Portrait of Elizabeth McGovern

Elizabeth McGovern

Acting

Biography

Elizabeth McGovern (born July 18, 1961) is an American film, television, and theater actress. In 1980, while studying at Juilliard, McGovern was offered a part in her first film, Ordinary People, in which she played the girlfriend of troubled teenager Timothy Hutton. The following year she completed her education as an actress at the American Conservatory Theatre and at The Juilliard School, and began to appear in plays, first Off-Broadway and later in famous theaters. In 1981, she earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Evelyn Nesbit in the film Ragtime. In 1984, she starred in Sergio Leone's gangster epic Once Upon a Time in America as Robert De Niro's romantic interest, Deborah Gelly. In 1989, she played Mickey Rourke's girlfriend in Johnny Handsome, directed by Walter Hill, and the same year she appeared as a rebellious lesbian in Volker Schlöndorff's thriller The Handmaid's Tale.

Born: July 18, 1961

Place of Birth: Evanston, Illinois, USA

Filmography

2024
And Mrs.

as Margaret

2022
2019
War of the Worlds

as Helen Brown

2019
Downton Abbey

as Cora Crawley

2019
2018
The Wife

as Elaine Mozell

2018
The Commuter

as Karen MacCauley

2016
Showing Roots

as Shirley

2016
The Queen At 90

as Narrator

2015
Unexpected

as Carolyn

2015
Swung

as Dolly Adams

2015
Woman in Gold

as Judge Florence-Marie Cooper

2012
Screen Goddesses

as Narrator

2011
2011
Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters

as Wallis Simpson (Voice)

2010
Downton Abbey

as Cora Crawley

2010
Kick-Ass

as Mrs. Lizewski

2010
2009
Modern Family

as California Mom (archive footage)

2008
Inconceivable

as Tallulah 'Tutu' Williams

2007
A Room with a View

as Mrs Honeychurch

2007
Daphne

as Ellen Doubleday

2006
The Truth

as Donna

2004
Big Fat Quiz

as Self - Guest

2004
Remembering Ragtime

as Evelyn Nesbit (archive footage)

2003
Thursday the 12th

as Candice Hopper

2002
Buffalo Soldiers

as Mrs. Berman

2001
Hawkins

as Susie Hawkins

2001
2000
The House of Mirth

as Mrs. Carry Fisher

2000
Manila

as Elizabeth

1999
1999
The Scarlet Pimpernel

as Marguerite Blakeney

1997
Clover

as Sara Kate

1997
The Wings of the Dove

as Susan Stringham

1996
The Summer of Ben Tyler

as Celia Rayburn

1996
Broken Glass

as Margaret Hyman

1995
Broken Trust

as Janice Dillon

1995
Wings of Courage

as Noëlle Guillaumet

1994
The Favor

as Emily

1993
The Changeling

as Beatrice-Joanna

1993
1993
1992
Tales from Hollywood

as Helen Schwartz

1991
Performance

as Helen Schwartz

1991
Performance

as Margaret Hyman

1991
Performance

as Beatrice-Joanna

1990
Tune in Tomorrow...

as Elena Quince

1990
A Shock to the System

as Stella Anderson

1989
Johnny Handsome

as Donna McCarty

1989
Tales from the Crypt

as Laura Kendall

1989
Agatha Christie's Poirot

as Dame Celia Westholme

1988
1988
She's Having a Baby

as Kristy Briggs

1987
1986
Native Son

as Mary Dalton

1984
1984
Racing with the Moon

as Caddie Winger

1983
Lovesick

as Chloe Allen

1982
Faerie Tale Theatre

as Snow White

1981
Ragtime

as Evelyn Nesbit

1980
Ordinary People

as Jeannine Pratt

1967
Omnibus

as Self

1951