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Judith Roberts

Judith Roberts

Actor · Born November 30, 1934 (91) · United States

Judith Anna Roberts (born December 1, 1934) is an American actress, best known for her roles as Mary Shaw in James Wan's horror film Dead Silence (2007), and as Taslitz, one of "The Golden Girls", in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black. Her first film role was 1977 in Eraserhead. In the following years she appeared in a few other small roles in films and TV series, including Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Her most notable role was Mary Shaw in James Wan's horror film Dead Silence in 2007. That same year, Roberts collaborated with Wan again in his film Death Sentence, playing Judge Shaw. In 2014, she had the recurring role in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black. Along with the cast, Roberts received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 30, 1934 (91)
From
United States
Works as
Actor
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 34 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Up 53% in 30 days

What are Judith Roberts' films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
22%
Survival
20%
Power
16%
Self
14%
Morality
13%
Society
9%
Ideas
6%
Trauma5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 4 · Dark 6

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 6 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 3

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 8 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Shadow
2 of 4
Mentor
1 of 4
Trickster
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Dread
7
Melancholic
9
Absurd
3
Contemplative
2
Other
8

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Judith Roberts' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Judith Roberts' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

34 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page.

  • All of Them (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Actor

  • Giving Birth to a Butterfly(2021)

    as Nina

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Teenage Euthanasia(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • The Last Thing Mary Saw(2021)

    as Constance

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Nowhere to Nun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Sister Muriel

  • NOS4A2(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jolene July

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • The Last O.G. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Washington

  • You Were Never Really Here(2017)

    as Joe's Mother

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Great News(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Grammy

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • The Mick(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Rita Pemberton

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Orange Is the New Black(2013)

    Show 10 episodes · as Taslitz

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Fred Won't Move Out(2012)

    as Susan

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Heart, She Holler(2011)

    Show 28 episodes · as Meemaw

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • 2 Broke Girls(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Astrid

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • The Aspern Papers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Juliana Bordereau

  • Choke(2008)

    as Elegant Lady

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • New Amsterdam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Julia

  • Death Sentence(2007)

    as Judge Shaw

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Nanny Diaries(2007)

    as Milicent

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Dead Silence(2007)

    as Mary Shaw

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Nan Turner

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Fast Food Fast Women(2000)

    as Bella's Mother

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Three Below Zero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Nora Littman

  • Mother's Boys(1993)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Mac(1992)

    as Woman on Bus

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Elaine Schepps · as Harriet Dutton

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Sandino(1990)

    as Mrs. Hanna

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Stardust Memories(1980)

    as Singer: "Three Little Words"

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Late Great Planet Earth(1978)

    as Whore of Babylon

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Eraserhead(1977)

    as Beautiful Girl Across the Hall

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Student Body(1976)

    as Mrs. Blalock

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Nashville Girl(1976)

    as Fran

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Swinging Barmaids (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Sally

  • Minnie and Moskowitz(1971)

    as Wife

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 34 titles from 1971 to 2024; peak year 2007.

Biggest box office

The Nanny Diaries (2007)

$48M worldwide

Highest rated

Eraserhead (1977)

Midcredits 88th

Most popular right now

Dead Silence (2007)

Film career

19712024

Peak 2007 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting34 of 34: 34 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score49th

By decade

1970s6 · acting1980s1 · acting1990s5 · acting2000s7 · acting2010s11 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles
7196

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Judith Roberts' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 40th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

The Late Great Planet Earth (1978)

84th percentile spread · 60% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Eraserhead (1977)

Midcredits 88th · 74% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Judith Roberts' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 69 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 33 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 39 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 30 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 80 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Judith Roberts work with?

People who share at least 2 of Judith Roberts' MovieCove titles; Gus Trikonis shares the most, 2.