HomeBack to homepage
PeopleActors & creators
Michelle Pfeiffer

Michelle Pfeiffer

Department: Acting

Biography

Michelle Marie Pfeiffer (/ˈfaɪfər/ FY-fər; born April 29, 1958) is an American actress. One of Hollywood's most bankable stars during the 1980s and 1990s, her performances have earned her numerous accolades including a Golden Globe Award and a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. Pfeiffer began her acting career with minor television and film appearances and secured her first lead role in Grease 2 (1982). Her breakthrough role as Elvira Hancock in Scarface (1983) propelled her into mainstream success, which continued with performances in The Witches of Eastwick (1987) and Tequila Sunrise (1988). Pfeiffer received her first of six consecutive Golden Globe Award nominations for Married to the Mob (1988). Her roles in Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) garnered her two consecutive Academy Award nominations, for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively, and she won a Golden Globe Award for the latter. Cemented as one of the highest-paid actresses of the 1990s, Pfeiffer starred in The Russia House (1990) and Frankie and Johnny (1991). In 1992, she played Catwoman in Batman Returns and received her third Academy Award nomination for Love Field, which she followed up with performances in The Age of Innocence (1993) and Wolf (1994). She also produced several of her own features through her company, Via Rosa Productions, including Dangerous Minds (1995). Reducing her workload to prioritise her family, Pfeiffer acted sporadically throughout the 2000s, starring in What Lies Beneath (2000), White Oleander (2002), Hairspray, and Stardust (both 2007). Following another hiatus, Pfeiffer returned to prominence in 2017 with performances in Where Is Kyra?, Mother!, and Murder on the Orient Express, and 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. Pfeiffer has played Janet van Dyne in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2018, beginning with Ant-Man and the Wasp. Description above from the Wikipedia article Michael Douglas, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Scarface

Scarface

1983

Dangerous Liaisons

Dangerous Liaisons

1988

Batman Returns

Batman Returns

1992

Ladyhawke

Ladyhawke

1985

The Russia House

The Russia House

1990

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream

1999

Stardust

Stardust

2007

Married to the Mob

Married to the Mob

1988

What Lies Beneath

What Lies Beneath

2000

Wolf

Wolf

1994

Tequila Sunrise

Tequila Sunrise

1988

Frankie and Johnny

Frankie and Johnny

1991

The Age of Innocence

The Age of Innocence

1993

Hairspray

Hairspray

2007

I Am Sam

I Am Sam

2001

The Fabulous Baker Boys

The Fabulous Baker Boys

1989

White Oleander

White Oleander

2002

Into the Night

Into the Night

1985

The Hollywood Knights

The Hollywood Knights

1980

To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday

To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday

1996

Chéri

Chéri

2009

One Fine Day

One Fine Day

1996

The Witches of Eastwick

The Witches of Eastwick

1987

The Deep End of the Ocean

The Deep End of the Ocean

1999

The Story of Us

The Story of Us

1999

Grease 2

Grease 2

1982

Up Close & Personal

Up Close & Personal

1996

The Prince of Egypt

The Prince of Egypt

1998

Dangerous Minds

Dangerous Minds

1995

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas

2003

Personal Effects

Personal Effects

2009

I Could Never Be Your Woman

I Could Never Be Your Woman

2007

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve

2011

Dark Shadows

Dark Shadows

2012

Voices That Care

Voices That Care

1991

A Thousand Acres

A Thousand Acres

1997

Callie & Son

Callie & Son

1981

Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen

Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen

1981

Falling in Love Again

Falling in Love Again

1980

Love Field

Love Field

1992

Sweet Liberty

Sweet Liberty

1986

Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

2023

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

2012

People Like Us

People Like Us

2012

The Family

The Family

2013

Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Natica Jackson

Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Natica Jackson

1987

Wild Four O'Clocks

Wild Four O'Clocks

Lady Gaga Presents: The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden

Lady Gaga Presents: The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden

2011

One Too Many

One Too Many

1985

The Children Nobody Wanted

The Children Nobody Wanted

1981

Batman Returns: The Bat, the Cat, and the Penguin

Batman Returns: The Bat, the Cat, and the Penguin

1992

Oh. What. Fun.

Oh. What. Fun.

2025

The Wizard of Lies

The Wizard of Lies

2017

Where Is Kyra?

Where Is Kyra?

2018

mother!

mother!

2017

Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express

2017

The Solitary Man

The Solitary Man

1979

Splendor in the Grass

Splendor in the Grass

1981

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Ant-Man and the Wasp

2018

Innocence and Experience: The Making of 'The Age of Innocence'

Innocence and Experience: The Making of 'The Age of Innocence'

1993

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

2019

B.B. King: Into the Night

B.B. King: Into the Night

1985

Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes

Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes

2001

French Exit

French Exit

2021

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

2023

Dark Shadows: The Collinses - Every Family Has Its Demons

Dark Shadows: The Collinses - Every Family Has Its Demons

2012

Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame

2019

Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck

Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck

2013

Catwoman: The Feline Femme Fatale

Catwoman: The Feline Femme Fatale

2021

The Prince of Egypt: From Dream to Screen

The Prince of Egypt: From Dream to Screen

1999

Turn of Mind

Turn of Mind

The Many Faces of Catwoman

The Many Faces of Catwoman

2005

Amazon Women on the Moon

Amazon Women on the Moon

1987

Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight

Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight

2008

This Morning

This Morning

1988

CHiPs

CHiPs

1977

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

1989

Inside the Actors Studio

Inside the Actors Studio

1994

Today

Today

1952

The View

The View

1997

The Early Show

The Early Show

1999

The First Lady

The First Lady

2022

B.A.D. Cats

B.A.D. Cats

1980

MADtv

MADtv

1995

Muppets Tonight

Muppets Tonight

1996

Delta House

Delta House

1979

Enos

Enos

1980

The Oscars

The Oscars

1953

Marvel Studios Legends

Marvel Studios Legends

2021

Late Night with Seth Meyers

Late Night with Seth Meyers

2014

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

ABC Afterschool Special

ABC Afterschool Special

1972

The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show

2007

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014

The Kelly Clarkson Show

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

2014

The Reichen Show

The Reichen Show

2005

E! True Hollywood Story

E! True Hollywood Story

1996

Spécial cinéma

Spécial cinéma

1974

The Madison

The Madison

2026

Great Performances

Great Performances

1971

Margo's Got Money Troubles

Margo's Got Money Troubles

2026

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

Picket Fences

Picket Fences

1992

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015