Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly; December 7, 1932) is an American actress cherished for her portrayals of complex female characters in drama films and series. Avidly recognized as one of few performers to secure the 'Triple Crown of Acting', she has received an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award. Burstyn's acting debut occurred on Broadway starring in Fair Game (1957). She won her Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for Same Time, Next Year (1975) and rose to further international fame after earning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Alice Hyatt in Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974). Her other Oscar-nominated roles include those in The Last Picture Show (1971), The Exorcist (1973), Same Time, Next Year (1978), Resurrection (1980), and Requiem for a Dream (2000). Burstyn also earned Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2009) and Political Animals (2013). Honoured for her contributions to theater, Burstyn was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2013.

Early life saw Burstyn born in Detroit as the daughter of Correine Marie (née Hamel) and John Austin Gillooly. A cheerleader, student council member, and drama club president in high school, she began her career as a dancer and model before committing to acting. She debuted on The Jackie Gleason Show under the name Erica Dean and adopted 'Ellen McRae' as her professional name prior to her 1964 marriage, after which she took on her current surname. Burstyn continued to act into the 2010s with notable roles in films like Interstellar (2014) and television series like House of Cards (2016).