis
Clifford
1994
Plays Karen Ellis
Song One
2014
Plays Café Patron
Fight for Your Right Revisited
2011
Plays Lynda Dummar
Melvin and Howard
1980
Plays Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Cross Creek
1983
Plays Dr. Blaine
Numb
2007
Plays Sarah Michaelson
Nobel Son
2007
Plays Stella Keefover
The Butcher's Wife
1991
TV Shows
Plays Gail Klosterman
The Last Man on Earth
2015
Plays Helen Girardi
Joan of Arcadia
2003
Plays Clara Clayton (voice)
Back to the Future
1991
Producer
Plays Kate Montgomery
Ink
1996
Plays Mona Margadoff
A Man on the Inside
2024
Plays Katherine Hale
Justified
2010
Plays Mary Steenburgen
Curb Your Enthusiasm
2000
Plays Delia Powell
Orange Is the New Black
2013
Plays Nicole Diver (née Warren)
Tender Is the Night
1985
Plays Diana Jessup
30 Rock
2006
Plays Catherine Newman
Wilfred
2011
Plays Josephine
Bored to Death
2009
Plays Crystalynn (voice)
Bless the Harts
2019
Plays Mary Gulliver
Gulliver's Travels
1996
Plays Naamah
Noah's Ark
1999
Plays Detective Karen Condrin
Living with the Dead
2002
Plays Ellen Joy Bonar
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
2019
Plays Linda
Togetherness
2015
Plays Miriam
Grace and Frankie
2015
Plays Marjorie (voice)
Frasier
1993
Plays Mary / Little Red Riding Hood
Faerie Tale Theatre
1982
Plays Adriana
Mr. Mayor
2021
Plays Marcy Bellinger
The Conners
2018
Plays Teacher
The Good Place
2016
Plays (voice)
American Dad!
2005
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Dink
Full Filmography
The Dink
Candace
2026
Film
Last Train to Fortune
Miss Maybelle
2025
Film
A Man on the Inside
Mona Margadoff · 8 episodes
2024–
TV
Book Club: The Next Chapter
Carol
2023
Film
Mr. Mayor
Adriana · 1 episode
2022
TV
Bless the Harts
Crystalynn (voice) · 2 episodes
2020–2021
TV
Nightmare Alley
Mrs. Kimball
2021
Film
Happiest Season
Tipper
2020
Film
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
Ellen Joy Bonar · 2 episodes
2019–
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Mary Steenburgen and where are they from?
Mary Steenburgen is 73 years old, born on February 8, 1953 in Newport, Arkansas, USA.
What are the most famous roles of Mary Steenburgen?
Mary Steenburgen is best known for roles in Back to the Future Part III, The Help, The Proposal.
How many movies has Mary Steenburgen been in?
Over a 48-year career (since 1978), Mary Steenburgen has appeared in 72 movies and 26 TV shows.
What was Mary Steenburgen's first movie?
The career of Mary Steenburgen began with Goin' South (1978).
What is Mary Steenburgen's most recent movie or series?
Mary Steenburgen's most recent release is The Dink, which premiered on July 23, 2026.
What TV shows has Mary Steenburgen appeared in?
On television, Mary Steenburgen has appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Orange Is the New Black, American Dad!, The Good Place.
Mary Steenburgen
1953-02-08 · Newport, Arkansas, USA
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.