Award-nominated American actress, musician, and playwright
Elizabeth Lee McGovern (born July 18, 1961, in Evanston, Illinois) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress, musician, and playwright. A Juilliard-trained performer, she made a powerful film debut in Ordinary People (1980) and garnered critical acclaim — including Oscar, SAG, Golden Globe, and Emmy nominations — for roles in Ragtime, Once Upon a Time in America, The Wings of the Dove, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
She achieved international recognition as Cora Crawley, the Countess of Grantham, in the beloved British television drama Downton Abbey (2010–2015), a role she reprised in the feature films Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022).
McGovern is also a gifted musician — fronting the band Sadie and the Hotheads since 2007 — and an acclaimed theatre artist. Her stage credits include a spirited turn as Ava Gardner in her own play Ava: The Secret Conversations, now playing alongside her co-star Aaron Costa Ganis.
She continues to captivate audiences with her versatility, grace, and creative vision, most recently in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale and Ava: The Secret Conversations.
@elizabeth.mcgov
elizabethmcgovern.co.uk
