Mary Steenburgen: 10 Best Movies, Ranked According To IMDb

Some fans know Mary Steenburgen from TV series like Curb Your Enthusiasm or cult movies like Elf. Some viewers say Mary Steenburgen plays one of the best supporting roles in Curb Your Enthusiasm. Despite her television fame, she has appeared in several films throughout her long-standing career.

She has acted in supporting roles in movies like What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and narrated movies like Flannery. Fans have taken to IMDb to rate the best movies the actress has appeared in.

Life As A House — 7.5

Life as a House is a drama from the early 2000s. It stars Kevin Kline and Hayden Christensen. It follows the story of Kline’s George Monroe. Monroe is dying of a terminal disease and spends his final days building a house with his son, Christensen’s Sam.

Mary Steenburgen plays Colleen Beck. She is mother to Alyssa Beck, Sam’s next-door neighbor. Fans of Life as a House might say the drama is emotionally effective, and Steenburgen holds her own in the supporting cast.

Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas — 7.5

Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas is a made-for-TV holiday movie. It comes from the musical dramedy show Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. The movie features a large cast including Jane Levy, Alice Lee, and Bernadette Peters.

Fans of Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas might say Mary Steenburgen is a perfect fit as Maggie. Considering her past roles in Christmas movies like Elf and One Magic Christmas, Steenburgen is no stranger to the genre.

Flannery — 7.6

Steenburgen lends her talents to Flannery in one of her most recent roles. The late 2010s movie is a documentary. It tells the story of the life of Flannery O’Conner, one of America’s most celebrated authors.

Flannery is one of multiple documentaries in Steenburgen’s highest-rated films. She drives the movie as its sole narrator. Fans of Flannery perhaps say her voice helps tell O’Conner’s story clearly and gently.

I Am Sam — 7.6

I Am Sam follows a dramatic and emotional story. Sean Penn stars as Samuel John “Sam” Dawson. Sam is a neurodiverse man who struggles to keep custody of his daughter. Dakota Fanning plays his daughter Lucy, and Michelle Pfeiffer plays his lawyer, Rita Harrison.

Some fans call I Am Sam one of Pfeiffer’s best movies. Steenburgen plays Dr. Blake, a physician called for questions during one of the film’s court sequences. Viewers might say Steenburgen’s screen time is short but memorable.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape — 7.7

Many fans remember What’s Eating Gilbert Grape as one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s earliest movies. It showcases the story of a struggling family in a rural town in Iowa and also stars Johnny Depp.

Mary Steenburgen plays Elizabeth “Betty” Carver. Depp’s Gilbert Grape has an affair with Betty as he tries to keep his family together taking care of his mother and brother. Devotees of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape perhaps say the Steenburgen fits perfectly into the small ensemble cast.

Philadelphia — 7.7

Philadelphia is one of Denzel Washington’s highest-rated movies. He stars in the court drama alongside Tom Hanks. The film addresses the emergence of HIV/AIDS in the 1980s.

Philadelphia features a large cast. Mary Steenburgen plays Belinda Conine. Conine is a lawyer who is showcased during one of the movie’s many courtroom sequences. Fans of the movie perhaps say it is gripping and important.

The Grass Harp — 7.9

The Grass Harp comes from a Truman Capote story and stars Piper Laurie, Sissy Spacek, and Edward Furlong. The movie presents the tale of the Talbo family in the American south. The events within the family affect the entire small town in which they live.

Mary Steenburgen plays Sister Ida, an evangelist with an unlikely past. The Grass Harp is perhaps one of the actor’s lesser-known movies. However, it is one of the highest-rated, fans might say, thanks to its performances.

The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya — 8.0

Mary Steenburgen gives her voice to an animated film in The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. It is the only animated movie in the actor’s top-rated movies on IMDb. The Japanese film follows the story of Princess Kaguya in a fantastic tale taking place in the 10th century.

The Tale of The Princess Kaguya is a Japanese-language film, but Steenburgen voices The Bamboo Cutter’s Wife and Narrator in the English dub version. It is a highly acclaimed film and has received several awards and nominations from prestigious film organizations.

The Help — 8.0

Many fans call The Help one of Octavia Spencer’s best movies. She plays Minerva “Minny” Jackson. The film tells the story of an exposé on the mistreatment of black maids during the 1960s in the United States.

Steenburgen has a supporting role as Elaine Stein. Stein is an editor at the publishing company meant to release the story in the film. Viewers might say the film’s accolades speak for themselves, and that Steenburgen’s performance is memorable.

American Outrage — 8.1

American Outrage is a documentary, and the highest-rated movie on IMDb in which Mary Steenburgen lends her talents. It follows the story of a Native American tribe. Two women from the Shoshone tribe face the U.S. government concerning the use of its land.

Steenburgen narrates American Outrage. It is one of three films in her IMDb top ten in which she narrates, and one of two documentaries. Fans of the actor might say her voice is fit for the job and helps drive home the emotional weight of the subjects in both films.

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