Kate Burton
Biography
Kate Burton is a Swiss-born Welsh-American stage and screen actress born on September 10, 1957, in Geneva, Switzerland. She is known for her television roles including Vice President Sally Langston on the ABC series Scandal, Vera Quinn on the Audience Network series Full Circle, and Dr. Ellis Grey on the ABC series Grey's Anatomy. Her education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies and European History from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in New Haven, Connecticut.
Career overview
Kate Burton is a Swiss-born Welsh-American stage and screen actress who was born in Geneva, Switzerland, on September 10, 1957. She is known for her television roles, including Vice President Sally Langston on the ABC series Scandal, Vera Quinn on the Audience Network series Full Circle, and Dr. Ellis Grey on the ABC series Grey's Anatomy. Her television and film career includes known credits across various projects.
In addition to her television work, her acting credits include appearances in films such as Brooklyn Bridge, Tohle jsme my, and Live From Lincoln Center. Throughout her career, she has accumulated numerous known credits in the entertainment industry as a performer on both stage and screen.
Educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies and European History from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, followed by a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in New Haven, Connecticut.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
121 titles- The Beast in Me (2025) as Mariah Ingram
- The Surrender (2025) as Barbara
- Violent Ends (2025) as Darlene Woodley
- BULLDOZER (2025) as Dr. Diane Roddy
- Oscar Wilde About America (2025)
- guts (2024) as Gabby
- Dumb Money (2023) as Elaine Gill
- Our Son (2023) as Maggie "Miggie"
- Heaven, I Suppose (2023) as Cheryl
- The Anne Frank Gift Shop (2023) as Ilse
- Bosch: Legacy (2022) as Ida Porter
- So Help Me Todd (2022) as Joan
- The Dropout (2022) as Rochelle Gibbons
- Inventing Anna (2022) as Nora Radford
- Breaking (2022) as Tami Stackhouse
- The Mosquito Coast (2021) as Margot's Mom
- The Codebreaker (2021) as Narrator (voice)
- Sandra Day O'Connor: The First (2021) as Narrator (voice)
- The Vote (2020) as Narrator (voice)
- Prodigal Son (2019) as Sarah Windsor
- Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019) as Ellen Idelson
- Perfect Harmony (2019) as Julie
- FBI (2018) as Evelyn Kates
- Charmed (2018) as Celeste
- At First Light (2018) as Kate
- 13 Reasons Why (2017) as Dr. Hughes
- The Gifted (2017) as Dr. Madeline Risman
- Noël Coward's Present Laughter (2017) as Liz Essendine
- This Is Us (2016) as Barbara
- Supergirl (2015) as Isabel Nal (voice)
- Supergirl (2015) as Isabel Nal
- Martyrs (2015) as Eleanor
- Identity Theft (2015) as Anna
- Bleeding Heart (2015) as Martha
- Amok (2015) as Dr. Wilson
- Madam Secretary (2014) as Maureen McCord
- Extant (2014) as Fiona Stanton
- Barefoot (2014) as Mrs. Wheeler
- Don't Look Back (2014) as Dr. Jeanette Barnes
- Full Circle (2013) as Vera Quinn
- Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel: Live from Lincoln Center (2013) as Mrs. Mullin
- Elementary (2012) as Maureen Dannon
- Scandal (2012) as Sally Langston
- Veep (2012) as Barbara Hallowes
- Key & Peele (2012) as Hillary Clinton
- Revolution (2012) as Jane Warren
- Liberal Arts (2012) as Susan
- 2 Days in New York (2012) as Bella
- Mariachi Gringo (2012) as Anne
- Grimm (2011) as Marie Kessler
- Puncture (2011) as Senator O'Reilly
- Caris' Peace (2011) as Self
- 127 Hours (2010) as Aron's Mom
- Remember Me (2010) as Janine
- The Deep End (2010) as Grace Graham
- Consent (2010) as Susan
- Modern Family (2009) as Iris Fennerman
- The Good Wife (2009) as Victoria Adler
- Spooner (2009) as Alice Spooner
- Washingtonienne (2009) as Joy
- Eleventh Hour (2008) as Gepetto / Miranda Cochran
- Max Payne (2008) as Nicole Horne
- What Just Happened (2008) as Doctor Randall
- Quid Pro Quo (2008) as Merilee
- Hidden Treasure of the Mississippi (2008) as Aunt Birdy
- Justice (2006)
- Sherrybaby (2006) as Marcia Swanson
- Grey's Anatomy (2005) as Ellis Grey
- The Closer (2005) as Kate Wycoff
- Medium (2005) as Bonnie Barrister
- Numb3rs (2005) as Anthropologist
- Stay (2005) as Mrs. Letham
- Empire Falls (2005) as Cindy Whiting
- Ernest Hemingway: Rivers to the Sea (2005) as Narrator (voice)
- Rescue Me (2004) as Rose
- Working Shakespeare (2003)
- The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer (2003) as Connie Posey
- Three Sisters (2003) as Olga
- Unfaithful (2002) as Tracy
- Swimfan (2002) as Carla Cronin
- Obsessed (2002) as Sara Miller
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) as Stephanie Ufland
- 100 Centre Street (2001) as Sheila Byrne
- The Opportunists (2000) as Rest Home Sister
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Annette Cole
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Dr. Bethany Allen
- The West Wing (1999) as Sarah Brainerd
- Judging Amy (1999) as Dr. Sheri Jordan
- Celebrity (1998) as Robin's Friend Cheryl
- The Practice (1997) as A.D.A. Susan Alexander
- The Ice Storm (1997) as Dorothy Franklin
- Ellen Foster (1997) as Abigail Montford
- The First Wives Club (1996) as Woman in Bed
- Looking for Richard (1996) as Self
- August (1996) as Helen Blathwaite
- Mistrial (1996) as Katherine Donohue
- Notes for My Daughter (1995) as Brenda Gardner
- Monty (1994) as Fran Richardson
- Life with Mikey (1993) as Mrs. Burns
- Love Matters (1993) as Deborah
- Home Fires (1992) as Anne Kramer
- Brooklyn Bridge (1991)
- Law & Order (1990) as Sister Bettina
- Law & Order (1990) as Erica Gardner
- Law & Order (1990) as Defense Attorney Erica Gardner
- Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre (1989) as Self
- American Experience (1988) as Narrator
- In from the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton (1988) as Self
- Uncle Tom's Cabin (1987) as Ophelia
- Big Trouble in Little China (1986) as Margo
- Spenser: For Hire (1985)
- Evergreen (1985) as Agatha Bradford
- Ellis Island (1984) as Vanessa Ogden
- Alice in Wonderland (1983) as Alice
- American Playhouse (1982) as Agnes Bolton O'Neill
- Great Performances (1971) as Alice
- Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) as Serving Maid (uncredited)
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Nominee
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Abigail
- Death on the Brandywine as Ann Riley
- RSC Meets USA: Working Shakespeare as Self
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Kate Burton best known for?
Kate Burton is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Beast in Me (2025), Dumb Money (2023), Bosch: Legacy (2022), So Help Me Todd (2022).
When and where was Kate Burton born?
Kate Burton was born on September 10, 1957 in Geneva, Switzerland.
How many credits does Kate Burton have?
Kate Burton has accumulated over 121 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1951 to 2025.
What is Kate Burton's background in cinema and television?
Kate Burton is a Swiss-born Welsh-American stage and screen actress born on September 10, 1957, in Geneva, Switzerland. She is known for her television roles including Vice President Sally Langston on the ABC series Scandal, Vera Quinn on the Audience Network series Full Circle, and Dr. Ellis Grey on the ABC series Gre...