Elizabeth McGovern
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Faith Sutton
1999
Series
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
Series
Modern Family
California Mom (archive footage)
2009
Series
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019
Series
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Dame Celia Westholme
1989
Series
Downton Abbey
Cora Crawley
2010
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self
1988
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
1988
Series
Big Fat Quiz
Self - Guest
2004
Series
Loose Women
Self
1999
Series
A Little Late with Lilly Singh
Self
2019
Series
Tales from the Crypt
Laura Kendall
1989
Series
Omnibus
Self
1967
Series
American Playhouse
Mary Dalton
1982
Series
American Playhouse
Helen Schwartz
1982
Film
Once Upon a Time in America
Deborah
1984
Series
War of the Worlds
Helen Brown
2019
Film
Kick-Ass
Mrs. Lizewski
2010
Film
Clash of the Titans
Marmara
2010
Series
Performance
Helen Schwartz
1991
Series
Performance
Margaret Hyman
1991
Series
Performance
Beatrice-Joanna
1991
Film
The Commuter
Karen MacCauley
2018
Film
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Cora Crawley
2025
Series
Faerie Tale Theatre
Snow White
1982
Series
Talamasca: The Secret Order
Helen
2025
Film
Downton Abbey
Cora Crawley
2019
Film
Ordinary People
Jeannine Pratt
1980
Film
Woman in Gold
Judge Florence-Marie Cooper
2015
Film
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Cora Crawley
2022
Film
The Handmaid's Tale
Moira
1990
Film
Johnny Handsome
Donna McCarty
1989
Series
10 Minute Tales
Ex-Wife
2009
Film
The Wife
Elaine Mozell
2017
Series
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Marguerite Blakeney
1999
Film
The Bedroom Window
Denise
1987
Film
Swung
Dolly Adams
2015
Film
She's Having a Baby
Kristy Briggs
1988
Film
Buffalo Soldiers
Mrs. Berman
2002
A Room with a View
Mrs Honeychurch
2008
Film
Ragtime
Evelyn Nesbit
1981
Film
King of the Hill
Lydia
1993
Series
California Fever
1979
Film
Racing with the Moon
Caddie Winger
1984
Film
A Shock to the System
Stella Anderson
1990
If Not for You
Jessie Kent
1995
The Kumars
Self
2014
Film
The House of Mirth
Mrs. Carry Fisher
2000
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Celia
1951
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Edna Lee
1951
Film
The Favor
Emily
1994
Film
The Wings of the Dove
Susan Stringham
1997
Series
Three Moons Over Milford
2006
Series
The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire
2003
Film
The Chaperone
Norma
2019
Film
Inconceivable
Tallulah 'Tutu' Williams
2008
Film
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding
Mrs. Thatcham
2012
Film
Wings of Courage
Noëlle Guillaumet
1995
Film
The Misadventures of Margaret
Till Turner
1998
Film
Tune in Tomorrow...
Elena Quince
1990
Ashenden
Aileen Somerville
1991
Film
Women and Men: Stories of Seduction
Vicki (segment "The Man in the Brooks Brothers Shirt")
1990
Film
And Mrs.
Margaret
2024
Series
Freezing
2008
Film
The Man with Rain in His Shoes
Diane
1998
Film
Broken Trust
Janice Dillon
1995
Film
Native Son
Mary Dalton
1986
Film
Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale
Self
2025
Film
Me and Veronica
Fanny
1993
Film
A Room with a View
Mrs Honeychurch
2007
Film
Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters
Wallis Simpson (Voice)
2011
Film
Lovesick
Chloe Allen
1983
Film
Showing Roots
Shirley
2016
Film
The Changeling
Beatrice-Joanna
1993
Film
Chytilová Versus Forman
Self
1981
Film
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White
1984
Film
Tales from Hollywood
Helen Schwartz
1992
Film
Screen Goddesses
Narrator
2012
Film
Daphne
Ellen Doubleday
2007
Series
Civil War: The Untold Story
Narrator (voice)
2014
Film
Unexpected
Carolyn
2015
Film
Angels Crest
Jane
2011
Film
The Summer of Ben Tyler
Celia Rayburn
1996
Film
Clover
Sara Kate
1997
Film
Thursday the 12th
Candice Hopper
2003
Film
Broken Glass
Margaret Hyman
1996
Film
Remembering Ragtime
Evelyn Nesbit (archive footage)
2004
Film
Manila
Elizabeth
2000
Film
Hawkins
Susie Hawkins
2001
Film
The Flamingo Rising
Edna Lee
2001
Film
The Queen At 90
Narrator
2016
Film
JFK Jr. and Carolyn's Wedding: The Lost Tapes
Self (archive footage)
2019
Film
The Truth
Donna
2006