Biography of Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Pfeiffer is an American actress and producer. She's earned three Oscar nominations and roughly ten Golden Globe nods. While an Oscar has eluded her, she did take home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama for "The Fabulous Baker Boys." Among Michelle's accolades is a BAFTA Award for her portrayal of Madame de Tourvel in "Dangerous Liaisons." One of Pfeiffer's recent standout performances was as Betty Ford in the biographical drama "The First Lady."
Childhood, Youth, Family
Michelle was born on April 29, 1958, in the California city of Santa Ana, to Richard Pfeiffer and Donna Tavern. Her father was a contractor who supplied heating and air conditioning equipment, while her mother was a homemaker who cared for the house and four children: besides Michelle, the parents raised her older brother Rick and younger sisters Dedee and Lori, who later also became actresses.The actress's ancestry on her father's side includes Germans, English, French, and Irish, and on her mother's side, Swiss and Swedish. This diverse heritage shaped both her character and striking looks.
Active and free-spirited, Michelle couldn't stand injustice and would readily jump into a fight "for a righteous cause." At school, she couldn't wait for classes to end – surfing was way more appealing. Often, she simply skipped school.
Another passion of Michelle's was the theater club, where she could imagine herself in the most magical roles. But Michelle was realistic and never seriously considered acting as a career.
At fourteen, she got a job as a sales clerk in a clothing store in Fountain Valley, where her family had moved from Santa Ana. After earning some money, Pfeiffer decided to continue her studies at Golden West College. She studied law and envisioned herself as a courtroom reporter in the future. She paid for her education by working at a supermarket.
One day, her friends persuaded her to participate in a beauty contest. To her surprise, she won the title of "Miss Orange County." She narrowly missed becoming "Miss Los Angeles."
Acting Career
After winning, when she was offered commercials and small film roles, she changed her mind about becoming a reporter. Instead, Michelle began taking acting classes and attending auditions. She appeared in commercials and TV series, dreaming of waking up rich and famous someday.From this point on, Pfeiffer was increasingly offered leading roles in blockbuster projects like "The Witches of Eastwick," "Married to the Mob," and "Tequila Sunrise."
Less than a year later, she earned another Oscar nomination for her role in "The Fabulous Baker Boys." She brilliantly played the spirited escort Susie Diamond, who transforms into a singer. Pfeiffer performed the songs herself, alongside the Hollywood Bridges brothers—Beau and Jeff, who played siblings in the film. Though Pfeiffer didn't win the coveted Oscar for this role, she did take home a Golden Globe.
Audiences, critics, and colleagues alike recognized that the actress wasn't just beautiful but also deeply emotional, capable of bringing any character to life on screen. This was demonstrated by her role as reporter Sally (Tally) Atwater in the film "Up Close & Personal" (1996), where her co-star was the charming Robert Redford.
The actress ventured beyond dramatic roles with her iconic portrayal of Catwoman in "Batman Returns" and architect Melanie Parker in the comedy "One Fine Day," where she and George Clooney formed an unforgettable duo.
The mystical thriller Robert Zemeckis's "What Lies Beneath" stands out, with the actress starring alongside Harrison Ford. They played a married couple living what appeared to be a perfect, well-ordered life. Everything unravels when the wife starts hearing ghostly voices and discovers her seemingly respectable husband is actually a killer.
Pfeiffer considers herself lucky to have worked on Tim Burton's gothic horror film "Dark Shadows" (2012). As she's said in interviews, the film is unique, the director is brilliant, and the cast didn't disappoint. Besides Michelle, the cast included Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Jonny Lee Miller, and other well-known actors.
She played the wife of a mobster hiding from the mafia with his family in the crime comedy "The Family," with Robert De Niro as her on-screen husband.
In 2017, the actress was once again nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe awards for her role as Ruth Madoff in "The Wizard of Lies."
Another Golden Globe nomination awaited Michelle in 2020 for her role as Frances Price in "French Exit."
Her character gallery soon expanded when she landed the lead role in "The First Lady." The series explores the behind-the-scenes lives of U.S. presidents' wives: Eleanor Roosevelt was portrayed by Gillian Anderson, Michelle Obama by Viola Davis, and Pfeiffer took on the role of Betty Ford.
Michelle Pfeiffer's Personal Life
In 1981, Pfeiffer married actor Peter Horton. They met while attending Milton Katselas's acting classes in Beverly Hills.As Michelle's star rose, so did the tensions at home. Peter accused Michelle of putting career first, while she called him out for resenting her success. After seven years, they divorced. They did not have any children.
Despite their rocky split, the former couple managed to stay civil. Michelle later kicked herself for breaking her cardinal rule:
But she'd break that rule again. She was in a relationship with actor and director Fisher Stevens for three years. They met at the Shakespeare Festival in New York. Then came a brief fling with John Malkovich, her co-star in Dangerous Liaisons. She also had a short-lived relationship with actor Michael Keaton....I broke one of my own ten commandments — never date an actor. And I even married him!
Worried she might never have kids, Michelle applied to adopt in 1992.
While waiting for adoption approval, she went on a blind date with screenwriter David Edward Kelley. Less than a year later, they married and welcomed Pfeiffer's adopted daughter, Claudia Rose. In 1994, Michelle gave birth to their son, John Henry.
Colleagues dubbed her a "crazy mom" because she'd turn down great roles to prioritize family—a choice that hurt her career.
But Pfeiffer had her priorities straight from the start. She and David have already hit their 25-year milestone. Michelle believes family trumps everything else for true fulfillment....I never lost my love for acting. I feel at home on set. Honestly, I'm a more balanced person when I'm working. But I was super picky about projects—everything had to work with my kids' schedules. I became impossible to hire. And then... I don't know, time just slipped away... and I vanished.
Her days as Hollywood's most beautiful woman may be behind her, but Pfeiffer still looks stunning. Michelle insists you don't need plastic surgery—just take care of yourself with healthy eating, regular (but not obsessive) exercise, and inner peace. She quit smoking years ago and gave up meat.
Pfeiffer's also big on charity work, regularly supporting cancer research organizations. It's personal—her niece battled leukemia.
Michelle Pfeiffer Now
Fans couldn't help but notice that Michelle still looks absolutely stunning at the 33rd Annual Environmental Media Association Awards in Los Angeles. With nude makeup, loose hair, and a white suit, Pfeiffer looked simply chic.After her masterful portrayal of Betty Ford in the biographical drama "The First Lady" and her role as Janet van Dyne in "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," fans were eagerly waiting for her next projects. They didn't have to wait long.
In 2024, Francis Ford Coppola dropped a teaser from his ambitious new project "Megalopolis," with Michelle taking on one of the key roles. In this sci-fi film about the destruction of a metropolis, alongside Pfeiffer, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, and Cate Blanchett also star. The main characters—idealistic architect Cezar and city mayor Frank Cicero—are portrayed by Adam Driver and Giancarlo Esposito.
Interesting Facts
- Michelle Pfeiffer still shudders when she recalls how, early in her career, she fell under the influence of breatharian cult members. The aspiring actress blew through almost all her savings trying to "nourish herself with wisdom and wait for brilliant ideas" using only air and sunlight—no food or water. It was complete madness—all she got out of it was dangerous weight loss and an eating disorder. Her future husband, Peter Horton, helped her overcome this unhealthy dependency.
- To nail her portrayal of Catwoman Selina Kyle in "Batman Returns," the actress took martial arts courses and worked with animal behavior specialists to perfectly capture those fluid feline movements.
- Pfeiffer loves musicals and enjoys performing in them. While directors never questioned her musical talents, she didn't always land the juicy leading roles. For instance, she could have played Eva Perón in the musical "Evita," but the role went to Madonna. Donna Sheridan in the musical comedy "Mamma Mia!" was played by Meryl Streep instead of Pfeiffer.
- To be fair, Michelle herself turned down plenty of famous directors. The actress was dissatisfied with the scripts of films like "Pretty Woman," "The Silence of the Lambs," and "Basic Instinct." However, Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster, and Sharon Stone gained worldwide fame and numerous awards by starring in these films.
