View source for Mercedes Ruehl

{{Short description|American actress (born 1948)}}
{{Infobox person
| name         = Mercedes Ruehl
| image        = Mercedes-Ruehl-eh.jpg
| caption      = Ruehl in 2009
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1948|2|28}}
| birth_place  = New York City, U.S.
| education    = [[College of New Rochelle]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]]) <br> [[Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts]]
| occupation   = Actress
| years_active = 1976–present
| spouse       = {{marriage|[[David Geiser]]|1999|2020|reason=d}}
| children     = 2
| relatives    = [[Peter Ruehl]] (brother)
}}

'''Mercedes J. Ruehl''' ({{IPAc-en||r|uː|l}} {{respell|ROOL}};<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/organization/standards-guidelines/qrst/#r|title=Say How: R|publisher=National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled|access-date=April 21, 2020}}</ref> born February 28, 1948) is an American screen,  stage, and television actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]], a [[Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Award]], a [[Tony Award]], a [[Drama Desk Award]], two [[Obie Award]]s, and two [[Outer Critics Circle Award]]s.

Ruehl is known for her leading performance in the play ''[[Lost in Yonkers]]'' (1990) and supporting performance in the film ''[[The Fisher King]]'' (1991). Her other film credits include ''[[Big (film)|Big]]'' (1988), ''[[Married to the Mob]]'' (1988), ''[[Last Action Hero]]'' (1993), ''[[Roseanna's Grave]]'' (1997), ''[[Gia]]'' (1998), ''[[The Minus Man]]'' (1999) and ''[[Hustlers (film)|Hustlers]]'' (2019).

==Early life and education==
Ruehl was born February 28, 1948, in [[Jackson Heights, Queens]], New York City,<ref name="trescott">{{cite news| last=Trescott| first=Jacqueline| url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-997544.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025165701/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-997544.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=October 25, 2012| title=Mercedes Ruehl, Driven; The Manic Actress On the Road to Oscar| newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]| date=26 March 1992| publisher=[[HighBeam Research]]| access-date=2013-10-25}}</ref> to Mercedes J. Ruehl, a schoolteacher, and Vincent Ruehl, an [[FBI]] agent.<ref name="filmref">{{cite web| url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/30/Mercedes-Ruehl.html| title=Mercedes Ruehl biography | publisher=Film Reference.com| access-date=2013-10-25}}</ref><ref name="stark">{{cite news| url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20099839,00.html| title=Playing a Gangster's Spitfire Wife, Mercedes Ruehl Heists the Spotlight in Married to the Mob| work=[[People (magazine)|People]]| last1=Stark| first1=John| last2=Hutchings| first2=David| date=September 5, 1988| access-date=2013-10-25}}</ref> Her father was of German and Irish descent and her mother was of Cuban and Irish descent.<ref name="corliss">{{cite magazine| last=Corliss| first=Richard| url=http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,227475,00.html| title=That Old Feeling: The Oscar Race| magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]| date=April 6, 2002| access-date=2013-10-25}}</ref><ref name="buckley">{{cite news|title=STAGE TO SCREENS: Mercedes Ruehl, the Macy-Mamet Connection and Remembering Brad Sullivan |url=http://www.playbill.com/features/article/125033-STAGE-TO-SCREENS-Mercedes-Ruehl-the-Macy-Mamet-Connection-and-Remembering-Brad-Sullivan |last=Buckley |first=Michael |work=[[Playbill]] |access-date=2013-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029185422/http://www.playbill.com/features/article/125033-STAGE-TO-SCREENS-Mercedes-Ruehl-the-Macy-Mamet-Connection-and-Remembering-Brad-Sullivan |archive-date=2013-10-29 }}</ref> The family frequently moved during her childhood owing to Vincent Ruehl's assignments with the FBI, and lived in other states including [[Silver Spring, Maryland]]. She and her brother,  [[Peter Ruehl|Peter]], were raised Catholic.<ref>Ruehl, Mercedes. [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1285/is_n8_v24/ai_15667421 ''Casting a new light on a dark subject - novelist Cynthia Ozick - Interview'']. Interview. August 1994. FindArticles.com. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061214094127/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1285/is_n8_v24/ai_15667421 |date=2006-12-14}}</ref>

She attended the [[College of New Rochelle]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnr.edu/CNR/cnr-wealth.html |title=About CNR |publisher=College of New Rochelle |access-date=2013-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507041128/http://www2.cnr.edu/CNR/cnr-wealth.html |archive-date=2013-05-07 }}</ref> and graduated in 1969 with a BA in English.<ref name="stark"/>

==Career==
Ruehl began her acting career in New York City appearing in various off-off Broadway productions while working a variety of temping and waitressing jobs. She established herself in regional theatre with the [[Denver Center for the Performing Arts|Denver Center Theatre Company]]. In 1980, she was nearly cast in the sixth season of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', losing her slot to [[Denny Dillon]].<ref>[https://www.vulture.com/article/denny-dillon-snl-interview.html/] Andy Hoglund, Vulture, August 13, 2020 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812173001/https://www.vulture.com/article/denny-dillon-snl-interview.html|date=August 12, 2020}}</ref> Her first starring role on Broadway came in 1984's ''[[I'm Not Rappaport]]''. She then went on to win the 1984 [[Obie Award]] for her performance in ''The Marriage of Bette and Boo'' and twenty years later, an Obie for ''Woman Before a Glass''. She also received a 1991 [[Tony Award]] as Best Actress (Play) for [[Neil Simon]]'s ''[[Lost in Yonkers]]'' and continued her role in the show during its tour with co-star [[Mercedes McCambridge]]. Her performances in two other plays earned her two other Tony nominations: in 1995, as Best Actress (Featured Role&nbsp;– Play) for a revival of ''[[The Shadow Box]]''; and in 2002, as Best Actress (Play) for Edward Albee's ''[[The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?]]''.<ref name="wing">{{cite web|title=Biography: Mercedes Ruehl |url=http://americantheatrewing.org/biography/detail/mercedes_ruehl |publisher=[[American Theatre Wing]] |date=February 2005 |access-date=2013-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512135231/http://americantheatrewing.org/biography/detail/mercedes_ruehl |archive-date=2013-05-12 }}</ref>

In 1996, she was mentioned in the [[Sheryl Crow]] song ''[[A Change Would Do You Good]]''.  In 1999, they co-starred together in the movie ''[[The Minus Man]]''.

Her most acclaimed film role was in ''[[The Fisher King]]''; her performance as a strong-willed and pragmatic video store owner earned her the 1991 [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]], [[American Comedy Award]], [[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Boston Society of Film Critics Award]], a [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award]], and a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Golden Globe]]. Earlier she had won the 1989 [[National Society of Film Critics|National Society of Film Critics Award]] for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in ''[[Married to the Mob]]''. She played [[KACL (Frasier)|KACL]] station manager Kate Costas in five episodes of ''[[Frasier]]'', and had a major role in the made-for-TV film ''[[All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story]]''. In 2005, she (along with [[Esai Morales]]) received the [[Rita Moreno]] HOLA Award for Excellence from the [[Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors]]. She later played the mother of main character Vincent Chase in [[HBO]]'s ''[[Entourage (U.S. TV series)|Entourage]]''.

In 2009, she returned to the stage in [[Manhattan Theater Club]]'s production of [[Richard Greenberg]]'s ''[[The American Plan]]'' playing the role of Eva Adler.<ref name="jones">{{cite news|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125455.html |title=Ruehl & Rabe Are Mother and Daughter in Broadway's American Plan, Opening Jan. 22 |publisher=Playbill.com |work=Playbill |last=Jones |first=Kenneth |date=January 22, 2009 |access-date=2013-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428043749/http://playbill.com/news/article/125455.html |archive-date=April 28, 2009 }}</ref> The production opened at the [[Samuel J. Friedman Theatre]] and the limited engagement ran From January 22 until March 22.<ref name="extended">{{cite news|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126466.html |title=Broadway's American Plan Is Extended to March 22 |date=February 19, 2009 |publisher=Playbill.com |work=Playbill |last=Jones |first=Kenneth |access-date=2013-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428045449/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126466.html |archive-date=April 28, 2009 }}</ref> In his rave review in ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[Ben Brantley]] called Ruehl's performance "masterly".<ref name="brantley">{{cite news| url=http://theater2.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/theater/reviews/23plan.html| title=Rapunzel in the Catskills| work=[[The New York Times]]| date=January 22, 2009| access-date=2013-10-25}}</ref> Ruehl next appeared in the drama/horror film ''What Ever Happened to Barker Daniels?'', which was released in 2009. In January 2011, Ruehl starred in Sarah Treem's play ''The How and The Why'', directed by Emily Mann at [[McCarter Theatre]] of [[Princeton University]].<ref name="filichia">{{cite news| title='The How and the Why' review: Princeton play premiere proves to be all-inclusive success| url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2011/01/the_how_and_the_why_review_pri.html| work=[[The Star-Ledger]]| location=[[Newark, New Jersey]]| last=Filichia| first=Peter| date=January 18, 2011| publisher=nj.com| access-date=2013-10-25}}</ref>

Ruehl appeared in the role of Ma in Harvey Fierstein's revamped and renamed revival of his play ''[[Torch Song Trilogy|Torch Song]]'' Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater. The play began previews on September 26, and opened officially on October 19, 2017.<ref>{{cite web | title=Torch Song, Starring Michael Urie and Mercedes Ruehl, Extends | website=TheaterMania | url=https://www.theatermania.com/off-broadway/news/torch-song-extends-second-stage_82420.html | access-date=2021-07-26| date=September 14, 2017}}</ref> The production later transferred to Broadway.

Ruehl is on the faculty of [[HB Studio]] in New York City.<ref>{{cite web | title=Mercedes Ruehl, HB Studio NYC, Acting Workshop Teacher | website=HB Studio | date=2021-02-04 | url=https://hbstudio.org/instructors/ruehl-mercedes/ | access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1999, Ruehl married painter [[David Geiser]] with whom she had adopted a son, Jake (born 1995).<ref name="Star">{{cite news|url=https://www.easthamptonstar.com/obituaries/2020115/david-geiser-artist-was-73|title=David Geiser, Artist, Was 73|date=November 5, 2020|work=East Hampton Star|access-date=February 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name="yahoo"/> She had another son, Christopher, whom she placed for adoption in 1976 when she was 28. They were reunited in the late 1990s when he turned 21, and later Christopher became Jake's godfather.<ref name="yahoo">{{cite web|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019603/bio |title=Mercedes Ruehl |publisher=Yahoo! Movies |access-date=2013-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726144552/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019603/bio |archive-date=2011-07-26 }}</ref> Ruehl and Geiser put their Hampton house on the market in 2017; the same year Ruehl said that they were no longer together, but remained close.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2017/11/02/meet-the-most-unloved-woman-in-new-york/|title=Meet the 'most unloved woman in New York'|first=Barbara|last=Hoffman|work=New York Post|date=November 2, 2017|access-date=February 23, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.27east.com/real-estate-news/mercedes-ruehl-and-david-geiser-unload-east-hampton-home-1403832/|title=Mercedes Ruehl And David Geiser Unload East Hampton Home|work=Southampton Press|via=27east|date=March 28, 2017|access-date=February 23, 2021}}</ref> Geiser died unexpectedly of heart disease in his sleep at home on October 14, 2020, at the age of 73.<ref name="Star" />

Her brother, [[Peter Ruehl|Peter]], moved to Australia in 1987 where he was a newspaper columnist until his death in 2011.<ref name=Peter>{{cite news|title=Newspaper columnist Peter Ruehl dies|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/newspaper-columnist-peter-ruehl-dies-20110412-1dbza.html|access-date=2013-10-25|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=April 12, 2011}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1976
|''[[Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands]]''
|American girl in casino
|Film debut Uncredited
|-
|1979
|''[[The Warriors (film)|The Warriors]]''
|Policewoman
|
|-
|1981
|''[[Four Friends (1981 film)|Four Friends]]''
|Woman in Taxi
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1986
|''[[Heartburn (film)|Heartburn]]''
|Eve
|
|-
|''[[Twisted (1986 film)|Twisted]]''
|Cybelle
|
|-
| rowspan="4" |1987
|''[[Radio Days]]''
|Ad Man
|
|-
|''[[84 Charing Cross Road (film)|84 Charing Cross Road]]''
|Kay
|
|-
|''[[The Secret of My Success (1987 film)|The Secret of My Succe$s]]''
|Sheila
|
|-
|''Leader of the Band''
|Miss Cooper
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1988
|''[[Big (film)|Big]]''
|Mrs. Baskin
|
|-
|''[[Married to the Mob]]''
|Connie Russo
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1989
|''[[Slaves of New York]]''
|Samantha
|
|-
|''[[Crimes and Misdemeanors]]''
|Party Guest
|Uncredited
|-
|1990
|''[[Crazy People]]''
|Dr. Liz Baylor
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1991
|''[[Another You]]''
|Elaine/Mimi Kravitz
|
|-
|''[[The Fisher King]]''
|Anne
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1993
|''[[Lost in Yonkers (film)|Lost in Yonkers]]''
|Bella Kurnitz
|
|-
|''[[Last Action Hero]]''
|Irene Madigan
|
|-
|1994
|''On Hope''
|Wendy
|Short film
|-
|1997
|''[[Roseanna's Grave]]''
|Roseanna 'Rosa'
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1999
|''[[The Minus Man]]''
|Jane
|
|-
|''Out of the Cold''
|Tina
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |2000
|''[[What's Cooking? (film)|What's Cooking?]]''
|Elizabeth 'Lizzy' Avila
|
|-
|''[[More Dogs Than Bones]]''
|Victoria 'Vic' Galletti
|
|-
|''[[The Amati Girls]]''
|Grace
|
|-
|2002
|''[[Spooky House]]''
|Boss
|
|-
|2004
|''[[Zeyda and the Hitman]]''
|Esther
|
|-
|2010
|''Goldstar, Ohio''
|Adriana Rock
|Short film
|-
|2014
|''[[Chu and Blossom]]''
|Mrs. Fefterg
|
|-
|2016
|''Good Business''
|Lorraine
|Short film
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Hustlers (film)|Hustlers]]''
| Mother
| 
|-
|TBA
|''[[The Nana Project]]''
|Helen “Nana” Lewis
|Post-production
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1977
|''[[The Doctors (1963 TV series)|The Doctors]]''
|Ursula
|Television debut <br/> Recurring role
|-
|1984
|''[[ABC Afterschool Special]]''
|Sandy
|Episode: "Mom's on Strike"
|-
|1985
|''[[Our Family Honor]]''
|Louise Taylor
|Episode: "Homecoming"
|-
|1986
|''[[Kate & Allie]]''
|Millie
|Episode: "Late Bloomer" <br/>Credited as Mercedes Ruehle
|-
|1990
|''[[The Cosby Show]]''
|Bernadette Foley
|Episode: "The Moves"
|-
|1995
|''[[Indictment: The McMartin Trial]]''
|Lael Rubin
|Television movie
|-
|1995–96
|''[[Frasier]]''
|Kate Costas
|Recurring role; 5 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |1997
|''North Shore Fish''
|Florence
|Television movie
|-
|''[[Subway Stories|SUBWAYStories: Tales from the Underground]]''
|Leyla
|Television movie <br/>Segment: "Underground"
|-
|1998
|''[[Gia]]''
|Kathleen Carangi
|Television movie
|-
| rowspan="2" |2000
|''[[All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story]]''
|Jane Newhall
|Television movie
|-
|''The Lost Child''
|Rebecca
|Television movie
|-
|2001
|''Mr. Life''
|
|Television movie
|-
| rowspan="2" |2002
|''Guilt by Association''
|Susan Walker
|Television movie
|-
|''Widows''
|Dolly Rawlins
|4 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3" |2004
|''Everyday Life''
|
|Television movie
|-
|''[[Missing (Canadian TV series)|1-800-Missing]]''
|Emmanuelle Baker
|Episode: "These Dreams Before Me"
|-
|''Bad Apple''
|Lorraine Gibbons
|Television movie
|-
|2004 and 2009
|''[[Law & Order]]''
|Judge Clara Lloyd/Zina Rybakov
|2 episodes
|-
|2005
|''[[Mom at Sixteen]]''
|Terry Jeffries
|Television movie
|-
| rowspan="2" |2006
|''So Here's What Happened''
|Rochelle
|Television movie
|-
|''[[A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story]]''
|Sylvia Guerrero
|Television movie
|-
|2006–08
|''[[Entourage (U.S. TV series)|Entourage]]''
|Rita Chase
|2 episodes
|-
|2007
|''[[Psych]]''
|Detective Goochberg
|Episode: "Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast"
|-
|2009
|''[[Loving Leah]]''
|Janice Lever
|Television movie
|-
| rowspan="2" |2012
|''El Jefe''
|Delmi Rodriguez
|Television movie
|-
|''[[Luck (TV series)|Luck]]''
|Renzo's Mother
|Episode: "Episode Nine"
|-
| rowspan="3" |2013
|''[[Doubt (2013 film)|Doubt]]''
|Mrs. Syd Newman
|Television movie
|-
|''[[Monday Mornings]]''
|Judge Beverly Natheson
|Episode: "Wheels Within Wheels"
|-
|''Star Spangled Banners''
|Rosalind Banner
|Television movie
|-
|2015
|''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]''
|Lucia Barba
|Episode: "December Solstice"
|-
| rowspan="3" |2016
|''[[Life in Pieces]]''
|Mia
|Episode: "Hair Recital Rainbow Mom"
|-
|''[[The Mysteries of Laura]]''
|Val Santiani
|Episode: "The Mystery of the End of Watch"
|-
|''[[2 Broke Girls]]''
|Olga
|Episode: "And the Godmama Drama"
|-
|2017
|''[[NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]''
|Marie Quinn
|Episode: "A Bowl of Cherries"
|-
|2017–18
|''[[Power (TV series)|Power]]''
|Connie Teresi
|Recurring role; 7 episodes
|-
|2018–20
|''[[Bull (2016 TV series)|Bull]]''
|Judge Tessa Hudson 
|3 episodes
|-
|2022
|''[[New Amsterdam (2018 TV series)|New Amsterdam]]''
|Grace
|Episode: "TBD"
|}

=== Theater ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Venue 
!Refs
|-
|1985
|''Coming of Age in Soho''
|Patricia
|rowspan=2|[[The Public Theatre]]
|rowspan=18|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/287347-mercedes-ruehl|title=Mercedes Ruehl theatre profile}}</ref>
|-
|1985
|''The Marriage of Bette and Boo''
|Joan Brennan
|-
|1985–88
|''[[I'm Not Rappaport]]''
|Clara
|[[Booth Theatre]], Broadway
|-
|1988
|''American Notes'
|Karen
|[[The Public Theatre]]
|-
|1989
|''[[Other People's Money]]''
|Kate Sullivan
|[[Minetta Lane Theatre]], Off-Broadway
|-
|1991
|''[[Lost in Yonkers]]''
|Bella Kurnitz
|[[Richard Rodgers Theatre]]
|-
|1992
|''[[Antony and Cleopatra]]''
|[[Cleopatra]]
|[[Actors Theatre of Louisville|Actors Theater]], Louisville
|-
|1994–95
|''[[The Shadow Box]]''
|Beverly
|rowspan=2|[[Circle in the Square Theatre]], Broadway
|-
|1995
|''[[The Rose Tattoo]]''
|Serafina Delle Rose
|-
|2000
|''[[The Vagina Monologues]]''
|Monologist
|[[Westside Theatre]], Off-Broadway
|-
|2000–01
|''[[Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?]]''
|Martha
|[[Guthrie Theater]]. Minneapolis 
|-
|2002
|''[[The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?]]''
|Stevie
|[[John Golden Theatre]], Broadway
|-
|2005
|''Woman Before a Glass''
|[[Peggy Guggenheim]]
|Promenade Theater, Off-Broadway
|-
|2009
|''[[The American Plan]]''
|Eva Adler
|[[Samuel J. Friedman Theatre]], Broadway
|-
|2010
|''[[Occupant (play)|Edward Albee's Occupant]]''
|[[Louise Nevelson]]
|Peter Norton Space
|-
|2012
|''[[The How and the Why]]''
|Zelda Kahn
|[[McCarter Theatre]], New Jersey 
|-
|2015
|''[[Full Gallop]]''
|[[Diana Vreeland]]
|[[Old Globe Theatre]], California 
|-
|2017–19
|''[[Torch Song Trilogy|Torch Song]]''
|Ma Beckoff
|[[Second Stage Theater]], Off-Broadway <br/>[[Helen Hayes Theatre]], Broadway
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Accolade
!Results
|-
|1989
|''[[Married to the Mob]]''
|[[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|National Society of Film Critics Award, Best Supporting Actress]]
|{{WON}}
|-
| rowspan="5" |1991
|''[[The Fisher King]]''
|[[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Boston Society of Film Critics Award, Best Supporting Actress]]
|{{WON}}
|-
|''[[Lost in Yonkers]]''
|[[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play|Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Actress in a Play]]
|{{WON}}
|-
|''[[The Fisher King]]''
|[[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, Best Supporting Actress]]
|{{WON}}
|-
|''[[Lost in Yonkers]]''
|[[Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play|Tony Award, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play]]
|{{WON}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |''[[The Fisher King]]''
|[[Venice Film Festival|Venice Film Festival Award, Best Lead Actress]]
|{{WON}}
|-
| rowspan="6" |1992
|[[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Academy Award, Best Supporting Actress]]
|{{WON}}
|-
|[[American Comedy Awards|American Comedy Award, Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture]]
|{{WON}}
|-
|[[Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Chicago Film Critics Association Award, Best Supporting Actor]]
|{{WON}}
|-
|[[Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award, Best Supporting Actress]]
|{{WON}}
|-
|[[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Golden Globe Award, Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture]]
|{{WON}}
|-
|[[Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress|Saturn Award, Best Supporting Actress]]
|{{WON}}
|-
|1993
!
|[[Boston Film Festival|Boston Film Festival Award, Film Excellence award]]
|{{WON}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |1995
|''[[Indictment: The McMartin Trial]]''
|[[CableACE Award|CableACE Award, Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries]]
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|''[[The Rose Tattoo]]''
|[[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play|Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Actress in a Play]]
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|''[[The Shadow Box]]''
|[[Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play|Tony Award, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play]]
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|2002
|''[[The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?]]''
|[[Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play|Tony Award, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play]]
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|2006
|''[[Mom at Sixteen]]''
|[[Entertainment Industries Council|Prism Award, Performance in a Television Movie or Miniseries]]
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|2007
|''[[A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story]]''
|[[Imagen Awards|Imagen Foundation Award, Best Actress - Television]]
|{{Nominated}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{IOBDB name|9317}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{TCMDb name}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051215121507/http://www.playbill.com/features/article/93074.html Ruehl Rules], a May 2005 ''[[Playbill]]'' article
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050527144112/http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/76173.html Brief Encounter with Mercedes Ruehl],  a May 2002 ''Playbill'' interview

{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Mercedes Ruehl
|list =
{{AcademyAwardBestSupportingActress 1981-2000}}
{{Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{DramaDesk PlayOutstandingActress 1975-2000}}
{{GoldenGlobeBestSuppActressMotionPicture 1981-2000}}
{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress 1981-2000}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{TonyAward PlayLeadActress 1976-2000}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruehl, Mercedes}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:American entertainers of Cuban descent]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American people of Cuban descent]]
[[Category:American people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:American stage actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners]]
[[Category:College of New Rochelle alumni]]
[[Category:Mercy University alumni]]
[[Category:Drama Desk Award winners]]
[[Category:Hispanic and Latino American actresses]]
[[Category:People from Jackson Heights, Queens]]
[[Category:Tony Award winners]]
[[Category:Actresses from Queens, New York]]
[[Category:1948 births]]