Melissa Leo
Known for acting · Born 14 September 1960 · 66 · Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
142 credits
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
Snowden
2016
Homicide: Life on the Street
1993
Prisoners
2013
Oblivion
2013
The Big Short
2015
Red State
2011
The Equalizer 2
2018
London Has Fallen
2016
Passenger
2026
The Fighter
2010
Treme
2010
21 Grams
2003
Acting (139)
2026PassengerDiana LarsonFilm
2025Guns UpMichael TempleFilm
2025King IvoryGinger GreeneFilm
2025The KnifeDetective CarlsenFilm
2024Long Gone HeroesOliviaFilm
2024The Clean Up CrewSiobhanFilm
2024AFTER: Poetry Destroys SilenceFilm
2023The Equalizer 3Susan PlummerFilm
2022Alone TogetherDeborahFilm
2022JanePrincipal RhodesFilm
2022Measure of RevengeLillianFilm
2022CoastOliviaFilm
2022BonnieSelfFilm
2021Thunder ForceAllieFilm
2021Body BrokersDr. WhiteFilm
2021Ida RedIda ‘Red’ WalkerFilm
2020I Know This Much Is TrueConcettina Ipolita Tempesta 'Ma' Birdsey · 6 episodesSeries
2019Dolly Parton's HeartstringsAmelia MeegersSeries
2018The Equalizer 2Susan PlummerFilm
2018FurloughJoan AndersonFilm
2018UnlovableMaddieFilm
2018The AshramChandraFilm
2018The Parting GlassAlFilm
2018Mabel, Mabel Tiger TrainerNarratorFilm
2017The Most Hated Woman in AmericaMadalyn Murray O'HairFilm
2017NovitiateReverend MotherFilm
2017I'm Dying Up HereGoldie · 20 episodesSeries
2017The View from Up HereClaireFilm
2016London Has FallenSecretary of Defense Ruth McMillanFilm
2016SnowdenLaura PoitrasFilm
2016All the WayLady Bird JohnsonFilm
2016Burn CountryGloriaFilm
2015The Big ShortGeorgia HaleFilm
2015Wayward PinesNurse Pam · 11 episodesSeries
2015The Ever AfterPennyFilm
2015After the SpillNarratorFilm
2015She's The Best Thing in ItSelfFilm
2015Damnation: The FlashbackNoda MarraFilm
2015The Butterfly, The Harp, and The TimepiecePapillonFilm
2014The EqualizerSusan PlummerFilm
2014BoJack HorsemanMa Nguyen (voice) · 2 episodesSeries
2014The Angriest Man in BrooklynBette AltmannFilm
2014Broad CityLoriSeries
2014Dwegons and LeprechaunsGrandma Fitz / Butterfly McDweg / Mrs. FitzgeraldFilm
2013PrisonersHolly JonesFilm
2013OblivionSallyFilm
2013Olympus Has FallenSecretary of Defense Ruth McMillanFilm
2013Charlie CountrymanKateFilm
2013Call Me Crazy: A Five FilmRobinFilm
2013Bottled UpFayFilm
2013Letters to Jackie: Remembering President KennedySelf - Narrator (voice)Film
2013The Arsenio Hall ShowSelfSeries
2012FlightEllen BlockFilm
2012Why Stop Now?PennyFilm
2012FrancineFrancineFilm
2011Red StateSaraFilm
2011Mildred PierceLucy Gessler · 5 episodesSeries
2011Seven Days in UtopiaLilyFilm
2011The Space BetweenMontineFilm
2011The Sea Is All I KnowSaraFilm
2010The FighterAlice WardFilm
2010ConvictionNancy TaylorFilm
2010Welcome to the RileysLois RileyFilm
2010TremeToni Bernette · 36 episodesSeries
2010The Dry LandMarthaFilm
2010Queen of the LotAunt BeeFilm
2009Everybody's FineColleenFilm
2009Veronika Decides to DieMariFilm
2009According to GretaKarenFilm
2009Don McKayMarieFilm
2009Dear Lemon LimaMrs. HowardFilm
2009True AdolescentsSharon MitchellFilm
2009Stephanie's ImageStephanieFilm
2008Righteous KillCherylFilm
2008Frozen RiverRay EddyFilm
2008The Alphabet KillerKathy WalshFilm
2008Santa MesaMaggieFilm
2008LullabyStephanieFilm
2007Mr. WoodcockSally JansenFilm
2007The Cake EatersCeci KimbroughFilm
2007Stephanie DaleyMiri DaleyFilm
2007Black IrishMargaret McKayFilm
2007Hollywood DreamsAunt BeeFilm
2007One NightWendyFilm
2007Racing DaylightSadie / AnnaFilm
2007Midnight SonRitaFilm
2007I Believe in AmericaSotoFilm
2007Dear Lemon LimaMrs. HowardFilm
2007BombFilm
2006SharkElizabeth RourkeSeries
2006The House Is BurningMrs. MillerFilm
2006The Limbo RoomKC CollinsFilm
2005Criminal MindsSheriff Georgia DavisSeries
2005Hide and SeekLauraFilm
2005The Three Burials of Melquiades EstradaRachelFilm
2005American GunLouiseFilm
2005RunawayLisa AdlerFilm
2005ConfessAgnes LessorFilm
2004The L WordWinnie Mann · 3 episodesSeries
2004Veronica MarsJulia SmithSeries
2004From Other WorldsMiriamFilm
200321 GramsMarianne JordanFilm
2003Cold CaseTayna Raymes (1994 & 2007)Series
2001Law & Order: Criminal IntentMaureen CurtisSeries
2000CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationSybil PerezSeries
2000Homicide: The MovieKay HowardFilm
2000Fear of FictionSigrid AnderssenFilm
1999The 24 Hour WomanDr. Suzanne PincusFilm
1999Code of EthicsJo DeAngeloFilm
1998LegacyEmma Bradford · 2 episodesSeries
1998Under the bridgeKathyFilm
1997Who Is Henry Jaglom?SelfFilm
1995In the Line of Duty: Hunt for JusticeCarol ManningFilm
1995Last Summer in the HamptonsTrish AxelrodFilm
1995GardenElizabethFilm
1994ScarlettSuellen O'Hara Benteen · 2 episodesSeries
1993Homicide: Life on the StreetKay Howard · 77 episodesSeries
1993The Ballad of Little JoBeatrice GreyFilm
1992Immaculate ConceptionHannahFilm
1992Venice/VenicePeggyFilm
1992By a ThreadHelenFilm
1991Carolina SkeletonsCassieFilm
1990Law & OrderDonna Cheponis, Defense Attorney Alice Sutton, Sherri QuinnSeries
1990The Bride in BlackMary MargaretFilm
1989The Young RidersEmma Shannon · 24 episodesSeries
1989Nasty BoysKatie MorrisseyFilm
1988A Time of DestinyJosie LarranetaFilm
1986Deadtime StoriesJudith 'MaMa' BaerFilm
1985The EqualizerIrina DzershinskySeries
1985Spenser: For HireSeries
1985Streetwalkin'CookieFilm
1985Silent WitnessPatti MullenFilm
1985Always … But Not ForeverPeggyFilm
1984Miami ViceKathleen GilfordsSeries
1984I'm Only There...MaggieFilm
—Ron ForeverHildaFilm
—The Rooster PrinceElaineFilm
—The MannequinFilm
—SupermaxFilm
Production (3)
2018FurloughProducerFilm
2013Bottled UpProducerFilm
—The MannequinExecutive ProducerFilm