What is Christine Baranski's Net Worth and Salary?
Christine Baranski is an American stage and screen actress with a net worth of $8 million. She is best known for her roles in popular television series such as "Cybill," "The Good Wife," and "The Good Fight." Notably, she appeared in all 156 episodes of "The Good Wife" and all 60 episodes of "The Good Fight," where she also served as a producer. Since 2022, Christine has been a prominent figure on the HBO series "The Gilded Age."
Her filmography includes impressive works like "Reversal of Fortune," "The Birdcage," "Chicago," "Mamma Mia!," and "Into the Woods." On Broadway, Baranski has starred in shows such as "Hurlyburly," "Nick & Nora," and "Boeing-Boeing." She has earned Tony Awards for her performances in "The Real Thing" and "Rumors."
Throughout her illustrious career, Christine has been nominated for 15 Emmy Awards. She secured an Emmy in 1995 for her role on "Cybill" as Maryanne Thorpe and received another nomination for her portrayal of Diane Lockhart in "The Good Wife."
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Early Life
Christine Baranski was born on May 2, 1952, in Buffalo, New York, to Lucien and Virginia Baranski. She is of Polish descent. During her teenage years, she attended Villa Maria Academy in Cheektowaga, a suburb of Buffalo. Later, she moved to New York City to study at the Juilliard School, graduating in 1974 with a BA degree.
Career Beginnings on Stage
Christine's early stage career began with appearances at the American Shakespeare Festival in 1974, where she performed in productions like "Romeo and Juliet," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," and "Twelfth Night." She also performed in plays such as "The Cherry Orchard," "Tartuffe," "Misalliance," and "She Stoops to Conquer" at Center Stage Theatre in Maryland. Later in the 70s, she took on roles in "Private Lives," "Angel City," "Born Yesterday," and "The Shadow of a Gunman."
Further Stage Career
1980 marked a significant year for Baranski as she made her off-Broadway debut in "Coming Attractions" at Playwrights Horizons and her Broadway debut in "Hide & Seek." She continued her prolific stage career with performances in "Company," "Lady of the Diamond," and "The Trouble with Europe." Throughout the 80s, her noteworthy roles included "Talley's Folly," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Sally and Marsha," "Blithe Spirit," "Sunday in the Park with George," and "The Real Thing," for which she won a Tony Award. She later starred in "Hurlyburly," "The House of Blue Leaves," "It's Only a Play," and "Hedda Gabler." In 1988, she won her second Tony Award for Neil Simon's "Rumors."
During the 90s, Baranski's stage performances included "Lips Together, Teeth Apart," "Nick & Nora," "Promises, Promises," and "Sweeney Todd." She continued her illustrious theater journey into the 2000s with roles in "Mame," "Follies," and "The Sisters Rosensweig." In 2008, she returned to Broadway after a 17-year hiatus to star in a revival of "Boeing-Boeing." Her later stage credits include "On Your Toes" and "White Rabbit Red Rabbit."
Television Career
Baranski's television debut came in 1977 with the short-lived sitcom "Busting Loose." She subsequently appeared in the television film "Playing for Time" and had roles on the daytime soap operas "Another World" and "All My Children." Her other early TV credits include appearances on "The Equalizer," "The Thorns," "Law & Order," and "Screenplay."
In 1995, she achieved her breakthrough television role on "Cybill," playing Maryanne Thorpe, the sardonic alcoholic friend of Cybill Shepherd's character. The show earned her multiple Emmy and SAG nominations. In the 90s, she also appeared in episodes of "3rd Rock from the Sun" and "Frasier."
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From 2000 to 2001, Baranski starred in "Welcome to New York" and later appeared in "Citizen Baines," "Presidio Med," and the TV films "Eloise at the Plaza" and "Eloise at Christmastime." From 2003 to 2004, she had a main role on "Happy Family." In 2009, she landed a significant role on "The Good Wife," earning six Emmy nominations throughout its seven-season run. Additionally, she guest-starred as Dr. Beverly Hofstadter on "The Big Bang Theory," receiving four Emmy nominations for the role. Since 2017, Baranski has reprised her role as Diane Lockhart on "The Good Fight." Her recent TV credits include "Young Sheldon," "The Gilded Age," and several animated series.
Film Career
Baranski's film career began in the early 80s with small roles in "Soup for One" and "Lovesick." She later appeared in "Crackers," "9½ Weeks," "Legal Eagles," and "The Pick-up Artist." In the 90s, she starred in "Reversal of Fortune," "The Night We Never Met," "Life with Mikey," "Addams Family Values," "The Ref," "Getting In," "The War," "New Jersey Drive," "Jeffrey," and "The Birdcage."
Her film roles in the late 90s included "The Odd Couple II," "Bulworth," "Cruel Intentions," and "Bowfinger." In the early 2000s, Baranski played Martha May Whovier in Ron Howard's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and appeared in "The Guru" and "Chicago," the latter earning the Best Picture Oscar in 2002. She continued with roles in "Marci X," "Welcome to Mooseport," "Falling for Grace," "Relative Strangers," and "Bonneville." In 2008, she starred in the hit musical "Mamma Mia!" alongside Meryl Streep and Julie Walters, reprising her role a decade later in "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again." Her other notable film credits include "Into the Woods," "Miss Sloane," and "A Bad Moms Christmas."
Personal Life and Real Estate
In 1983, Baranski married actor Matthew Cowles, with whom she remained until his death in 2014. They have two daughters: Isabel, a lawyer, and Lily, an actress.
Christine owns a 1.4-acre property in Bethlehem, Connecticut, featuring a 2,700-square-foot home built in 1787. In December 2020, she bought an apartment in New York City for $2.2 million.
