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Joanna Gleason

Joanna Gleason

Actor, also director and writer · Born June 2, 1950 (76) · Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Joanna Gleason Sarandon (née Joanne Hall; born June 2, 1950) is a Canadian-American actress and singer. She is a Tony Award–winning musical theatre actress and has also had a number of notable film and TV roles. She is known for originating the role of the Baker's Wife in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She is also known for her film work in Mike Nichols' Heartburn (1986), Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), and Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997). She has had television roles in shows such as Friends, The West Wing, The Good Wife and The Affair.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 2, 1950 (76)
From
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Works as
Actor, also director and writer
Titles
40 on MovieCove · 60 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Up 5% in 30 days

What are Joanna Gleason's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Drama 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
Bonds
44%
Self
17%
Morality
16%
Survival
15%
Power
4%
Society
4%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 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 8 · Serious 2 · Dark 4

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

Grounded 13 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 7 · Intense 4

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

Steady 5 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 4

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 11 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

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 5 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 5

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

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles
Hero
1 of 3
Trickster
1 of 3
Threshold guardian
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
9
Melancholic
7
Tense
5
Romantic
5
Contemplative
5
Other
14

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet8
  • Ambiguous2

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 Joanna Gleason's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 32 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joanna Gleason'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

60 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Elsbeth(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Maura Davidoff

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • The Grotto(2022)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Good Fight(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Carmella Romano

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Janice Hoffman

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The Affair(2014)

    Show 3 episodes · as Yvonne

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • The Skeleton Twins(2014)

    as Judy

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Russian Broadway Shut Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Sensitive Skin(2014)

    Show as Veronica

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Last Vegas(2013)

    as Miriam Harris

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Newsroom(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Nancy Skinner

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Blue Bloods(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Grace Newhouse

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • How to Make It in America(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • The Good Wife(2009)

    Show 3 episodes · as Judge Carmella Romano

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Rebound(2009)

    as Roberta Finklestein

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Unusuals(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • The Women(2008)

    as Barbara

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • My Sassy Girl(2008)

    as Kitty / Aunt Sally

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Sex and the City(2008)

    as Therapist

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Girl in the Park(2007)

    as Sarah Graczyk

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Wedding Daze(2006)

    as Lois

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Apprentice: Martha Stewart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Fathers and Sons(2005)

    as Silvia

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Wedding Planner(2001)

    as Mrs. Donolly

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Bette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 18 episodes · as Connie Randolph

  • The West Wing(1999)

    Show 5 episodes · as Jordon Kendall

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Let the Devil Wear Black(1999)

    as Dr. Rona Harvey

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Oh Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 44 episodes · as Charlotte St. John

  • Boogie Nights(1997)

    as Dirk's Mother

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Road Ends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Armacost

  • George & Leo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • American Perfekt(1997)

    as Shirley

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Perversions of Science (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Rabe

  • Temporarily Yours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 6 episodes · as Joan Silver

  • The Practice(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Henrietta Lightstone

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • King of the Hill(1997)

    Show 4 episodes · as Maddy Platter (voice) · as Marie's Mother (voice) · as Nurse (voice) · as Operator (voice) · as Receptionist (voice)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • If These Walls Could Talk(1996)

    as Julia

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Edie & Pen(1996)

    as Maude

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Louie Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Tracey Takes On... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Mr. Holland's Opus(1995)

    as Gertrude Lang as an adult

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Outer Limits(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Leslie

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Friends(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kim Clozzi

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • ER(1994)

    Show 3 episodes · as Iris

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • For the Love of Aaron(1994)

    as Shirley

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Born Too Soon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Annemarie

  • Love & War(1992)

    Show 68 episodes · Director · as Nadine Berkus

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • For Richer, for Poorer(1992)

    as Irene

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • F/X2(1991)

    as Liz Kennedy, Assistant DA

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Marie

  • Into the Woods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Baker's Wife

  • Crimes and Misdemeanors(1989)

    as Wendy Stern

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Life Under Water (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Jinx

  • Heartburn(1986)

    as Diana

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Hannah and Her Sisters(1986)

    as Carol

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Still the Beaver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Kimberly

  • Great Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Jennifer Simpson

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

    Show 1 episode · as Jinx · as The Baker's Wife

  • Hello, Larry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 38 episodes · as Morgan Winslow

  • Diff'rent Strokes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Penny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 59 titles, 58 of them dated from 1978 to 2024; peak year 2008.

Biggest box office

Last Vegas (2013)

$134M worldwide

Highest rated

Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Love & War (1992)

Film career

19782024

Peak 2008 · steadily prominent in film for years. 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
Acting57 of 59: 56 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rdDirecting3 of 59: 1 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting1 of 59: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s7 · acting1990s26 · 25 acting · 2 crew2000s12 · acting2010s9 · acting2020s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 17 roles
8696

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.

How do Joanna Gleason's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 45th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 40 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 40 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · director, writer

The Grotto (2022)

91st percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The West Wing (1999)

Midcredits 98th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 47. 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 Joanna Gleason's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 19 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles29–52 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles37–71 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 43 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles2–60 · median 17 · 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 Joanna Gleason work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joanna Gleason's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Chris Sarandon shares the most, 3.

Actors

Editors

Producers