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Mary Joy

Mary Joy

Actor · Born August 25, 1948 (78) · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Mary Joy was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Mary is an actor, known for Secretary (2002), Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) and The Rundown (2003). Mary was previously married to Robert Joy.

Biography from IMDb.

Born
August 25, 1948 (78)
From
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 36 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 64 days to Oct 27Down 36% in 30 days

What are Mary Joy's films like?

Across their 5 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
36%
Self
33%
Morality
22%
Survival
10%
Romantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 3 · Intense 1

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

Steady 0 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 1 · 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 3 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
3
Tense
3
Romantic
2
Absurd
2
Bittersweet
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Thought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet3
  • Ambiguous1

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 Mary Joy's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mary Joy'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

36 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Life List(2025)

    as Sally Wyman

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • FBI(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Kevin Saxton's Neighbor

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • The Book of Henry(2017)

    as Dot

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Divorce(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Marla

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Freeheld(2015)

    as Estelle the Realtor

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Gotham(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Edwige

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Dark Horse(2011)

    as Lori

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Veep(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. West

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Smash(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Stage Manager

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Detachment(2011)

    as Female Orderly

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Other Woman(2009)

    as Marilyn

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Voice (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • The Ring Two(2005)

    as Sister Elizabeth

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Century City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Judge Adinah Saleh

  • The Rundown(2003)

    as Professor

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Secretary(2002)

    as Sylvia

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • For the People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge

  • Boston Public (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Dolores Lanagan

  • Gilmore Girls(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Mojave Moon(1996)

    as Waitress

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Girls Town(1996)

    as Cora

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Sweet Temptation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Doctor

  • Courthouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • ER(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Mona

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Joey Breaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Esther Trigliani

  • Homicide: Life on the Street(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Jerry Jempsen's Ex-wife

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Tune in Tomorrow...(1990)

    as Frances Loader

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Judgment(1990)

    as Madeleine Broussard

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Linda Briskin · as Ms. Dobrinski

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Women and Wallace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Mother

  • Candy Mountain(1987)

    as Couple

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Fatal Attraction(1987)

    as Teacher

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 5 episodes · as Sylvia

  • The Whoopee Boys(1986)

    as Goldfish Lady

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Desperately Seeking Susan(1985)

    as Cocktail Waitress

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Mother

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 36 titles from 1982 to 2025; peak year 2011.

Biggest box office

Secretary (2002)

$9.3M worldwide

Highest rated

Secretary (2002)

Midcredits 77th

Film career

19822025

Peak 2011 · fewer prominent film roles lately. 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
Acting36 of 36: 36 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69th

By decade

1980s6 · acting1990s11 · acting2000s8 · acting2010s10 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 16th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles
8505

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 Mary Joy's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 17; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

The Whoopee Boys (1986)

78th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Detachment (2011)

Midcredits 96th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 58. 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.