Christine Baranski is an American actress born in Buffalo, New York, to a Polish-American family. Her parents were Lucien Baranski, a newspaper editor, and his wife Virginia Mazurowska. Her grandparents were reportedly Polish theatrical actors. She was raised in Cheektowaga, a suburb of Buffalo, where Polish Americans have long been the dominant ethnicity.
Baranski received her secondary education at the Villa Maria Academy, a Catholic high school operated by the Felician Sisters. In 1970, she enrolled in the Juilliard School, a private performing arts conservatory located in New York City. She studied drama for four years and graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
In 1980, Baranski made her Off-Broadway debut and her Broadway debut. She later received critical acclaim for the leading role of Charlotte in the play "The Real Thing" (1982) by Tom Stoppard. For this role, Baranski won the 1984 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play.
Baranski has had a lengthy career in both film and television, with numerous notable roles. In 1986, she had a supporting role in the BDSM-themed erotic film "9½ Weeks", which earned 100 million dollars at the worldwide box office and became a cult favorite. In 1993, she played the tyrannical camp counselor Becky Martin-Granger in the black comedy film "Addams Family Values", which earned about 49 million dollars at the domestic box office.
In 1995, Baranski gained a major television role in the sitcom "Cybill" (1995-1998),playing Maryann Thorpe, a wealthy and sharp-tonged woman. She won critical acclaim for this role, winning the 1995 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
In 2000, Baranski played Martha May Whovier in the Christmas film "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", which earned about 363 million dollars at the worldwide box office. Also in 2000, she was cast in the major role of producer Marsha Bickner in the short-lived sitcom "Welcome to New York" (2000-2001).
In 2002, Baranski was cast as the baker Mrs. Lovett in a revival of the musical "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street", for which she won the 2003 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. She also played sensationalist reporter Mary Sunshine in the black comedy film "Chicago", which earned about 307 million dollars at the worldwide box office.
In 2008, Baranski played Tanya Chesham-Leigh in the romantic comedy "Mamma Mia!", which earned about 616 million dollars at the worldwide box office. She returned to her role in the sequel "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" (2018),which was also a box office hit.
In 2009, Baranski was cast in the recurring role of Dr. Beverly Hofstadter in the sitcom "The Big Bang Theory", for which she was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She also played Diane Lockhart in the legal drama "The Good Wife" (2009-2016),for which she was nominated six times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
In 2014, Baranski played Cinderella's Stepmother in the fairy-tale-themed fantasy film "Into the Woods", which earned about 213 million dollars at the worldwide box office. In 2017, she returned to the role of Diane Lockhart in the legal drama "The Good Fight" (2017-),a sequel series to "The Good Wife".
As of 2021, Baranski is 69 years old and remains highly popular with both critics and audiences.
