Christine Baranski
Birth Place: Buffalo, NY, USA
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BIO
Christine Baranski received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Maryann Thorpe in the sitcom Cybill (1995–1998). Baranski is also known for her roles as Diane Lockhart in the legal drama series The Good Wife (2009–2016) and its spin-off series The Good Fight (2017–2022), and as Agnes van Rhijn in the period drama series The Gilded Age (2022–present); both roles earned her Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Baranski is also known for her film roles in Reversal of Fortune (1990), The Birdcage (1996), Cruel Intentions (1999), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Chicago (2002), Mamma Mia! (2008), Into the Woods (2014), and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). For her recurring role as Dr. Beverly Hofstadter in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory (2009–2019), she received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Baranski won two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Charlotte in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing (1984) and as Chris Gorman in Neil Simon's Rumors (1989). Her other major Broadway credits include Hurlyburly (1984), The House of Blue Leaves (1986), and Boeing Boeing (2008). She also portrayed Mrs. Lovett in the Kennedy Center's production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2002).
Some of her better-known roles are as Katherine Archer in The Birdcage (1996), Martha May Whovier in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Mary Sunshine in Chicago (2002) and Connie Chasseur in The Ref (1994). Baranski received further recognition for her role as Tanya Chesham-Leigh in the hit musical film Mamma Mia! (2008), and its sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). Baranski played Cinderella's stepmother in the 2014 film adaptation of the musical Into the Woods. Baranski has also appeared in the films 9½ Weeks (1986), Legal Eagles (1986), Reversal of Fortune (1990), Addams Family Values (1993), Jeffrey (1995), The Odd Couple II (1998) Bulworth (1998), Cruel Intentions (1999), Bowfinger (1999), Welcome to Mooseport (2004), Trolls (2016) and A Bad Moms Christmas (2017).
STAGE CREDITS
Movies
[ 1982 ] Blonde in Bar
[ 1983 ] Nymphomanic
[ 1984 ] Maxine
[ 1986 ] Carol Freeman
[ 1986 ] Thea
[ 1987 ] Harriet
[ 1990 ] Andrea Reynolds
[ 1993 ] Becky Martin-Granger
[ 1993 ] Carol
[ 1993 ] Lucy
[ 1994 ] Connie
[ 1994 ] Miss Strapford
[ 1994 ] Mrs. Margaret Higgs
[ 1995 ] Ann Marwood Bartle
[ 1995 ] Prosecutor
[ 1996 ] Katharine
[ 1998 ] Constance Bulworth
[ 1998 ] Thelma
[ 1999 ] Bunny Caldwell
[ 1999 ] Carol
[ 2000 ] Martha May Whovier
[ 2002 ] Chantal
[ 2002 ] Mary Sunshine
[ 2003 ] Mary Ellen Spinkle
[ 2004 ] Charlotte Cole
[ 2006 ] Arleen Clayton
[ 2006 ] Bree Barrington
[ 2006 ] Francine Holden Packard
[ 2008 ] Tanya
[ 2010 ] Kitty Hurley
[ 2012 ] Hedda Shopper
[ 2014 ] Janet
[ 2014 ] Stepmother
[ 2016 ] Chef
[ 2016 ] Evelyn Sumner
[ 2017 ] Ruth
[ 2018 ] Tanya
[ 2020 ] Regina
TV Shows
Amanda Hannity
Maryann Thorpe, Anne Boleyn
Newport Heiress, Christine Baranski
Annie Brennan
Katherine Masucci Beigel, Rose Siegal
Dr. Beverly Hofstadter
Diane Lockhart
Diane Lockhart
Marsha Bickner
[ 2019-2024 ] Red DragonThe Red DragonThe Dragon
Josephine Nivison Hopper
[ 2019-2024 ] Red Dragon
Josephine Nivison Hopper
[ 2021-2025 ] Victoria
[ 2022-2025 ] Agnes Van Rhijn
Awards and Nominations
winner
Christine BaranskiSweeney Todd
Christine Baranski, Lips Together, Teeth Apart
winner
Christine Baranski, Rumors
winner
Christine Baranski, The Real Thing
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Christine Baranski has appeared on Broadway in 8 shows.
Christine Baranski has not appeared in the West End.
Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical (Helen Hayes Awards) for Sweeney Todd, Outstanding Featured Actress - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Lips Together, Teeth Apart, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Rumors and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for The Real Thing.
Christine Baranski has won the Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical (Helen Hayes Awards) for Sweeney Todd, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Rumors, and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for The Real Thing.
Videos