The Life and Struggles of Hollywood Legend Ellen Burstyn

In 1973, she starred as Chris MacNeil in William Friedkin’s The Exorcist, opposite Linda Blair. Her character was a working actress and mother whose daughter, Regan, becomes the center of a terrifying possession story.

The role asked her to carry much of the film’s emotional weight. She had to show disbelief, panic, exhaustion, and fierce maternal protection while the story grew more disturbing. It became one of the most famous parts of her career, but the filming process would become physically dangerous.