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Candice Bergen

Candice Bergen

Actor, also producer · Born May 9, 1946 (80) · Beverly Hills, California, USA

5 Primetime Emmys · 2 Golden Globes · Oscar nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Candice Patricia Bergen (born May 9, 1946) is an American actress and former fashion model. She won five Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for her portrayal of the title character on the CBS sitcom Murphy Brown (1988–1998, 2018-2019). She is also known for her role as Shirley Schmidt on the ABC drama Boston Legal (2005–2008). In films, Bergen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Starting Over (1979), and for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Gandhi (1982). Bergen began her career as a fashion model and appeared on the cover of Vogue before she made her screen debut in the film The Group (1966). She starred in The Sand Pebbles (1966), Soldier Blue (1970), Carnal Knowledge (1971), and The Wind and the Lion (1975). She made her Broadway debut in the 1984 play Hurlyburly and starred in the revivals of The Best Man (2012) and Love Letters (2014). From 2002 to 2004, she appeared in three episodes of the HBO series Sex and the City. Her other film roles include Miss Congeniality (2000), Sweet Home Alabama (2002), The Women (2008), Bride Wars (2009), Book Club (2018) and Let Them All Talk (2020).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 9, 1946 (80)
From
Beverly Hills, California, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
59 on Motif · 72 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 32% in 30 days

What are Candice Bergen's films like?

Across their 52 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy19 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Documentary7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
28%
Morality
18%
Self
16%
Society
15%
Ideas
10%
Survival
8%
Power
5%
Friendship11 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love11 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 49 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 25 · Serious 13 · Dark 11

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 31 · Stylized 15 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 16 · Charged 25 · Intense 8

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 18 · Shifting 26 · Whiplash 5

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 21 · Some laughs 19 · Funny 9

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 30 · Even-paced 19 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 24 · Engaged 22 · Full focus 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 25 · Affecting 15 · Heavy 9

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 34 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

26 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 9 of 26 analyzed roles.

Ally
9 of 26
Shapeshifter
5 of 26
Mentor
4 of 26
Hero
4 of 26
Shadow
2 of 26
Threshold guardian
1 of 26
Trickster
1 of 26
Show the 26 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
21
Contemplative
20
Melancholic
17
Warm
14
Bittersweet
12
Other
57

How their films linger

Feel-good17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet22
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous12
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Candice Bergen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 59 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Candice Bergen's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

72 credits, 59 with a Motif page; 53 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Book Club: The Next Chapter(2023)

    as Sharon

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Shrinking(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Constance

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • As They Made Us(2022)

    as Barbara

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • And Just Like That...(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Enid Frick

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • Show of Titles (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    as "There's No Business Like Show Business" Performer

  • Let Them All Talk(2020)

    as Roberta

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Conners(2018)

    Show 3 episodes · as Barb

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows

  • Murphy Brown (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 13 episodes · Executive Producer · as Murphy Brown

  • Book Club(2018)

    as Sharon

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Meyerowitz Stories(2017)

    as Julia Meyerowitz

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Home Again(2017)

    as Lillian Stewart

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Rules Don't Apply(2016)

    as Nadine Henly

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Beautiful & Twisted(2015)

    as Bernice

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Battle Creek(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Constance (Russ' mom)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • A Merry Friggin' Christmas(2014)

    as Donna Mitchler

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • BoJack Horseman(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as The Closer (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • I Am Steve McQueen(2014)

    as Shirley Eckert

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Michael J. Fox Show(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Beth Henry

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Inequality for All(2013)

    as Murphy Brown (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Elusive Justice (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    as Narrator

  • The Women of SNL (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    as Fern (archive footage)

  • The Romantics(2010)

    as Augusta Hayes

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas(2009)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Bride Wars(2009)

    as Marion St. Claire

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Women(2008)

    as Catherine Frazier

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Sex and the City(2008)

    as Enid Frick

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Trial by Jury(2005)

    Show 3 episodes · as Amanda Anderlee

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • House(2004)

    Show 3 episodes · as Arlene Cuddy

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Boston Legal(2004)

    Show 91 episodes · as Shirley Schmidt

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Footsteps(2003)

    as Daisy Lowendahl

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The In-Laws(2003)

    as Judy Tobias

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • View from the Top(2003)

    as Sally Weston

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Sweet Home Alabama(2002)

    as Mayor Kate Hennings

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Miss Congeniality(2000)

    as Kathy Morningside

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Gloria Ironbox (voice) · as Murphy Brown (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Will & Grace(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Candice Bergen

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Sex and the City(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · as Enid Frick · as Enid Mead

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    as Anne Boleyn

  • Mary & Tim(1996)

    Producer · as Mary Horton

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Understanding the Universe (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)

    as Narrator

  • Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator (voice)

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Amanda Anderlee

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • The Earth Day Special(1990)

    as Murphy Brown

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Seinfeld(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Murphy Brown

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Murphy Brown (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 247 episodes · Co-Executive Producer · as Murphy Brown

  • Mayflower Madam (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    as Sydney Biddle Barrows

  • Murder: By Reason of Insanity(1985)

    as Ewa Berwid

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Arthur the King(1985)

    as Morgan Le Fay

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Stick(1985)

    as Kyle

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Hollywood Wives (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 3 episodes · as Elaine Conti

  • 2010: The Year We Make Contact(1984)

    as SAL 9000 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Gandhi(1982)

    as Margaret Bourke-White

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Rich and Famous(1981)

    as Merry Noel Blake

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Starting Over(1979)

    as Jessica Potter

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Oliver's Story(1978)

    as Marcie Bonwit

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • A Night Full of Rain(1978)

    as Lizzy

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Domino Principle(1977)

    as Ellie

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Bite the Bullet(1975)

    as Miss Jones

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Wind and the Lion(1975)

    as Eden Pedecaris

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • 11 Harrowhouse(1974)

    as Maren Shirell

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • T.R. Baskin(1971)

    as T. R. Baskin

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Hunting Party(1971)

    as Melissa Ruger

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Carnal Knowledge(1971)

    as Susan

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Soldier Blue(1970)

    as Kathy Maribel Lee, 'Cresta'

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Getting Straight (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1970)

    as Jan

  • The Adventurers(1970)

    as Sue Ann Daley

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Magus(1968)

    as Lily

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Day the Fish Came Out (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    as Electra Brown

  • Live for Life(1967)

    as Candice

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Sand Pebbles(1966)

    as Shirley Eckert

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Group(1966)

    as Lakey

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Harvest Moon (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 71 titles, 70 of them dated from 1966 to 2023; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

Sex and the City (2008)

$419M worldwide

Highest rated

Inequality for All (2013)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Boston Legal (2004)

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19662023

Peak 2017 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 17 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 3 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting71 of 71: 69 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score48thProducing2 of 71: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

1960s5 · acting1970s13 · acting1980s10 · 10 acting · 1 crew1990s9 · acting2000s12 · acting2010s15 · 15 acting · 1 crew2020s6 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 6% of 35 roles
6671769611

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

5 Primetime Emmys and 2 Golden Globes from 32 major nominations, 1967–2019.

WinNomination
  1. 2019
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
  2. 2009
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  3. 2008
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  4. 2007
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  5. 2006
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  6. 1996
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
  7. 1995
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  8. 1994
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
Show 8 earlier years
  1. 1993
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
  2. 1992
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
  3. 1991
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
  4. 1990
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
  5. 1989
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
  6. 1983
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
  7. 1980
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture
  8. 1967
    • Golden Globe, nominated ×2 · Most Promising Newcomer - Female

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Candice Bergen's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 47th percentile, the median of all 45; across their 49 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 49

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 49

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 49

Midcredits score across 59 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th20
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 59 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser20
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed21

Most divisive · actor

The Conners (2018)

94th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

House (2004)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 42 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Candice Bergen's work okay for kids?

Across up to 22 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore13 titles13–82 · median 30 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity22 titles25–66 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity17 titles32–70 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs12 titles22–41 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense12 titles6–63 · median 23 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Candice Bergen work with?

People who share at least 2 of Candice Bergen's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Richard Attenborough shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles