Happy 23rd Anniversary, Michelle & David!
On this day in 1993 the iconic Michelle Pfeiffer, then at the peak of her career, wed her very new boyfriend, TV powerhouse David E Kelley (who had three series on air at the that time - LA Law, Doogie Howser MD, and Picket Fences). Fun trivia notes and a few clips after the jump...
1993 was an extremely busy year for the goddess.
After a blind date set up by friends in early January 1993 (in which they reportedly barely spoke) on their second date he took her to see Bram Stoker's Dracula !?!. By the end of the month they were already public and attended the Golden Globes together where Pfeiffer (Love Field) lost to Emma Thompson (Howards End)...
...and nearly that entire lineup (Sorry Sharon!) transferred to Oscar with the same result.
To be honest Pfeiffer probably wasn't thinking about golden statues at this moment in her life or even that night! Right around Oscar time she was adopting her daughter Claudia Rose (she had started the process before meeting Kelley).
Age of Innocence premiered in September, and by November, less than a year after the two Hollywood power players met they were married. By the end of the year they were pregnant with a son, John Henry Kelley. The couple is still going strong 23 years later so Happy Anniversary!
P.S. A related trivia note. Michelle Pfeiffer famously shares her birthday with her Age of Innocence co-star Daniel Day-Lewis but did you know that they also share a wedding anniversary... albeit it to different people? He was married to Rebecca Miller on this day in 1996 so happy 20th anniversary to that couple, too!
P.P.S. The 58 year old actress pfinally returns to her devout pfans in 2017 with not one, not two, but three or four pictures! We'll next see her in this rough order: headlining the romantic drama Where is Kyra? with Keifer Sutherland; co-starring with Robert DeNiro in the HBO Madoff Scandal movie Wizard of Lies; co-starring with Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem in Darren Aronofsky's Mother; and in the ensemble cast of the remake of Murder on the Orient Express -- she'll be playing the Lauren Bacall role of "Mrs Hubbard".
Reader Comments (48)
Happy anniversary, Michelle & David, and Rebecca & Daniel!
You p'forget about her Little Birdie / Wing movie? P'forgot its name.
She rocked it in THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, and deserved the Oscar for BATMAN RETURNS (leading or supporting? Perhaps supporting so that Thompson gets her Oscar too).
RE 1992 Thompson thoroughly deserved it but looking back isn't it kind of strange that such a star making now regarded iconic performance by Stone was not nominated,she is indeed fabulous in it,Stone used to be great fun at award shows in the 90's,plus Sharon turned down Pfieffer's role in Wolf.
I'd love to see Stone like Pfieffer return in something worthy soon I'd have liked to see her in Pfieffer's part for Orient Expres,2017 is deffo Pfieffer's year though and can't wait to see her in Mother.
/3rtful -- Where Is Kyra? is the new and substantially worse title of Beat-up Little Seagull.
She has no luck with titles. Same happened with Malavita.
I also was very disappointed that Stone was overlooked for her iconic role in Basic Instinct...so disappointed that three years later when she was finally nominated for her full blown drama perf in CASINO I rooted for her. Yes, I hope she could find something worthy soon...where are Lee Daniels or Ryan Murphy when you need them?
Sex and awards are incompatible. Ask The Turner or Fassy...
Happy Annivesary to a beauty But iconic?
I bet of the 92 possiblilities most of the nominees are forgotten amongst popular movie buffs,Stone and Pfieffer are Iconic in 1992..
I watched "People Like Us" last night. I thought about you, Nathaniel!
That photo from 1993--God. So gorgeous.
And, yes, she's iconic. I mean, Catwoman alone ...
And of course Sharon Stone wasn't nominated in '92. She was great fun in Basic Instinct, but it's definitely a piece of trash. I'm betting that it has not aged well.
She's a great actress but no, not iconic.I can't wait to see her slew of movies next year!
When your name checked in Bruno Mars track your Iconic.
The piano scene in The Fabulous Baker Boys and FREAKIN CATWOMAN make her an icon in my book. I'm so ready for the comeback.
Also: Scarface.
Meow~
Also: Married to the Mob -1988, Happy Anniversary to lovely Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley.
ICONIC. 100%. stop arguing otherwise.
Not just a bruno mars track but TWO hit songs in the same year namechecking her YEARS after she stopped working. And she starred in numerous classics: Scarface, Dangerous Liaisons, Fabulous Baker Boys as well as big hits Batman Returns, Witches of Eastwick, Dangerous Minds. But as with her heyday people still don't like to give her her due.
Agree with markygordon...Sharon Stone was way overlooked for her iconic performance in Basic Instinct, and Joe , YES, the film aged very well and if watch it again you can see all the layers in her stunning performance, she should`ve won for Casino.... but the Acadamy would still be in debt with her ( supporting actress for The Mighty and Bobby )...I do hope La Stone gets a deserved come back ( worship Isabelle Huppert, but read somewhere Stone was considered for her part in Elle...can totally see her nail down that role, think Stone would make a splash working with the likes of Haneke, Von Trier, Audiard, Dolan ...etc), she`s a criminally underrated actress (guess it comes with the sex symbol status).... Love MIchelle Pfeiffer, but let`s be honest, her last award worthy performance was back in 2002 in White Oleander , almost felt sorry for her for the dreadful Dark Shadows and having and actress of her talent starring opposite Ashton Kutcher in Personal Effects was painful to watch, but then again she keeps turning down golden opportunities ( from Jodie Fosters` role in Silence of the Lambs to Nicole Kidman`s part in To Die For and Julianne Moore`s Oscar winning performance in Still Alice) Anyway, both Stone and Pfeiffer are great, 90`s icon who deserve great projects, miss both of them a lot !
Let`s play "LIST" ( why not, it`s fun and we can agree to disagree lol) Your FIVE Pfeiffer-Stone performances
PFEIFFER
1- THE AGE OF INNOCENCE
2-SCARFACE
3-DANGEROUS LIAISONS
4-BATMAN RETURNS
5-A THOUSAND ACRES ( tied with LOVE FIELD)
STONE
1- CASINO
2-BASIC INSTINNCT
3-BOBBY
4-THE MIGHTY
5- DIABOLIQUE ( tied with LOVELACE and SCISSORS)
Eder -- i will always play list.
PFEIFFER
1 Fabulous Baker Boys
2 Batman Returns
3 White Oleander
4 Scarface
5 Dangerous Liaisons
STONE
1 Basic Instinct
2 Basic Instinct
3 Basic Instinct
4 Basic Instinct
5 Basic Instinct
(I must admit -- i think she's an A+ celebrity but I never thought that much of her as an actor)
Oh Nathaniel, please, PLEASE, revisit her ( or watch her for the first time) in films like Casino, or her more independent flicks ( Broken Flowers, When a Man Falls) or even her comedic turns (The Muse, Fading Gigolo), hope you change your mind, think she`s a hell of an actor ( guilty pleasure- looooveee her in Diabolique ( Mia: Nicole, why did you kill him? You could've left him. You could've left here.
Nicole: I was understimated. !!!! classic Stone)
Love Michelle and so happy for her and Mr. Kelly, but can I say how much I love that this is also a stealth Emma Thompson acceptance speech appreciation post?
i think she's an A+ celebrity but I never thought that much of her as an actor
She's better than Jennifer Tilly in both departments.
Are you now pulling a a Trump and telling us what to think?
Top 5 Stone and Pfieffer no order here it goes
A Thousand Acres,The Fab Baker Boys,White Oleander ,Batman Returns,Scarface.
Basic Instinct,Diabolique,Casino,Bobby,The Mighty
Pfeiffer Pfive: Love Field, Scarface, Baker Boys, Age of Innocence, Dangerous Liaisons.
Hard to narrow it down to 5, but; The Fabulous Baker Boys, Batman Returns, Married to the Mob, Love Field, Grease 2 (yes, really, it was when I fell in love, Stephanie Zinone is just sooooo cool)
Can't wait for the Pfeiffer comeback next year.
Funnily enough, I was playing 'interchangeable actors' the other night with friends, and to my horror, someone suggested Pfeiffer/Stone
I love Sharon stone in Basic Instinct, Casino, and the campiness of the scene with Demi Moore in Bobby
Pfeiffer NOT iconic? WHAT??? She is more than that. She is a LEGEND.
1. Batman Returns
2. Fabulous Baker Boys
3. The Age of Innocence
4. Dangerous Liasons
5. Frankie & Johnny
6. Scarface
... and many more
This comparison with Sharon Stone just don't make sense to me. Sharon is a good actress but has only two great performances under her belt: Basic Instinct and Casino. And they have even a very different screen personas.
ferdi- I do agree with you, partly...they have very different screen personas indeed, Pfeiffer is gourgeous but she has never reached the status of sex symbol that Stone has, and maybe tha`s why people tend to consider Sharon just a good actress and not a great one, she`s way more talented than , for example, Sandra Bullock or Julia Roberts, but again , she was never America`s sweetheart...Michelle has never been considered a bombshell either, so maybe, just maybe, Sharon`s men-eater image has some people being biased towards her skills as an actress, just recently watched Intersection (1994) and she`s riveting in it , but again , it was released right after Basic Instinct and Sliver ....
Gorgeous couple. Picket Fences is my all-time favorite prime-time series. That show still gives me goosebumps.
Sharon Stone also gave the best performance in the original Total Recall.
denny -- someone noticed ! :)
Emma Thompson pretending to be surprised after winning every single award that season is definitively her worst performance. Anyway, I want her to win something again because her speeches are the BEST
There are so many things going on with this post I don't even know where to start.
Eder - Pfeiffer was never considered a bombshell? Her Oscar-nominated work in Fabulous Baker Boys is literally about her transformation into a bombshell. The image of her in a red dress on a piano is pretty iconic.
Also, Pfeiffer turned down Still Alice? I never heard that! Ugh, she really does have a hard time picking scripts, doesn't she?
Also: Jodie Foster looked stunning in that clip. Loved Thompson's disheveled sweatiness.
Also also: speaking of Hopkins - does anyone else find him strangely boring in Westworld. Every time he launches into yet another monologue I totally space out.
My lists (haven't seen a lot of Pfeiffer's work):
1) Batman Returns
2) Fabulous Baker Boys
3) Dangerous Liasons (but wow is it unfortunate that she had to put all that work into losing her shit over...John Malkovich)
4) Frankie and Johnny
5) What Lies Beneath (yes, seriously)
Stone:
1) Basic Instinct
2) Casino
...aaaaaaaaaand that's probably it.
@ DJDeeJay
I almost put What Lies Beneath instead of Scarface on my list.
@Paul - oooh, that's interesting, especially since I haven't seen Scarface yet (I know, I know). But I do think she brings more to What Lies Beneath than just what's in the script, and she's somehow loose, charming, vulnerable and tough in one coherent character.
Stone:
1) Basic Instinct
2) Casino
...aaaaaaaaaand that's probably it.
Says the person who's never seen Total Recall.
@/3rtful - um, no, I've seen it. I thought she was fine in it but I wouldn't put it on any top 5 list. Saying she gave the best performance in that movie is setting the bar pretty low (and I like that movie overall - it's really fun).
Sharon Stone came out of genre therefore when evaluating her contribution to the movies something aside from Basic Instinct should be there to represent that part of herself. I think her seductive and combative relationship with Paul Verhoeven pushed her to her primal peak.
DJDeeJay- About Michelle and STILL ALICE ...."According to author Lisa Genova ( the author of the novel "Still Alice,"), before Julianne Moore was cast, the part was offered to Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Diane Lane and Nicole Kidman, but they all turned down. However, they were all approached when Brett Ratner was attached to direct the film."
3rtful - imagine this, about ELLE directed by Paul Verhoeven: "The initial plan was to produce the movie in the United States, but there were problems finding a female lead. Nicole Kidman, Diane Lane Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet were offered the role, but they all all passed on the opportunity. Marion Cotillard, Carice van Houten and Sharon Stone were also considered."
I am not saying Moore and Huppert weren't the right choices....but in a perfect world Moore would've won her Oscar for The Hours and Huppert would've won just about everything for La pianiste, and then maybe we could've seen Pfeiffer shining again in Alice and Stone storming out in Elle; just a thought !!!
I read that tidbit before. Kidman turning down the role seems insane because outside of Huppert and several other daring European actresses this material is right up Kidman's alley. I want another collaboration between Paul and Sharon. They're so complimentary for each other.
TOP 5 PFEIFFER:
1. The Fabulous Baker Boys
2. Batman Returns
3. The Story of Us
4. Married to the Mob
5. People Like Us
Grew up on Pfeiffer being in the films of my childhood ("Dangerous Minds" "Up Close & Personal" "What Lies Beneath") so I'll always consider her an icon. Was extremely happy when she got namechecked in two hit Pop songs, and am SO READY for her busy 2017 slate. I really need to finish up on catching the rest of her filmography (such as "Scarface" "Dangerous Liasions" "Ladyhawke" etc).
@ Eder Arcas, /3rtful
Huppert basically contradicted that quote in a Q&A just now. She said that she read the novel, being familiar with the author and his work (Betty Blue). He told her that he had her in mind while writing the character. She was involved with the production from the start and was enthusiastic when the producer came up with the idea of approaching Verhoeven to direct.
And she loved working with Verhoeven.
My 5 favorite Pfeiffer performances:
1) White Oleander
2) What Lies Beneath
3) A Midsummer's Night's Dream
4) Cheri
5) Dangerous Minds
Paul - they are not on the same page there for sure. I spoke with Verhoeven myself personally and he mentioned all the actresses he considered before Huppert. ;)
DJDeeDay -- agree 100% on your feelings for Total Recall. Sharon's my favorite performance in the movie but it's not really a performance movie. Nobody transcends it so to speak.
Paul & DJ -- LOVE Pfeiffer in What Lies Beneath. I think it's her best genre performance outside of Catwoman. She just nails the style and she's such a dazzling screen presence and rounded character on top of that -- totally elevates that movie (which I think is much better than people give it credit for anyway)
everyone -- i think we all need to remind ourselves that whoever was or wasnt considered for ELLE in the end we got the film we deserved and we should be grateful that it was Huppert!
Michelle has turned down amazing roles. She's only exceeded by Debra Winger in that department.