
Melissa Leo
Known for Acting · 137 credits
- Born
- 1960-09-14 (age 65)
- Place of birth
- Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
- Also known as
- Margaret May · Melissa Chessington Leo
Biography
Melissa Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in 1985, for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Ingenue/Woman in the Drama Series “All My Children”. Her most notable role as was as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on “Homicide: Life on the Street” for the show's first five seasons from 1993–1997.
Following several films, Leo received critical acclaim and national attention in earning several nominations and awards, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Leo earned several awards for her role as Alice Ward in the critically acclaimed film, “The Fighter” (2010). For this role Leo won the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Leo currently appears on the television series Treme.
Leo currently resides in Stone Ridge, New York and two sons John Matthew Heard (born 1987), and Adam (adopted - born 1984).
Known For

Law & Order
1990
as Donna Cheponis / Defense Attorney Alice Sutton / Sherri Quinn

Criminal Minds
2005
as Sheriff Georgia Davis

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
as Sybil Perez

Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Maureen Curtis

Cold Case
2003
as Tayna Raymes (1994 & 2007)

Miami Vice
1984
as Kathleen Gilfords
TV Shows (24)

Law & Order
1990
as Donna Cheponis / Defense Attorney Alice Sutton / Sherri Quinn

Criminal Minds
2005
as Sheriff Georgia Davis

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
as Sybil Perez

Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Maureen Curtis

Cold Case
2003
as Tayna Raymes (1994 & 2007)

Miami Vice
1984
as Kathleen Gilfords

BoJack Horseman
2014
as Ma Nguyen (voice)

Veronica Mars
2004
as Julia Smith

The Equalizer
1985
as Irina Dzershinsky

Homicide: Life on the Street
1993
as Kay Howard

The L Word
2004
as Winnie Mann

Shark
2006
as Elizabeth Rourke

Broad City
2014
as Lori

Wayward Pines
2015
as Nurse Pam

Spenser: For Hire
1985

Treme
2010
as Toni Bernette

The Young Riders
1989
as Emma Shannon

The Arsenio Hall Show
2013
as Self

I Know This Much Is True
2020
as Concettina Ipolita Tempesta 'Ma' Birdsey

Scarlett
1994
as Suellen O'Hara Benteen

Mildred Pierce
2011
as Lucy Gessler

I'm Dying Up Here
2017
as Goldie

Dolly Parton's Heartstrings
2019
as Amelia Meegers

Legacy
1998
Movies (113)

Passenger
2026
as Diana

The Equalizer
2014
as Susan Plummer

The Equalizer 3
2023
as Susan Plummer

Prisoners
2013
as Holly Jones

The Equalizer 2
2018
as Susan Plummer

Olympus Has Fallen
2013
as Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan

The Big Short
2015
as Georgia Hale

Oblivion
2013
as Sally

The Fighter
2010
as Alice Ward

London Has Fallen
2016
as Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan

Flight
2012
as Ellen Block

Snowden
2016
as Laura Poitras

Guns Up
2025
as Michael Temple

Righteous Kill
2008
as Cheryl

21 Grams
2003
as Marianne Jordan

Hide and Seek
2005
as Laura

Everybody's Fine
2009
as Colleen

Novitiate
2017
as Reverend Mother

American Gun
2005
as Louise

Body Brokers
2021
as Dr. White

Ida Red
2021
as Ida ‘Red’ Walker

Stephanie Daley
2007
as Miri Daley

Mr. Woodcock
2007
as Sally Jansen

Conviction
2010
as Nancy Taylor

Thunder Force
2021
as Allie

Red State
2011
as Sara

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
2005
as Rachel

The Clean Up Crew
2024
as Siobhan

Bonnie
2022
as Self

Charlie Countryman
2013
as Kate

King Ivory
2025
as Ginger Greene

Deadtime Stories
1986
as Judith 'MaMa' Baer

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn
2014
as Bette Altmann

The Most Hated Woman in America
2017
as Madalyn Murray O'Hair

The Alphabet Killer
2008
as Kathy Walsh

All the Way
2016
as Lady Bird Johnson

Homicide: The Movie
2000
as Kay Howard

Veronika Decides to Die
2009
as Mari

Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy
2013
as Self - Narrator (voice)

Welcome to the Rileys
2010
as Lois Riley

Streetwalkin'
1985
as Cookie

Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
2013
as Robin

Long Gone Heroes
2024
as Olivia

Frozen River
2008
as Ray Eddy

Don McKay
2009
as Marie

Furlough
2018
as Joan Anderson

Who Is Henry Jaglom?
1997
as Self

Nasty Boys
1989
as Katie Morrissey

Seven Days in Utopia
2011
as Lily

The Cake Eaters
2007
as Ceci Kimbrough

Alone Together
2022
as Deborah

Measure of Revenge
2022
as Lillian

Confess
2005
as Agnes Lessor

Carolina Skeletons
1991
as Cassie

Unlovable
2018
as Maddie

Hollywood Dreams
2007
as Aunt Bee

According to Greta
2009
as Karen

From Other Worlds
2004
as Miriam

Silent Witness
1985
as Patti Mullen

The Ballad of Little Jo
1993
as Beatrice Grey

Jane
2022
as Principal Rhodes

The Parting Glass
2018
as Al

The 24 Hour Woman
1999
as Dr. Suzanne Pincus

A Time of Destiny
1988
as Josie Larraneta

The Space Between
2011
as Montine

Francine
2012
as Francine

Black Irish
2007
as Margaret McKay

In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice
1995
as Carol Manning

Coast
2022
as Olivia

The Dry Land
2010
as Martha

The Limbo Room
2006
as KC Collins

The Ever After
2015
as Penny

Why Stop Now?
2012
as Penny

Immaculate Conception
1992
as Hannah

Last Summer in the Hamptons
1995
as Trish Axelrod

She's The Best Thing in It
2015
as Self

The Knife
2025
as Detective Carlsen

The Ashram
2018
as Chandra

Queen of the Lot
2010
as Aunt Bee

Dwegons and Leprechauns
2014
as Grandma Fitz / Butterfly McDweg / Mrs. Fitzgerald

Santa Mesa
2008
as Maggie

I Believe in America
2007
as Soto

Dear Lemon Lima
2009
as Mrs. Howard

Burn Country
2016
as Gloria

Bottled Up
2013
as Fay

Ron Forever
as Hilda

Midnight Son
2007
as Rita

The Bride in Black
1990
as Mary Margaret

Runaway
2005
as Lisa Adler
Damnation: The Flashback
2015
as Noda Marra
One Night
2007
as Wendy

The House Is Burning
2006
as Mrs. Miller

Lullaby
2008
as Stephanie

Dear Lemon Lima
2007
as Mrs. Howard

True Adolescents
2009
as Sharon Mitchell

Venice/Venice
1992
as Peggy

By a Thread
1992
as Helen

Racing Daylight
2007
as Sadie / Anna

Always … But Not Forever
1985
as Peggy

The View from Up Here
2017
as Claire

Code of Ethics
1999
as Jo DeAngelo
Bomb
2007

Fear of Fiction
2000
as Sigrid Anderssen

The Butterfly, The Harp, and The Timepiece
2015
as Papillon

The Sea Is All I Know
2011
as Sara

Mabel, Mabel Tiger Trainer
2018
as Narrator
Garden
1995
as Elizabeth

Stephanie's Image
2009
as Stephanie
The Mannequin

After the Spill
2015
as Narrator

AFTER: Poetry Destroys Silence
2024

I'm Only There...
1984
as Maggie
The Rooster Prince
as Elaine
About Melissa Leo
Melissa Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in 1985, for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Ingenue/Woman in the Drama Series “All My Children”. Her most notable role as was as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on “Homicide: Life on the Street” for the show's first five seasons from 1993–1997. Following several films, Leo received critical acclaim and national attention in earning several nominations and awards, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Leo earned several award… With 137 credits spanning from 1984 to 2026, Melissa Leo has appeared in 113 films and 24 TV shows.
Fans searching for Melissa Leo movies, Melissa Leo filmography, or the latest projects starring Melissa Leo can stream many of these titles on CineFlixo, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Melissa Leo Movies
- Passenger (2026) — as Diana
- The Equalizer (2014) — as Susan Plummer
- The Equalizer 3 (2023) — as Susan Plummer
- Prisoners (2013) — as Holly Jones
- The Equalizer 2 (2018) — as Susan Plummer
Where to Watch Melissa Leo Films
Most Melissa Leo movies and series are available to stream on CineFlixo in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Melissa Leo, check our movies catalogue and browse page.