Skip to content
MovieCove
Kate Burton

Kate Burton

Actor · Born September 10, 1957 (69) · Geneva, Switzerland

Primetime Emmy nominee

Kate Burton is a Swiss-born Welsh-American stage and screen actress. She is best known for her TV roles as Vice President Sally Langston on ABC's Scandal, Vera Quinn on the Audience Network's series Full Circle, and Dr. Ellis Grey on ABC's Grey's Anatomy. She holds an BA in Russian Studies and European History from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama, New Haven, Connecticut.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 10, 1957 (69)
From
Geneva, Switzerland
Works as
Actor
Titles
78 on MovieCove · 112 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 155 days to Oct 26Down 1% in 30 days

What are Kate Burton's films like?

Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Thriller2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Thriller movies

Their MovieCove 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
Morality
27%
Bonds
23%
Self
20%
Survival
20%
Power
5%
Society
4%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 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 7 · Serious 8 · Dark 16

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 22 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 4

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 15 · Intense 11

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 3

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

Straight-faced 24 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 9 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 5

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 8 · Affecting 9 · Heavy 14

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 17 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 8 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 8
Shadow
2 of 8
Shapeshifter
1 of 8
Hero
1 of 8
Threshold guardian
1 of 8
Mentor
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
22
Melancholic
18
Dread
12
Contemplative
10
Hopeful
6
Other
20

How their films linger

Thought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet14
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous9

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 Kate Burton's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 66 of their 78 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kate Burton's titles on MovieCove; 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

112 credits, 78 with a MovieCove page; 6 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Death on the Brandywine(2026)

    as Ann Riley

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Beast in Me(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mariah Ingram

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Surrender(2025)

    as Barbara

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Violent Ends(2025)

    as Darlene Woodley

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • BULLDOZER (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Diane Roddy

  • Oscar Wilde About America(2024)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • guts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Gabby

  • Our Son(2023)

    as Maggie "Miggie"

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Dumb Money(2023)

    as Elaine Gill

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Heaven, I Suppose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Cheryl

  • The Anne Frank Gift Shop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Ilse

  • So Help Me Todd(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Joan

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Breaking(2022)

    as Tami Stackhouse

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Bosch: Legacy(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Ida Porter

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Dropout(2022)

    Show 4 episodes · as Rochelle Gibbons

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Inventing Anna(2022)

    Show 3 episodes · as Nora Radford

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Sandra Day O'Connor: The First (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Mosquito Coast(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Margot's Mom

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • The Codebreaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Vote (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

  • Perfect Harmony(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Julie

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • Prodigal Son(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Sarah Windsor

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Where'd You Go, Bernadette(2019)

    as Ellen Idelson

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Charmed(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Celeste

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows

  • At First Light(2018)

    as Kate

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • FBI(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Evelyn Kates

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Noël Coward's Present Laughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Liz Essendine

  • The Gifted(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Madeline Risman

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • 13 Reasons Why(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Hughes

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • This Is Us(2016)

    Show 2 episodes · as Barbara

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Supergirl(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Isabel Nal · as Isabel Nal (voice)

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Martyrs(2015)

    as Eleanor

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Identity Theft (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Anna

  • Bleeding Heart(2015)

    as Martha

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Amok (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Dr. Wilson

  • Madam Secretary(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Maureen McCord

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Don't Look Back(2014)

    as Dr. Jeanette Barnes

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Extant(2014)

    Show 6 episodes · as Fiona Stanton

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Barefoot(2014)

    as Mrs. Wheeler

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Full Circle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 24 episodes · as Vera Quinn

  • Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel: Live from Lincoln Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Mrs. Mullin

  • Mariachi Gringo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Anne

  • Elementary(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Maureen Dannon

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Revolution(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Jane Warren

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Liberal Arts(2012)

    as Susan

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Veep(2012)

    Show 3 episodes · as Barbara Hallowes

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Scandal(2012)

    Show 42 episodes · as Sally Langston

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Two Days in New York(2012)

    as Bella

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Key and Peele(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Hillary Clinton

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Grimm(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Marie Kessler

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Puncture(2011)

    as Senator O'Reilly

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • 127 Hours(2010)

    as Aron's Mom

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Remember Me(2010)

    as Janine

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Consent(2010)

    as Susan

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Deep End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Grace Graham

  • Modern Family(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Iris Fennerman

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Good Wife(2009)

    Show 3 episodes · as Victoria Adler

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Washingtonienne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Joy

  • Spooner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Alice Spooner

  • What Just Happened(2008)

    as Doctor Randall

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Max Payne(2008)

    as Nicole Horne

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Eleventh Hour(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Gepetto / Miranda Cochran

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Adventures in Appletown(2008)

    as Aunt Birdy

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Quid Pro Quo(2008)

    as Merilee

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Sherrybaby(2006)

    as Marcia Swanson

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Stay(2005)

    as Mrs. Letham

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Ernest Hemingway: Rivers to the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Closer(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Kate Wycoff

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Empire Falls(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Cindy Whiting

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 29 episodes · as Ellis Grey

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Numb3rs(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Anthropologist

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Medium(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Bonnie Barrister

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Rescue Me(2004)

    Show 8 episodes · as Rose

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Working Shakespeare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer(2003)

    as Connie Posey

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Three Sisters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Olga

  • Obsessed(2002)

    as Sara Miller

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Swimfan(2002)

    as Carla Cronin

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Unfaithful(2002)

    as Tracy

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Stephanie Ufland

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • 100 Centre Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheila Byrne

  • The Opportunists(1999)

    as Rest Home Sister

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The West Wing(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Sarah Brainerd

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Annette Cole · as Bethany Allen

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Judging Amy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Sheri Jordan

  • Celebrity(1998)

    as Robin's Friend Cheryl

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Ellen Foster(1997)

    as Abigail Montford

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Ice Storm(1997)

    as Dorothy Franklin

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Practice(1997)

    Show 9 episodes · as A.D.A. Susan Alexander

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Mistrial(1996)

    as Katherine Donohue

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The First Wives Club(1996)

    as Woman in Bed

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • August(1996)

    as Helen Blathwaite

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Notes for My Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Brenda Gardner

  • Monty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 13 episodes · as Fran Richardson

  • Love Matters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Deborah

  • Life with Mikey(1993)

    as Mrs. Burns

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Home Fires (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 6 episodes · as Anne Kramer

  • Brooklyn Bridge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 3 episodes · as Defense Attorney Erica Gardner · as Erica Gardner · as Sister Bettina

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • American Experience(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Uncle Tom's Cabin(1987)

    as Ophelia

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Big Trouble in Little China(1986)

    as Margo

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Spenser: For Hire(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Evergreen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Agatha Bradford

  • Ellis Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 3 episodes · as Vanessa Ogden

  • Alice in Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Alice

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

    Show 1 episode · as Agnes Bolton O'Neill

  • Great Performances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Alice

  • Anne of the Thousand Days(1969)

    as Serving Maid (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Abigail

  • A Great Depression (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 112 titles, 111 of them dated from 1951 to 2026; peak year 2011.

Biggest box office

Unfaithful (2002)

$119M worldwide

Highest rated

127 Hours (2010)

Midcredits 93rd

Most popular right now

Unfaithful (2002)

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19512026

Peak 2011 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 3 MovieCove 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
Acting112 of 112: 112 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score65th

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s1 · acting1970s1 · acting1980s8 · acting1990s17 · acting2000s28 · acting2010s35 · acting2020s20 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 4% of 27 roles
69990914

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 MovieCove, 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

3 major nominations and no wins, 2006–2014.

  1. 2014
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
  2. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
  3. 2006
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

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 Kate Burton's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 40; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 40th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 78 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up29
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th21
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

34 of their 78 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved12
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser34
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed23

Most divisive · actor

Our Son (2023)

94th percentile spread · 45% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Veep (2012)

Midcredits 95th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; 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 MovieCove 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 Kate Burton's work okay for kids?

Across up to 16 MovieCove 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 titles16–84 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity16 titles23–64 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles46–80 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles29–58 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles30–81 · median 56 · moderateheavier 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 Kate Burton work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kate Burton's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nick Stahl shares the most, 2.

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles