Elizabeth Lee McGovern (born July 18, 1961) is an American film, television, and theater actor, and musician. McGovern received an Academy Award nomination for her role as Evelyn Nesbit in the 1981 film Ragtime. She is also known for her performance as Cora, Countess of Grantham in the British drama series Downton Abbey, for which she has been nominated for an Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award. Her other films include Ordinary People (1980), Once Upon A Time In America (1984), The Handmaid's Tale (1990) and The Wings of the Dove (1997).