Michelle Pfeiffer Biography
Summary
"Michelle Marie Pfeiffer" (born April 29, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-winning, BAFTA-winning American actress. In a career spanning more than 25 years, she has starred in films such as "Scarface", "The Fabulous Baker Boys", "Batman Returns", "What Lies Beneath", "Hairspray", "Stardust" and "Grease 2 ".
Early life
Pfeiffer was born in Santa Ana, California, the daughter of Donna (née Taverna), a homemaker, and Richard Pfeiffer, a heating and air conditioning contractor. She was raised in Midway City, Orange County, California, about thirty miles southeast of Los Angeles. Pfeiffer is the second of four siblings: an older brother, Rick Pfeiffer, and two younger sisters, Dedee Pfeiffer (b. 1964, also an actress) and Lori Pfeiffer (b. 1965). Pfeiffer attended Fountain Valley High School, graduating in 1976. She briefly pursued a career as a court reporter at local Golden West Community College before dropping out to pursue a career in acting. In 1978, Pfeiffer entered and won the Miss Orange County beauty pageant, and then entered the statewide competition for Miss California USA. Although unsuccessful in winning the title, Pfeiffer acquired an agent, who helped her secure TV commercial parts and small movie and television roles before making her mark in Hollywood.
Career
1980s: Early success
Her first major screen role was in 1980 in the films, "The Hollywood Knights", and "Falling in Love Again." However both films failed to get her widespead notice. She tried a TV career when she starred in "Great Yellow Bird," "Fantasy Island,"Callie & Son,"Splendor in the Grass," and "The Children Nobody Wanted." She returned to film in "Grease 2"; it was weakly received by critics and audiences, despite gaining a cult following.
It was not until 1983, when Pfeiffer co-starred with Al Pacino in Brian De Palma's gangster classic "Scarface," that she caught the attention of Hollywood. In 1985, she starred in the fantasy romance "Ladyhawke", which gave Pfeiffer good reviews, but failed to become a box office success. In 1987 she starred in "The Witches of Eastwick," which was a box office and critical success. Through 1988 and 1989, Pfeiffer would earn worldwide critical acclaim in "Married to the Mob," "Dangerous Liaisons," and "The Fabulous Baker Boys," which would earn her Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe award wins and nominations.
1990s: Continued success
Through the 1990s Pfeiffer would continue her hollywood stardom. "The Russia House", "Frankie and Johnny", "Batman Returns", "The Age of Innocence", "Dangerous Minds", and "One Fine Day".
In 2000, Pfeiffer starred with Harrison Ford in one of the biggest box office hits of the year, Robert Zemeckis's thriller "What Lies Beneath". In 2001, she starred opposite Sean Penn in "I Am Sam" and in 2002 alongside Renée Zellweger and Robin Wright Penn in "White Oleander", which earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress.
2000s: Hiatus and renewed success
After a long absence from the spotlight, Pfeiffer returned to acting in 2006. Her first round of projects teamed her with director Amy Heckerling in the romantic comedy, "I Could Never Be Your Woman," (opposite Paul Rudd, scheduled for release in November 2007) as well as opposite Robert De Niro, Claire Danes, and Sienna Miller in the fantasy epic, "Stardust". Pfeiffer co-starred in the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, "Hairspray," as Velma Von Tussle. She will make a cameo appearance in "The Prince and the Pauper," a film in which her sister Dedee stars. Pfeiffer received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 6, 2007 in front of the Hollywood & Highland Center.
On her return to acting, Pfeiffer has said, 'Now that I'm working again, I realize I really like this stuff.'
Pfeiffer's next film is the romantic drama, "Personal Effects", with Ashton Kutcher. Filming begins November 26, 2007, in Vancouver.
Personal life
In 1981 Pfeiffer married "Thirtysomething" actor Peter Horton, but they divorced in 1988 at the height of her career. She has been romantically linked with actors Val Kilmer, John Malkovich, Michael Keaton and Fisher Stevens. In 1993 Pfeiffer married writer-producer David E. Kelley ("Ally McBeal", "The Practice", "Boston Public", and "Boston Legal").
Earlier that year, before meeting Kelley, Pfeiffer adopted a daughter, Claudia Rose, who was then adopted by Kelley following their marriage. The adopted baby was the daughter of a African-American nurse living in New York, who already had four children. At the time of the adoption, there were rumours that money was exchanged for the baby, but Michelle has vigorously denied these claims stating that the adoption was private. On August 5, 1994 Pfeiffer gave birth to a son, John Henry. She had him circumcised by Southern California's 'Doc Speedy' - Mogen-wielding Dr Fred Kogen MD. According to the mohel; Michelle wanted 'a nice little secular' circumcision for her son. Pfeiffer and Kelley divide their time between homes in Los Angeles and Northern California.
In an August 2006 "In Style" interview (her first in many years), Pfeiffer discussed her return to making movies, stating that she is 'a better mother if I also work... It empowers them her children without me hovering, making everyone feel inadequate'. Pfeiffer discussed plastic surgery, stating that she hopes she is 'courageous enough to age gracefully'. Pfeiffer also referred to her beauty as a 'curse', as she believes that it often stunted her ability to get serious roles and eclipsed her acting ability.
Awards
Acadmy Award nominations
1988 - Best Supporting Actress - "Dangerous Liaisons"
1989 - Best Actress - "The Fabulous Baker Boys"
1992 - Best Actress - "Love Field"
Golden Globe Awards
1989- Best Drama Actress-"The Fabulous Baker Boys"
BAFTA Awards
1988- Best Actress in a Supporting Role-"Dangerous Liaisons"
TV work
"The Solitary Man" (1979)
"Delta House" (1979) (canceled after 15 episodes)
"B.A.D. Cats" (1980) (canceled after 6 episodes)
"Callie & Son" (1981)
"Splendor in the Grass" (1981)
"The Children Nobody Wanted" (1981)
"One Too Many" (1983)
"Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Natica Jackson" (1987)
"The Simpsons" (1993) (Mindy Simmons)
"Muppets Tonight" (1996)
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Michelle Pfeiffer.
