# Louise Fletcher

Estelle Louise Fletcher (July 22, 1934 – September 23, 2022) was an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of the antagonist Nurse Ratched in the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), which earned her numerous accolades, including the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.
Fletcher had a recurring role as the Bajoran religious leader Kai Winn Adami in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999). She was nominated for two Emmy Awards for her roles in the television series Picket Fences (1996) and Joan of Arcadia (2004). Her final role was as Rosie in the Netflix series Girlboss (2017).

## Early life

Estelle Louise Fletcher was born on July 22, 1934, in Birmingham, Alabama, the second of four children of Estelle (née Caldwell) and the Reverend Robert Capers Fletcher, an Episcopal missionary from Arab, Alabama. Her parents were deaf and worked with the deaf/hard-of-hearing, but Fletcher and her siblings, Roberta, John, and Georgianna, were all hearing normally, so the children were sent in turns to live with Estelle's hearing sister in Texas for three months at a time to ensure they learned spoken English. Fletcher's father founded more than 40 churches for the deaf in Alabama. She received a bachelor's degree in drama from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1957.

## Career

Fletcher began appearing in several television series including Lawman (1958) and Maverick (1959). (The Maverick episode "The Saga of Waco Williams" with James Garner was the series's highest-rated episode.) Also in 1959, she appeared in an episode of the original Untouchables TV series starring Robert Stack, "Ma Barker and Her Boys", as Elouise. Fletcher recalled having greater success being cast in Westerns due to her height:
   I was 5 feet 10 inches [1.78 m] tall, and no television producer thought a tall woman could be sexually attractive to anybody. I was able to get jobs on westerns because the actors were even taller than I was.
In 1960, Fletcher made two guest appearances on Perry Mason, as defendant Gladys Doyle in "The Case of the Mythical Monkeys", and as Susan Connolly in "The Case of the Larcenous Lady". In the summer of 1960, she was cast as Roberta McConnell in the episode "The Bounty Hunter" of Tate, starring David McLean.
   [When conceiving of a way to play Nurse Ratched] [s]he thought back to her childhood in Alabama, and the "paternalistic way that people treat other people there." Moving to California had opened her eyes to how warped things had been back home. "White people actually felt that the life they were creating was good for black people," she says—a dynamic she recognized in Nurse Ratched and her charges. "They're in this ward, she's looking out for them, and they have to act like they're happy to get this medication or listen to this music. And make her feel good about the way she is.
In 1974, Fletcher returned to film in the crime drama Thieves Like Us, co-produced by her husband Jerry Bick and Robert Altman, who also directed. When the two had a falling out on Altman's next project (Nashville (1975), Altman decided to cast Lily Tomlin for the role of Linnea Reese, initially created for and by Fletcher. Meanwhile, director Miloš Forman saw Fletcher in Thieves and cast her as McMurphy's nemesis Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). She based her performance of the character on the paternalistic way she saw white people treat black people in her native Alabama. Fletcher gained international recognition and fame for the role, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress, as well as a BAFTA Award and Golden Globe. She was only the third actress ever to win an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Award for a single performance, after Audrey Hepburn and Liza Minnelli. When Fletcher accepted her Oscar, she used sign language to thank her parents.
After Cuckoo's Nest, Fletcher had mixed success in film. She made several financially and critically successful films, while others were box-office failures. Fletcher's film roles were in such features as Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), The Cheap Detective (1978), The Lady in Red (1979), The Magician of Lublin (1979), Brainstorm (1983), Firestarter (1984), Invaders From Mars (1986), Flowers in the Attic (1987), Two Moon Junction (1988), Best of the Best (1989), Blue Steel (1990), Virtuosity (1995), High School High (1996), and Cruel Intentions (1999), as the aunt of Ryan Phillippe's Sebastian. Additionally, she played the character Ruth Shorter, a supporting role, in Aurora Borealis (2005), alongside Joshua Jackson and Donald Sutherland, and appeared in the Fox Faith film The Last Sin Eater (2007).
Fletcher co-starred in TV movies such as The Karen Carpenter Story (1989) (as Karen and Richard Carpenter's mother, Agnes), Nightmare on the 13th Floor (1990), The Haunting of Seacliff Inn (1994), and The Stepford Husbands (1996). From 1993 to 1999, she held a recurring role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as the scheming Bajoran religious leader Kai Winn Adami. She also earned Emmy Award nominations for her guest roles on Picket Fences (1996), and later on Joan of Arcadia (2004). In 2009, Fletcher appeared in Heroes as the physician mother of character Emma Coolidge. In 2011 and 2012, she appeared on four episodes of Shameless as Grammy Gallagher, Frank Gallagher's foul-mouthed and hard-living mother, who is serving a prison sentence for manslaughter related to a meth lab explosion. She portrayed the recurring role of Rosie on the series Girlboss (2017).

## Personal life

Fletcher married producer Jerry Bick, divorcing in 1977. The couple had two sons, John Dashiell Bick and Andrew Wilson Bick. Fletcher took an 11-year break from acting to raise them.
Fletcher received an honorary degree from Gallaudet University in 1982.
Fletcher died at her home in Montdurausse, France, on September 23, 2022, at the age of 88.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1963 | A Gathering of Eagles | Mrs. Kemler | |
| 1974 | Thieves Like Us | Mattie | |
| 1975 | Russian Roulette | Midge | |
| 1975 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | Nurse Ratched | |
| 1977 | Exorcist II: The Heretic | Dr. Gene Tuskin | |
| 1978 | The Cheap Detective | Marlene DuChard | |
| 1979 | The Lady in Red | Anna Sage | |
| 1979 | The Magician of Lublin | Emilia | |
| 1979 | Natural Enemies | Miriam Steward | |
| 1980 | The Lucky Star | Loes Bakker | |
| 1980 | Mama Dracula | Mama Dracula | |
| 1981 | Strange Behavior | Barbara Moorehead | |
| 1981 | Be Pretty and Shut Up | Herself | Documentary |
| 1982 | Talk to Me | Richard's Mother | |
| 1983 | Strange Invaders | Mrs. Benjamin | |
| 1983 | Brainstorm | Lilian Reynolds | |
| 1984 | Firestarter | Norma Manders | |
| 1984 | Once Upon a Time in America | Cemetery Directress | Extended cut only |
| 1984 | Overnight Sensation | Evie Peregrine aka "E.K. Hamilton" | Short |
| 1986 | Invaders from Mars | Mrs. McKeltch | |
| 1986 | The Boy Who Could Fly | Dr. Grenader | |
| 1986 | Nobody's Fool | Pearl | |
| 1987 | Flowers in the Attic | Grandmother | |
| 1988 | Two Moon Junction | Belle Delongpre | |
| 1989 | Best of the Best | Mrs. Grady | |
| 1990 | Shadowzone | Dr. Erhardt | |
| 1990 | Blue Steel | Shirley Turner | |
| 1992 | The Player | Louise Fletcher | |
| 1992 | Blind Vision | Miss Taylor | |
| 1994 |
| 1994 | Giorgino | Innkeeper | |
| 1994 | Tryst | Maggie | |
| 1994 | Tollbooth | Lillian | |
| 1995 | Return to Two Moon Junction | Belle Delongpre | |
| 1995 | Virtuosity | Elizabeth Deane | |
| 1996 | Mulholland Falls | Esther | Uncredited |
| 1996 | Edie & Pen | Judge | |
| 1996 | Frankenstein and Me | Mrs. Perdue | |
| 1996 | 2 Days in the Valley | Evelyn | |
| 1996 | High School High | Principal Evelyn Doyle | |
| 1997 | Gone Fishin' | Restaurant Owner | Uncredited |
| 1997 | The Girl Gets Moe | Gloria | |
| 1998 | Johnny 316 | Sally's Mother | |
| 1998 | Love Kills | Alena Heiss | |
| 1999 | Cruel Intentions | Helen Rosemond | |
| 1999 | A Map of the World | Nellie Goodwin | |
| 1999 | The Contract | Grandma Collins | |
| 2000 | Big Eden | Grace Cornwell | |
| 2000 | Very Mean Men | Katherine Mulroney | |
| 2000 | More Dogs Than Bones | Iva Doll | |
| 2001 | After Image | Aunt Cora | |
| 2001 | Touched by a Killer | Judge Erica Robertson | |
| 2002 | Manna from Heaven | Mother Superior | |
| 2003 | Silver Man | Val | |
| 2003 | Finding Home | Esther | |
| 2004 | Clipping Adam | Grammy | |
| 2005 | Aurora Borealis | Ruth Shorter | |
| 2005 | Dancing in Twilight | Evelyn | |
| 2006 | Fat Rose and Squeaky | Bonnie | |
| 2007 | The Last Sin Eater | Miz Elda | |
| 2007 | A Dennis the Menace Christmas | Mrs. Martha Wilson | |
| 2010 | The Genesis Code | Ellen Taylor | |
| 2011 | Cassadaga | Claire | |
| 2013 | A Perfect Man | Abbie | filmed in 2000 |
| 2020 | Grizzly II: Revenge | Eileene Draygon | filmed in 1983 |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1958 | Flight | unknown role | "Red China Rescue" |
| 1958 | Playhouse 90 | Pete's Girl | 2 episodes |
| 1958 | Bat Masterson | Sarah Lou Conant | "Cheyenne Club" |
| 1958 | Yancy Derringer | Miss Nellie / Alithea | "Old Dixie" |
| 1959 | Lawman | Betty Horgan | "The Encounter" |
| 1959 | Maverick | Kathy Bent | "The Saga of Waco Williams" |
| 1959 | 77 Sunset Strip | Julia Murphy | "A Bargain in Tombs" |
| 1959 | The Untouchables | Eloise | "Ma Barker and Her Boys" |
| 1959 | Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond | Jeannie | "The Open Window" (broadcast Nov. 3., US) |
| 1959 | Markham | Ellen Amery | "Strange Visitor" |
| 1959–60 | Wagon Train | Elizabeth / Martha English | 2 episodes |
| 1960 | The Millionaire | Holly | "Millionaire Vance Ludlow" |
| 1960 | Sugarfoot | Julie Frazer | "Funeral at Forty Mile" |
| 1960 | Tate | Mrs. McConnell | "The Bounty Hunter" |
| 1960 | Perry Mason | Susan Connolly / Gladys Doyle | 2 episodes |
| 1961 | The Best of the Post | unknown role | "Groper in the Dark" |
| 1961 | The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp | Aithra McLowery | "The Law Must Be Fair" |
| 1973 | Medical Center | unknown role | "Child of Violence" |
| 1974 | Can Ellen Be Saved? | Bea Lindsey | TV movie |
| 1978 | Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery | Sally Kimball | TV movie |
| 1984 | Islands | Maureen Davis | TV movie |
| 1985 | A Summer to Remember | Dr. Dolly McKeever | TV movie |
| 1986 | Last Waltz on a Tightrope | Cynthia Diamond | TV movie |
| 1986 | Second Serve | Dr. Sadie M. Bishop | TV movie |
| 1987 | J. Edgar Hoover | Annie M. Hoover | TV movie |
| 1988 | Worlds Beyond | Karen Earl | "Home" |
| 1988 | The Twilight Zone | Dr. Cline | "The Hunters" |
| 1989 | The Karen Carpenter Story | Agnes Carpenter | TV movie |
| 1989 | Final Notice | Mrs. Lord | TV movie |
| 1990 | In the Heat of the Night | Catherine Tyler | "December Days" |
| 1990 | Nightmare on the 13th Floor | Letti Gordon | TV movie |
| 1991 | The Hitchhiker | Mother Birch | "Offspring" |
| 1991 | Tales from the Crypt | Agent | "Top Billing" |
| 1991 | In a Child's Name | Jean Taylor | Miniseries (2 episodes) |
| 1992 | The Boys of Twilight | Genelva McPherson / Genelva | 4 episodes |
| 1992 | The Ray Bradbury Theater | Miss Weldon | "The Dead Man" |
| 1992 | Civil Wars | Judge Francis Wyler | "The Triumph of DeVille" |
| 1993 | The Fire Next Time | Sarge | Miniseries |
| 1993–99 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Kai Winn / Vedek Winn | recurring role (14 episodes) |
| 1994 | The Haunting of Seacliff Inn | Dorothy O'Hara | TV movie |
| 1994 | Someone Else's Child | Faye Maddox | TV movie |
| 1995 | Dream On | Joanna | "Try Not to Remember" |
| 1995–97 | VR.5 | Mrs. Nora Bloom | recurring role (6 episodes) |
| 1996 | Picket Fences | Christine Bey | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | The Stepford Husbands | Miriam Benton | TV movie |
| 1997 | Sins of the Mind | D. Anna Bingham | TV movie |
| 1997 | Married to a Stranger | Nana, Megan's Mother | TV movie |
| 1997 | Heartless | Aunt Lydia McGuffy | TV movie |
| 1997 | Breast Men | Mrs. Saunders | TV movie |
| 1998 | Profiler | Miriam Newquay, Jack's Mother | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | The Practice | Judge N. Swanson | "Rhyme and Reason" |
| 1998 | Fantasy Island | Doris Leeman | "Dying to Dance" |
| 1998 | Brimstone | Evelyn McNabb | "Encore" |
| 1999 | The Devil's Arithmetic | Aunt Eva | TV movie |
| 1999 | Time Served | Warden Mildred Reinecke | TV movie |
| 2003 | A Time to Remember | Billy Calhoun | TV movie |
| 2004 | It's All Relative | ER Nurse | "Oscar Interrupts" |
| 2004 | Joan of Arcadia | Eva Garrison | "Do the Math" |
| 2004 | Wonderfalls | Vivian Caldwell | "Barrel Bear" |
| 2005 | 7th Heaven | Mrs. Wagner | "Honor Thy Mother" |
| 2005 | ER | Roberta "Birdie" Chadwin | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | A Dad for Christmas | Glennie | TV movie |
| 2009 | Heroes | Dr. Coolidge | 2 episodes |
| 2010–11 | Private Practice | Frances Wilder | 2 episodes |
| 2011–12 | Shameless | Peg Gallagher | (4 episodes) |
| 2012 | Of Two Minds | Aunt Will | TV movie |
| 2017 | Girlboss | Rosie | 2 episodes |

## Accolades

| Association | Year | Category | Nominated Work | Results |
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | 2007 | Best Grownup Love Story (shared with Donald Sutherland) | Aurora Borealis | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | 1975 | Best Actress | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | Won |
| BAFTA Awards | 1977 | Best Actress in a Leading Role | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | Won |
| CinEuphoria Awards | 2020 | Career — Honorary Award | — | Won |
| Genie Awards | 1981 | Best Performance by a Foreign Actress | The Lucky Star | Nominated |
| Gold Derby Awards | 2012 | Drama Guest Actress | Shameless | Nominated |
| Golden Globes | 1976 | Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | Won |
| Golden Raspberry Awards | 1987 | Worst Supporting Actress | Invaders from Mars | Nominated |
| Online Film & Television Association | 1997 | Best Guest Actress in a Syndicated Series | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association | 1997 | Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association | 1998 | Best Guest Actress in a Syndicated Series | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association | 1999 | Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Nominated |
| Online Film & Television Association | 1999 | Best Guest Actress in a Syndicated Series | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association | 2012 | Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Shameless | Won |
| Palm Beach International Film Festival | 2005 | Legend in Film Award | — | Won |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 1996 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (for episode "Bye Bye, Bey Bey") | Picket Fences | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2004 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (for episode "Do the Math") | Joan of Arcadia | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards |
| Satellite Awards | 2016 | Mary Pickford Award | — | Won |
| Saturn Awards | 1984 | Best Actress | Brainstorm | Won |
| Saturn Awards | 1988 | Best Supporting Actress | Flowers in the Attic | Nominated |