Person
Melissa Leo
Acting · Born 1960-09-14 · Manhattan, 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).
Known for
Law & Order
Donna Cheponis
Criminal Minds
Sheriff Georgia Davis
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Sybil Perez
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Maureen Curtis
BoJack Horseman
Ma Nguyen (voice)
Cold Case
Tayna Raymes (1994 & 2007)
Miami Vice
Kathleen Gilfords
Passenger
Diana
Veronica Mars
Julia Smith
The Equalizer
Irina Dzershinsky
Filmography
- 2026PassengerDiana
- 2025The KnifeDetective Carlsen
- 2025Guns UpMichael Temple
- 2025King IvoryGinger Greene
- 2024AFTER: Poetry Destroys Silence
- 2024The Clean Up CrewSiobhan
- 2024Long Gone HeroesOlivia
- 2023The Equalizer 3Susan Plummer
- 2022BonnieSelf
- 2022JanePrincipal Rhodes
- 2022Alone TogetherDeborah
- 2022CoastOlivia
- 2022Measure of RevengeLillian
- 2021Ida RedIda ‘Red’ Walker
- 2021Thunder ForceAllie
- 2021Body BrokersDr. White
- 2020I Know This Much Is TrueConcettina Ipolita Tempesta 'Ma' Birdsey
- 2019Dolly Parton's HeartstringsAmelia Meegers
- 2018UnlovableMaddie
- 2018The Equalizer 2Susan Plummer
- 2018The Parting GlassAl
- 2018Mabel, Mabel Tiger TrainerNarrator
- 2018FurloughJoan Anderson
- 2018The AshramChandra
- 2017The View from Up HereClaire
- 2017NovitiateReverend Mother
- 2017I'm Dying Up HereGoldie
- 2017The Most Hated Woman in AmericaMadalyn Murray O'Hair
- 2016SnowdenLaura Poitras
- 2016All the WayLady Bird Johnson
- 2016Burn CountryGloria
- 2016London Has FallenSecretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
- 2015The Big ShortGeorgia Hale
- 2015Damnation: The FlashbackNoda Marra
- 2015After the SpillNarrator
- 2015The Butterfly, The Harp, and The TimepiecePapillon
- 2015Wayward PinesNurse Pam
- 2015She's The Best Thing in ItSelf
- 2015The Ever AfterPenny
- 2014The EqualizerSusan Plummer
- 2014BoJack HorsemanMa Nguyen (voice)
- 2014The Angriest Man in BrooklynBette Altmann
- 2014Dwegons and LeprechaunsGrandma Fitz / Butterfly McDweg / Mrs. Fitzgerald
- 2014Broad CityLori
- 2013PrisonersHolly Jones
- 2013The Arsenio Hall ShowSelf
- 2013Letters to Jackie: Remembering President KennedySelf - Narrator (voice)
- 2013Call Me Crazy: A Five FilmRobin
- 2013Bottled UpFay
- 2013OblivionSally
- 2013Olympus Has FallenSecretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
- 2013Charlie CountrymanKate
- 2012FrancineFrancine
- 2012Why Stop Now?Penny
- 2012FlightEllen Block
- 2011The Space BetweenMontine
- 2011Seven Days in UtopiaLily
- 2011Red StateSara
- 2011The Sea Is All I KnowSara
- 2011Mildred PierceLucy Gessler
- 2010The FighterAlice Ward
- 2010Queen of the LotAunt Bee
- 2010Welcome to the RileysLois Riley
- 2010ConvictionNancy Taylor
- 2010The Dry LandMartha
- 2010TremeToni Bernette
- 2009Everybody's FineColleen
- 2009According to GretaKaren
- 2009Dear Lemon LimaMrs. Howard
- 2009Veronika Decides to DieMari
- 2009Don McKayMarie
- 2009True AdolescentsSharon Mitchell
- 2009Stephanie's ImageStephanie
- 2008The Alphabet KillerKathy Walsh
- 2008Righteous KillCheryl
- 2008Frozen RiverRay Eddy
- 2008Santa MesaMaggie
- 2008LullabyStephanie
- 2007Black IrishMargaret McKay
- 2007Mr. WoodcockSally Jansen
- 2007Racing DaylightSadie / Anna
- 2007I Believe in AmericaSoto
- 2007Hollywood DreamsAunt Bee
- 2007The Cake EatersCeci Kimbrough
- 2007Dear Lemon LimaMrs. Howard
- 2007Stephanie DaleyMiri Daley
- 2007Midnight SonRita
- 2007Bomb
- 2007One NightWendy
- 2006The House Is BurningMrs. Miller
- 2006SharkElizabeth Rourke
- 2006The Limbo RoomKC Collins
- 2005The Three Burials of Melquiades EstradaRachel
- 2005ConfessAgnes Lessor
- 2005Criminal MindsSheriff Georgia Davis
- 2005American GunLouise
- 2005RunawayLisa Adler
- 2005Hide and SeekLaura
- 2004From Other WorldsMiriam
- 2004Veronica MarsJulia Smith
- 2004The L WordWinnie Mann
- 2003Cold CaseTayna Raymes (1994 & 2007)
- 200321 GramsMarianne Jordan
- 2001Law & Order: Criminal IntentMaureen Curtis
- 2000CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationSybil Perez
- 2000Fear of FictionSigrid Anderssen
- 2000Homicide: The MovieKay Howard
- 1999Code of EthicsJo DeAngelo
- 1999The 24 Hour WomanDr. Suzanne Pincus
- 1998Legacy
- 1997Who Is Henry Jaglom?Self
- 1995Last Summer in the HamptonsTrish Axelrod
- 1995In the Line of Duty: Hunt for JusticeCarol Manning
- 1995GardenElizabeth
- 1994ScarlettSuellen O'Hara Benteen
- 1993The Ballad of Little JoBeatrice Grey
- 1993Homicide: Life on the StreetKay Howard
- 1992By a ThreadHelen
- 1992Immaculate ConceptionHannah
- 1992Venice/VenicePeggy
- 1991Carolina SkeletonsCassie
- 1990The Bride in BlackMary Margaret
- 1990Law & OrderDonna Cheponis
- 1989Nasty BoysKatie Morrissey
- 1989The Young RidersEmma Shannon
- 1988A Time of DestinyJosie Larraneta
- 1986Deadtime StoriesJudith 'MaMa' Baer
- 1985Silent WitnessPatti Mullen
- 1985Always … But Not ForeverPeggy
- 1985Streetwalkin'Cookie
- 1985Spenser: For Hire
- 1985The EqualizerIrina Dzershinsky
- 1984Miami ViceKathleen Gilfords
- 1984I'm Only There...Maggie
- —Ron ForeverHilda
- —The Rooster PrinceElaine
- —The Mannequin
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