Michelle Marie Pfeifferis an American actress and producer. One of the most bankable stars in Hollywood during the 1980s and 1990s, her performances have earned her various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and one Primetime Emmy Award.
Pfeiffer began her acting career with minor appearances in television and film, and secured her first leading role in Grease 2 (1982). She achieved widespread recognition for her breakthrough performance as Elvira Hancock in Scarface (1983), followed by mainstream success with 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). She earned consecutive Academy Award nominations, Best Supporting Actress for Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and Best Actress for The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), winning a Golden Globe Award for the latter.
Established as one of the highest-paid actresses of the 1990s, Pfeiffer played Catwoman in Batman Returns (1992) and received her third Academy Award nomination for Love Field (1992). She continued to appear in prominent films throughout the decade, including The Age of Innocence (1993) and Wolf (1994). Through her production company, Via Rosa Productions, she produced and starred in several films, including Dangerous Minds (1995). In the 2000s, Pfeiffer reduced her acting workload to focus on her family, appearing in select projects such as What Lies Beneath (2000), White Oleander (2002), Hairspray and Stardust (both 2007).
Following a hiatus, Pfeiffer returned to prominence in 2017 with roles in Where Is Kyra?, Mother!, and Murder on the Orient Express. That same year, she received her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for portraying Ruth Madoff in the television film The Wizard of Lies. In 2020, she earned her eighth Golden Globe Award nomination for French Exit. Since 2018, Pfeiffer has portrayed Janet van Dyne in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with Ant-Man and the Wasp.
