Ellen Burstyn says she passed on the role that won Cloris Leachman an Oscar

“I didn’t want to be doing it 24 hours a day,” Burstyn told EW about passing on the role that won Cloris Leachman an Oscar. People reports that the part was Ruth Popper in The Last Picture Show; Burstyn played Lois Farrow and earned a nomination in the same supporting-actress category. Different role, same Oscar race.