Melissa Leo
Acting
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).
Known for
Acting137
moviePassenger
2026
Diana
movieThe Knife
2025
Detective Carlsen
movieGuns Up
2025
Michael Temple
movieKing Ivory
2025
Ginger Greene
movieThe Clean Up Crew
2024
Siobhan
movieThe Equalizer 3
2023
Susan Plummer
movieBonnie
2022
Self
movieJane
2022
Principal Rhodes
movieAlone Together
2022
Deborah
movieCoast
2022
Olivia
movieMeasure of Revenge
2022
Lillian
movieIda Red
2021
Ida ‘Red’ Walker
movieBody Brokers
2021
Dr. White
tvI Know This Much Is True
2020
Concettina Ipolita Tempesta 'Ma' Birdsey
tvDolly Parton's Heartstrings
2019
Amelia Meegers
movieUnlovable
2018
Maddie
movieThe Equalizer 2
2018
Susan Plummer
movieFurlough
2018
Joan Anderson
movieThe Ashram
2018
Chandra
movieNovitiate
2017
Reverend Mother
tvI'm Dying Up Here
2017
Goldie
movieThe Most Hated Woman in America
2017
Madalyn Murray O'Hair
movieSnowden
2016
Laura Poitras
movieAll the Way
2016
Lady Bird Johnson
movieBurn Country
2016
Gloria
movieLondon Has Fallen
2016
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
movieThe Big Short
2015
Georgia Hale
movieAfter the Spill
2015
Narrator
tvWayward Pines
2015
Nurse Pam
movieThe Equalizer
2014
Susan Plummer
tvBoJack Horseman
2014
Ma Nguyen (voice)
movieThe Angriest Man in Brooklyn
2014
Bette Altmann
movieDwegons and Leprechauns
2014
Grandma Fitz / Butterfly McDweg / Mrs. Fitzgerald
tvBroad City
2014
Lori
moviePrisoners
2013
Holly Jones
movieLetters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy
2013
Self - Narrator (voice)
movieOblivion
2013
Sally
movieOlympus Has Fallen
2013
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
movieFrancine
2012
Francine
movieFlight
2012
Ellen Block
movieThe Space Between
2011
Montine
tvMildred Pierce
2011
Lucy Gessler
movieThe Fighter
2010
Alice Ward
movieQueen of the Lot
2010
Aunt Bee
movieWelcome to the Rileys
2010
Lois Riley
movieConviction
2010
Nancy Taylor
movieThe Dry Land
2010
Martha
tvTreme
2010
Toni Bernette
movieEverybody's Fine
2009
Colleen
movieDear Lemon Lima
2009
Mrs. Howard
movieDon McKay
2009
Marie
movieTrue Adolescents
2009
Sharon Mitchell
movieStephanie's Image
2009
Stephanie
movieThe Alphabet Killer
2008
Kathy Walsh
movieRighteous Kill
2008
Cheryl
movieFrozen River
2008
Ray Eddy
movieSanta Mesa
2008
Maggie
movieLullaby
2008
Stephanie
movieBlack Irish
2007
Margaret McKay
movieMr. Woodcock
2007
Sally Jansen
movieRacing Daylight
2007
Sadie / Anna
movieHollywood Dreams
2007
Aunt Bee
movieThe Cake Eaters
2007
Ceci Kimbrough
movieDear Lemon Lima
2007
Mrs. Howard
movieStephanie Daley
2007
Miri Daley
movieThe House Is Burning
2006
Mrs. Miller
tvShark
2006
Elizabeth Rourke
movieThe Limbo Room
2006
KC Collins
movieConfess
2005
Agnes Lessor
tvCriminal Minds
2005
Sheriff Georgia Davis
movieAmerican Gun
2005
Louise
movieRunaway
2005
Lisa Adler
tvVeronica Mars
2004
Julia Smith
tvThe L Word
2004
Winnie Mann
movie21 Grams
2003
Marianne Jordan
tvCold Case
2003
Tayna Raymes (1994 & 2007)
tvLaw & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
Maureen Curtis
tvCSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
Sybil Perez
movieFear of Fiction
2000
Sigrid Anderssen
movieHomicide: The Movie
2000
Kay Howard
movieCode of Ethics
1999
Jo DeAngelo
movieThe 24 Hour Woman
1999
Dr. Suzanne Pincus
tvLegacy
1998
Emma Bradford
movieLast Summer in the Hamptons
1995
Trish Axelrod
movieIn the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice
1995
Carol Manning
Garden
1995
Elizabeth
tvScarlett
1994
Suellen O'Hara Benteen
movieThe Ballad of Little Jo
1993
Beatrice Grey
tvHomicide: Life on the Street
1993
Kay Howard
movieBy a Thread
1992
Helen
movieThe Bride in Black
1990
Mary Margaret
tvLaw & Order
1990
Donna Cheponis / Defense Attorney Alice Sutton / Sherri Quinn
movieNasty Boys
1989
Katie Morrissey
tvThe Young Riders
1989
Emma Shannon
movieA Time of Destiny
1988
Josie Larraneta
movieDeadtime Stories
1986
Judith 'MaMa' Baer
movieSilent Witness
1985
Patti Mullen
movieStreetwalkin'
1985
Cookie
tvThe Equalizer
1985
Irina Dzershinsky
tvMiami Vice
1984
Kathleen Gilfords
movieRon Forever
Hilda
Production2
movieFurlough
2018
Producer
movieBottled Up
2013
Producer