- During one scene in which she is hallucinating in REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, her entire apartment is taken apart piece by piece as though it was the set of a television show. Several crewmembers of the mock television show pass Burstyn in her chair, including a man carrying a clip board with the Greek letter/mathematical symbol Pi on the back - Darren Aronofsky's first film.
- In addition to having a camera mounted to her for certain sequences in REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2000), Ellen Burstyn spent four hours every morning being fitted with prosthetics, wearing four different necks (both fat and emaciated), two different fat suits (a 40-pound and 20-pound suit), and nine different wigs.
- Agreed to doing THE EXORCIST (1973) only if her character didn't have to say the scripted line: I believe in the devil! The producers agreed to eliminate the utterance.
- Received a permanent spinal injury during filming of THE EXORCIST (1973). In the sequence where she is thrown away from her possessed daughter, a harness jerked her hard away from the bed. She fell on her coccyx and screamed in pain, which was filmed for the movie.
- Wrote to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences to protest Liv Ullmann's elimination from Oscar contention in 1974, for her performance in SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE. AMPAS used a rule under which TV presentations must have appeared in movie theaters in the same year, to prevent Ullmann from being nominated. The result is that Burstyn won the Oscar for her performance in ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE.
- Was not able to attend the 1975 Academy Awards Ceremony, thus couldn't accept her Best Actress Oscar for ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (1974). Martin Scorcese, the film's director, accepted her Oscar on her behalf.
- Chosen by People Magazine as one of The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. (May 2001)
- Wore 20 and 40 pound fat suits and prosthetic necks to play Sara Goldfarb in REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2000).
- Said in the book, On Women Turning 50, that she did not attend the 1975 Academy Awards, where she won the Best Actress award for ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, because she was certain she would win and could not handle the pressure and attention. After attending several later Oscar ceremonies at which she lost, she regretted not being there to accept her award.
- Along with Al Pacino and Harvey Keitel, was named co-president of The Actor's Studio in 2000.
- Doesn't drink alcohol or coffee and practices Yoga.
- Was first female president of The Actor's Equity (1982-1985).
- Turned down the lead role in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975) because she had an ill husband to take care of.
- Says she is often mistaken for fellow actress Louise Fletcher. People tell her she was great in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (for which Fletcher won an Oscar). Fletcher reports being told frequently that she did a wonderful job in one of Burstyn's roles.
- Practices the mystical Islamic religion, Sufism.
- Is an ordained minister.
- Hosted 'Saturday Night Live' in 1980.
- Is a Vegetarian.
- Nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role at Screen Actors Guild Awards for REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Nominated for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special at Daytime Emmy Awards for MERMAID (2001)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special at Emmy Awards for PACK OF LIES (1987)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV at Golden Globe Awards for THE PEOPLE VS. JEAN HARRIS (1982)
- Nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for RESURRECTION (1981)
- Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actress - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for RESURRECTION (1981)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special at Emmy Awards for THE PEOPLE VS. JEAN HARRIS (1981)
- Nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR (1979)
- Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actress - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (1975)
- Nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for THE EXORCIST (1974)
- Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actress - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for THE EXORCIST (1974)
- Nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at Academy Awards for THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1972)
- Nominated for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture at Golden Globe Awards for THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1972)
Quotes- "Acting feels like a congenial condition to me - it's in my genes."
- "It's unfortunate but our society is such that, for women in Hollywood, you get to a certain age and just fall off a cliff. But in my case, I refuse to die. I will hang on, by a little finger if necessary."
Awards- Golden Satellite Award: Best Actress, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Independent Spirit Award: Best Female Lead, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Actress, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Online Film Critics Society: Best Actress, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Southeastern Film Critics Association: Best Actress, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Florida Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Actress, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Actress, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2001)
- Boston Film Festival: Film Excellence Award (2000)
- Stockholm Film Festival: Best Actress, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2000)
- Sierra Award: Best Actress, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2000)
- National Board of Review, Career Achievement Award (2000)
- Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Actress, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2000)
- Retirement Research Foundation, Special Achievement Award (1996)
- Berlin International Film Festival: Berlinale Camera (1988)
- Golden Globe: Best Motion Picture Actress, SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR (1979)
- British Academy Awards: Best Actress, ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (1976)
- Academy Awards: Best Actress, ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (1975)
- Tony Award: Best Actress, SAME TIME NEXT YEAR (1975)
- National Society of Film Critics: Best Supporting Actress, LAST PICTURE SHOW (1972)
- New York Film Critics Circle: Best Supporting Actress, LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)
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