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Dana Ivey

Dana Ivey

Actor · Born August 12, 1941 (85) · Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Dana Ivey (born August 12, 1941) is an American actress. She is a five-time Tony Award nominee for her work on Broadway, and won the 1997 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for her work in both Sex and Longing and The Last Night of Ballyhoo. She originated the title role in Driving Miss Daisy and was nominated for a Drama Desk award for Best Actress in a Play. Her film appearances include The Color Purple (1985), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), The Addams Family (1991), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Addams Family Values (1993), Two Weeks Notice (2002), Rush Hour 3 (2007), and The Help (2011).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 12, 1941 (85)
From
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
42 on MovieCove · 57 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 29% in 30 days

What are Dana Ivey's films like?

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

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
Self
32%
Bonds
30%
Morality
24%
Survival
7%
Society
6%
Power
1%
Family bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 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 3 · Dark 5

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 7 · Intense 4

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 5

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 9 · Even-paced 7 · 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 9 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 1

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 7 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 4

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

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Threshold guardian: 3 of 4 analyzed roles.

Threshold guardian
3 of 4
Shadow
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
8
Tense
7
Melancholic
6
Bittersweet
4
Hopeful
4
Other
18

How their films linger

Hopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet7

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 Dana Ivey's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 34 of their 42 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Dana Ivey'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

57 credits, 42 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Georgica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Dorothy

  • Ocean's Eight(2018)

    as Diana

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Leisure Seeker(2017)

    as Lillian

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Professional Cuddler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Gloria

  • We'll Never Have Paris(2014)

    as Francoise

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Madam Secretary(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Nelly Conlon

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight(2013)

    as Mrs. Paige

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Help(2011)

    as Gracie Higginbotham

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Importance of Being Earnest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Miss Prism

  • Boardwalk Empire(2010)

    Show 4 episodes · as Mrs. McGarry

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Did You Hear About the Morgans?(2009)

    as Trish Pinger

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Ghost Town(2008)

    as Marjorie Pickthall

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Return of Jezebel James (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rush Hour 3(2007)

    as Sister Agnes

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Broken English(2007)

    as Elinor Gregory

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Ugly Betty(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Roberta

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • A Very Serious Person (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Betty

  • Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde(2003)

    as Libby Hauser

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Two Weeks Notice(2002)

    as Ruth Kelson

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Monk(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Eels

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Orange County(2002)

    as Vera Gantner

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Kid(2000)

    as Dr. Alexander

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Walking Across Egypt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Beatrice Vernon

  • Mumford(1999)

    as Mrs. Crisp

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • A Lesson Before Dying(1999)

    as Edna Guidry

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Impostors(1998)

    as Mrs. Essendine

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Simon Birch(1998)

    as Grandmother Wenteworth

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Sex and the City(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Trudy Stork

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Oz(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Patricia Nathan

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Practice(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Natalie Brown

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Sabrina(1995)

    as Mack

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Scarlet Letter(1995)

    as Meredith Stonehall

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Addams Family Values(1993)

    as Margaret Addams

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Ms. Langer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Sleepless in Seattle(1993)

    as Claire

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Guilty as Sin(1993)

    as Judge Tompkins

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Class of '61 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Mrs. Julia Peyton

  • The Adventures of Huck Finn(1993)

    as Widow Douglas

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Homicide: Life on the Street(1993)

    Show 3 episodes · as Margie Bolander

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story(1992)

    as Lois Jurgens

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Home Alone 2: Lost in New York(1992)

    as Desk Clerk

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Addams Family(1991)

    as Margaret Alford

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • William Shakespeare's Hamlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Gertrude

  • Postcards from the Edge(1990)

    as Wardrobe Mistress

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Shore

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Dirty Rotten Scoundrels(1988)

    as Mrs. Reed

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Another Woman(1988)

    as Engagement Party Guest

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Appointments of Dennis Jennings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Newscaster

  • Easy Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 22 episodes · Actor

  • Heartburn(1986)

    as Wedding Speaker

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Sunday in the Park with George (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Yvonne / Naomi

  • The Color Purple(1985)

    as Miss Millie

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Explorers(1985)

    as Mrs. Müller

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Little Gloria... Happy at Last (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

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

    Show 1 episode · as Yvonne / Naomi Eisen

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

    Show 1 episode · as Gertrude · as Lady Ariadne Utterword

  • The Beachcomber (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Kahlana

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 57 titles from 1962 to 2019; peak year 1992.

Biggest box office

Two Weeks Notice (2002)

$199M worldwide

Highest rated

The Color Purple (1985)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

The Addams Family (1991)

Film career

19622019

Peak 1992 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. 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 57: 57 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69th

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s1 · acting1980s10 · acting1990s23 · acting2000s12 · acting2010s10 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 29 roles
85909500

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 Dana Ivey's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of all 32; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 42 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th16
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 42 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story (1992)

53rd percentile spread · 11% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Help (2011)

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 46. 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 Dana Ivey's work okay for kids?

Across up to 13 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore10 titles7–51 · median 18 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity13 titles9–36 · median 23 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles22–51 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles9–42 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles7–56 · median 16 · 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 Dana Ivey work with?

People who share at least 2 of Dana Ivey's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Marc Shaiman shares the most, 3.

Actors

Composers

Producers