Mary Steenburgen

Mary Steenburgen

🎂 8th February 1953 (73 yrs) 📍 Newport, Arkansas, USA

Known For

Back to the Future Part III

Biography

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.

Mary Steenburgen

Movies Featuring Mary Steenburgen

The Dink

The Dink (2026)

as Candace
Last Train to Fortune

Last Train to Fortune (2025)

Easy's Waltz

Easy's Waltz (2025)

Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic

Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic (2023)

as Self
Book Club: The Next Chapter

Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023)

as Carol
Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl

Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl (2022)

as Self
Nightmare Alley

Nightmare Alley (2021)

as Mrs. Kimball
Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas

Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas (2021)

as Maggie Clarke
Happiest Season

Happiest Season (2020)

as Tipper
30 Rock: A One-Time Special

30 Rock: A One-Time Special (2020)

as Mary Steenburgen
Flannery

Flannery (2019)

as Flannery O'Connor (voice)
Antiquities

Antiquities (2019)

as Dr. Margot
Book Club

Book Club (2018)

as Carol
Katie Says Goodbye

Katie Says Goodbye (2018)

as Maybelle
I Do... Until I Don't

I Do... Until I Don't (2017)

as Cybil Burger
The Discovery

The Discovery (2017)

as Interviewer
The Book of Love

The Book of Love (2017)

as Julia Mureaux
Dean

Dean (2016)

as Carol
Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow

Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow (2015)

as Aunt Cly
A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods (2015)

as Jeannie
7 Days in Hell

7 Days in Hell (2015)

as Louisa Poole
The One I Love

The One I Love (2014)

as Mom (voice)
Song One

Song One (2014)

as Karen Ellis
Last Vegas

Last Vegas (2013)

as Diana Boyle
Brahmin Bulls

Brahmin Bulls (2013)

as Helen West
Outlaw Country

Outlaw Country (2012)

as Anastasia Lee
No Image

Clinton Foundation: Celebrity Division (2011)

as Self
The Help

The Help (2011)

as Elaine Stein
Fight for Your Right Revisited

Fight for Your Right Revisited (2011)

as Café Patron
Tales from the Future

Tales from the Future (2010)

as Self
Dirty Girl

Dirty Girl (2010)

as Peggy
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2010)

as Mrs. Yankovic
Did You Hear About the Morgans?

Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)

as Emma Wheeler
Clarkworld

Clarkworld (2009)

as Self
The Proposal

The Proposal (2009)

as Grace Paxton
In the Electric Mist

In the Electric Mist (2009)

as Bootsie Robicheaux
The Open Road

The Open Road (2009)

as Katherine
Four Christmases

Four Christmases (2008)

as Marilyn
Step Brothers

Step Brothers (2008)

as Nancy Huff
The Brave One

The Brave One (2007)

as Carol
Honeydripper

Honeydripper (2007)

as Amanda Winship
Numb

Numb (2007)

as Dr. Blaine
Nobel Son

Nobel Son (2007)

as Sarah Michaelson
Elvis & Anabelle

Elvis & Anabelle (2007)

as Geneva Leigh
Inland Empire

Inland Empire (2006)

as Visitor #2
The Dead Girl

The Dead Girl (2006)

as Leah's Mother
O Lucky Malcolm!

O Lucky Malcolm! (2006)

as Self
Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (2006)

as Marienne Hotchkiss
Remembering Ragtime

Remembering Ragtime (2004)

as Mother (archive footage)
It Must Be Love

It Must Be Love (2004)

as Clem Gazelle
Elf

Elf (2003)

as Emily
Casa de los Babys

Casa de los Babys (2003)

as Gayle
Hope Springs

Hope Springs (2003)

as Joanie Fisher
Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood

Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood (2003)

as Mary
Sunshine State

Sunshine State (2002)

as Francine Pinkney
Wish You Were Dead

Wish You Were Dead (2002)

as Sally Rider
Living with the Dead

Living with the Dead (2002)

as Detective Karen Condrin
I Am Sam

I Am Sam (2001)

as Dr. Blake
Life as a House

Life as a House (2001)

as Colleen Beck
The Trumpet of the Swan

The Trumpet of the Swan (2001)

as Mother (voice)
Nobody's Baby

Nobody's Baby (2001)

as Estelle
The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story (2000)

Picnic

Picnic (2000)

as Rosemary Sydney
About Sarah

About Sarah (1998)

as Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey
The Grass Harp

The Grass Harp (1996)

as Sister Ida
Nixon

Nixon (1995)

as Hannah Nixon
Powder

Powder (1995)

as Jessie Caldwell
My Family

My Family (1995)

as Gloria
Pontiac Moon

Pontiac Moon (1994)

as Katherine Bellamy
It Runs in the Family

It Runs in the Family (1994)

as Mrs. Parker (Mother)
Clifford

Clifford (1994)

as Sarah Davis
Philadelphia

Philadelphia (1993)

as Belinda Conine
What's Eating Gilbert Grape

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

as Betty Carver
Earth and the American Dream

Earth and the American Dream (1992)

as Reader (voice)
Back to the Future: Dickens of a Christmas

Back to the Future: Dickens of a Christmas (1991)

as Clara Clayton Brown (voice)
The Butcher's Wife

The Butcher's Wife (1991)

as Stella Keefover
The Long Walk Home

The Long Walk Home (1990)

as Narrator (voice)
No Image

Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret (1990)

as Self
The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy

The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy (1990)

as Self
Back to the Future Part III

Back to the Future Part III (1990)

as Clara Clayton
Parenthood

Parenthood (1989)

as Karen Buckman
No Image

Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre (1989)

as Self (voice)
Miss Firecracker

Miss Firecracker (1989)

as Elaine Rutledge
The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank

The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank (1988)

as Miep Gies
The Whales of August

The Whales of August (1987)

as Young Sarah
End of the Line

End of the Line (1987)

as Rose Pickett
Dead of Winter

Dead of Winter (1987)

as Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
One Magic Christmas

One Magic Christmas (1985)

as Ginny Grainger
Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood (1983)

as Little Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary
Romantic Comedy

Romantic Comedy (1983)

as Phoebe Craddock
Cross Creek

Cross Creek (1983)

as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982)

as Adrian
Ragtime

Ragtime (1981)

as Mother
Melvin and Howard

Melvin and Howard (1980)

as Lynda Dummar
Time After Time

Time After Time (1979)

as Amy Robbins
Goin' South

Goin' South (1978)

as Julia Tate
Let's Have Kids!

Let's Have Kids! (N/A)

as Sue
No Image

A Dog’s Perfect Christmas (N/A)