Ellen Burstyn Bio | Wiki
Ellen Burstyn is an American actress. She is famously known for the portrayal of complicated women in dramas. She has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Burstyn is one of the few performers to achieve the “Triple Crown of Acting”.
She left school and served as a dancer and model. At age 24, Burstyn started acting on Broadway in 1957 and soon appeared in television shows. She appeared in The Last Picture Show in 1971, which gave her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Burstyn’s next appearance in The Exorcist in 1973 also gave her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Ellen Burstyn Age
Burstyn was born on December 7, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan, United States. She is 89 years old.
Ellen Burstyn Height
She is a woman of above-average stature and stands at a height of 5 ft 7 in (Approx. 1.7 m).
Ellen Burstyn Family
She was born Edna Rae Gillooly in Detroit, Michigan to Correine Marie and John Austin Gillooly. Burstyn has two brothers Jack and Steve. Her parents divorced when she was young and they were raised by her mother and stepfather. She is of Irish, French, Pennsylvania Dutch, and a little Canadian Indian ancestry.
Ellen Burstyn Husband
Burstyn was married to Bill Alexander in 1950 and divorced in 1957. The following year, she married Paul Roberts and adopted a son named Jefferson together in 1961. However, the couple also divorced in 1961. In 1964, Burstyn married Neil Nephew, an actor who later changed his name to Neil Burstyn.
She described him as “charming and funny and bright and talented and eccentric”. However, schizophrenia made Neil violent and eventually left her. The couple divorced in 1972. Sadly, Neil committed suicide in 1978.
Ellen Burstyn Education
She attended Cass Technical High School where she majored in fashion illustration. Burstyn dropped out of high school during her senior year after failing her classes. Afterward, she served as a dancer, and then a model until the age of 23.
Later, Burstyn moved to Dallas, where she continued modeling and fashion jobs before moving to New York City. Moreover, she later decided to become an actress, and “Ellen McRae” became her professional name. Later she changed her surname after her marriage to Neil Burstyn.
Ellen Burstyn Religion
Burstyn was raised Catholic, she, however, now affiliates herself with all religious faiths. She follows a form of Sufism, explaining:
“I am a spirited opening to the truth that lives in all of these religions…I always pray to Spirit, but sometimes, it’s to the Goddess. Sometimes, it’s to Jesus…Sometimes, I pray to Ganesha if I need an obstacle removed. Guan Yin is one of my favorite manifestations of the divine, the embodiment of compassion…So, I have Guan Yin with me all the time.”
In her late 30s, Burstyne started to learn about spirituality, under her instructor Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan. He gave her the spiritual name Hadiya, which means “she who is guided” in Arabic.
Ellen Burstyn Exorcist
In 1973, Burstyn played Chris MacNeil in the supernatural horror, The Exorcist. The film earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. It has remained popular and several publications have recognized it as one of the greatest horror films of all time.
Ellen Burstyn Oscar
Burstyn is one of the few living actresses to have won the Triple Crown of Acting which is the Oscar, Emmy, and Tony. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award.
Ellen Burstyn Movies
Some of the movies Burstyn appeared in include:
Bathing Flo (2014)
33 Variations (2019)
American Woman (2019)
Lucy in the Sky (2019)
Pieces of a Woman (2020)
Law & Order (2021)
The Exorcist (2021)
Ellen Burstyn Net Worth
She earns her wealth from her acting career. Therefore, she has amassed a decent fortune over the years. Burstyn estimated net worth is $2 million.
How Old Is Ellen Burstyn
Burstyn was born on December 7, 1932, thus, she is 89 years old.