Established as one of the highest-paid actresses of the 1990s, Pfeiffer starred inThe Russia House (1990) andFrankie and Johnny (1991). In 1992, she portrayedCatwoman inBatman Returns, and received her third Academy Award nomination forLove Field. She went on to appear inThe Age of Innocence (1993) andWolf (1994). Through her production company, Via Rosa Productions, she produced and starred in several films, includingDangerous Minds (1995). Pfeiffer reduced her workload in the 2000s to focus on her family, appearing in select projects such asWhat Lies Beneath (2000),White Oleander (2002),Hairspray, andStardust (both 2007).
Michelle Marie Pfeiffer was born on April 29, 1958, inSanta Ana, California, to Richard Pfeiffer, an air-conditioning contractor, and Donna Jean (née Taverna), a housewife.[1] She has an older brother, Rick, and two younger sisters,Dedee[2] and Lori.[3] Her parents were both originally fromNorth Dakota.[4] Her paternal grandfather was of German ancestry and her paternal grandmother was of English, Welsh, French, Irish, and Dutch descent, while her maternal grandfather was of Swiss-German-Italian descent and her maternal grandmother of Swedish ancestry.[5] The family moved toMidway City, another Orange County community around seven miles (11 km) away, where Pfeiffer spent her early years.[6]
Pfeiffer attendedFountain Valley High School, graduating in 1976.[7] She worked as a check-out girl atVons supermarket, and attendedGolden West College[8] where she was a member ofAlpha Delta Pi sorority. After a short stint training to be a courtstenographer, she pursued an acting career.[9] Pfeiffer won the Miss Orange County beauty pageant in 1978 and finished sixth in theMiss California contest the same year.[10] After her appearances in these pageants, Pfeiffer acquired an agent and began to audition for television and film roles.[11]
Pfeiffer obtained her first starring film role as the female lead inGrease 2 (1982),[15] the sequel to the smash-hit musical filmGrease (1978).[16] With only a few television roles and small film appearances, the 23-year-old Pfeiffer was an unknown actress when she attended the casting call audition for the role, but according to directorPatricia Birch, she won the part because she "has a quirky quality you don't expect".[17] The film was a critical and commercial failure but Pfeiffer's performance was noted as a standout.[18]The New York Times remarked: "[A]lthough she is a relative screen newcomer, Miss Pfeiffer manages to look much more insouciant and comfortable than anyone else in the cast."[19] Despite escaping the critical mauling, her agent later admitted that her association with the film meant that "she couldn't get any jobs. Nobody wanted to hire her."[16] On her early screen roles, she asserted: "I needed to learn how to act ... in the meantime, I was playing bimbos and cashing in on my looks."[7]
DirectorBrian De Palma, having seenGrease 2, refused to audition Pfeiffer forScarface (1983), but relented at the insistence ofMartin Bregman, the film's producer. She was cast as cocaine-addicted trophy wifeElvira Hancock.[20] The film was considered excessively violent by most critics, but became a commercial hit and gained a largecult following in subsequent years.[21] Pfeiffer received positive reviews for her supporting turn;Richard Corliss ofTime Magazine wrote, "most of the large cast is fine: Michelle Pfeiffer is better ..."[22] whileDominick Dunne, in an article forVanity Fair titled "Blonde Ambition", wrote, "[s]he is on the verge of stardom. In the parlance of the industry, she is hot."[23]
In 1990, Pfeiffer formed her own film production company, Via Rosa Productions, with business partner Kate Guinzburg, whom she had met on the set ofSweet Liberty (1986). The company was under a picture deal withTouchstone Pictures, a film label ofThe Walt Disney Studios. That year, Pfeiffer began earning $1 million per film,[45] and took on the part of the Soviet book editor Katya Orlova in thefilm adaptation ofJohn le Carré'sThe Russia House, withSean Connery, a role that required her to adopt a Russian accent. For her efforts, she was rewarded with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.[46] Pfeiffer then landed the role of damaged waitress Frankie inGarry Marshall'sFrankie and Johnny (1991), a film adaptation ofTerrence McNally'sBroadway playFrankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, which reunited her with herScarface co-star,Al Pacino. The casting was seen as controversial by many, as Pfeiffer was considered far too beautiful to play an "ordinary" waitress;[47]Kathy Bates, the original Frankie on Broadway, also expressed disappointment over the producers' choice.[48] Pfeiffer herself stated that she took the role because it "wasn't what people would expect of [her]".[49] Pfeiffer was once again nominated for aGolden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama for her performance.
Pfeiffer took on the role ofSelina Kyle–Catwoman inTim Burton's superhero filmBatman Returns (1992), oppositeMichael Keaton andDanny DeVito, afterAnnette Bening dropped out because of her pregnancy. For the role, she trained in martial arts andkickboxing. Pfeiffer received unanimous critical acclaim for her portrayal, which is often referred to as the greatest performance of Catwoman of all time by critics and fans.[50][51][52][53][54]Premiere retrospectively stated: "Arguably the outstanding villain of the Tim Burton era, Michelle Pfeiffer's deadly kitten with a whip brought sex to the normally neutered franchise. Her stitched-together, black patent leather costume, based on a sketch of Burton's, remains the character's most iconic look. And Michelle Pfeiffer overcomesBatman Returns' heavy-handed feminist dialogue to deliver a growling, fierce performance."[55]Batman Returns was a big box office success, grossing over $267 million worldwide.[56]
Following the formation of her producing company, Via Rosa Productions, Pfeiffer saw a professional expansion as a producer. While she continued to act steadily throughout the decade, she and her producing partner Guinzburg experienced a winning streak of producing back to back films next under their header. She starred withJack Nicholson in the 1994 horror filmWolf, portraying the sardonic and willful interest of a writer who becomes a wolf-man at night after being bitten by a creature. The film was released to a mixed critical reception;[62]The New York Times wrote: "Ms. Pfeiffer's role is underwritten, but her performance is expert enough to make even diffidence compelling."[63]Wolf was a commercial success, grossing $65 million (equivalent to $138 million in 2024) at the domestic box office and $131 million worldwide (equivalent to $278 million).[64]
Pfeiffer began to dissolve her film production company, Via Rosa Productions, in 1999, and moved into semi-retirement to spend more quality time with her children and family. Pfeiffer handed her producing partner Guinzburg one final film to produce under the Via Rosa Productions header. The film was calledOriginal Sin (2001). It was originally intended to star Pfeiffer, who later changed her mind as she was looking to work less for a while. The film was produced by her company, but instead starredAngelina Jolie andAntonio Banderas.
InWhat Lies Beneath (2000), aHitchcockian thriller directed byRobert Zemeckis, Pfeiffer andHarrison Ford starred as a well-to-do couple who experience a strange haunting that uncovers secrets about their past. While critical response towards the film was mixed, it opened atop at the box office,[82] and went on to gross $291 million worldwide.[83] She then accepted the role of Rita Harrison, a highly strung lawyer helping a father with adevelopmental disability, in the dramaI Am Sam (2001), withSean Penn.[84] Despite grossing $97.8 million worldwide,[85] the film was unfavorably reviewed by critics;[86]Seattle Post-Intelligencer wrote: "Pfeiffer, apparently stymied by the bland clichés that prop up her screechy role, delivers her flattest, phoniest performance ever."[87] Meanwhile,SF Gate observed: "In one scene, she breaks down in tears as she unburdens herself to him about her miserable life. It's hard not to cringe, watching this emotionally ready actress fling herself headlong into false material."[88]
Pfeiffer took on the role of a murderous artist, named Ingrid Magnussen, in the dramaWhite Oleander (2002), withAlison Lohman (in her film debut),Renée Zellweger andRobin Wright. The film was a critical and commercial success in its arthouse release.Stephen Holden ofThe New York Times wrote that "Ms. Pfeiffer, giving the most complex screen performance of her career, makes her Olympian seductress at once irresistible and diabolical."[89]Kenneth Turan of theLos Angeles Times described her as "incandescent", bringing "power and unshakable will to her role as mother-master manipulator" in a "riveting, impeccable performance".[90] She earned Best Supporting Actress Awards from theSan Diego Film Critics Society and the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, as well as aScreen Actors Guild Award nomination.
In 2003, Pfeiffer lent her voice for the character of goddess of chaosEris inSinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, an animated film featuringBrad Pitt as the voice ofSinbad the Sailor. She had struggles with finding the character's villainies. Initially the character was "too sexual", then she lacked fun. After a third rewrite, Pfeiffer called producerJeffrey Katzenberg and told him "You know, you really can fire me," but he assured her that this was just part of the process.[91] Following the release of the film, she took a four-year hiatus from acting, during which she remained largely out of the public eye to devote time to her husband and children.[92] During this time, she turned down the role of the White Witch in the fantasy filmThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005), which went toTilda Swinton.[93]
Pfeiffer returned to cinemas in 2007 with villainous roles in two summer blockbusters,Hairspray andStardust, which was hailed as a successful comeback by the media.[94][95][96][92] In the former, a film adaptation of theBroadway musical of the same name, she starred alongsideJohn Travolta,Christopher Walken andQueen Latifah as Velma Von Tussle,[97] the racist manager of a television station.[98] Although a fan of Pfeiffer's work in the musicalsGrease 2 andThe Fabulous Baker Boys, directorAdam Shankman cast Pfeiffer largely based on her performance inBatman Returns,[99] claiming she was his first and only choice for Velma.[100] Although she had fun with the part, Pfeiffer described Velma as the most difficult role she had played at the time, because of her character's racism; but she was drawn to the film's important message of anti-bigotry, accepting that "in order to do a movie about racism, somebody has got to be the racist".[94] Released to widely positive reviews,Hairspray grossed $202.5 million worldwide.[101] Pfeiffer's performance was also critically acclaimed,[102][103] with film criticDavid Edelstein ofNPR calling her "sublime".[104] The cast ofHairspray was nominated for theScreen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast in a Motion Picture, and won theBroadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast, theHollywood Film Festival Award for Ensemble of the Year, and thePalm Springs International Film Festival Award for Ensemble Cast. In the fantasy adventureStardust, Pfeiffer playsLamia, an ancient witch who hunts a fallen star (Claire Danes) in search of eternal youth.[105] The film received mostly positive reviews but performed moderately at the box office,[106][107] earning $135.5 million globally.[108]The New York Times film criticStephen Holden described Pfeiffer as "as deliciously evil a witch as the movies have ever invented", writing that she "goes for broke with the relish of a star who figures she has nothing to lose."[109]
Pfeiffer starred inAmy Heckerling's romantic comedyI Could Never Be Your Woman (2007), withPaul Rudd andSaoirse Ronan,[110] portraying Rosie, a forty-year-old divorced mother working as a scriptwriter and producer for a television show who falls in love with a much younger man (Rudd). Her reported salary was $1 million, with an advance on fifteen percent of the gross. However, the film was only distributed onhome video markets domestically.[111] Reviews forI Could Never Be Your Woman were moderately positive,[112] with criticJames Berardinelli finding Pfeiffer and Rudd to "have adequate chemistry to pull off the romance," in what he described as an "enjoyable romantic comedy that has enough going for it to make it worth a recommendation."[113] Pfeiffer starred inPersonal Effects, withAshton Kutcher, playing two grieving people coping with the pain and frustration of their loss whose bond spawns an unlikely romance. The drama premiered atIowa City's Englert Theatre in December 2008.[114]
Her next film, an adaptation ofColette'sChéri, reunited her with the director (Stephen Frears) and screenwriter (Christopher Hampton) ofDangerous Liaisons (1988). Pfeiffer played the role of aging retiredcourtesan Léa de Lonval, withRupert Friend in the title role, with Kathy Bates as his mother.Chéri premiered at the 2009Berlin International Film Festival, where it received a nomination for theGolden Bear award.[115]The Times of London reviewed the film favorably, describing Hampton's screenplay as a "steady flow of dry quips and acerbic one-liners" and Pfeiffer's performance as "magnetic and subtle, her worldly nonchalance a mask for vulnerability and heartache".[116]Roger Ebert in theChicago Sun-Times wrote that it was "fascinating to observe how Pfeiffer controls her face and voice during times of painful hurt".[117]Kenneth Turan in theLos Angeles Times praised the "wordless scenes that catch Léa unawares, with the camera alone seeing the despair and regret that she hides from the world. It's the kind of refined, delicate acting Pfeiffer does so well, and it's a further reminder of how much we've missed her since she's been away."[118]
Following a two-year sabbatical from acting, Pfeiffer made part of a large ensemble cast inGarry Marshall's ensemble romantic comedyNew Year's Eve (2011), her second collaboration with Marshall afterFrankie and Johnny. The film, also starringHalle Berry,Jessica Biel,Robert De Niro,Josh Duhamel,Zac Efron,Sarah Jessica Parker, andSofía Vergara, among many others, saw her take on the supporting role of Ingrid Withers, an overwhelmed secretary befriending a deliveryman (Efron). While the film was panned by critics, it made $142 million worldwide.[119] In 2012, she appeared withChris Pine andElizabeth Banks in the dramaPeople Like Us, as the mother of a struggling New York City corporate trader (Pine).Rolling Stone found her to be "luminous" in the film,[120] andThe New York Times, positively pointing out Pfeiffer and Banks, noted that their performances "partly compensate for the holes in a story whose timing is hard to swallow".[121]People Like Us debuted to $4.26 million, described as "meager" byBox Office Mojo, and only made $12 million in North America.[122]
Pfieffer reunited with Tim Burton, herBatman Returns director, inDark Shadows (2012), based on thegothic television soap operaof the same name. In the film, co-starringJohnny Depp,Eva Green,Helena Bonham Carter andChloë Grace Moretz, she playedElizabeth Collins Stoddard, the matriarch of the Collins family. Critical response towards the film was mixed, but writers acclaimed the actors' performances—most notably Depp and Pfeiffer's.IGN found her to be "commanding" in her role and felt that the main characters were "played by one of Burton's best ensemble casts yet".[123] WhileDark Shadows grossed a modest $79.7 million in North America, it ultimately made $245.5 million globally.[124] InLuc Besson's mob-comedyThe Family (2013), co-starring Robert De Niro,Tommy Lee Jones,Dianna Agron andJohn D'Leo, she played the "tough mother" in a Mafia family wanting to change their lives under thewitness protection program.[125] Although reviews for the film were mixed,THV11 said on the cast's portrayals: "The core actors ofThe Family were really solid, and the whole film comes together to make a solid movie."[126] An article inHuffPost said that "De Niro, Pfieffer and Jones all brought 100% to their roles."[127] The film grossed $78.4 million worldwide.[128]
The only trepidation was I think I took for granted how nice it was to not be under the spotlight and just having a life. I remember thinking, "Do I really want to step back into this?" And I just realized that I'm not done. I have a lot more to do, and a lot more to say. I'm never going to be one that retires.
Pfeiffer stated that her lack of acting throughout the 2000s was due to several reasons, including family matters and her approach to choosing roles.[130][131] She stated she was intending to "work a lot" once her children left for college,[132] mentioning that she felt her best performance was "still in her", saying how that's what she felt kept her going.[133]
In the independent dramaWhere Is Kyra? (2017), Pfeiffer starred as a sensitive and fragile woman who loses her mother and "faces a crisis in which she must find a means for survival, all the while hiding her struggles from her new lover". The film premiered at theSundance Film Festival on January 23, 2017, and received a limited release on April 6, 2018,[134] to critical acclaim;[135][136][137] Her role asKyra was called the "performance of her life" byVillage Voice's Bilge Ebiri,[138] and "the performance of her career", byRolling Stone.[139]
Pfeiffer landed the role ofRuth Madoff for theHBO Films dramaThe Wizard of Lies (2017), based on the book of the same name. The film, directed byBarry Levinson, reunites her with actor Robert De Niro, who played her husband, disgraced financierBernard Madoff.[140]The Wizard of Lies premiered onHBO on May 20, 2017, garnering favorable reviews from critics and an audience of 1.5 million viewers, HBO's largest premiere viewership for a film in four years.[141]Tolucan Times remarked that Pfeiffer "steals the show as Madoff's wife, Ruth, and is a remarkable lookalike",[142] whileLos Angeles Times asserted: "As Ruth, Pfeiffer convincingly portrays a pampered woman left with utterly nothing —she's lost her homes, status and, most important, her relationship with her sons."[143] She received a nomination for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Movie, in addition to aGolden Globe Award nomination.[144][145]
InDarren Aronofsky's psychological horror filmMother! (2017), Pfeiffer portrayed one of the mysterious guests who interrupt the tranquil life of a couple, played byJennifer Lawrence andJavier Bardem.[146] AlthoughMother! divided critics and audiences,[147][148] reviewers praised Pfeiffer unanimously,[149][150] and some found her performance worthy of an Oscar nomination.[151][152]Vulture remarked: "Out of the main actors, it's Pfeiffer who is able to root the character in meaning — she bracingly marries the exploration of Biblical creation, mythological overtones, and hellish domestic commentary. There's a gravity to Pfeiffer's performance that allows her to succeed where the other main actors fail, save for brief spurts — she straddles the boundaries between embodying a symbol and granting the character enough interiority to feel like a flesh and blood woman, too."[153]
Pfeiffer played a widowed socialite inKenneth Branagh'sMurder on the Orient Express (2017), the fourth screen adaptation ofAgatha Christie's 1934novel of the same name. Featuring anensemble cast, themystery film follows world-renowned detectiveHercule Poirot (Branagh) attempting to solve a murder, while stranded with several suspects on theOrient Express during the 1930s.[154] She also recorded the original song "Never Forget" for the film's soundtrack. The film grossed $351.7 million worldwide and received decent reviews from critics, with praise for the performances, but criticism for not adding anything new to previous adaptations.[155] Although some critics found its large cast underused, Pfeiffer's performance was praised, withRichard Roeper of theChicago Sun-Times saying she delivered the film's best performance.[156]The New Yorker'sAnthony Lane found that only Pfeiffer appears to be enjoying their material,[157] while Mick LaSalle of theSan Francisco Chronicle credited the film with reminding audiences that she is one of the industry's best actresses.[158] David Edelstein ofVulture described the actress as "a hoot and a half ... stealing every scene".[159]
Pfeiffer said she sometimes feelsfraudulent as anuntrained actor due to her lack of conventional schooling.[152] She credits directorMilton Katselas with teaching her the difference between how an actor and their character would behave during the same scene.[187] EssayistAngelica Jade Bastién said Pfeiffer's talent disproves any argument that untrained actors are lesser than their trained peers.[188] Several film critics have described her as "acharacter actress in a screen siren's body",[187][189][190][191] with Bastién profiling her as "a character actress reluctantly placed in Hollywood’s lineage of blondebombshells".[54] JournalistJames Kaplan reported that some critics feel Pfeiffer has undersold herself by choosing character roles instead of capitalizing on her beauty.[192] In 1993, film criticTy Burr argued that her "unshowy performances work because they don’t call attention to themselves", although her attractiveness prevents her from being seriously considered "one of today’s best screen actresses".[193] Pfeiffer claims she rarely accepts glamorous roles because she finds few of them compelling.[189] Although she prefers acting in dramas over comedies,[194] she does not have a favorite genre to perform in.[195]
During the 1980s, Pfeiffer typically played smart, funny, and independent women,[196] and pursued a wider range of roles in the 1990s.[27] Early in her career, she mostly played relatableworking class women, aside from the occasionalupper class character.[191] She has admitted she enjoys playing imperfect, evil, and "slightly trashy" women.[197][198][7] In a 2021 profile, journalistLynn Hirschberg said Pfeiffer excels in emotionally conflicted roles,[197] while Adam Platt ofNew Woman and journalistBilge Ebiri agreed that she often plays emotionally detached women.[199][200]Backstage contributor Manuel Betancourt observed parallels between Pfeiffer's characters and her own determination to subvert expectations,[201] with the actress confirming that she searches new projects for relatability.[202][203] However,Town & Country senior editor Adam Rathe finds Pfeiffer dissimilar to most of her characters.[204] Known to be highly selective about potential projects,[202] Pfeiffer, according toIndieWire contributor Kate Erbland, carefully chooses unconventional roles to avoid being typecast.[50] Pfeiffer's colleagues have described her as extremely committed, competent, and prepared,[189][199] although she refuses to watch her own performances.[205]
Pfeiffer has been called one of the greatest actresses of her generation.[206] However, she has also been described as one of Hollywood's most underrated,[152][207][208] withThe Hollywood Reporter saying she "is too seldom ranked among the best of her generation".[209] In 2009, journalistBrian D. Johnson argued that Pfeiffer had yet to demonstrate her true range, believing she could potentially be as revered asMeryl Streep if afforded the same acting opportunities,[210] while film criticMick LaSalle remarked that Pfeiffer's humility sometimes causes the public to overlook her as one of the industry's finest actresses.[158] Film criticPauline Kael named Pfeiffer one of her favorite actresses,[211] saying she always tried to see her work.[212] Pfeiffer is particularly renowned for her versatility,[190][213][214][215] having accrued a filmography that spans period, romance, fantasy, musical, comedy, and drama.[216][217][218][219] By 2016,Salon's Charles Taylor declared that no actor of the previous decade had rivaled Pfeiffer's versatility.[214] Summarizing her career as eclectic, Erbland believes she has rarely repeated acting choices, with the actress confirming she had always aspired to play the widest possible range of characters, even when her options were limited.[50]
Pfeiffer was one of the highest-paid actresses of the 1980s and 1990s,[220][221] typically earning $9–$10 million per film during the latter decade.[222][223][224] Aside fromThe Witches of Eastwick, few of her films during the 1980s were major box office successes.[189] In 1995,The New York Times journalistBernard Weinraub said Pfeiffer belongs to a group of respected actresses who are "not considered a big box-office draw".[221] However, several critics reported that her performances were consistently acclaimed, despite some mediocre films and box office returns.[50][189][225][226] Regardless, Pfeiffer was the sixth highest-grossingdomestic box office star of 1990,[227] and one of the few actresses whose salary corresponded with their box office appeal as of 1996, according toUPI.[222] In 1996,Entertainment Weekly ranked her the 67th greatest movie star of all time.[228] By 1999,Variety named Pfeiffer "the female movie star most likely to improve a film's box-office appeal".[229] In 2004,People ranked her among The 100 Greatest Movie Stars of Our Time, naming her 20th in the "icons" category.[230]
Pfeiffer has been described as one of the world's most beautiful and talented actresses.[220][234][235] After beingtypecast in early roles based on her appearance,[236] she initially struggled to convince directors to take her seriously as an actor,[187] and thus sought out more challenging opportunities.[189] Journalists Candice Russell of theSun-Sentinel and Rachel Syme ofThe New Yorker observed that, early in her career, critics regularly undermined Pfeiffer's work by focusing on her appearance instead of her acting.[191][236]
Pfeiffer was considered one of the leadingsex symbols of the 1980s and 1990s,[237][238][239][240] and several publications dubbed her one of the era's "It girls".[198][241][242] In 1990, Pfeiffer appeared on the inaugural cover ofPeople magazine's annual "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" issue.[243][244] She has been featured in the "Most Beautiful" issue a record-breaking six times throughout the decade (from 1990 to 1993, and in 1996 and 1999).[244] In 2004, the magazine named her one of the most beautiful women of all time.[245] In 2011, theLos Angeles Times Magazine featured her among the "50 Most Beautiful Women in Film".[246] In 2020,Vogue Paris listed Pfeiffer as one of the 21 most beautiful American actresses of all time.[247]Men's Health ranked Pfeiffer 45th and 67th on their all-time hottest women and sex symbol rankings, respectively.[248][249] Pfeiffer has been famously self-deprecating about her own appearance,[45][189] at times mocking her trademark features.[250] At least two of her films,Stardust (2007) andChéri (2009), explore beautiful, youth-obsessed women struggling to accept aging, themes Pfeiffer personally identified with.[251] According to several plastic surgeons, she possesses some of the most requested celebrity features among clients.[194] In 2001, plastic surgeonStephen R. Marquardt declared Pfeiffer the most beautiful face in Hollywood.[27][252] Nicknamed the "golden ratio", Pfeiffer's face, Marquardt claims, adheres to a mathematical formula in which he determined a person's ideal mouth is 1.618 times as wide as their nose.[252][253] Several outlets have commented on Pfeiffer's perceived ability to physically age slowly.[254]
Famously private like the characters she plays,[255][218][256][257] Matthew Jacobs ofHuffPost crowned Pfeiffer Hollywood's foremost "movie star who doesn't walk around feeling like a movie star", which he believes allows her to play authentic characters without letting her fame compromise her talent.[207] Analyzing her public profile for therepertory cinemaMetograph, Luke Goodsell said few stars of the 1990s were as elusive as Pfeiffer, writing, "Though a sex symbol, she was never afemme fatale likeSharon Stone; she could play quirky and romantic, but she wasn’t an American sweetheart like Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan; a serious talent, she was rarely considered in the company of Meryl Streep or Jodie Foster".[258] Pfeiffer is notorious for disliking giving press interviews.[191][187][255][257] Describing herself as "the worst interviewee that ever was",[259] she believes it is not an actor's responsibility to promote a film project.[189] Film criticMichael Sragow observed that the actress can at times appear "flustered or elusive" during interviews.[202] In 1995, journalistTimothy Egan likened profiling Pfeiffer in the past to coveringgeology, a quality he said she had since outgrown.[7] Vikram Murthi ofThe Nation believes Pfeiffer's aversion to publicity "has lent her an air of gravitas, of someone who directs a spotlight rather than chases after it".[257]
Media commentators noted that Pfeiffer had unexpectedly become a "pop-music muse" in 2014; her name is mentioned in two of the year's most popular songs: "Uptown Funk" byMark Ronson featuringBruno Mars, and "Riptide" byVance Joy.[260][261][262][263] Joy was particularly inspired by Pfeiffer's transformation from Selina Kyle into Catwoman inBatman Returns,[260] whereas Ronson citedThe Fabulous Baker Boys as his favorite Pfeiffer film.[264] In 2021, singer-songwriterEthel Cain released her debut single "Michelle Pfeiffer", which the artist named after the actress because "I've always ... thought she was a picture perfect bombshell".[265] Australiancricketers speak of "getting a Michelle" when they take five wickets in aninnings. In cricketing parlance, this is referred to as a "five for", a near-homophone for "Pfeiffer", which resulted in the nickname "Michelle".[266]M3GAN 2.0 (2025) director,Gerard Johnstone, revealed that Pfeiffer was the original inspiration behind the film's counterpoint robot, AMELIA.[267]
Having been a smoker for ten years (she quit in 1992), and having a niece who suffered fromleukemia for ten years, Pfeiffer decided to support theAmerican Cancer Society.[272] She also supports theHumane Society.[20] In 2016, she attended the Healthy Child Healthy World's L.A. Gala for people who lead organizations forchildren's environmental health.[273] In December that year, Pfeiffer, who wasvegan at the time, joined the board of directors forEnvironmental Working Group, an advocacy group based in Washington. D.C.[274]
Soon after coming to Hollywood at age twenty, Pfeiffer was taken in by a seemingly friendly couple who ran ametaphysics andvegetariancult. They helped her to cease drinking, smoking, and doing drugs. Over time, they took control of her entire life. Much of her money went to the group. "I was brainwashed," she said, "I gave them an enormous amount of money."[275]
At an acting class taught byMilton Katselas in Los Angeles, she met fellow budding actorPeter Horton, and they began dating. They married inSanta Monica in 1981; it was on their honeymoon that she discovered she had won the lead role inGrease 2.[276] Horton directed Pfeiffer in a 1985ABC TV special,One Too Many, where she played the high school girlfriend of an alcoholic student (Val Kilmer).[277] In 1987, the real-life couple played an on-screen couple in the 'Hospital' segment ofJohn Landis's comedy skit compilationAmazon Women on the Moon.
Pfeiffer and Horton decided to separate in 1988, and were divorced two years later. Horton later blamed the split on their devotion to their work rather than their marriage.[20] Pfeiffer then had a three-year relationship with actor/producerFisher Stevens, whom Pfeiffer met when she was starring asOlivia in theNew York Shakespeare Festival production ofTwelfth Night, where Stevens playedSir Andrew Aguecheek.[284][285]
In 1993, Pfeiffer married television writer and producerDavid E. Kelley.[286] She made a brief uncredited cameo appearance in one episode of Kelley's television seriesPicket Fences and played the title character inTo Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, for which Kelley wrote the screenplay.[287] She had entered into private adoption proceedings before she met Kelley,[288] and in March 1993 adopted a newborn daughter, Claudia Rose,[289] who was christened on Pfeiffer's and Kelley's wedding day.[290] In 1994, Pfeiffer gave birth to a son, John Henry Kelley II, named for his grandfather and Pfeiffer's father-in-law,United States Hockey Hall of Fame coachJohn Henry "Jack" Kelley.[291] In September 2025, Pfeiffer revealed that she had become a grandmother in 2024.[292]
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^abc"Michelle Pfeiffer Biography".Talk Talk. Tiscali UK Limited trading. Archived fromthe original on September 26, 2008. RetrievedOctober 23, 2008.Michelle, renowned as the most beautiful actress in the world ...
^Haskell, Robert (February 7, 2019)."Michelle Pfeiffer is Back (as if She Ever Left)".InStyle. Archived fromthe original on April 2, 2019. RetrievedFebruary 17, 2019.The Fabulous Baker Boys — in which she gave her most widely lauded performance, as the lounge singer Susie Diamond
^"Michelle Pfeiffer: ageless beauty".The Sydney Morning Herald. June 29, 2009. RetrievedJune 22, 2021.When Michelle Pfeiffer purred the words to while sprawled across a grand piano in 1989's s, the scene went down in history as one of cinema's sexiest moments.
^Melrose, Kevin (June 19, 2017)."Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman Is Still Batman's Best Movie Villain".Comic Book Resources. RetrievedJune 18, 2019.it's Selina's story that imbues Batman Returns with a depth that lifts it above its predecessor, and establishes Pfeiffer's Catwoman as the Caped Crusader's most compelling movie villain of all time.
^ab"Michelle Pfeiffer's Eternal Beauty".CBS News. October 4, 2007. RetrievedMarch 26, 2021."Stardust" and her role this summer in the movie "Hairspray" mark a comeback for Pfeiffer after five years away from the big screen. She has proved she is still striking on camera and popular with audiences, putting her in a stronger position than ever as an actress.
^""Rush Hour 3" Wins At Box Office".CBS News. August 13, 2007. RetrievedNovember 11, 2021.The other movie premiering this weekend was "Stardust," a well-reviewed adult fairy tale with Michelle Pfeiffer.
^Schwartz, Missy (February 8, 2008)."Would You Dump This Woman?".Entertainment Weekly. No. #977.Archived from the original on September 23, 2011. RetrievedMay 1, 2011.
^Munzenrieder, Kyle (December 27, 2017)."From Laura Dern to Michelle Pfeiffer, 2017 Was the Year of the Comeback".W. RetrievedMay 16, 2018.September's mother! may have been the most divisive movie of the year, but it seems the one thing we all could agree on was, 'You know, it's really nice to have Michelle Pfeiffer back.'
^abcdBrown, Mick (April 20, 2009)."Michelle Pfeiffer: interview".The Daily Telegraph. Archived fromthe original on October 11, 2021. RetrievedApril 22, 2017.an actress who could portray inner conflict with her eyes and face better than any other film star of her generation
^abGoldstein, Gary (February 19, 2010)."Michelle Pfeiffer".Los Angeles Times. Archived fromthe original on January 23, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 11, 2021.She has proven as adept in comedies ("Married to the Mob") and musicals ("Hairspray") as she has in serious dramas ("White Oleander", "The Deep End of the Ocean") and period pieces ("The Age of Innocence").
^"Michelle Pfeiffer".Hollywood Walk of Fame. August 6, 2007. Archived fromthe original on June 17, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 1, 2021.She rose to prominence during the late 1980s and early 1990s, during which time she gave a series of critically-acclaimed performances
Karasyov, Caroline Doyle (October 2022)."Michelle Pfeiffer Tells All".Harper’s Bazaar. RetrievedNovember 23, 2022 – via Gorgeous Pfeiffer.generally regarded as one of the most beautiful and talented women in Hollywood
Longsdorf, Amy (January 19, 2002)."Legally Mean".The Morning Call.Archived from the original on May 18, 2018. RetrievedNovember 23, 2022.one of Hollywood's most beautiful and talented actresses
Canadian Film Awards 1968–1978,Genie Awards 1980-2011,Canadian Screen Awards 2012–present. Separate awards were presented by gender prior to 2022; a single unified category for best performance regardless of gender has been presented since.
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