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Melissa Leo

Melissa Leo

Acting1960Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Biography

Melissa Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in 1985, for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Ingenue/Woman in the Drama Series “All My Children”. Her most notable role as was as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on “Homicide: Life on the Street” for the show's first five seasons from 1993–1997.

Following several films, Leo received critical acclaim and national attention in earning several nominations and awards, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Leo earned several awards for her role as Alice Ward in the critically acclaimed film, “The Fighter” (2010). For this role Leo won the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Leo currently appears on the television series Treme. 

Leo currently resides in Stone Ridge, New York and two sons John Matthew Heard (born 1987), and Adam (adopted - born 1984).

Acting History

Future
Ron Forever
as Hilda
2026
2025
The Knife
as Detective Carlsen
King Ivory
as Ginger Greene
Guns Up
as Michael Temple
2024
2023
The Equalizer 3
as Susan Plummer
2022
Alone Together
as Deborah
Bonnie
as Self
Coast
as Olivia
Jane
as Principal Rhodes
2021
Body Brokers
as Dr. White
Ida Red
as Ida ‘Red’ Walker
2020
I Know This Much Is True
TVas Concettina Ipolita Tempesta 'Ma' Birdsey• 6 eps
2019
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings
TVas Amelia Meegers
2018
The Equalizer 2
as Susan Plummer
Unlovable
as Maddie
Furlough
as Joan Anderson
The Ashram
as Chandra
Furlough
Producer
2017
The Most Hated Woman in America
as Madalyn Murray O'Hair
Novitiate
as Reverend Mother
I'm Dying Up Here
TVas Goldie• 20 eps
2016
London Has Fallen
as Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
All the Way
as Lady Bird Johnson
Snowden
as Laura Poitras
Burn Country
as Gloria
Broad City
TVas Lori• 1 eps
2015
The Big Short
as Georgia Hale
After the Spill
as Narrator
Wayward Pines
TVas Nurse Pam• 11 eps
2014
The Equalizer
as Susan Plummer
Dwegons and Leprechauns
as Grandma Fitz / Butterfly McDweg / Mrs. Fitzgerald
BoJack Horseman
TVas Ma Nguyen (voice)• 2 eps
2013
Olympus Has Fallen
as Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
Oblivion
as Sally
Prisoners
as Holly Jones
The Arsenio Hall Show
TVas Self• 1 eps
Bottled Up
Producer
2012
Flight
as Ellen Block
Francine
as Francine
2011
Red State
as Sara
Mildred Pierce
TVas Lucy Gessler• 5 eps
2010
The Dry Land
as Martha
Queen of the Lot
as Aunt Bee
Conviction
as Nancy Taylor
The Fighter
as Alice Ward
Treme
TVas Toni Bernette• 36 eps
2009
True Adolescents
as Sharon Mitchell
Dear Lemon Lima
as Mrs. Howard
Don McKay
as Marie
Stephanie's Image
as Stephanie
2008
Frozen River
as Ray Eddy
Lullaby
as Stephanie
Santa Mesa
as Maggie
The Alphabet Killer
as Kathy Walsh
2007
Hollywood Dreams
as Aunt Bee
Mr. Woodcock
as Sally Jansen
Stephanie Daley
as Miri Daley
Racing Daylight
as Sadie / Anna
Black Irish
as Margaret McKay
The Cake Eaters
as Ceci Kimbrough
One Night
as Wendy
Dear Lemon Lima
as Mrs. Howard
Cold Case
TVas Tayna Raymes (1994 & 2007)• 1 eps
Criminal Minds
TVas Sheriff Georgia Davis• 1 eps
2006
The House Is Burning
as Mrs. Miller
The Limbo Room
as KC Collins
Shark
TVas Elizabeth Rourke• 1 eps
2005
American Gun
as Louise
Confess
as Agnes Lessor
Runaway
as Lisa Adler
The L Word
TVas Winnie Mann• 3 eps
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
TVas Maureen Curtis• 1 eps
2004
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
TVas Sybil Perez• 1 eps
Veronica Mars
TVas Julia Smith• 1 eps
2003
21 Grams
as Marianne Jordan
2001
Law & Order
TVas Defense Attorney Alice Sutton / Donna Cheponis / Sherri Quinn• 1 eps
2000
Homicide: The Movie
as Kay Howard
Fear of Fiction
as Sigrid Anderssen
1999
Code of Ethics
as Jo DeAngelo
The 24 Hour Woman
as Dr. Suzanne Pincus
1998
1997
1995
1994
Scarlett
TVas Suellen O'Hara Benteen
1993
The Ballad of Little Jo
as Beatrice Grey
Homicide: Life on the Street
TVas Kay Howard• 77 eps
1992
By a Thread
as Helen
1991
1990
The Bride in Black
as Mary Margaret
1989
Nasty Boys
as Katie Morrissey
The Young Riders
TVas Emma Shannon
Nasty Boys
TVas Katie Morrissey
1988
A Time of Destiny
as Josie Larraneta
Miami Vice
TVas Kathleen Gilfords• 1 eps
1987
1986
Deadtime Stories
as Judith 'MaMa' Baer
1985
Silent Witness
as Patti Mullen
Streetwalkin'
as Cookie
The Equalizer
TVas Irina Dzershinsky• 1 eps
1984

Social Media

IMDb

Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Gender
Female
Birthday
9/14/1960(65 years old)
Place of Birth
Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA