Kate Nelligan (born Patricia Colleen Nelligan; March 16, 1950) is a Canadian retired actress, who was celebrated for her commanding performances and versatility. She trained at Glendon College in Toronto and London's Central School of Speech and Drama before launching her professional career in 1972 with the Bristol Old Vic, appearing in productions like Barefoot in the Park. Nelligan rose to prominence in the UK with the National Theatre in plays such as David Hare's Knuckle (1974) and Tales from the Vienna Woods (1977), alongside early television roles in The Onedin Line and her film debut in The Romantic Englishwoman (1975). In the early 1980s, she relocated to New York, where she garnered critical acclaim on Broadway, earning four Tony Award nominations for Plenty (1983), A Moon for the Misbegotten (1984), Serious Money (1988), and Spoils of War (1989). Her film career flourished with standout roles in Eye of the Needle (1981) opposite Donald Sutherland, Without a Trace (1983), and later Frankie and Johnny (1991), for which she won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress; she also received an Academy Award nomination for The Prince of Tides (1991). Other notable films include Wolf (1994), U.S. Marshals (1998), and The Cider House Rules (1999).

Filmography

• Eleventh Hour — Gepetto
• 2007Premonition — Joanne
• 2006In from the Night — Vera Miller
• 2003A Wrinkle in Time — Mrs. Which
• 2001Walter and Henry — Elizabeth
• 2000Blessed Stranger: After Flight 111 — Kate O'Rourke
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Sylvia Quinn
• 1999Love Is Strange — Kathryn McClain
• 1999Swing Vote — Justice Sara Marie Brandwynne
• 1999The Cider House Rules — Olive Worthington
• 1998Boy Meets Girl — Mrs. Jones
• 1998Stolen Moments — Narrator (voice)
• 1998U.S. Marshals — Walsh
• 1997Rape: A Crime of War — Narrator
• 1996Calm at Sunset — Margaret Pfeiffer
• 1996Captive Heart: The James Mink Story — Elizabeth Mink
• 1996Up Close & Personal — Joanna Kennelly
• 1995A Mother's Prayer — Sheila Walker
• 1995How to Make an American Quilt — Constance Saunders
• 1995Margaret's Museum — Catherine MacNeil
• Million Dollar Babies — Helena Reid
• 1994Spoils of War — Elise
• 1994Wolf — Charlotte Randall
• 1993Fatal Instinct — Lana Ravine
• 1993Liar, Liar — Susan Miori
• 1993Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story — Stephanie Chadford
• 1992Heritage Minutes: Emily Murphy — Emily Murphy
• 1992Terror Stalks the Class Reunion — Kay
• 1992The Diamond Fleece
• 1991Frankie and Johnny — Cora
• Golden Fiddles — Anne Balfour
• Heritage Minutes — Emily Murphy
• 1991Old Times
• Performance — Kate
• 1991Shadows and Fog — Eve
• 1991The Prince of Tides — Lila Wingo Newbury
• 1990White Room — Jane
• 1989Love & Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher — JoAnn Thatcher
• 1987Control — Sarah Howell
• 1987Kojak: The Price of Justice — Kitty
• 1985Eleni — Eleni
• 1983Without a Trace — Susan Selky
• American Playhouse — Barbara Hoyle
• 1982Victims — Ruth Hession
• 1981Eye of the Needle — Lucy
• 1981Mr. Patman — Peabody
• 1980Dreams of Leaving — Charlotte
• Therese Raquin — Thérèse
• 1979Dracula — Lucy Seward
• 1979Measure for Measure — Isabella
• 1978Licking Hitler — Anna Seaton
• The BBC Television Shakespeare — Isabella
• 1977Bethune — Frances Bethune
• 1977Do as I Say — Hilary
• The Sunday Drama — Ann
• 1976The Lady of the Camellias — Marguerite Gautier
• 1975The Count of Monte-Cristo — Mercédès
• 1975The Romantic Englishwoman — Isabel
• 1974The Arcata Promise — Laura
• 1973The Four Beauties — Christie
• Country Matters — Christie Davenport
• The Edwardians — Alice Keppel
• Play for Today — Hilary
• Hallmark Hall of Fame — Margaret Pfeiffer, Vera Miller
• Human Cargo

Appearances as themselves (4)

• 2005Revisiting Brideshead — Self (archive footage)
• 1994By Woman's Hand — Self - Narrator (voice)
• 1994Into the Deep — Self - Narrator (voice)
• Film '72 — Self