Not only is Ellen an actress but she is a Mensa member and a student at the Lee Strasberg School; she also drives and races a 6-speed SS and collects Burmese cats. Her awards include Best Actress at the AFI for The Young Girl and the Monsoon (1999) and Best Supporting Actress at the Japanese Film Festival for Dolores Claiborne (1995).

Her father, Dr. Erich Muth, was national optician of the year, has an entire museum named after him, and has written several books on optics, the profits from which he donates to The Erich Muth Scholarship; he donated a section of the Smithsonian.

Her mother, Rachel Muth, helped make it possible for Ellen to be an actress by taking her to all her auditions until she was 18.