Curiosidades

Suffered a permanent spinal injury while filming O Exorcista (1973). In the sequence where she is thrown away from her possessed daughter, a harness jerked her hard away from the bed. She fell on her coccyx and screamed in pain, which was kept in the final version of the released film.

Turned down the lead role in Um Estranho no Ninho (1975) because she had a sick husband to care for.

Worked as an acrobat and as a model for paperback covers.

Her third (and last) husband, Neil Burstyn was a bright, talented upcoming actor and writer (Os Monkees (1965)). According to Ellen, he eventually degenerated into mental illness and became schizophrenic and violent. He left her just before she became a star. When she refused his pleas to get back together, he stalked and terrorized her for many years. He committed suicide in 1978.

In September 2009, she became the 20th person to have won the Triple Crown of Acting: Academy Award (1975: Alice Não Mora Mais Aqui (1974)); Tony Award (1975: Same Time Next Year), and Emmy Award (2009: Lei & Ordem: Unidade de Vítimas Especiais (1999)).

Is one of 17 actresses to have won the Triple Crown of Acting (an Oscar, Emmy and Tony); the others in chronological order are Helen Hayes, Ingrid Bergman, Shirley Booth, Liza Minnelli, Rita Moreno, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Audrey Hepburn, Anne Bancroft, Vanessa Redgrave, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Frances McDormand, Jessica Lange, Viola Davis and Glenda Jackson.

Played her Academy Award nominated character from Tudo Bem no Ano que Vem (1978) on Broadway first and won a Tony Award as Best Actress (Dramatic) for the role in 1975. Burstyn was quoted in the book "On Women Turning 50" that she did not attend the Academy Awards ceremony the year she won as she felt she could not handle the pressure and attention if she won. After attending several later Oscar ceremonies at which she lost, she later regretted not being there to accept her award. Martin Scorsese, the director of Alice Não Mora Mais Aqui (1974), accepted on her behalf.

An ordained minister, Burstyn does not consume alcohol or drink coffee and practices yoga.

Along with Al Pacino and Harvey Keitel, was named co-president of The Actor's Studio in 2000.

Wore 20- and 40-pound fat suits and prosthetic necks to play Sara Goldfarb in Réquiem para um Sonho (2000).

Underwent an illegal abortion at 5 months pregnant in 1950. The operation left her infertile.

Says she is often mistaken for fellow actress Louise Fletcher. People tell her she was great in Um Estranho no Ninho (1975) (for which Fletcher won an Oscar). Fletcher reports being told frequently that she did a wonderful job in one of Burstyn's roles.

Became a mother in 1962, when she adopted her son, Jefferson Roberts, with her now ex-2nd husband, Paul Roberts. She has one grandchild.

Part of remarkable Strasberg alumni: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, James Dean, Steve McQueen, Christopher Walken, Marilyn Monroe,Paul Newman, Martin Landau, Angelina Jolie, Ray Liotta, Dennis Hopper, Matt Zemlin, Anne Bancroft etc.

She wrote to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences to protest Liv Ullmann's elimination from Oscar contention in 1974 for her performance in Cenas de um Casamento (1973) (aka "Scenes from a Marriage"). AMPAS used a rule under which TV presentations must have appeared in movie theaters in the same year, to prevent Ullmann from being nominated. The result is that Burstyn won the Oscar for her performance in Alice Não Mora Mais Aqui (1974).

Is one of 14 Best Actress Oscar winners to have not accepted their Academy Award in person, Burstyn's being for Alice Não Mora Mais Aqui (1974). The others are Katharine Hepburn, Claudette Colbert, Joan Crawford, Judy Holliday, Vivien Leigh Anna Magnani, Ingrid Bergman, Sophia Loren, Anne Bancroft, Patricia Neal, Elizabeth Taylor, Maggie Smith and Glenda Jackson.

Chosen by People Magazine as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World." (maio de 2001)

Following her birth parent's divorce, she was sent to St. Mary's Academy in neighboring Windsor, Ontario. She returned home to Detroit after her mother's remarriage.

Godmother of her Spitfire Grill: O Recomeço (1996) co-star (Marcia Gay Harden)'s children.

Served as co-artistic director for The Actor's Studio.

In 2005, she was awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Acting of the Savannah Film Festival.

Release of her book, "Lessons in Becoming Myself". (2006)

She has appeared in two films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: A Última Sessão de Cinema (1971) and O Exorcista (1973).

Burstyn plays two unusual roles where she becomes older than her parents. First, as Murph in Interestelar (2014), in which she was older than her father. The second, as Flemming in A Incrível História de Adaline (2015), in which she was older than her mother.

Made a special Academy Awards appearance in 1998, at the The 70th Annual Academy Awards (1998), and participated in the "Oscar Family Album" sequence, along with many other former Academy Award winners.

Member of the Official Competition Jury at the 27th Berlin International Film Festival (1977). Member of jury at the Cannes Film Festival (1981). Co-head of jury at the Berlin International Film Festival (1988).

The character of Jean Harris seems to be a favorite for Burstyn. She was Emmy-nominated for the lead role as Jean Harris in the 1981 TV-movie, The People vs. Jean Harris (1981) and, in 2006, she was nominated as a supporting character (as an ex-lover of Jean Harris's lover) in the cable-movie based on the Harris case in Mrs. Harris (2005). Burstyn is perhaps the first actress to be nominated for a performance that is less than 1-minute long (in fact, it is approximately 15 seconds). She vied for the Emmy with fellow "Mrs. Harris" (and A Última Sessão de Cinema (1971)) co-star and Oscar-winner Cloris Leachman. Neither won.

Was the 75th actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Actress Oscar for Alice Não Mora Mais Aqui (1974) at The 47th Annual Academy Awards (1975) on April 8, 1975.

In 1975, Ellen won the Oscar for "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" and the Tony for "Same Time, Next Year", making her one of five actresses to win the Tony and the Oscar in the same year. The others are Shirley Booth, Audrey Hepburn, Mercedes Ruehl, and Judi Dench.

Received the National Board of Review's Career Achievement Award in December 2000 at Tavern on the Green.

Recipient of the 2006 Career Achievement in Acting Award from the Hamptons Film Festival.

Daughter of Austin (1903-1988), born in the state of New Jersey, and Correine (née Hamel) Gillooly (1907-1985) , born in the state of North Dakota. They married in the state of Ohio on September 1, 1928.

Went to the same high school with Della Reese.

Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2007 Razzie Award nominating ballot. She was suggested in the Worst Supporting Actress category for her performance in the film O Sacrifício (2006), however, she failed to receive a nomination.

Has two brothers.

Is one of 19 actresses to have received a Best Actress Oscar nomination for a performance where they acted out a labor and/or birth; hers being for Tudo Bem no Ano que Vem (1978). The others in chronological order are Luise Rainer for Terra dos Deuses (1937), Jane Wyman for Belinda (1948), Eleanor Parker for À Margem da Vida (1950), Elizabeth Taylor for A Árvore da Vida (1957), Leslie Caron for A Mulher que Pecou (1962), Shirley MacLaine for Irma la Douce (1963), Vanessa Redgrave for Isadora (1968), Geneviève Bujold for Ana dos Mil Dias (1969), Marsha Mason for Licença Para Amar Até a Meia-Noite (1973), Ann-Margret for Tommy (1975), Jessica Lange for Um Sonho, uma Lenda (1985), Meryl Streep for Um Grito no Escuro (1988), Samantha Morton for Terra de Sonhos (2002), Elliot Page for Juno (2007), Gabourey Sidibe for Preciosa: Uma História de Esperança (2009), Ruth Negga for Loving: Uma História de Amor (2016), Yalitza Aparicio for Roma (2018) and Vanessa Kirby for Pedaços De Uma Mulher (2020).

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on her 9th birthday, & the following movies/TV shows were released/aired on her birthday:

• Log 111: The Boa Constrictor (1968)(#1.11)
• The New Improved Mel (1980)(#5.7) (an episode of Alice (1976) which is based on Alice Não Mora Mais Aqui (1974)) ,where she played the title role.
• 2010: O Ano em que Faremos Contato (1984).

Is one of 3 actresses who have won the Best Actress Oscar for playing a character called Alice. The others are Simone Signoret for Almas em Leilão (1958) and Julianne Moore for Para Sempre Alice (2014).

The runaway story of her character Alice Hyatt in Alice Não Mora Mais Aqui (1974) inspired the character of Dolors (Montse Caminal) in the Short film Silêncio (2007).

Caminho sem Volta (2000) was hers, Mark Wahlberg's, & Joaquin Phoenix' first movie of the 21st century/third millennium.

Born at 4:00 AM EST.