Melissa Leo
Known for: Acting
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).
Filmography
Series
Law & Order
Donna Cheponis
1990
Series
Law & Order
Defense Attorney Alice Sutton
1990
Series
Law & Order
Sherri Quinn
1990
Series
Criminal Minds
Sheriff Georgia Davis
2005
Series
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Sybil Perez
2000
Series
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Maureen Curtis
2001
Series
Cold Case
Tayna Raymes (1994 & 2007)
2003
Series
BoJack Horseman
Ma Nguyen (voice)
2014
Series
Miami Vice
Kathleen Gilfords
1984
Series
Veronica Mars
Julia Smith
2004
Film
Passenger
Diana Larson
2026
Series
Homicide: Life on the Street
Kay Howard
1993
Series
The L Word
Winnie Mann
2004
Series
The Equalizer
Irina Dzershinsky
1985
Film
The Equalizer
Susan Plummer
2014
Film
The Equalizer 3
Susan Plummer
2023
Series
Wayward Pines
Nurse Pam
2015
Series
Broad City
Lori
2014
Series
Shark
Elizabeth Rourke
2006
Film
The Equalizer 2
Susan Plummer
2018
Film
The Big Short
Georgia Hale
2015
Film
Prisoners
Holly Jones
2013
Film
London Has Fallen
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
2016
Film
Flight
Ellen Block
2012
Series
Treme
Toni Bernette
2010
Film
Olympus Has Fallen
Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan
2013
Series
Spenser: For Hire
1985
Film
Oblivion
Sally
2013
Series
The Young Riders
Emma Shannon
1989
Film
The Fighter
Alice Ward
2010
Series
I Know This Much Is True
Concettina Ipolita Tempesta 'Ma' Birdsey
2020
Film
Righteous Kill
Cheryl
2008
Film
Snowden
Laura Poitras
2016
Series
Mildred Pierce
Lucy Gessler
2011
Film
Guns Up
Michael Temple
2025
Film
Hide and Seek
Laura
2005
Series
Scarlett
Suellen O'Hara Benteen
1994
Series
Legacy
Emma Bradford
1998
Series
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings
Amelia Meegers
2019
Series
The Arsenio Hall Show
Self
2013
Series
I'm Dying Up Here
Goldie
2017
Film
Mr. Woodcock
Sally Jansen
2007
Film
Everybody's Fine
Colleen
2009
Film
21 Grams
Marianne Jordan
2003
Film
Thunder Force
Allie
2021
Film
King Ivory
Ginger Greene
2025
Film
Body Brokers
Dr. White
2021
Film
Red State
Sara
2011
Film
Novitiate
Reverend Mother
2017
Film
Welcome to the Rileys
Lois Riley
2010
Film
All the Way
Lady Bird Johnson
2016
Film
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn
Bette Altmann
2014
Film
Charlie Countryman
Kate
2013
Film
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Rachel
2005
Film
Conviction
Nancy Taylor
2010
Film
Veronika Decides to Die
Mari
2009
Film
Frozen River
Ray Eddy
2008
Film
Furlough
Joan Anderson
2018
Film
Unlovable
Maddie
2018
Film
Alone Together
Deborah
2022
Film
Long Gone Heroes
Olivia
2024
Film
The Alphabet Killer
Kathy Walsh
2008
Film
Ida Red
Ida ‘Red’ Walker
2021
Film
The Most Hated Woman in America
Madalyn Murray O'Hair
2017
Film
Streetwalkin'
Cookie
1985
Film
The Clean Up Crew
Siobhan
2024
Film
Bonnie
Self
2022
Film
According to Greta
Karen
2009
Film
The Knife
Detective Carlsen
2025
Film
Measure of Revenge
Lillian
2022
Film
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
Robin
2013
Film
Confess
Agnes Lessor
2005
Film
Jane
Principal Rhodes
2022
Film
Why Stop Now?
Penny
2012
Film
The Ballad of Little Jo
Beatrice Grey
1993
Film
In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice
Carol Manning
1995
Film
Nasty Boys
Katie Morrissey
1989
Film
Coast
Olivia
2022
Film
The Cake Eaters
Ceci Kimbrough
2007
Film
Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy
Self - Narrator (voice)
2013
Film
Francine
Francine
2012
Film
Burn Country
Gloria
2016
The Rooster Prince
Elaine
Film
American Gun
Louise
2005
The Mannequin
Film
Homicide: The Movie
Kay Howard
2000
Film
Dwegons and Leprechauns
Grandma Fitz / Butterfly McDweg / Mrs. Fitzgerald
2014
Film
The Parting Glass
Al
2018
Film
Seven Days in Utopia
Lily
2011
Film
Who Is Henry Jaglom?
Self
1997
Film
Stephanie Daley
Miri Daley
2007
Film
The Dry Land
Martha
2010
Film
Carolina Skeletons
Cassie
1991
Film
From Other Worlds
Miriam
2004
Film
Don McKay
Marie
2009
Film
The Limbo Room
KC Collins
2006
Film
Last Summer in the Hamptons
Trish Axelrod
1995
Film
Deadtime Stories
Judith 'MaMa' Baer
1986
Film
The Ashram
Chandra
2018
Film
She's The Best Thing in It
Self
2015
Film
Black Irish
Margaret McKay
2007
One Night
Wendy
2007
Film
The Ever After
Penny
2015
Film
Bottled Up
Fay
2013
Film
Ron Forever
Hilda
Bomb
2007
Film
The Space Between
Montine
2011
Film
Venice/Venice
Peggy
1992
Film
Immaculate Conception
Hannah
1992
Film
Always … But Not Forever
Peggy
1985
Film
Hollywood Dreams
Aunt Bee
2007
Film
The 24 Hour Woman
Dr. Suzanne Pincus
1999
Film
The Bride in Black
Mary Margaret
1990
Film
Runaway
Lisa Adler
2005
Film
Racing Daylight
Sadie / Anna
2007
Film
Dear Lemon Lima
Mrs. Howard
2009
Film
I Believe in America
Soto
2007
Film
Queen of the Lot
Aunt Bee
2010
Film
Dear Lemon Lima
Mrs. Howard
2007
Film
By a Thread
Helen
1992
Film
True Adolescents
Sharon Mitchell
2009
Film
Stephanie's Image
Stephanie
2009
Film
Silent Witness
Patti Mullen
1985
Film
A Time of Destiny
Josie Larraneta
1988
Garden
Elizabeth
1995
Film
Midnight Son
Rita
2007
Film
The House Is Burning
Mrs. Miller
2006
Film
After the Spill
Narrator
2015
Film
Santa Mesa
Maggie
2008
Film
Fear of Fiction
Sigrid Anderssen
2000
Film
Lullaby
Stephanie
2008
Film
Mabel, Mabel Tiger Trainer
Narrator
2018
Damnation: The Flashback
Noda Marra
2015
Film
AFTER: Poetry Destroys Silence
2024
Film
Code of Ethics
Jo DeAngelo
1999
Film
The View from Up Here
Claire
2017
Film
The Sea Is All I Know
Sara
2011
Film
The Butterfly, The Harp, and The Timepiece
Papillon
2015
Film
I'm Only There...
Maggie
1984