Acting · Rochester, Minnesota, USA · Born May 31, 1961
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.
MovieSEGAL
2025
as Self
TVThe Chicken Sisters
2024
as Nancy Hillier
MovieBRATS
2024
as Self
TVThe Spencer Sisters
2023
as Victoria Spencer
MovieThe Disappearance of Cari Farver
2022
as Nancy Farver
MovieTen Tricks
2022
as Grace
MovieMarty & Doc: The Inside Story of a Phenomenon
2022
as Self
MovieUnplugging
2022
as Perkins
MovieNext Stop, Christmas
2021
as Evelyn
MovieMark, Mary + Some Other People
2021
as Aunty Carol
TVINVINCIBLE
2021
as Carol (voice)
MovieDinner in America
2020
as Betty
TVReunited Apart
2020
as Self
TVStars in the House
2020
as Self
TVStar Trek: Picard
2020
as Diane Werner
MovieCool Cat's Crazy Dream
2019
as Dream World Lea
TVThe Ready Room
2019
as Self
MovieLittle Women
2018
as Margaret "Marmee" March
MovieSierra Burgess Is a Loser
2018
as Mrs. Burgess
TV25 Words or Less
2018
as Self
MovieThe Year of Spectacular Men
2018
as Deb Klein
MovieWho We Are Now
2018
as Alana
TVBack to the Future: The Hill Valley Chronicles
2018
as Lorraine Baines-McFly
MovieOver the Hill
2018
as Sally
MovieLiterally, Right Before Aaron
2017
as Deb (Adam's Mom)
MovieThe Dog Lover
2016
as Liz Holloway
MovieStars Are Already Dead
2016
as Aunt Sophia
MovieKeith Lemon's Back t'Future Tribute
2015
as Self
MovieBack in Time
2015
as Self
TVThe Muppets
2015
as Self
TVCelebrity Family Feud
2015
as Self
TVPenn Zero: Part-Time Hero
2014
as Vonnie (voice)
MovieLeft Behind
2014
as Irene Steele
TVA to Z
2014
as Lea Thompson
TVScorpion
2014
as Veronica Dineen
MoviePing Pong Summer
2014
as Mrs. Miracle
MovieMy Mother's Future Husband
2014
as René Henderson
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self - Guest
TVThe Goldbergs
2013
as Fran
TVWhose Line Is It Anyway?
2013
as Self
MovieCall Me Crazy: A Five Film
2013
as Julia
MovieMilius
2013
as Self
MovieLove at the Christmas Table
2012
as Elissa Beth
MovieJohn Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast
2012
as Self
MovieBound by Flesh
2012
as Voiceover
MovieThe Trouble with the Truth
2012
as Emily
MovieThin Ice
2012
as Jo Ann Prohaska
MovieGame of Your Life
2011
as Abbie
MovieJ. Edgar
2011
as Lela Rogers
MovieThe Cabin
2011
as Lily MacDougal
MovieMayor Cupcake
2011
as Mary Maroni
TVSwitched at Birth
2011
as Kathryn Kennish
MovieTales from the Future
2010
as Self
MovieRock Slyde
2010
as Master Bartologist
MovieAdventures of a Teenage Dragonslayer
2010
as Laura
MovieSplinterheads
2009
as Susan Frost
MovieLooking Back to the Future
2009
as Self
MovieFatal Secrets
2009
as Rebecca
MovieThe Christmas Clause
2008
as Sophie
MovieExit Speed
2008
as Maudie McMinn
MovieFinal Approach
2008
as Alicia Bender
MovieSenior Skip Day
2008
as Cathleen Harris
MovieSpy School
2008
as Claire Miller
MovieJane Doe: Eye of the Beholder
2008
as Cathy Davis / Jane Doe
TVGreek
2007
as April
MovieJane Doe: How to Fire Your Boss
2007
as Cathy Davis
MovieA Life Interrupted
2007
as Debbie Smith
TVHead Case
2007
as Self
MovieJane Doe: Ties That Bind
2007
as Cathy Davis / Jane Doe
MovieCalifornia Dreaming
2007
as Ginger Gainor
TVCelebrity Duets
2006
Looking Back at the Future
2006
as Herself
MovieJane Doe: The Harder They Fall
2006
as Cathy Davis
MovieJane Doe: Yes, I Remember It Well
2006
as Cathy Davis
The Making of Some Kind of Wonderful
2006
as Self
MovieJane Doe: The Wrong Face
2005
as Cathy Davis
TVDancing with the Stars
2005
as Self - Contestant
MovieJane Doe: Til Death Do Us Part
2005
as Cathy Davis
MovieJane Doe: Now You See It, Now You Don't
2005
as Cathy Davis
TVAmerican Dad!
2005
as Caroline Duffy (voice)
MovieJane Doe: Vanishing Act
2005
as Cathy Davis
MovieCome Away Home
2005
as Carol
The Tony Danza Show
2004
as Self - Guest
MovieStealing Christmas
2003
as Sarah Gibson
MovieHaunted Lighthouse 4-D
2003
as Peg Van Legge
For the People
2002
as Chief Deputy District Attorney Camille Paris
MovieFish Don't Blink
2002
as Clara
TVEd
2000
as Liz Stevens
TVCSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
as Jennifer Rhodes
TVLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Michelle Osborne
TVThe Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1999
as Self - Guest
TVFamily Guy
1999
as Teenaged Girl in Diner (voice)
TVA Will of their Own
1998
as Amanda Steward
MovieThe Unknown Cyclist
1998
as Melissa Cavatelli
TVHollywood Squares
1998
as Self - Panelist
TVE! True Hollywood Story
1996
MovieThe Right to Remain Silent
1996
as Christine Paley
MovieThe Unspoken Truth
1995
as Brianne Hawkins
TVCaroline in the City
1995
as Caroline Duffy
TVFriends
1994
as Caroline Duffy (uncredited)
MovieThe Little Rascals
1994
as Ms. Roberts
MovieThe Substitute Wife
1994
as Amy Hightower
TVIntimate Portrait
1993
as Self
MovieThe Beverly Hillbillies
1993
as Laura Jackson
MovieDennis the Menace
1993
as Alice Mitchell
MovieStolen Babies
1993
as Annie Beales
TVThe Larry Sanders Show
1992
as Lea Thompson
MovieArticle 99
1992
as Dr. Robin Van Dorn
MovieBack to the Future Part III
1990
as Maggie McFly / Lorraine McFly
MovieMontana
1990
as Peg Guthrie
MovieBack to the Future Part II
1989
as Lorraine
TVTales from the Crypt
1989
as Sylvia Vane
MovieNightbreaker
1989
as Sally Matthews
TVLIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
MovieThe Wizard of Loneliness
1988
as Sybil
MovieGoing Undercover
1988
as Marigold de la Hunt
MovieCasual Sex?
1988
as Stacy
MovieSome Kind of Wonderful
1987
as Amanda Jones
MovieThe Making of Back to the Future
1986
as Self
MovieHoward the Duck
1986
as Beverly Switzler
MovieSpaceCamp
1986
as Kathryn
MovieBack to the Future
1985
as Lorraine Baines
MovieThe Wild Life
1984
as Anita
MovieRed Dawn
1984
as Erica
MovieAll the Right Moves
1983
as Lisa
MovieJaws 3-D
1983
as Kelly Ann Bukowski
MovieThe Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Die
1983
TVAmerican Playhouse
1982
as Aunt Sybil
Queen
as Dr. Page
MovieA Pretty Good Movie
as Ramona
MovieYou Are Here
as Helen
What If
MovieHoward the Doc or: How I Learned to Start Quacking and Love the Bomb
as Self
