BWW Profile: Christine Baranski Emmy-Nominated Star of Stage and Screen
By: Matt Tamanini Sep. 14, 2016
In anticipation of the live 68th Annual Emmy Award broadcast on ABC this Sunday, September 18th, BWW will be spotlighting the Emmy nominated TV performances of some of Broadway's biggest stars. If you want to follow along and interact with all of BroadwayWorld's Emmy coverage, check out #BWWEmmys on Twitter.
Today we take a look back at the incredible career of stage and screen star Christine Baranski; from Broadway shows like THE REAL THING, RUMORS, BOEING-BOEING, to films THE BIRDCAGE, CHICAGO, MAMMA MIA, and INTO THE WOODS, to TV shows CYBILL, THE GOOD WIFE and THE BIG BANG THEORY, for which she was again nominated this year.
Christine became a major player on the television landscape with her role as Maryanne Thorpe on the 1990's sitcom CYBILL. Maryanne was the hard-drinking best friend of Cybill Shepherd's character. For the role, Christine was nominated for four Emmys, including a win in 1995 for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy. The year after CYBILL ended its run on TV, Christine was nominated for another Emmy for guest-starring on FRASIER as Dr. Nora Fairchild. Ten years later, in 2009, she was nominated for the same award for playing Beverly Hofstadter on THE BIG BANG THEORY. She was again nominated for the role the following year, which overlapped the beginning of her current six-year run of nominations for Supporting Actress in a Drama for playing Diane Lockhart on THE GOOD WIFE. Baranski was again nominated for both roles this year. In total, Christine has 15 Emmy nominations, and one win.
Despite her exceptional television career, Christine has been a regular on the New York stage for the past three decades. After making her Broadway debut in 1980's short-lived HIDE AND SEEK, Christine won her first Tony Award as part of the star-studded cast of Tom Stoppard's THE REAL THING. Directed by the legendary Mike Nichols, the cast included Cynthia Nixon, Peter Gallagher, Jeremy Irons, and Glenn Close. Stoppard, Nichols, Irons, Close, and Baranski all took home Tonys for the show. After replacing in the original productions of HURLYBURLY and THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, Christine earned her second Tony as a member of the original cast of Neil Simon's RUMORS. After being a part of legendary flop NICK & NORA in 1991, it was over 16 years before Christine returned to the Broadway stage. In 2008 she starred in the Tony-winning revival of BOEING-BOEING. Additionally, Christine won Drama Desk Awards for THE REAL THING and LIPS TOGETHER, TEETH APART. She has also been a regular Off-Broadway, in concert performances, and in Washington D.C.
Despite staying busy on stage and TV, Christine has appeard in over 40 films, including adaptations of some beloved plays and musicals. Christine appeared alongside Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in THE BIRDCAGE, as Mary Sunshine in the Academy Award-winning CHICAGO, and alongside Meryl Streep in the adaptation of MAMMA MIA. Christine again joined Streep in a movie-musical last Christmas when she appeared as Cinderella's Stepmother in the film version of INTO THE WOODS.
I have put together six videos that chronicle Christine's impressive career. First, a look at her character Diane Lockhart on THE GOOD WIFE. The second is a very funny scene from THE BIG BANG THEORY, and the third is from last year's film adaptation of INTO THE WOODS. The fourth video is of Christine singing "Does You Mother Know" from the MAMMA MIA film, followed by a segment from The KENNEDY Center Honors ceremony honoring Jerry Herman; Baranski and fellow Tony-winner Christine Ebersole sing "Bosom Buddies" from Herman's musical MAME. The final video is of Christine and Martin Short singing the song "A Fact Can Be a Beautiful Thing" from Encore's production of PROMISES, PROMISES.
Let me know your thoughts on Christine's nomination and the Emmys in general in the comments below, or on Twitter @BWWMatt and #BWWEmmys.
The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards telecast will air live coast-to-coast on Sunday, September 18th (8 PM ET/5 PM PT) on ABC. And be sure to visit BWW TV for live coverage of the 2016 Primetime EMMY AWARDS.
Comments
Videos