Acting
Lea Thompson
Born 1961-05-31
Rochester, Minnesota, USA
Department: Acting
Biography
Lea Katherine Thompson (born May 31, 1961) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and director. She is best known for her roles as Lorraine Baines-McFly in the Back to the Future film trilogy (1985–1990), Beverly Switzler in Howard the Duck (1986), and Amanda Jones in Some Kind of Wonderful (1987). Other films for which she is known include All the Right Moves (1983), Red Dawn (1984), Dennis the Menace (1993), and The Beverly Hillbillies (1993). In the 1990s, she played the title character in the sitcom Caroline in the City. From 2011 to 2017, she co-starred as Kathryn Kennish in the ABC Family-turned-Freeform series Switched at Birth.
Known For
Prominent works featuring Lea Thompson
Movie
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Back to the Future
1985
TMDB4.2
Movie
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Back to the Future Part II
1989
TMDB3.9
Movie
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Back to the Future Part III
1990
TMDB3.8
TV
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Friends
1994
TMDB4.2
TV
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Family Guy
1999
TMDB3.7
TV
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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
TMDB4.0
TV
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INVINCIBLE
2021
TMDB4.3
TV
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Scorpion
2014
TMDB4.1
TV
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American Dad!
2005
TMDB3.5
TV
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Young Sheldon
2017
TMDB4.0
Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (155 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Anna Pigeon | Executive Producer | TV Series | 2026 |
 | SEGAL | Self | Movie | 2025 |
 | The Chicken Sisters | Nancy Hillier | TV Series | 2024 |
| The Chicken Sisters | Director | TV Series | 2024 |
 | BRATS | Self | Movie | 2024 |
 | The Spencer Sisters | Victoria Spencer | TV Series | 2023 |
 | Will Trent | Director | TV Series | 2023 |
 | The Disappearance of Cari Farver | Nancy Farver | Movie | 2022 |
 | Ten Tricks | Grace | Movie | 2022 |
 | Marty & Doc: The Inside Story of a Phenomenon | Self | Movie | 2022 |
 | Unplugging | Perkins | Movie | 2022 |
 | Next Stop, Christmas | Evelyn | Movie | 2021 |
 | Mark, Mary + Some Other People | Aunty Carol | Movie | 2021 |
 | INVINCIBLE | Carol (voice) | TV Series | 2021 |
 | Resident Alien | Director | TV Series | 2021 |
 | Dinner in America | Betty | Movie | 2020 |
 | DC's Stargirl | Director | TV Series | 2020 |
 | Reunited Apart | Self | TV Series | 2020 |
 | Stars in the House | Self | TV Series | 2020 |
 | Katy Keene | Director | TV Series | 2020 |
 | Star Trek: Picard | Diane Werner | TV Series | 2020 |
| Star Trek: Picard | Director | TV Series | 2020 |
 | Cool Cat's Crazy Dream | Dream World Lea | Movie | 2019 |
 | The Ready Room | Self | TV Series | 2019 |
 | Schooled | Director | TV Series | 2019 |
 | Little Women | Margaret "Marmee" March | Movie | 2018 |
 | Sierra Burgess Is a Loser | Mrs. Burgess | Movie | 2018 |
 | 25 Words or Less | Self | TV Series | 2018 |
 | The Year of Spectacular Men | Deb Klein | Movie | 2018 |
| The Year of Spectacular Men | Director | Movie | 2018 |
 | Who We Are Now | Alana | Movie | 2018 |
 | Back to the Future: The Hill Valley Chronicles | Lorraine Baines-McFly | TV Series | 2018 |
 | Over the Hill | Sally | Movie | 2018 |
 | Young Sheldon | Director | TV Series | 2017 |
 | Literally, Right Before Aaron | Deb (Adam's Mom) | Movie | 2017 |
 | American Housewife | Director | TV Series | 2016 |
 | The Dog Lover | Liz Holloway | Movie | 2016 |
 | Stars Are Already Dead | Aunt Sophia | Movie | 2016 |
 | Keith Lemon's Back t'Future Tribute | Self | Movie | 2015 |
 | Back in Time | Self | Movie | 2015 |
 | The Muppets | Self | TV Series | 2015 |
 | Celebrity Family Feud | Self | TV Series | 2015 |
 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Vonnie (voice) | TV Series | 2014 |
 | Left Behind | Irene Steele | Movie | 2014 |
 | A to Z | Lea Thompson | TV Series | 2014 |
 | Scorpion | Veronica Dineen | TV Series | 2014 |
 | Ping Pong Summer | Mrs. Miracle | Movie | 2014 |
 | My Mother's Future Husband | René Henderson | Movie | 2014 |
 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Self - Guest | TV Series | 2014 |
 | The Goldbergs | Fran | TV Series | 2013 |
| The Goldbergs | Director | TV Series | 2013 |
 | Mom | Director | TV Series | 2013 |
 | Whose Line Is It Anyway? | Self | TV Series | 2013 |
 | Call Me Crazy: A Five Film | Julia | Movie | 2013 |
 | Milius | Self | Movie | 2013 |
 | Love at the Christmas Table | Elissa Beth | Movie | 2012 |
 | John Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast | Self | Movie | 2012 |
 | Bound by Flesh | Voiceover | Movie | 2012 |
 | The Trouble with the Truth | Emily | Movie | 2012 |
 | Thin Ice | Jo Ann Prohaska | Movie | 2012 |
 | Game of Your Life | Abbie | Movie | 2011 |
 | J. Edgar | Lela Rogers | Movie | 2011 |
 | The Cabin | Lily MacDougal | Movie | 2011 |
 | Mayor Cupcake | Mary Maroni | Movie | 2011 |
 | Switched at Birth | Kathryn Kennish | TV Series | 2011 |
| Switched at Birth | Director | TV Series | 2011 |
 | Tales from the Future | Self | Movie | 2010 |
 | Rock Slyde | Master Bartologist | Movie | 2010 |
 | Adventures of a Teenage Dragonslayer | Laura | Movie | 2010 |
 | Splinterheads | Susan Frost | Movie | 2009 |
 | Looking Back to the Future | Self | Movie | 2009 |
| Looking Back to the Future | Thanks | Movie | 2009 |
 | Fatal Secrets | Rebecca | Movie | 2009 |
| Fatal Secrets | Associate Producer | Movie | 2009 |
 | The Christmas Clause | Sophie | Movie | 2008 |
 | My Best Friend's Girl | Thanks | Movie | 2008 |
 | Exit Speed | Maudie McMinn | Movie | 2008 |
 | Final Approach | Alicia Bender | Movie | 2008 |
 | Senior Skip Day | Cathleen Harris | Movie | 2008 |
 | Spy School | Claire Miller | Movie | 2008 |
 | Jane Doe: Eye of the Beholder | Cathy Davis / Jane Doe | Movie | 2008 |
| Jane Doe: Eye of the Beholder | Director | Movie | 2008 |
 | Greek | April | TV Series | 2007 |
 | Jane Doe: How to Fire Your Boss | Cathy Davis | Movie | 2007 |
 | A Life Interrupted | Debbie Smith | Movie | 2007 |
 | Head Case | Self | TV Series | 2007 |
 | Jane Doe: Ties That Bind | Cathy Davis / Jane Doe | Movie | 2007 |
 | California Dreaming | Ginger Gainor | Movie | 2007 |
 | Celebrity Duets | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 2006 |
| Looking Back at the Future | Herself | Movie | 2006 | |
 | Jane Doe: The Harder They Fall | Cathy Davis | Movie | 2006 |
| Jane Doe: The Harder They Fall | Director | Movie | 2006 |
 | Jane Doe: Yes, I Remember It Well | Cathy Davis | Movie | 2006 |
| The Making of Some Kind of Wonderful | Self | Movie | 2006 | |
 | Jane Doe: The Wrong Face | Cathy Davis | Movie | 2005 |
 | Dancing with the Stars | Self - Contestant | TV Series | 2005 |
 | Jane Doe: Til Death Do Us Part | Cathy Davis | Movie | 2005 |
 | Jane Doe: Now You See It, Now You Don't | Cathy Davis | Movie | 2005 |
 | American Dad! | Caroline Duffy (voice) | TV Series | 2005 |
 | Jane Doe: Vanishing Act | Cathy Davis | Movie | 2005 |
 | Come Away Home | Carol | Movie | 2005 |
| The Tony Danza Show | Self - Guest | TV Series | 2004 | |
 | Stealing Christmas | Sarah Gibson | Movie | 2003 |
 | Haunted Lighthouse 4-D | Peg Van Legge | Movie | 2003 |
| For the People | Chief Deputy District Attorney Camille Paris | TV Series | 2002 | |
 | Fish Don't Blink | Clara | Movie | 2002 |
 | Ed | Liz Stevens | TV Series | 2000 |
 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Jennifer Rhodes | TV Series | 2000 |
 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Michelle Osborne | TV Series | 1999 |
 | The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn | Self - Guest | TV Series | 1999 |
 | Family Guy | Teenaged Girl in Diner (voice) | TV Series | 1999 |
| Family Guy | Lorraine McFly (voice) | TV Series | 1999 |
 | A Will of their Own | Amanda Steward | TV Series | 1998 |
 | The Unknown Cyclist | Melissa Cavatelli | Movie | 1998 |
 | Hollywood Squares | Self - Panelist | TV Series | 1998 |
 | E! True Hollywood Story | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1996 |
 | The Right to Remain Silent | Christine Paley | Movie | 1996 |
 | The Unspoken Truth | Brianne Hawkins | Movie | 1995 |
 | Caroline in the City | Caroline Duffy | TV Series | 1995 |
 | Friends | Caroline Duffy (uncredited) | TV Series | 1994 |
 | The Little Rascals | Ms. Roberts | Movie | 1994 |
 | The Substitute Wife | Amy Hightower | Movie | 1994 |
 | Intimate Portrait | Self | TV Series | 1993 |
 | The Beverly Hillbillies | Laura Jackson | Movie | 1993 |
 | Dennis the Menace | Alice Mitchell | Movie | 1993 |
 | Stolen Babies | Annie Beales | Movie | 1993 |
 | The Larry Sanders Show | Lea Thompson | TV Series | 1992 |
 | Article 99 | Dr. Robin Van Dorn | Movie | 1992 |
 | Back to the Future Part III | Maggie McFly / Lorraine McFly | Movie | 1990 |
 | Montana | Peg Guthrie | Movie | 1990 |
 | Back to the Future Part II | Lorraine | Movie | 1989 |
 | Tales from the Crypt | Sylvia Vane | TV Series | 1989 |
 | Nightbreaker | Sally Matthews | Movie | 1989 |
 | LIVE with Kelly and Mark | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1988 |
| LIVE with Kelly and Mark | Self - Guest | TV Series | 1988 |
 | The Wizard of Loneliness | Sybil | Movie | 1988 |
 | Going Undercover | Marigold de la Hunt | Movie | 1988 |
 | Casual Sex? | Stacy | Movie | 1988 |
 | Some Kind of Wonderful | Amanda Jones | Movie | 1987 |
 | The Making of Back to the Future | Self | Movie | 1986 |
 | Howard the Duck | Beverly Switzler | Movie | 1986 |
 | SpaceCamp | Kathryn | Movie | 1986 |
 | Back to the Future | Lorraine Baines | Movie | 1985 |
 | The Wild Life | Anita | Movie | 1984 |
 | Red Dawn | Erica | Movie | 1984 |
 | All the Right Moves | Lisa | Movie | 1983 |
 | Jaws 3-D | Kelly Ann Bukowski | Movie | 1983 |
 | The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Die | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1983 |
 | American Playhouse | Aunt Sybil | TV Series | 1982 |
| Queen | Dr. Page | Movie | — | |
 | A Pretty Good Movie | Ramona | Movie | — |
 | You Are Here | Helen | Movie | — |
| What If | Self / Appearance | Movie | — | |
 | Howard the Doc or: How I Learned to Start Quacking and Love the Bomb | Self | Movie | — |
| Manville | Director | Movie | — |