Glenn Close Movies – Complete Filmography and Top Roles

Glenn Close has built one of the most remarkable careers in modern cinema, amassing over 60 film credits across four decades while establishing herself as one of the most versatile actresses of her generation. From her breakthrough in 1982 to recent projects in 2024 and beyond, Close has consistently delivered compelling performances across drama, thriller, comedy, and animation genres.

Her career is marked by extraordinary consistency and an impressive range that spans from intimate character studies to blockbuster franchises. Despite never winning an Academy Award despite eight nominations, Close remains one of the most respected figures in the industry, with a reputation built on transformative roles and unwavering dedication to her craft.

This comprehensive guide examines Close’s filmography in detail, ranking her best performances, documenting her complete movie list, and exploring what makes her one of cinema’s most enduring presences.

What Are Glenn Close’s Best Movies?

Determining Glenn Close’s best movies requires examining multiple metrics: critical acclaim, commercial success, cultural impact, and the complexity of her performances. The following overview highlights the most significant entries in her filmography.

Key Insights on Close’s Career Highlights

• Eight Academy Award nominations without a win—the most for any actor without a victory.
• Over 60 film credits spanning drama, thriller, comedy, animation, and blockbuster franchises.
• Breakthrough role came in 1982 with The World According to Garp, earning her first Oscar nomination.
• Three consecutive Oscar nominations between 1987 and 1990 established her dramatic credentials.
• Successfully transitioned to family entertainment with the 101 Dalmatians franchise.
• Voice work in animation includes Tarzan ($448M box office) and the Hoodwinked! series.
• Recent acclaim for The Wife (2017) resulted in a Golden Globe win alongside her eighth Oscar nomination.

Snapshot: Glenn Close at a Glance

Glenn Close Movies List: Complete Filmography

The complete filmography of Glenn Close spans more than four decades, beginning with her 1982 debut and continuing through projects currently in development. Below is a comprehensive listing organized chronologically, documenting her evolution from emerging talent to established screen presence.

Early Career and Breakthrough (1982–1990)

Close’s first major role came in The World According to Garp, where she played Jenny Fields opposite Robin Williams. The performance earned immediate critical recognition, landing her the first of what would become eight Academy Award nominations. She followed this with supporting roles in The Big Chill (1983) and The Natural (1984), both resulting in additional Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress.

Her portrayal of Teddy Barnes in Jagged Edge (1985) showcased her ability to inhabit morally ambiguous characters, while 1987’s Fatal Attraction transformed her into a household name. As Alex Forrest, the obsessive antagonist opposite Michael Douglas, Close delivered what many consider one of cinema’s most memorable villain performances.

Commercial Success and Franchise Work (1991–2005)

The 1990s saw Close successfully navigate between serious dramatic work and commercial cinema. Her casting as Cruella de Vil in Disney’s 101 Dalmatians (1996) demonstrated her ability to command family audiences while maintaining artistic credibility. The film grossed over $320 million worldwide, spawning a sequel in 2000 where Close reprised the role.

During this period, Close also appeared in Air Force One (1997), one of Harrison Ford’s biggest hits, playing Vice President Kathryn Bennett. Her voice work as Kala in Disney’s Tarzan (1999) added another dimension to her career, with the film earning $448 million globally.

Recent Work and Creative Ventures (2006–Present)

The 2010s marked a creative renaissance for Close, particularly through her work on Albert Nobbs (2011), a film she co-wrote and produced in addition to starring as the titular character. The performance earned her a seventh Oscar nomination. Her role as Joan Castleman in The Wife (2017) brought her eighth nomination and a Golden Globe victory, with many considering it among her finest screen work.

Blockbuster franchises continued to feature Close, including her appearance as Nova Prime in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which grossed $773 million worldwide. More recently, she appeared in Netflix’s Heart of Stone (2023) and has several projects in various stages of production through 2026.

Has Glenn Close Won an Oscar? Nominated Films

Glenn Close holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations without a win among actors, with eight nominations spanning four decades. Despite this distinction, her body of work represents extraordinary consistency and range across various genres and roles.

Complete Oscar Nominations List

Close’s Oscar nominations demonstrate her ability to deliver acclaimed performances across different categories, including both lead and supporting roles. Her nominations are:

1. The World According to Garp (1982) – Best Supporting Actress
2. The Big Chill (1983) – Best Supporting Actress
3. The Natural (1984) – Best Supporting Actress
4. Fatal Attraction (1987) – Best Actress
5. Dangerous Liaisons (1988) – Best Actress
6. Reversal of Fortune (1990) – Best Supporting Actress
7. Albert Nobbs (2011) – Best Actress
8. The Wife (2017) – Best Actress

The gap between her first nomination in 1982 and most recent in 2017—35 years—represents the longest span between nominations in Academy history. This sustained excellence across multiple decades distinguishes her career from contemporaries who achieved early recognition without maintaining similar levels of output and quality.

Near Misses and Competitive Years

Several of Close’s nominations came during highly competitive years. Her 1988 nomination for Dangerous Liaisons coincided with Jodie Foster’s win for The Accused, while her 2017 nomination for The Wife faced Frances McDormand’s victory for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The 1984 nomination for The Natural was contested by highly publicized categories that year.

What Is Glenn Close Most Famous For?

Glenn Close’s fame rests on several interconnected pillars: her legendary villain roles, her unprecedented Oscar nomination record, and her remarkable versatility across genres. Each element reinforces the others, creating a career that defies easy categorization.

Iconic Villain Performances

Close has established herself as one of cinema’s most effective antagonists. Her portrayal of Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction redefined the psychological thriller genre, creating a character whose intensity and unpredictability continue to influence portrayals of female antagonists. The role was named one of the American Film Institute’s greatest villains in cinema history, as documented by the AFI’s 100 Years…100 Heroes & Villains list.

Her Cruella de Vil in the 101 Dalmatians films demonstrated her ability to bring theatrical menace to family entertainment, balancing campy villainy with genuine menace. The character has become synonymous with her screen presence, appearing on merchandise, theme park attractions, and inspiring her own Disney+ limited series where she served as executive producer.

Additional villain roles include the scheming Marquise de Merteuil in Dangerous Liaisons, the dystopian Nicolette Cayman in What Happened to Monday, and Dr. Caroline Caldwell in The Girl with All the Gifts.

Record-Breaking Nominations

The narrative of Close’s career has been significantly shaped by her eight nominations without a win. This distinction, while frustrating for fans, has become a defining aspect of her legacy. Media coverage frequently highlights this fact, making it one of the first pieces of information associated with her name. The Academy Awards’ oversight has paradoxically increased public awareness of her work.

Versatility and Range

Beyond her villain roles, Close has demonstrated remarkable adaptability. She has excelled in period dramas (Dangerous Liaisons, The House of the Spirits), romantic thrillers (Jagged Edge), political action (Air Force One), animated features (Tarzan, Hoodwinked!), superhero blockbusters (Guardians of the Galaxy), and intimate character studies (The Wife, Albert Nobbs).

Her stage career, including Tony Award-winning performances, adds another dimension to her reputation as a complete performer equally comfortable with classical material and contemporary work. This breadth ensures that virtually every moviegoer has encountered her work, even if they cannot immediately name her films.

Glenn Close’s Career Timeline: From First Movie to Recent Projects

Understanding Glenn Close’s career trajectory reveals an artist who has consistently reinvented herself while maintaining artistic integrity. The timeline below documents key milestones in her professional journey.

1. 1982 – Debuts in The World According to Garp, earning immediate recognition and her first Academy Award nomination.
2. 1987 – Stars as Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction, transforming into a household name and earning her fourth Oscar nomination.
3. 1988 – Plays Marquise de Merteuil in Dangerous Liaisons, adding a fifth nomination and establishing her reputation for sophisticated villainy.
4. 1996–2000 – Embodies Cruella de Vil in the 101 Dalmatians franchise, successfully transitioning to family entertainment.
5. 2011 – Stars in and produces Albert Nobbs, earning her seventh Oscar nomination for her portrayal of a transgender man.
6. 2014 – Joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Nova Prime in Guardians of the Galaxy, appearing in one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
7. 2017 – Receives her eighth Oscar nomination for The Wife, winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress.
8. 2021 – Serves as executive producer on Disney’s Cruella, marking her continued involvement with the character that defined her commercial career.
9. 2024 – Appears in multiple releases including The Deliverance and Brothers.
10. 2025–2026 – Features in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the latter in post-production.

What Facts Are Verified and What Remains Unclear?

When examining Glenn Close’s career and filmography, certain information is well-documented while other aspects remain subject to ongoing updates and interpretation. Comprehensive details on her complete filmography can be found in the IMDb database, which tracks her extensive body of work.

The Cultural Impact of Glenn Close’s Film Career

Glenn Close’s influence on cinema extends beyond her individual performances to shape broader conversations about acting craft, genre expectations, and industry recognition. Her career has challenged assumptions about what constitutes commercial viability versus artistic credibility.

The critical and commercial success of her villain roles—particularly Alex Forrest and Cruella de Vil—expanded opportunities for complex female antagonists in mainstream cinema. Prior to Fatal Attraction, female antagonists were often one-dimensional; Close’s nuanced portrayals established new standards for psychological depth in genre films.

Her ability to move between prestige drama and blockbuster entertainment has influenced subsequent generations of actors seeking similar flexibility. Meanwhile, her sustained nomination record despite multiple losses has sparked ongoing discussions about Academy voting patterns and the nature of award-worthy performance.

Close’s advocacy work, including her involvement with environmental causes and mental health awareness, has further cemented her public image as an artist committed to social engagement beyond her screen work.

Sources and Industry Recognition

Documentation of Glenn Close’s career draws from multiple authoritative sources, each offering distinct perspectives on her work and achievements.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences maintains official records confirming Close’s eight nominations across categories including Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress from 1982 through 2017.

— Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Rotten Tomatoes aggregates critical reception data showing consistent performance scores for Close’s major works, with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery earning particularly strong early reviews at 92% critics and 94% audience approval.

— Rotten Tomatoes

Ultimate Movie Rankings compiles commercial performance data placing Guardians of the Galaxy as Close’s highest-grossing individual film at $773 million worldwide, followed by Tarzan at $448 million.

— Ultimate Movie Rankings / Box Office Mojo

Additional verification comes from Wikipedia’s comprehensive filmography documentation and the Rotten Tomatoes career overview, which track her complete output across film and television.

Summary

Glenn Close’s filmography represents one of the most accomplished and diverse careers in contemporary cinema. From her debut in 1982 through her ongoing projects, she has delivered consistently compelling performances across genres ranging from intimate drama to blockbuster entertainment. Her eight Oscar nominations without a win have paradoxically become a defining aspect of her legacy, while her iconic villain roles continue to influence the industry. With over 60 film credits and projects extending into 2026, Close remains an active and vital presence in cinema, demonstrating that sustained excellence requires neither genre limitation nor formula repetition. Her career trajectory—from independent breakthrough to commercial franchise work to recent acclaimed performances—offers a masterclass in artistic evolution and professional longevity.

Frequently Asked Questions