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Ellen Burstyn was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress for her stirring performance in Requiem for a Dream. Burstyn's breakthrough role was in Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show, which earned her the New York and National Film Critics' Awards in addition to Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. She went on to give memorable performances in Bob Rafelson's The King of Marvin Gardens and William Friedkin's The Exorcist, which brought her Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress.

In 1975, Burstyn became the first actress in history to win an Academy Award and a Tony Award in the same year when she was recognized for her roles in the film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and the play Same Time Next Year. She also received Britain's BAFTA Award for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.

Burstyn earned praise and two more Oscar nominations for her work in the 1978 film adaptation of Same Time Next Year and 1980's Resurrection and won a Golden Globe Award for Same Time Next Year. Other film credits include Tropic of Cancer, The Cemetery Club, Harry & Tonto, The Spitfire Grill, How to Make an American Quilt and The Yards. She recently starred in the CBS television series That's Life.

During the 1980s, Burstyn acted in numerous television movies and earned Emmy nominations for The People vs. Jean Harris and Pack of Lies. In 1986, she headlined her own series, The Ellen Burstyn Show. Other television credits include My Brother's Keeper, Trick of the Eye and the Lifetime Television film, Within these Walls, co-starring Laura Dern, for which she also served as executive producer.

Among her Broadway credits are 84 Charing Cross Road, Shirley Valentine and Sacrilege. She recently starred in Long Day's Journey Into Night at the Hartford Stage. Burstyn was the first woman president of Actor's Equity, the actor's union, in 1982, and in June, 2000, she became co-president of the legendary Actors Studio, sharing leadership duties with Al Pacino and Harvey Keitel.