Michelle Pfeiffer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michelle Pfeiffer
|
|
|---|---|
Pfeiffer in 2018
|
|
| Born |
Michelle Marie Pfeiffer
April 29, 1958 Santa Ana, California, U.S.
|
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1978–present |
|
Works
|
Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Dedee Pfeiffer (sister) |
| Awards | Full list |
Michelle Marie Pfeiffer (/ˈfaɪfər/ FY-fər; born April 29, 1958) is a famous American actress. She was one of the most successful stars in Hollywood during the 1980s and 1990s. Her acting has won her many awards, including a Golden Globe Award and a British Academy Film Award. She has also been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Pfeiffer started her acting career with small roles in TV and movies. She got her first main role in Grease 2 (1982). Her big breakthrough came as Elvira Hancock in Scarface (1983). This role made her very popular. She continued her success with movies like The Witches of Eastwick (1987) and Tequila Sunrise (1988). She received her first of many Golden Globe nominations for Married to the Mob (1988). Her role in The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress and she won a Golden Globe Award.
Becoming a Top Actress
Michelle Pfeiffer became one of the highest-paid actresses in the 1990s. She starred in The Russia House (1990) and Frankie and Johnny (1991). In 1992, she played the iconic character Catwoman in Batman Returns. She also received her third Academy Award nomination for Love Field. After this, she appeared in The Age of Innocence (1993) and Wolf (1994).
She also started her own film company, Via Rosa Productions. Through this company, she produced several of her own movies, including Dangerous Minds (1995). Michelle decided to work less to spend more time with her family. So, she acted only sometimes in the 2000s. During this time, she starred in movies like What Lies Beneath (2000), White Oleander (2002), Hairspray, and Stardust (both 2007).
After another break, Pfeiffer returned to acting in 2017. She appeared in Where Is Kyra?, Mother!, and Murder on the Orient Express. She also received her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for playing Ruth Madoff in The Wizard of Lies. In 2020, she received her eighth Golden Globe Award nomination for French Exit. Since 2018, Pfeiffer has played Janet van Dyne in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her first appearance was in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Early Life and Beginnings
Michelle Marie Pfeiffer was born on April 29, 1958, in Santa Ana, California. She was the second of four children. Her family later moved to Midway City, where she spent her early years.
Pfeiffer went to Fountain Valley High School and graduated in 1976. She worked at a supermarket and went to college. After a short time training to be a court stenographer, she decided to become an actress. She won the Miss Orange County beauty pageant in 1978. She also took part in the Miss California contest that same year. After these pageants, she found an acting agent and started trying out for TV shows and movies.
Career Highlights
Starting Out in the Late 1970s and 1980s
.jpg)
Pfeiffer began acting in 1978 with a small role in Fantasy Island. She then had other TV roles and appeared in movies like The Hollywood Knights (1980). None of these early films were very successful. She also took acting lessons to improve her skills.
Pfeiffer got her first main movie role in Grease 2 (1982). This was the sequel to the very popular musical film Grease. Michelle was not well-known at the time, but the director chose her because she had a "quirky quality." The movie itself was not a big hit, but critics noticed Pfeiffer's performance. The New York Times said she looked "much more insouciant and comfortable than anyone else."
Director Brian De Palma initially did not want to audition Pfeiffer for Scarface (1983). But the producer insisted, and she was cast as Elvira Hancock. The film was very violent, but it became a commercial success and gained a large fan base over the years. Pfeiffer received good reviews for her role. A Vanity Fair article said she was "on the verge of stardom."
After Scarface, she appeared in several films like Into the Night (1985) and Ladyhawke (1985). These movies helped her become a recognized actress. She then had a major box-office hit in The Witches of Eastwick (1987). She starred alongside Jack Nicholson, Cher, and Susan Sarandon. The film was well-received and earned a lot of money. Critics praised Pfeiffer's comedic timing.
Pfeiffer then played a gangster's widow in the comedy Married to the Mob (1988). For this role, she used a curly wig and a Brooklyn accent. She received her first Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress. Next, she appeared in Tequila Sunrise (1988) with Mel Gibson.
Pfeiffer took on the role of Susie Diamond in The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989). She trained her voice for four months and sang all her character's songs. The movie was a moderate success, but her acting received huge praise. Critic Roger Ebert compared her to famous stars like Marilyn Monroe. Pfeiffer won many awards for this role, including a Golden Globe. Her performance as Susie is often seen as the best of her career.
Success in the 1990s
In 1990, Pfeiffer started her own film production company, Via Rosa Productions. She began earning $1 million per film. She played a Soviet book editor in The Russia House (1990) with Sean Connery. This role required her to use a Russian accent. She was nominated for another Golden Globe for this performance. Pfeiffer then played a waitress named Frankie in Frankie and Johnny (1991), reuniting with her Scarface co-star, Al Pacino. She received another Golden Globe nomination.
Pfeiffer took on the role of Selina Kyle–Catwoman in Tim Burton's superhero film Batman Returns (1992). She trained in martial arts and kickboxing for the part. Critics and fans often call her portrayal the best Catwoman performance ever. Batman Returns was a huge box office success, earning over US$267 million worldwide.
Her company's first film was the drama Love Field, released in 1992. Critics liked the film, and The New York Times said Pfeiffer showed she was "as subtle and surprising as she is beautiful." For her role as a Dallas housewife, she was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. She also won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival. In Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence (1993), Pfeiffer played a Countess in 1870s New York City. She received another Golden Globe nomination. That year, she received the Crystal Award from Women in Film Los Angeles.
Pfeiffer starred with Jack Nicholson in the 1994 horror film Wolf. She played the love interest of a writer who turns into a wolf-man. The film had mixed reviews but was a commercial success, earning US$131 million worldwide.
Pfeiffer's next role was high school teacher LouAnne Johnson in the drama Dangerous Minds (1995). Her company co-produced this film. She appeared in the music video for the song "Gangsta's Paradise" from the movie's soundtrack. While Dangerous Minds received negative reviews, it was a box office hit, making US$179.5 million globally. In 1996, Pfeiffer starred in the romantic drama Up Close & Personal with Robert Redford. She also played the main role in To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, written by her husband David Kelley. She was also an executive producer and starred in the romantic comedy One Fine Day with George Clooney.
Later, she appeared in A Thousand Acres (1997) and The Deep End of the Ocean (1998). She voiced Tzipporah in the animated film The Prince of Egypt (1998). She also played Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999) and Katie Jordan in The Story of Us (1999).
Working Less in the 2000s
Pfeiffer decided to close her film production company in 1999. She wanted to spend more time with her children and family. This meant she would act less often. In What Lies Beneath (2000), a thriller directed by Robert Zemeckis, Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford played a couple who experience strange events. The film was a box office success, earning US$291 million worldwide. She then played Rita Harrison, a lawyer helping a father with a disability, in the drama I Am Sam (2001) with Sean Penn.
Pfeiffer took on the role of Ingrid Magnussen, a murderous artist, in the drama White Oleander (2002). The film was a critical and commercial success. She won Best Supporting Actress awards from several critics' groups and was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award.
In 2003, Pfeiffer voiced the goddess of chaos Eris in the animated film Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. After this film, she took a four-year break from acting to focus on her family.
Pfeiffer returned to movies in 2007 with roles in two big films, Hairspray and Stardust. This was seen as a successful comeback. Hairspray received very positive reviews and earned $202.5 million worldwide. Pfeiffer's performance was praised, and the cast won several awards. In the fantasy adventure Stardust, Pfeiffer played Lamia, an old witch. The film received good reviews. The New York Times called Pfeiffer "as deliciously evil a witch as the movies have ever invented."
Pfeiffer also starred in the romantic comedy I Could Never Be Your Woman (2007) with Paul Rudd. She played Rosie, a 40-year-old divorced mother who falls in love with a younger man. The film was released directly to home video in the US. She also appeared in Personal Effects with Ashton Kutcher. Her next film was Chéri (2009), where she played Léa de Lonval. Critics praised her performance, with The Times calling it "magnetic and subtle."
Recent Work in the 2010s and 2020s
After a two-year break, Pfeiffer joined a large cast in the romantic comedy New Year's Eve (2011). She played Ingrid Withers, an overwhelmed secretary. While the film was not liked by critics, it made US$142 million worldwide. In 2012, she appeared in the drama People Like Us as the mother of a struggling trader.
Pfeiffer worked again with director Tim Burton in Dark Shadows (2012). She played Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the head of the Collins family. Critics praised the actors' performances, including Pfeiffer's. Dark Shadows earned US$245.5 million globally. In Luc Besson's comedy The Family (2013), she played a "tough mother" in a Mafia family trying to change their lives. The film earned US$78.4 million worldwide.
Pfeiffer said she acted less in the 2000s because of family and her careful choice of roles. She mentioned she wanted to "work a lot" once her children went to college. Her return to acting in 2017 was called a "Pfeiffer-sance" by the media. In the independent drama Where Is Kyra?, she played a woman facing a crisis after losing her mother. Her role was called the "performance of her life" by critics.
Pfeiffer played Ruth Madoff in the HBO Films drama The Wizard of Lies (2017). She reunited with Robert De Niro, who played her husband. The film received good reviews, and Pfeiffer's portrayal was highly praised. She received nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
In Darren Aronofsky's psychological horror film Mother! (2017), Pfeiffer played one of the mysterious guests. Critics praised her performance, with some saying it was worthy of an Oscar nomination.
Pfeiffer played a widowed socialite in Kenneth Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express (2017). This was the fourth movie based on Agatha Christie's famous novel. She also sang the original song "Never Forget" for the film's soundtrack. The film earned US$351.7 million worldwide. Critics praised the performances, especially Pfeiffer's.
Pfeiffer joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Janet van Dyne, the original Wasp, in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018). Critics described her performance as "lovely." In 2019, she briefly returned as Janet van Dyne in Avengers: Endgame. She also starred alongside Angelina Jolie in the dark fantasy sequel Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, playing the villainous Queen Ingrith.
In 2020, Pfeiffer starred in the dark comedy French Exit. She played a widow who moves to Paris, France, with her son and cat. The film received positive reviews, and Pfeiffer's performance was highly praised. She received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress.
Pfeiffer played former First Lady Betty Ford in the TV series The First Lady in 2022. The series received mixed reviews. The following year, she returned as Janet van Dyne in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Pfeiffer is set to star in upcoming films like Turn of Mind and Wild Four O'Clocks. In 2024, she was cast in the holiday comedy Oh. What. Fun.. She will also star in and produce the Yellowstone spin-off The Madison. In 2025, she will star in the Apple TV+ series Margo's Got Money Troubles.
Other Ventures
Products and Endorsements
In 2005, Pfeiffer was the face of Giorgio Armani's spring fashion campaign. She often wears Giorgio Armani designs for public events.
In 2019, she launched her own collection of perfumes called Henry Rose. It is the first perfume line to be certified as both environmentally friendly and safe by health organizations.
Helping Others
Michelle Pfeiffer supports the American Cancer Society. She also supports the Humane Society, which helps animals. In 2016, she attended a gala for children's environmental health. In December of that year, Pfeiffer joined the board of directors for the Environmental Working Group, an organization that advocates for environmental safety.
Personal Life
Michelle Pfeiffer met fellow actor Peter Horton in an acting class. They started dating and married in 1981. Horton directed Pfeiffer in a TV special in 1985. They also played a couple in a segment of the comedy Amazon Women on the Moon in 1987.
Pfeiffer and Horton separated in 1988 and divorced two years later. Horton later said their focus on work led to the split. Pfeiffer then had a three-year relationship with actor/producer Fisher Stevens.
In 1993, Pfeiffer married television writer and producer David E. Kelley. She made a brief appearance in one episode of Kelley's TV series Picket Fences. She also played the main character in To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, which Kelley wrote. Before meeting Kelley, she had started the process to adopt a child. In March 1993, she adopted a newborn daughter, Claudia Rose. In 1994, Pfeiffer gave birth to a son, John Henry Kelley II.
Acting Credits and Awards
According to the website Rotten Tomatoes, some of Pfeiffer's most praised films include The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Hairspray (2007), Married to the Mob (1988), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), The Age of Innocence (1993), Batman Returns (1992), Scarface (1983), Where Is Kyra? (2017), The Prince of Egypt (1998), and Stardust (2007).
Pfeiffer has been nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actress for The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) and Love Field (1992). She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama for The Fabulous Baker Boys. She has also been nominated seven more times for Golden Globes. She received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for The Wizard of Lies.
Images for kids
-
Pfeiffer in 2018
-
Pfeiffer in 1979
-
Pfeiffer in 1985
-
Pfeiffer at the 63rd Academy Awards in 1990
-
Pfeiffer at the premiere of Stardust in 2007
-
Pfeiffer meeting with Senator Dianne Feinstein in 2019
-
Pfeiffer with husband David E. Kelley in 1994
-
Pfeiffer speaking at an event for Mother! at the 2017 Venice Film Festival
See also
In Spanish: Michelle Pfeiffer para niños
