Actor
Louise Fletcher
Born 22 July 1934 · Birmingham, Alabama, USA — died 23 September 2022
Louise Fletcher (1934–2022) was an American actress who became a star in her forties with her chilling turn as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The role made her one of cinema's best-known screen villains. She later worked widely in film and television, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Key films
Thieves Like Us (1974)
Early Robert Altman film that helped launch her screen career before her breakthrough.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Her signature role as Nurse Ratched, which won her the Best Actress Oscar.
Brainstorm (1983)
Sci-fi drama in which she played a key supporting role, showing her range beyond villains.
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Supporting part in Sergio Leone's epic gangster film.
Cruel Intentions (1999)
Introduced her to a younger audience in a popular teen drama.
Key awards
- 1976: Academy Award for Best Actress (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
- 1976: BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
- 1976: Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 96
- 1963A Gathering of Eagles · as Mrs. KemlerActor
- 1974Thieves Like Us · as MattieActor
- 1974Can Ellen Be Saved? · as Bea LindseyActor
- 1975One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest · as Nurse Mildred RatchedActor
- 1975Russian Roulette · as MidgeActor
- 1976TVTV Looks at the Oscars · as SelfActor
- 1977Exorcist II: The Heretic · as Dr. Gene TuskinActor
- 1978The Cheap Detective · as Marlene DuChardActor
- 1978Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery · as Sally KimballActor
- 1979The Lady in Red · as Anna SageActor
- 1979The Muppets Go Hollywood · as Self (uncredited)Actor
- 1979Natural Enemies · as Miriam StewardActor
- 1979The Magician of Lublin · as EmiliaActor
- 1980Mama Dracula · as Mama DraculaActor
- 1981Strange Behavior · as Barbara MooreheadActor
- 1981Be Pretty and Shut Up! · as SelfActor
- 1982The Lucky Star · as Loes BakkerActor
- 1983Brainstorm · as Lillian ReynoldsActor
- 1983Strange Invaders · as Mrs. BenjaminActor
- 1984Once Upon a Time in America · as Director of Riverdale CemeteryActor
- 1984Firestarter · as Norma MandersActor
- 1984Overnight Sensation · as Evie PeregrineActor
- 1984Talk to Me · as MotherActor
- 1984Islands · as MaureenActor
- 1985A Summer to Remember · as Dr. Dolly McKeeverActor
- 1986Invaders from Mars · as Mrs. McKeltchActor
- 1986The Boy Who Could Fly · as Dr. GranadaActor
- 1986Nobody's Fool · as PearlActor
- 1986Second Serve · as Dr. Sadie M. BishopActor
- 1987Flowers in the Attic · as Olivia FoxworthActor
- 1987J. Edgar Hoover · as Annie M. HooverActor
- 1988Two Moon Junction · as Belle DelongpreActor
- 1989Best of the Best · as Mrs. GradyActor
- 1989The Karen Carpenter Story · as Agnes CarpenterActor
- 1990Blue Steel · as Shirley TurnerActor
- 1990Shadowzone · as Dr. ErhardtActor
- 1990Nightmare on the 13th Floor · as Letti GordonActor
- 1992The Player · as Louise FletcherActor
- 1992Blind Vision · as Miss TaylorActor
- 1994On Deadly Ground · as Bartender (uncredited)Actor
- 1994Giorgino · as InnkeeperActor
- 1994Return to Two Moon Junction · as Belle DelongpreActor
- 1994The Haunting of Seacliff Inn · as Dorothy O'HaraActor
- 1994Tryst · as MaggieActor
- 1994Tollbooth · as LillianActor
- 1994Someone Else's Child · as Faye MaddoxActor
- 1995Virtuosity · as Elizabeth DeaneActor
- 1996Mulholland Falls · as EstherActor
- 19962 Days in the Valley · as EvelynActor
- 1996High School High · as Schuldirektorin Evelyn DoyleActor
- 1996Frankenstein and Me · as Mrs. PerdueActor
- 1996Edie & Pen · as JudgeActor
- 1996The Stepford Husbands · as Miriam BentonActor
- 1997Gone Fishin' · as Restaurant Owner (uncredited)Actor
- 1997Breast Men · as Mrs. SaundersActor
- 1997The Girl Gets Moe · as GloriaActor
- 1997Completely Cuckoo · as SelfActor
- 1997Heartless · as Lydia McGuffyActor
- 1997Married to a Stranger · as Nana, Megan's MotherActor
- 1997Sins of the Mind · as Dr. Anna BinghamActor
- 1998Johnny 316 · as Sally's MotherActor
- 1999Cruel Intentions · as Helen RosemondActor
- 1999The Devil's Arithmetic · as Aunt EvaActor
- 1999A Map of the World · as Nellie GoodwinActor
- 1999The Contract · as Grandma CollinsActor
- 1999Time Served · as Warden Mildred ReineckeActor
- 1999Love Kills · as Alena HeissActor
- 2000Big Eden · as Grace CornwellActor
- 2000More Dogs Than Bones · as Iva DollActor
- 2000Very Mean Men · as Katherine MulroneyActor
- 2000Silver Man · as ValActor
- 2001Touched by a Killer · as Judge Erica RobertsonActor
- 2001After Image · as Aunt CoraActor
- 2002Manna from Heaven · as Mother SuperiorActor
- 2003Finding Home · as EstherActor
- 2003A Time to Remember · as Billy CalhounActor
- 2004Clipping Adam · as GrammyActor
- 2004Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild · as SelfActor
- 2005Aurora Borealis · as Ruth ShorterActor
- 2005Dancing in Twilight · as EvelynActor
- 2006A Dad for Christmas · as GlennieActor
- 2006Fat Rose and Squeaky · as BonnieActor
- 2007A Dennis the Menace Christmas · as Martha WilsonActor
- 2007The Last Sin Eater · as Miz EldaActor
- 2009Miloš Forman: What Doesn't Kill You… · as SelfActor
- 2009Making of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest · as SelfActor
- 2010The Genesis Code · as Ellen TaylorActor
- 2011Cassadaga · as ClaireActor
- 2011Once Upon a Time… One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest · as SelfActor
- 2012Of Two Minds · as Aunt WillActor
- 2013A Perfect Man · as AbbieActor
- 2014Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films · as Mrs. McKeltch (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 2020Grizzly II: Revenge · as Eileene DraygonActor
- 2025Breakdown: 1975 · as Self (archive footage- One Flew Over the Cuckoo Nest Nurse Ratched)Actor
- 2025A Star Without a Star: The Untold Juanita Moore Story · as SelfActor
- 2026Boorman and the Devil · as SelfActor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.