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Christine Baranski

Highest Rated: 92% Reversal of Fortune (1990)

Lowest Rated: 0% Crackers (1984)

Birthday: May 2, 1952

Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, USA

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).

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Highest rated movies

92% 78% Reversal of Fortune
Watchlist
90% 100% Every Act of Life Watchlist 87% 83% Chicago Watchlist
84% 81% The Birdcage
Watchlist
81% 61% Bowfinger
Watchlist
80% 66% Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Watchlist 76% 67% Trolls Watchlist 76% 75% On Broadway Watchlist 76% 68% Bulworth Watchlist 75% 63% Addams Family Values Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
66% 52% Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square Regina Fuller (Character) - 2020
76% 75% On Broadway Self $82.3K 2019
90% 100% Every Act of Life Self - 2018
80% 66% Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Tanya (Character) $120.6M 2018
32% 43% A Bad Moms Christmas Ruth (Character) $72.1M 2017
76% 67% Trolls Chef (Voice) $153.6M 2016
70% 49% Into the Woods Cinderella's Stepmother (Character) $128.0M 2014
No Score Yet 44% Yellowbird Janet (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Who Is Simon Miller? Amanda (Character) - 2011
13% 51% The Bounty Hunter Kitty Hurley (Character) $67.1M 2010
55% 66% Mamma Mia! Tanya (Character) $143.7M 2008
No Score Yet 49% Falling for Grace Bree (Character) - 2006
40% 43% Bonneville Francine (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 31% Relative Strangers Arleen Clayton (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 38% Recipe for a Perfect Christmas Lee Bellmont (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 63% Scooby-Doo in Where's My Mummy? Amelia von Butch (Voice) - 2005
13% 19% Welcome to Mooseport Charlotte Cole (Character) $14.5M 2004
No Score Yet 73% Eloise at Christmastime Prunella Stickler (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 69% Eloise at the Plaza Prunella Stickler (Character) - 2003
8% 29% Marci X Mary Ellen Spinkle (Character) $1.6M 2003
57% 40% The Guru Chantal (Character) $3.0M 2002
87% 83% Chicago Mary Sunshine (Character) $170.7M 2002
49% 58% How the Grinch Stole Christmas Martha May Who-vier (Character) $260.4M 2000
81% 61% Bowfinger Carol (Character) $66.4M 1999
54% 80% Cruel Intentions Bunny Caldwell (Character) $38.6M 1999
76% 68% Bulworth Constance Bulworth (Character) $26.4M 1998
27% 56% Neil Simon's The Odd Couple II Thelma (Character) $18.9M 1998
84% 81% The Birdcage Katherine Archer (Character) $124.0M 1996
64% 84% New Jersey Drive Prosecutor (Character) $2.9M 1995
71% 67% Jeffrey Ann Marwood Bartle (Character) $3.3M 1995
25% 73% The War Miss Strapford (Character) $16.5M 1994
74% 73% The Ref Connie Chasseur (Character) $11.3M 1994
No Score Yet 38% Getting In Mrs. Margaret "Maggie" Higgs (Character) - 1994
75% 63% Addams Family Values Becky Martin-Granger (Character) $45.7M 1993
63% 34% The Night We Never Met Lucy (Character) $1.4M 1993
No Score Yet 79% To Dance With the White Dog Kate (Character) - 1993
92% 78% Reversal of Fortune Andrea Reynolds (Character) $10.5M 1990
60% 55% Nine 1/2 Weeks Thea (Character) - 1986
41% 32% Legal Eagles Carol Freeman (Character) $47.2M 1986
0% 33% Crackers Maxine (Character) - 1984
40% 37% 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% 65% 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% 90% 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