Acting credits
131
Prolific
Very extensive acting filmography.
Actor
Melissa Leo
Acting
Career Snapshot
ExplainedThese indicators come from TMDB. They are relative signals, not review ratings.
TMDB popularity
2.8
Moderate attention
TMDB internal trend index. Higher usually means more searches and page activity now.
Movies: 107Series: 24Crew credits: 2
TMDB ID: 6832
IMDb ID: nm0502425
Known for: Acting
Born: September 14, 1960
Age: 66
Place of birth: Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Gender: Female
Adult content flag: No
Career span: 1984 - 2026
Years active: 43
Average TMDB rating: 6.49
Wikidata: Q229410
Also known as
Margaret May • Melissa Chessington Leo
Other jobs
Producer (2)
Biography
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).
Photos
Movies
Movie credits linked with Melissa Leo.
Passenger
as Diana Larson
2026 Movie
The Knife
as Detective Carlsen
2025 Movie
Guns Up
as Michael Temple
2025 Movie
King Ivory
as Ginger Greene
2025 Movie
AFTER: Poetry Destroys Silence
2024 Movie
Long Gone Heroes
as Olivia
2024 Movie
The Clean Up Crew
as Siobhan
2024 Movie
The Equalizer 3
as Susan Plummer
2023 Movie
Bonnie
as Self
2022 Movie
Jane
as Principal Rhodes
2022 Movie
Alone Together
as Deborah
2022 Movie
Coast
as Olivia
2022 Movie
Measure of Revenge
as Lillian
2022 Movie
Ida Red
as Ida ‘Red’ Walker
2021 Movie
Thunder Force
as Allie
2021 Movie
Body Brokers
as Dr. White
2021 Movie
Unlovable
as Maddie
2018 Movie
The Equalizer 2
as Susan Plummer
2018 Movie
The Parting Glass
as Al
2018 Movie
Mabel, Mabel Tiger Trainer
as Narrator
2018 Movie
Furlough
as Joan Anderson
2018 Movie
The Ashram
as Chandra
2018 Movie
Novitiate
as Reverend Mother
2017 Movie
The View from Up Here
as Claire
2017 Movie
Series
Series credits linked with Melissa Leo.
I Know This Much Is True
as Concettina Ipolita Tempesta 'Ma' Birdsey • 6 eps
2020 Series
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings
as Amelia Meegers • 1 eps
2019 Series
I'm Dying Up Here
as Goldie • 20 eps
2017 Series
Wayward Pines
as Nurse Pam • 11 eps
2015 Series
BoJack Horseman
as Ma Nguyen (voice) • 2 eps
2014 Series
Broad City
as Lori • 1 eps
2014 Series
The Arsenio Hall Show
as Self • 1 eps
2013 Series
Mildred Pierce
as Lucy Gessler • 5 eps
2011 Series
Treme
as Toni Bernette • 36 eps
2010 Series
Shark
as Elizabeth Rourke • 1 eps
2006 Series
Criminal Minds
as Sheriff Georgia Davis • 1 eps
2005 Series
Veronica Mars
as Julia Smith • 1 eps
2004 Series
The L Word
as Winnie Mann • 3 eps
2004 Series
Cold Case
as Tayna Raymes (1994 & 2007) • 1 eps
2003 Series
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
as Maureen Curtis • 1 eps
2001 Series
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
as Sybil Perez • 1 eps
2000 Series
Legacy
as Emma Bradford • 2 eps
1998 Series
Scarlett
as Suellen O'Hara Benteen • 2 eps
1994 Series
Homicide: Life on the Street
as Kay Howard • 77 eps
1993 Series
Law & Order
as Donna Cheponis • 1 eps
1990 Series
The Young Riders
as Emma Shannon • 24 eps
1989 Series
Spenser: For Hire
1 eps
1985 Series
The Equalizer
as Irina Dzershinsky • 1 eps
1985 Series
Miami Vice
as Kathleen Gilfords • 1 eps
1984 Series