Christine Baranski
Christine Baranski was an American actress who used her razor sharp wit and statuesque good looks to become one of the most memorable faces in entertainment for decades, especially on television, where she racked up an astounding 15 Primetime Emmy nominations. Born on May 2, 1952 in Buffalo, New York, Baranski caught the acting bug from her grandparents, who were actors in the Polish theater. She studied acting at the Juilliard School in New York City, graduating with a BFA in 1974. Baranski's first professional acting job was an appearance on the short-lived sitcom "Busting Loose" (CBS, 1977) in 1977. She made her off-Broadway debut in 1980, appearing in "Coming Attractions" at Playwrights Horizons. Two years later, Baranski made her film debut with a cameo role in 'Soup for One" (1982). A few years of small roles and cameos followed before Baranski made a big splash, co-starring in the erotic drama "9 1/2 Weeks" (1986), alongside Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger. Her next big break came when she played Becky Martin-Granger in the smash hit sequel "Addams Family Values" (1993). However, Baranski's true break came when she was cast as Maryanne Thorpe, the sarcastic, hard-drinking best friend of Cybill Shepherd's title character in the popular sitcom "Cybill" (CBS, 1995-98). Baranski was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for each season that the show was on the air, winning once, for the first season. She also received an Emmy nomination around this time for her guest appearance on a 1999 episode of "Frasier" (NBC, 1993-2004) in which she played an intimidating radio psychiatrist who becomes a nemesis for Dr. Frasier Crane. After "Cybill" ended, Baranski co-starred on two short-lived sitcoms, "Welcome to New York" (CBS, 2000-01), and "Happy Family" (NBC, 2003-04), before returning to the big screen to appear as one of Meryl Streep's best friends, Tanya Chesham-Leigh in the ABBA musical "Mamma Mia!" (2006). In 2009, Baranski made her first appearance as Dr. Beverly Hofstadter, the emotionally aloof psychiatrist and neuroscientist mother to Johnny Galecki's Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on the mega hit sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS, 2007-2019). She would receive yet another Emmy nomination for her performance, and go on to reprise the role in over ten more episodes. That same year, Baranski took on the role of Diane Lockhart on the legal drama "The Good Wife" (CBS, 2009-2016). She received another six Emmy nods for the role, and her character proved to be so popular that when the series ended in 2016, she was given her own spinoff, "The Good Fight" (CBS, 2017-). Baranski could next be seen reprising her role as Tanya Chesham-Leigh in the hit sequel "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again!" (2018).
Photos
Christine Baranski
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
66% |
|
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square | Regina Fuller (Character) | - | 2020 |
76% |
|
On Broadway | Self | $82.3K | 2019 |
90% |
|
Every Act of Life | Self | - | 2018 |
80% |
|
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | Tanya (Character) | $120.6M | 2018 |
32% |
|
A Bad Moms Christmas | Ruth (Character) | $72.1M | 2017 |
76% |
|
Trolls | Chef (Voice) | $153.6M | 2016 |
70% |
|
Into the Woods | Cinderella's Stepmother (Character) | $128.0M | 2014 |
No Score Yet |
|
Yellowbird | Janet (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Who Is Simon Miller? | Amanda (Character) | - | 2011 |
13% |
|
The Bounty Hunter | Kitty Hurley (Character) | $67.1M | 2010 |
55% |
|
Mamma Mia! | Tanya (Character) | $143.7M | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
Falling for Grace | Bree (Character) | - | 2006 |
40% |
|
Bonneville | Francine (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
Relative Strangers | Arleen Clayton (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
Recipe for a Perfect Christmas | Lee Bellmont (Character) | - | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
Scooby-Doo in Where's My Mummy? | Amelia von Butch (Voice) | - | 2005 |
13% |
|
Welcome to Mooseport | Charlotte Cole (Character) | $14.5M | 2004 |
No Score Yet |
|
Eloise at Christmastime | Prunella Stickler (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Eloise at the Plaza | Prunella Stickler (Character) | - | 2003 |
8% |
|
Marci X | Mary Ellen Spinkle (Character) | $1.6M | 2003 |
57% |
|
The Guru | Chantal (Character) | $3.0M | 2002 |
87% |
|
Chicago | Mary Sunshine (Character) | $170.7M | 2002 |
49% |
|
How the Grinch Stole Christmas | Martha May Who-vier (Character) | $260.4M | 2000 |
81% |
|
Bowfinger | Carol (Character) | $66.4M | 1999 |
53% |
|
Cruel Intentions | Bunny Caldwell (Character) | $38.6M | 1999 |
76% |
|
Bulworth | Constance Bulworth (Character) | $26.4M | 1998 |
27% |
|
Neil Simon's The Odd Couple II | Thelma (Character) | $18.9M | 1998 |
84% |
|
The Birdcage | Katherine Archer (Character) | $124.0M | 1996 |
64% |
|
New Jersey Drive | Prosecutor (Character) | $2.9M | 1995 |
71% |
|
Jeffrey | Ann Marwood Bartle (Character) | $3.3M | 1995 |
25% |
|
The War | Miss Strapford (Character) | $16.5M | 1994 |
74% |
|
The Ref | Connie Chasseur (Character) | $11.3M | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
Getting In | Mrs. Margaret "Maggie" Higgs (Character) | - | 1994 |
75% |
|
Addams Family Values | Becky Martin-Granger (Character) | $45.7M | 1993 |
63% |
|
The Night We Never Met | Lucy (Character) | $1.4M | 1993 |
No Score Yet |
|
To Dance With the White Dog | Kate (Character) | - | 1993 |
92% |
|
Reversal of Fortune | Andrea Reynolds (Character) | $10.5M | 1990 |
60% |
|
Nine 1/2 Weeks | Thea (Character) | - | 1986 |
41% |
|
Legal Eagles | Carol Freeman (Character) | $47.2M | 1986 |
0% |
|
Crackers | Maxine (Character) | - | 1984 |
40% |
|
Lovesick | Nymphomanic (Character) | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Soup for One | Blonde in Bar (Character) | - | 1982 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
86% | 56% | The Gilded Age | Agnes van Rhijn (Character) | 2022-2024 |
80% | 89% | Praise Petey | White (Voice) | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Great Performances at the Met | Host | 2023 |
95% | 66% | The Good Fight | Diane Lockhart (Character) | 2017-2022 |
No Score Yet | 61% | Late Night With Seth Meyers |
Unknown (Character), Guest |
2015 2017-2018 2020-2022 |
No Score Yet | 50% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert | Guest | 2016-2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fancy Nancy |
Mrs. Devine (Character), Ms. Devine (Guest Voice) |
2018-2021 |
85% | 76% | The Simpsons | Herself (Guest Voice) | 2021 |
No Score Yet | 64% | The Bravest Knight | The Dragon (Voice) | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter | Guest | 2019 |
81% | 84% | The Big Bang Theory | Dr. Beverly Hofstadter (Guest Star) | 2009 2011 2013-2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Graham Norton Show | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | 18% | The Late Late Show With James Corden | Guest | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2017 |
93% | 91% | The Good Wife | Diane Lockhart (Character) | 2009-2016 |
No Score Yet | 42% | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Guest | 2014 |
No Score Yet | 64% | Family Guy | Herself (Guest Voice) | 2013 |
89% | 94% | Psych | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2009 |
97% | 83% | Ugly Betty | Victoria Hartley (Guest Star) | 2009 |
No Score Yet | 90% | American Dad! | Homeless Woman (Guest Voice) | 2006 |
27% | No Score Yet | Presidio Med | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 2006 |
No Score Yet | 87% | Ghost Whisperer | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2005 |
63% | No Score Yet | Happy Family | Annie Brennan (Character) | 2003-2004 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Citizen Baines | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2001 |
54% | No Score Yet | Welcome to New York |
Marsha Bickner (Character), Executive Producer |
2000-2001 |
95% | 95% | Frasier | Dr. Nora Fairchild (Guest Star) | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cybill | Maryann Thorpe (Character) | 1995-1998 |
No Score Yet | 71% | 3rd Rock From the Sun | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | 57% | Saturday Night Live | Host | 1996 |
No Score Yet | 83% | Law & Order | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1991 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Equalizer | Victoria Baines (Guest Star) | 1985 |