Editing Mary Steenburgen

{{short description|American actress (born 1953)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| image              = MarySteenburgenDec09.jpg
| caption            = Steenburgen at the 2009 ceremony to receive her star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
| birth_name         = Mary Nell Steenburgen
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1953|2|8}}
| birth_place        = [[Newport, Arkansas]], U.S.
| education          = {{hlist|[[Hendrix College]]|[[Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre]]}}
| known_for          = {{hlist|''[[Melvin and Howard]]''|''[[Ragtime (film)|Ragtime]]''|''[[Back to the Future Part III]]''}}
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actress|comedian|singer|songwriter}}
| years_active       = 1978–present
| relatives          = [[Lily Collins]] (daughter-in-law)
| awards             = [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]]<br />[[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture]]
| spouse             = {{ubl|{{marriage|[[Malcolm McDowell]]|1980|1990|reason=divorced}}|{{marriage|[[Ted Danson]]|1995}}}}
| children           = 2, including [[Charlie McDowell]]
}}
'''Mary Nell Steenburgen'''<ref name="encyclopedia" /> ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|t|iː|n|ˌ|b|ɜːr|dʒ|ə|n}}; born February 8, 1953) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. After studying at New York's [[Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre|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 film)|Time After Time]]'' (1979) and [[Jonathan Demme]]'s comedy-drama film ''[[Melvin and Howard]]'' (1980), for which she received the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]] and the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]].

Steenburgen received a [[Golden Globe Award]] nomination for [[Miloš Forman]]'s drama film ''[[Ragtime (film)|Ragtime]]'' (1981). Her other films include ''[[A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy]]'' (1982), ''[[Cross Creek (film)|Cross Creek]]'' (1983), ''[[Back to the Future Part III]]'' (1990), ''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]'' (1993), ''[[Philadelphia (film)|Philadelphia]]'' (1993), ''[[Nixon (film)|Nixon]]'' (1995), ''[[The Brave One (2007 film)|The Brave One]]'' (2007), ''[[Last Vegas]]'' (2013), ''[[A Walk in the Woods (film)|A Walk in the Woods]]'' (2015), ''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]'' (2018), ''[[Nightmare Alley (2021 film)|Nightmare Alley]]'' (2021), and ''[[Book Club: The Next Chapter]]'' (2023). She also became known for playing mothers in a string of comedy films such as ''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]'' (1989), ''[[Elf (film)|Elf]]'' (2003), ''[[Step Brothers (film)|Step Brothers]]'' (2008), ''[[Four Christmases]]'' (2008), ''[[The Proposal (2009 film)|The Proposal]]'' (2009), ''[[Did You Hear About the Morgans?]]'' (2009), ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]'' (2011), and ''[[Happiest Season]]'' (2020).

She received nominations for a [[British Academy Television Award|BAFTA TV Award]] for the miniseries ''[[Tender Is the Night#Adaptations|Tender Is the Night]]'' (1985) and a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for the television film ''[[The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank]]'' (1988). Steenburgen has worked as a singer-songwriter for numerous films, in some of which she starred. For her song "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)", written for the musical film ''[[Wild Rose (2018 film)|Wild Rose]]'' (2018), she received the [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song]].

==Early life==
Steenburgen was born February 8, 1953, in [[Newport, Arkansas]], to Nellie Mae (née Wall),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JBF4-S5Q |title=Steenburgen |publisher=[[Familysearch.org]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=August 16, 2014}}</ref> a school-board secretary, and Maurice Hoffman Steenburgen, a freight-train conductor who worked for the [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/96/Mary-Steenburgen.html |title=Mary Steenburgen Biography (1953-) |publisher=Film Reference |access-date=September 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1248998.html |title=Stony Reception in Little Rock; Film by Mary Steenburgen Draws Cries of Foul in Arkansas |first=Barbara |last=McIntosh |date=April 3, 1988 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |via=Highbeam.com |access-date=September 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020151508/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1248998.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 20, 2012}}</ref><ref name="encyclopedia">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=29 |title=Mary Nell Steenburgen (1953–) |first=Jan |last=Emberton |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |access-date=September 7, 2010|archive-date=December 19, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191219140316/https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/mary-nell-steenburgen-29/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Stated on ''[[Finding Your Roots]]'', October 17, 2017</ref> She has a sister, Nancy Kelly (née Steenburgen), a teacher.<ref name="tvguide">{{cite magazine |url= http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mary-steenburgen/bio/165140 |title=Mary Steenburgen: Biography |magazine=[[TV Guide]]|access-date=August 16, 2014}}</ref> In 1971, she enrolled at [[Hendrix College]] to study drama.<ref name="encyclopedia"/> She subsequently traveled to [[Dallas]] at the suggestion of her drama teacher where she successfully auditioned for New York City's [[Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre]].<ref name="encyclopedia"/>

==Career==
Steenburgen moved to [[Manhattan]] in 1972 after the Neighborhood Playhouse offered her an opportunity to study acting. She worked as a server at [[The Magic Pan]] and for [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] while studying under [[William Esper Studio|William Esper]].<ref name="tvguide"/>

===Film career===
Steenburgen's break came when she was discovered by [[Jack Nicholson]] in the reception room of [[Paramount Pictures]]'s New York office and was cast as the female lead in his second directorial work, the Western comedy ''[[Goin' South]]'' (1978).<ref name="tvguide" /> Steenburgen had a leading role in the film ''[[Time After Time (1979 film)|Time After Time]]'' (1979), for which she won the [[Saturn Award for Best Actress]]. She played a modern woman who falls in love with author [[H. G. Wells]], played by [[Malcolm McDowell]], whom she married the following year.

In her third film, she won the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]] for the film ''[[Melvin and Howard]]'' (1980). She played Lynda Dummar, the wife of [[Melvin Dummar]], a trucker and aspiring singer who claimed to have befriended reclusive eccentric [[Howard Hughes]]. Another notable film appearance came in the well-received film ''[[Cross Creek (film)|Cross Creek]]'' (1983), in which she portrayed [[Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings]], author of ''[[The Yearling]]''. In 1985, she starred in the film ''[[One Magic Christmas]]'' as someone who falls on devastating times at Christmas, only to rely on a miracle to save her family. In 1989, she played Karen Buckman in ''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]''. In ''[[Back to the Future Part III]]'' (1990), Steenburgen played [[Clara Clayton]], a schoolteacher who falls in love with Doc Brown. She was persuaded to play the role by her children, as well as by fans of the ''Back to the Future'' films, and reprised the role by providing the character's voice in ''[[Back to the Future: The Animated Series]]''.

Other performances have been in ''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]'' (1993), as a woman who is having an affair with the title character; ''[[My Summer Story]]'' (1994), as the mother of Ralphie Parker (the sequel to ''[[A Christmas Story]]''); the role of [[Hannah Milhous Nixon]] in the [[Oliver Stone]] biopic ''[[Nixon (film)|Nixon]]'' (1995); and the [[Will Ferrell]] comedy ''[[Elf (film)|Elf]]'' (2003), as a woman who discovers that her husband is the father of one of Santa's [[Christmas elf|elves]].

[[File:MarySteenburgen2000.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Steenburgen in Toronto Film Festival 2001]]
She has appeared in the comedy films ''[[Step Brothers (film)|Step Brothers]]'' (2008), playing the mother of [[Will Ferrell]]'s character; ''[[Four Christmases]]'' (2008); and ''[[The Proposal (2009 film)|The Proposal]]'' (2009). ''[[Dirty Girl (2010 film)|Dirty Girl]]'', which featured Steenburgen, premiered at the [[Toronto International Film Festival]] on September 12, 2010. She also appeared in the critically acclaimed film ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]'' (2011) and had a featured role as a lounge singer, who is the romantic interest in a love triangle, in the comedy film ''[[Last Vegas]]'' (2013). She had a small role in the comedy-drama film ''[[A Walk in the Woods (film)|A Walk in the Woods]]'' as Jeannie. In 2018, Steenburgen starred with [[Diane Keaton]], [[Jane Fonda]] and [[Candice Bergen]] in the romantic comedy film ''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]''.

===Television career===
In television, Steenburgen appeared as Kate Montgomery in ''[[Ink (TV series)|Ink]]'' (1996) and co-starred as Mary Gulliver in ''[[Gulliver's Travels (miniseries)|Gulliver's Travels]]'' (1996). She has a recurring role as herself in ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''. Steenburgen co-starred as Helen Girardi, the mother of [[Amber Tamblyn]]'s title character in ''[[Joan of Arcadia]]''. In 2011, she had a recurring role as Josephine in the [[HBO]] sitcom ''[[Bored to Death]]''. Steenburgen starred as Anastasia Lee in the 2011 [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] pilot ''[[Outlaw Country (2012 film)|Outlaw Country]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mary-Steenburgen-Outlaw-1019806.aspx |title=Mary Steenburgen Saddles Into Outlaw Country Pilot |first=Kate |last=Stanhope |date=June 21, 2010 |magazine=TV Guide}}</ref> but it was passed by the network.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2011/tv/news/fx-says-no-to-outlaw-country-1118046302/ |title=FX says no to 'Outlaw Country' |first=Stuart |last=Levine |date=November 17, 2011 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=September 18, 2013}}</ref> She appeared in the dark sitcom ''[[Wilfred (American TV series)|Wilfred]]'' from 2011 through 2013 as Catherine Newman, the title character's eccentric and mentally ill mother. Steenburgen had a recurring role as Diana Jessup on the [[NBC]] sitcom ''[[30 Rock]]'' from 2012 to 2013.

In 2014, she began a recurring role as former Dixie Mafia boss Katherine Hale in the fifth and sixth seasons of ''[[Justified (TV series)|Justified]]''.

From 2015 to 2018, she starred as Gail Klosterman on the comedy series ''[[The Last Man on Earth (TV series)|The Last Man on Earth]]''.

From 2020 to 2021, she played the role of Maggie Clarke in the NBC musical comedy-drama series ''[[Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist]]'' for two seasons. She reprised the role for [[The Roku Channel]] television film ''Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas''.

=== Music career ===
In 2007, Steenburgen underwent minor surgery on her arm, which required a [[general anaesthetic]]; shortly thereafter, she began experiencing "music (...) playing in her head day and night". She subsequently took music lessons so that she could write down what she was hearing, and by 2013 had almost 50 songwriting credits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/health/mary-steenburgen-brain-became-musical-strange-complication-during-routine-surgery/ | date=14 November 2019 | title=Mary Steenburgen's Brain 'Became Musical' After a 'Strange' Complication from a Routine Surgery| author=Mazziotta, Julie|publisher=People Magazine }}</ref> She has collaborated with musicians from Nashville and was also signed to [[Universal Music Group]] as a songwriter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/10/oscar-winning-actress-mary-steenburgen-takes-up-accordion-at-60 | date=21 October 2013 | title=Oscar Winning Actress Mary Steenburgen Takes Up Accordion at 60| author=Fisher, Luchina|website=abcnews.com }}</ref> She performs one of her own songs in ''Last Vegas''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/movies-for-grownups/info-01-2014/2014-movies-for-grownups-film-awards.html | date=January 2014 | title=2014 Movies for Grownups Awards| author=Newcott, Bill|website=aarp.com }}</ref>

In 2018, her composition "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)" as performed by [[Jessie Buckley]] featured as the climactic musical moment in the film ''[[Wild Rose (2018 film)|Wild Rose]]'' and won Steenburgen several awards, including [[Critics' Choice Movie Awards|Critic Choice Award]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/mary-steenburgen-oscar-song-wild-rose-912630/ |title=How Actress Mary Steenburgen Suddenly Became a Great Songwriter |first1=David |last1=Ehrlich |date=November 14, 2019 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> On October 30, 2020, Steenburgen signed a global publishing deal with [[Universal Music Publishing Group]].<ref>{{Cite instagram|postid=CG-rugaj1f4|user=mary_steenburgen|title=To write music is a blessing in any situation, but the company and warmth and inspiration of the UMPG circle is my happy place. I'm so grateful! Photo by @jessiewebster|date=October 30, 2020|author=Mary Steenburgen|access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1978, Steenburgen met and began dating actor [[Malcolm McDowell]] while they were co-starring in ''Time After Time''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20077312,00.html |last=Chambers |first=Andrea |title=Malcolm McDowell's Romance with Mary Steenburgen Has Gone Just Like Clockwork |work=People |date=September 1, 1980 |page=64 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115752/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20077312,00.html |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> They married and had two children together, including son [[Charlie McDowell]]. They divorced in 1990.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Billen |first1=Andrew |title=Malcolm in middle age |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/film/malcolm-in-middle-age-7434056.html |date=7 March 2002 |newspaper=[[Evening Standard]] |access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref> On October 7, 1995, Steenburgen married actor [[Ted Danson]], whom she had met on the set of the film ''[[Pontiac Moon]]'', and became the stepmother to Danson's two daughters from his previous marriage.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a45459/ted-danson-mary-steenburgen-marriage/ |last1=Mattern |first1=Jessica |date=November 4, 2017 |title=Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's Marriage Will Make You Believe in Long Lasting Love |magazine=[[Country Living]] |publisher=Hearst Digital Media |access-date=5 August 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106232324/https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a45459/ted-danson-mary-steenburgen-marriage/ |archive-date=November 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Annie |title=Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen Celebrate 23rd Wedding Anniversary |url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2018/10/08/6101539010882 |work=[[UPI]] |date=October 8, 2018 |access-date=June 6, 2020}}</ref>

Steenburgen resides in the Los Angeles area with her family.<ref name="Current Home">{{cite web |title=Mary Steenburgen |url=http://clintonschoolspeakers.com/content/mary-steenburgen |publisher=[[Clinton School of Public Service]]|access-date=March 2, 2014 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140927002512/http://clintonschoolspeakers.com/content/mary-steenburgen |archive-date=September 27, 2014}}</ref> An alumna of [[Hendrix College]], she received an honorary doctorate from the institution in 1989.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=1266 |title=Hendrix College |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |access-date=September 7, 2010}}</ref> In 2006, Steenburgen received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from [[Lyon College]] in [[Batesville, Arkansas]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.lyon.edu/webdata/groups/greensheet/greensheet06/10-2_greensheet.htm |title=Acclaimed actress, Arkansas native to receive honorary Lyon degree |work=Lyon College Newsletter |date=October 2, 2006 |access-date=July 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716095146/http://web.lyon.edu/webdata/groups/greensheet/greensheet06/10-2_greensheet.htm |archive-date=July 16, 2011 }}</ref> In September 2005, she and Danson gave a guest lecture for students at the [[Clinton School of Public Service]], where they discussed their roles in public service as well as the foundations and causes in which they are involved.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clintonschoolspeakers.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608084943/http://www.clintonschoolspeakers.com/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 8, 2008 |title=The Clinton School Speaker Series|publisher=Clinton School of Public Service |access-date=September 7, 2010}}</ref>

Steenburgen is a friend of former [[United States Senate|senator]] and [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] and supported, with Danson, Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/02/danson-to-hit-the-road-for-cli.html |title=Danson to Hit the Road for Clinton Again |newspaper=The Washington Post |first=Juliet |last=Eilperin |date=February 15, 2008 |access-date=July 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905120534/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/02/danson-to-hit-the-road-for-cli.html |archive-date=September 5, 2012 }}</ref> She spoke at the [[2016 Democratic National Convention]]. Steenburgen is involved with various groups ranging from human rights to environmental causes.<ref name="PBS Interview">{{cite web |title=Actress Mary Steenburgen |date=October 31, 2013 |first=Tavis |last=Smiley |author-link=Tavis Smiley |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/mary-steenburgen/ |publisher=[[PBS]] |access-date=March 2, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330053350/https://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/mary-steenburgen/ |archive-date=March 30, 2014}}</ref>

Since 2014, Steenburgen's son Charlie McDowell has had a running joke at her expense, claiming on numerous occasions on [[social media]] that his mother is actress [[Andie MacDowell]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/mary-steenburgens-son-charlie-mcdowell-trolls-andie-macdowell-explainer/a514b51f-ab56-43b1-a490-801e4ac8e8c9|title=All the times Mary Steenburgen's son Charlie McDowell trolled her by pretending actress Andie MacDowell was his mother|publisher=Celebrity|date=October 8, 2020|access-date=October 11, 2020}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1978
|''[[Goin' South]]''
| Julia Tate Moon
|
|-
|1979
|''[[Time After Time (1979 film)|Time After Time]]''
| Amy Robbins
|
|-
|1980
|''[[Melvin and Howard]]''
| [[Melvin Dummar|Lynda West Dummar]]
| 
|-
|1981
|''[[Ragtime (film)|Ragtime]]''
| Mother
|
|-
|1982
| data-sort-value="Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, A" |''[[A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy]]''
| Adrian
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1983
|''[[Cross Creek (film)|Cross Creek]]''
| [[Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings]]
|
|-
|''[[Romantic Comedy (1983 film)|Romantic Comedy]]''
| Phoebe Craddock
|
|-
|1985
|''[[One Magic Christmas]]''
| Ginny Grainger
|
|-
|rowspan=3| 1987
|''[[Dead of Winter (film)|Dead of Winter]]''
| Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
|
|-
| data-sort-value="Whales of August, The" |''[[The Whales of August]]''
| Young Sarah
|
|-
|''[[End of the Line (1987 film)|End of the Line]]''
| Rose Pickett
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1989
|''[[Miss Firecracker]]''
| Elaine Rutledge
|
|-
|''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]''
| Karen Buckman
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1990
|''[[Back to the Future Part III]]''
| [[Clara Clayton]]
|
|-
| data-sort-value="Long Walk Home, The" |''[[The Long Walk Home]]''
| Narrator (voice)
|
|-
|1991
| data-sort-value="Butcher's Wife, The" |''[[The Butcher's Wife]]''
| Stella Keefover
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1993
|''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]''
| Betty Carver
|
|-
|''[[Philadelphia (film)|Philadelphia]]''
| Belinda Conine
|
|-
|rowspan=3| 1994
|''[[Clifford (film)|Clifford]]''
| Sarah Davis Daniels
|
|-
|''[[Pontiac Moon]]''
| Katherine Bellamy
|
|-
|''[[It Runs in the Family (1994 film)|It Runs in the Family]]''
| Mrs. Parker (mother)
|
|-
|rowspan=4| 1995
|''[[My Family (1995 film)|My Family]]''
| Gloria
|
|-
| data-sort-value="Grass Harp, The" |''[[The Grass Harp (film)|The Grass Harp]]''
| Sister Ida
|
|-
|''[[Powder (1995 film)|Powder]]''
| Jessie Caldwell
|
|-
|''[[Nixon (film)|Nixon]]''
| [[Hannah Milhous Nixon]]
|
|-
|rowspan=4| 2001
|''[[Nobody's Baby (2001 film)|Nobody's Baby]]''
| Estelle
|
|-
| data-sort-value="Trumpet of the Swan, The" |''[[The Trumpet of the Swan (film)|The Trumpet of the Swan]]''
| Mother (voice)
|
|-
|''[[Life as a House]]''
| Colleen Beck
|
|-
|''[[I Am Sam]]''
| Dr. Blake
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 2002
|''[[Sunshine State (film)|Sunshine State]]''
| Francine Pinkney
|
|-
|''Wish You Were Dead''
| Sally Rider
|
|-
|rowspan=3| 2003
|''[[Hope Springs (2003 film)|Hope Springs]]''
| Joanie Fisher
|
|-
|''[[Casa de los Babys]]''
| Gayle
|
|-
|''[[Elf (film)|Elf]]''
| Emily Hobbs
|
|-
|2005
|''[[Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School]]''
| Marienne Hotchkiss
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 2006
| data-sort-value="Dead Girl, The" |''[[The Dead Girl]]''
| Leah's mother
|
|-
|''[[Inland Empire (film)|Inland Empire]]''
| Visitor #2
|
|-
|rowspan=5| 2007
|''[[Elvis and Anabelle]]''
| Geneva
|
|-
|''[[Nobel Son]]''
| Sarah Michaelson
|
|-
|''[[Numb (2007 film)|Numb]]''
| Dr. Blaine
|
|-
| data-sort-value="Brave One, The" |''[[The Brave One (2007 film)|The Brave One]]''
| Carol
|
|-
|''[[Honeydripper (film)|Honeydripper]]''
| Amanda Winship
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 2008
|''[[Step Brothers (film)|Step Brothers]]''
| Nancy Huff
|
|-
|''[[Four Christmases]]''
| Marilyn
|
|-
|rowspan=5| 2009
|''[[American Outrage]]''
| Narrator
| Documentary
|-
|''[[In the Electric Mist]]''
| Bootsie Robicheaux
|
|-
| data-sort-value="Proposal, The" |''[[The Proposal (2009 film)|The Proposal]]''
| Grace Paxton
|
|-
| data-sort-value="Open Road, The" |''[[The Open Road]]''
| Katherine
|
|-
|''[[Did You Hear About the Morgans?]]''
| Emma Wheeler
|
|-
|2010
|''[[Dirty Girl (2010 film)|Dirty Girl]]''
| Peggy
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 2011
|''Keepin' It Real Estate''
| Claire
| Short film
|-
| data-sort-value="Help, The" |''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]''
| Elaine Stein
|
|-
|2012
|''Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood''
| Mary
|
|-
|rowspan=3| 2013
|''[[Last Vegas]]''
| Diana Boyle
|
|-
|''[[Brahmin Bulls]]''
| Helen West
|
|-
| data-sort-value="Tale of the Princess Kaguya, The" |''[[The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (film)|The Tale of the Princess Kaguya]]''
| The Bamboo Cutter's Wife (voice)
|
|-
|2014
|''[[Song One]]''
| Karen
|
|-
|2015
| data-sort-value="Walk in the Woods, A" |''[[A Walk in the Woods (film)|A Walk in the Woods]]''
| Jeannie
|
|-
|rowspan=3| 2016
| data-sort-value="Book of Love, The" |''[[The Book of Love (film)|The Book of Love]]''
| Julia
|
|-
|''[[Dean (film)|Dean]]''
| Carol
|
|-
|''[[Katie Says Goodbye]]''
| Maybelle
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 2017
| data-sort-value="Discovery, The" |''[[The Discovery (film)|The Discovery]]''
| Interviewer
|
|-
|''[[I Do... Until I Don't]]''
| Cybil Burger
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 2018
|''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]''
| Carol
|
|-
|''[[Antiquities (film)|Antiquities]]''
| Dr. Margot
|
|-
|2019
|''[[Flannery (film)|Flannery]]''
| Narrator
|
|-
|2020
|''[[Happiest Season]]''
| Tipper Caldwell
|
|-
|2021
|''[[Nightmare Alley (2021 film)|Nightmare Alley]]''
| Mrs. Kimball
|
|-
|2023
|''[[Book Club: The Next Chapter]]''
| Carol
|
|-
|rowspan=3|TBA
| ''[[The Dink]]''
| {{TBA}}
| Post-production
|-
| ''[[Let's Have Kids!]]''
| {{TBA}}
| Post-production
|-
| ''[[Last Train to Fortune]]''
| {{TBA}}
| Post-production
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1983
|''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]''
| Mary / Little Red Riding Hood
| Episode: "[[Little Red Riding Hood]]"
|-
|1985
|''Tender Is the Night''
| Nicole Warren Diver
| Miniseries
|-
|1988
| data-sort-value="Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank, The" |''[[The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank]]''
| [[Miep Gies]]
| Television film
|-
|1991–1992
|''[[Back to the Future (TV series)|Back to the Future]]''
| [[Clara Clayton]] (voice)
| Main role
|-
|1994
| data-sort-value="Gift, The" |''[[The Gift (1994 film)|The Gift]]''
| Catherine
| Television short film
|-
|1995
|''[[Frasier]]''
| Marjorie (voice)
| Episode: "Retirement Is Murder"
|-
|1996
|''[[Gulliver's Travels (miniseries)|Gulliver's Travels]]''
| Mary Gulliver
| Miniseries
|-
|1996–1997
|''[[Ink (TV series)|Ink]]''
| Kate Montgomery
| Main role
|-
|1998
|''About Sarah''
| Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey
| Television film
|-
|1999
|''[[Noah's Ark (1999 film)|Noah's Ark]]''
| Naamah
|Miniseries
|-
|2000
|''Picnic''
| Rosemary Sydney
|Television film
|-
|2000–2017
|''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''
| Mary Steenburgen
| 6 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2002
|''[[Living with the Dead (film)|Living with the Dead]]''
| Detective Karen Condrin
| Television film
|-
|''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]''
| Grace Rinato
| Episode: "Denial"
|-
|2003–2005
|''[[Joan of Arcadia]]''
| Helen Girardi
| Main role
|-
| rowspan="3" |2004
|''[[Becker (TV series)|Becker]]''
| Patient
| Episode: "DNR"
|-
|''[[It Must Be Love (2004 film)|It Must Be Love]]''
| Clem Gazelle
| rowspan="5" | Television film
|-
|''Capital City''
| Elaine Summer
|-
|2007
|''Reinventing the Wheelers''
| Claire Wheeler
|-
|2009
|''Happiness Isn't Everything''
| Audrey Veil
|-
|2010
|''Southern Discomfort''
| Mary Lou Dobson
|-
|2011–2013
|''[[Wilfred (American TV series)|Wilfred]]''
| Catherine Newman
| 4 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2011
|''[[Robot Chicken]]''
| Athena (voice)
| Episode: "The Core, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover"
|-
|''[[Bored to Death]]''
| Josephine
| 4 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2012
| data-sort-value="Thirty Rock" |''[[30 Rock]]''
| Diana Jessup
| 5 episodes
|-
|''[[Outlaw Country (2012 film)|Outlaw Country]]''
| Anastasia Lee
| Television film
|-
|2014–2015
|''[[Justified (TV series)|Justified]]''
| Katherine Hale
| 13 episodes
|-
|2015
|''[[Togetherness (TV series)|Togetherness]]''
| Linda
| 2 episodes
|-
|2015–2017
|''[[Orange Is the New Black]]''
| Delia Powell
| 6 episodes
|-
|2015–2018
| data-sort-value="Last Man on Earth, The" |''[[The Last Man on Earth (TV series)|The Last Man on Earth]]''
| Gail Klosterman
| Main role
|-
| rowspan="2" |2015
| data-sort-value="Seven Days in Hell" |''[[7 Days in Hell]]''
| Louisa Poole
| rowspan="2" | Television film
|-
|''[[Turkey Hollow]]''
| Aunt Cly
|-
|2016
|''[[Blunt Talk]]''
| Margaret Rudolph
| 4 episodes
|-
|2017
|''[[Finding Your Roots]]''
| Herself
| Episode: "Puritans and Pioneers"
|-
|2018
| data-sort-value="Conners, The" |''[[The Conners]]''
| Marcy Bellinger
| Episode: "[[Keep on Truckin' (The Conners)|Keep on Truckin']]"
|-
|2019–2021
|''[[Bless the Harts]]''
| Crystalynn Poole (voice)
| 7 episodes
|-
|2019
|''[[On Becoming a God in Central Florida]]''
| Ellen Joy Bonar
| 5 episodes
|-
|2020–2021
|''[[Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist]]''
| Maggie Clarke
| Main role
|-
| rowspan="2" |2020
|''[[Grace and Frankie]]''
| Miriam
| 2 episodes
|-
|''[[The Good Place]]''
| Music Teacher
| Episode: "[[Whenever You're Ready (The Good Place)|Whenever You're Ready]]"
|-
|2021
|''[[Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist#Film (2021)|Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas]]''
| Maggie Clarke
| Television film
|-
|2022
|''[[Mr. Mayor]]''
| Adriana
| Episode: "Murder in the Old West"
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Association
! Category
! Work
! Result
|-
| 1978
| [[Golden Globe Awards]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress|New Star of the Year – Actress]]
| ''Goin' South''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1979
| [[Saturn Awards]]
| [[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| ''Time After Time''
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="6" | 1980
| [[Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| rowspan="6" | ''Melvin and Howard''
|{{won}}
|-
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics]]
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{won}}
|-
| Golden Globe Awards
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]]
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[National Society of Film Critics Awards]]
| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[New York Film Critics Circle]]
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{won}}
|-
| 1981
| Golden Globe Awards
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]]
| ''Ragtime''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1985
| [[Genie Awards]]
| [[Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role|Actress in a Leading Role]]
| ''One Magic Christmas''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1985
| [[British Academy Television Awards]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| ''Tender Is the Night''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1988
| [[Primetime Emmy Awards]]
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie|Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie]]
| ''The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1989
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association]]
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| ''Miss Firecracker''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1990
| [[Saturn Awards]]
| [[Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| ''Back to the Future Part III''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1995
| rowspan="2" | [[Screen Actors Guild]]
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture|Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]
| ''Nixon''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1998
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie|Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie]]
| ''About Sarah''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2004
| [[Satellite Awards]]
| [[Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television Series|Best Supporting Actress – Television Series]]
| ''Joan of Arcadia''
| {{won}}
|-
| 2011
| Screen Actors Guild
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture|Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]
| ''The Help''
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2019
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Awards]]
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song|Best Song]]
| rowspan="3" | ''Wild Rose''<br /><small>for "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)"</small>
| {{won}}{{efn|Tied with [[Elton John]] and [[Bernie Taupin]] for "[[(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again]]" from ''[[Rocketman (film)|Rocketman]]''}}
|-
| [[Hollywood Critics Association]]
| rowspan="2" | Best Original Song
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Houston Film Critics Society]]
| {{won}}
|}

{{notelist}}

In addition to these recognitions, Steenburgen received the 1,337th star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] on December 16, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=Spotlight: Mary Steenburgen |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/spotlight-mary-steenburgen-92385 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |first=Jo |last=Nelsen |date=December 15, 2009 |access-date=December 26, 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{TCMDb name|183581%7C0}}
* {{discogs artist|Mary Steenburgen}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Awards for Mary Steenburgen
| list  =
{{AcademyAwardBestSupportingActress 1961-1980}}
{{Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song}}
{{GoldenGlobeBestSuppActressMotionPicture 1961-1980}}
{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{Satellite Award Best Supporting Actress Series Miniseries or Television Film}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Actress}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steenburgen, Mary}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from Arkansas]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:American women comedians]]
[[Category:Arkansas Democrats]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners]]
[[Category:Hendrix College alumni]]
[[Category:Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre alumni]]
[[Category:Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners]]
[[Category:People from Chilmark, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Newport, Arkansas]]
[[Category:William Esper Studio alumni]]
[[Category:Comedians from Arkansas]]
[[Category:Comedians from Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:California Democrats]]