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Amy Madigan

Amy Madigan

Actor, also producer · Born September 11, 1950 (76) · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Oscar winner · Golden Globe winner · Screen Actors Guild Award winner · 3 other major award bodies

Amy Marie Madigan (born September 11, 1950) is an American actress. She has acted on stage and screen, and has received a Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award, as well as nominations for an Emmy Award. She has been married to actor Ed Harris since 1983.  Madigan made her film debut in the drama Love Child (1982), for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress. For playing a woman in a difficult marriage in the drama film Twice in a Lifetime (1985), she earned a nomination for the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has also acted in Love Letters (1984), Alamo Bay (1985), Nowhere to Hide (1987), Uncle Buck (1989), Field of Dreams (1989), Female Perversions (1996), Pollock (2000), and Gone Baby Gone (2007). After a lack of "meaningful roles", she gained newfound attention for her performance in the horror film Weapons (2025). On television, Madigan portrayed Sarah Weddington in the television film Roe vs. Wade (1989), for which she won the Golden Globe Award and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. She also took roles in the HBO series Carnivàle (2003–2005), Grey's Anatomy (2008–2009), and Fringe (2009). On stage, she has acted in the Off-Broadway production of The Lucky Spot (1987), for which she was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play, and a 1992 Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire in the role of Stella Kowalski. Description above from the Wikipedia article Amy Madigan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 11, 1950 (76)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
72 on Motif · 105 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 Amy Madigan's films like?

Across their 53 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama24 titlesTypical Motif score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Motif score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Motif score: 48th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Action3 titlesTypical Motif score: 44th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Motif score: 95th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Motif score: 55th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Motif score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif 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
22%
Self
20%
Survival
17%
Society
17%
Morality
15%
Power
5%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds18 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 47 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 10 · Serious 16 · Dark 21

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

Grounded 40 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 29 · Intense 13

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

A split, not a type: Steady 23 · Shifting 20 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 32 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 22 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 12 · Engaged 31 · Full focus 4

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 9 · Affecting 17 · Heavy 21

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 25 · Open-ended 15 · Ambiguous 7

Roles they play

23 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 8 of 23 analyzed roles.

Ally
8 of 23
Mentor
3 of 23
Shadow
3 of 23
Trickster
2 of 23
Hero
2 of 23
Herald
2 of 23
Threshold guardian
2 of 23
Shapeshifter
1 of 23
Show the 23 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
28
Melancholic
32
Contemplative
19
Hopeful
18
Bittersweet
14
Other
39

How their films linger

Hopeful25 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet32
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous11

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 Amy Madigan's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 44 of their 72 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (14).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Amy Madigan's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif 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

105 credits, 72 with a Motif page; 6 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Gladys (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2028)

    as Gladys

  • The Comebacker (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2027)

    Actor

  • Rebuilding(2025)

    as Bess

    Motif score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Weapons(2025)

    as Gladys

    Motif score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Off the Horse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2025)

    as Bobbette

  • Brooklyn, Minnesota (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2024)

    as Gail

  • Bull Street(2024)

    as Mary-Ann

    Motif score: 77th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Go For Grandma (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2023)

    as Grandma

  • Antlers(2021)

    as Principal Booth

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Penny Dreadful: City of Angels(2020)

    Show 8 episodes · as Miss Adelaide Finnister

    Motif score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • The Hunt(2020)

    as Ma

    Motif score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Last Full Measure(2019)

    as Donna Burr

    Motif score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Stuck(2017)

    Producer · as Sue

    Motif score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Gary's Walk (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    as Gloria

  • A Crooked Somebody(2017)

    as Joyce Vaughn

    Motif score: 50th percentile of all films

  • American Woman(2018)

    as Peggy

    Motif score: 76th percentile of all films

  • American Socialist: The Life and Times of Eugene Victor Debs(2017)

    Actor

    Motif score: 78th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Grey Lady(2017)

    as Lola

    Motif score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Buried Child(2016)

    as Halie

    Motif score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Rules Don't Apply(2016)

    as Mrs. Bransford

    Motif score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Ice (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 5 episodes · as Diane Pierce

  • Sensitivity Training (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    as Nancy

  • Grace and Frankie(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Elaine

    Motif score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • How to Get Away with Murder(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Irene Crawley

    Motif score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Frontera(2014)

    as Olivia

    Motif score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Shirin in Love(2014)

    as Rachel

    Motif score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Sweetwater(2013)

    as Madame Bovary

    Motif score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Lifeguard(2013)

    as Justine

    Motif score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Future Weather(2012)

    as Greta

    Motif score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Prohibition(2011)

    Show 3 episodes · as Reader (voice)

    Motif score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • That's What I Am(2011)

    as Principal Kelner

    Motif score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Once Fallen(2010)

    Executive Producer · as Rose

    Motif score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Virginia(2010)

    as Mrs. Tipton

    Motif score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The National Parks: America's Best Idea(2009)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

    Motif score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Living Proof(2008)

    as Fran Visco

    Motif score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Fringe(2008)

    Show 3 episodes · as Marilyn Dunham

    Motif score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Gone Baby Gone(2007)

    as Bea McCready

    Motif score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Saving Grace(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Gretchen Lagardi

    Motif score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The Path to 9/11 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Patricia Carver

  • Murder on Pleasant Drive(2006)

    as Sherrie Davis

    Motif score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Winter Passing(2005)

    as Lori Lansky

    Motif score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Criminal Minds(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jane

    Motif score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 8 episodes · as Katharine Wyatt

    Motif score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Admissions(2004)

    as Martha Brighton

    Motif score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2004)

    as Other Voices (voice)

  • The Ranch(2004)

    as Mary Larkin

    Motif score: 24th percentile of all films

  • In the Land of Milk and Money (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2004)

    as Arlyne

  • Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip(2003)

    as Other Voices (voice)

    Motif score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Carnivàle(2003)

    Show 24 episodes · as Iris Crowe

    Motif score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Is Your Mama a Llama? (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • A Time for Dancing(2002)

    as Jackie Russell

    Motif score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Just a Dream (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    as Cindy Wilder

  • Mark Twain(2001)

    as (voice)

    Motif score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Mark Twain (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 2 episodes · as Other Voices (voice)

  • The Laramie Project(2002)

    as Reggie Fluty

    Motif score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Shot in the Heart(2001)

    as Bessie Gilmore

    Motif score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Sleepy Time Gal(2001)

    as Maggie

    Motif score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Jazz(2001)

    Show as Narrator

    Motif score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Pollock(2000)

    as Peggy Guggenheim

    Motif score: 81st percentile of all films

  • In the Name of the People (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    as Connie Murphy

  • Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years(1999)

    as Amy Hill Hearth

    Motif score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony(1999)

    Show Actor

    Motif score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • With Friends Like These(1998)

    as Hannah DiMartino

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • A Bright Shining Lie(1998)

    as Mary Jane Vann

    Motif score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Loved (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    as Brett Amerson

  • Female Perversions(1996)

    as Madelyn Stephens

    Motif score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Riders of the Purple Sage(1996)

    Executive Producer · as Jane Withersteen

    Motif score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The West(1996)

    Show as Mattie Oblinger

    Motif score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Crocodile Shoes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 13 episodes · Actor

  • ER(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mary Taggart

    Motif score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Baseball(1994)

    Show 5 episodes · as (voice) · as Various (voice)

    Motif score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • And Then There Was One(1994)

    as Roxy Ventola

    Motif score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Maggie (voice)

    Motif score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Dark Half(1993)

    as Liz Beaumont

    Motif score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Donner Party (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    as voice

  • Lucky Day (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    as Kari

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Emily Ryan

    Motif score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Uncle Buck(1989)

    as Chanice Kobolowski

    Motif score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Roe vs. Wade(1989)

    as Sarah Weddington

    Motif score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Field of Dreams(1989)

    as Annie Kinsella

    Motif score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Prince of Pennsylvania(1988)

    as Carla Headlee

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Revolt of Mother (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    as Sarah Penn

  • Nowhere to Hide(1987)

    as Barbara Cutter

    Motif score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Fat Guy Goes Nutzoid (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    as Woman at funeral

  • Twice in a Lifetime(1985)

    as Sunny

    Motif score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Alamo Bay(1985)

    as Glory

    Motif score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Laundromat (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    as Deedee Johnson

  • Places in the Heart(1984)

    as Viola Kelsey

    Motif score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Streets of Fire(1984)

    as McCoy

    Motif score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Eureka Stockade (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 3 episodes · as Sarah Jamieson

  • The Day After(1983)

    as Alison Ransom

    Motif score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Travis McGee (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1983)

    as Billy Jean Bailey

  • Love Letters(1983)

    as Wendy

    Motif score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Love Child (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    as Terry Jean Moore

  • American Playhouse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Sarah Penn

  • Victims (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    as Chloe Brill

  • The Ambush Murders(1982)

    as Molly Slavin

    Motif score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Crazy Times(1981)

    as Marilyn

    Motif score: 13th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Hart to Hart (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • CHiPs(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Jewel Burnett

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • Ashley Wright (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Donna Terry

  • I Passed This Way (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • School for the Blind (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Sponsor (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Ploughmen (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Francie

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 102 titles, 95 of them dated from 1977 to 2025; peak year 1988.

Biggest box office

Weapons (2025)

$270M worldwide

Highest rated

Baseball (1994)

Motif 99th

Most popular right now

Weapons (2025)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19772025

Peak 1988 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 3 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting102 of 102: 100 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Motif score64thProducing2 of 102: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s21 · acting1990s15 · 15 acting · 1 crew2000s26 · acting2010s21 · 21 acting · 1 crew2020s10 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 3% of 33 roles
8388980818

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 Motif 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

an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and 1 other major award from 11 major nominations, 1983–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Oscar, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actress
  2. 1998
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Female
  3. 1990
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
  4. 1989
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Female
  5. 1986
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
  6. 1983
    • Golden Globe, nominated · New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture - 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 Amy Madigan's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 54; across their 47 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 54th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 47

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 47

Reach · how many have seen their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 47

Motif score across 72 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up30
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th18
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

25 of their 72 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved14
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser25
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed22

Most divisive · actor

Bull Street (2024)

98th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Baseball (1994)

Motif 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 42 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 45. 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 Motif 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 Amy Madigan's work okay for kids?

Across up to 17 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore12 titles35–85 · median 72 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity17 titles17–68 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 31
Profanity11 titles38–70 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 35
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles24–67 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles25–88 · median 70 · intenseheavier 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 Amy Madigan work with?

People who share at least 2 of Amy Madigan's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ed Harris shares the most, 12.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles