Spotlight on: Christine Baranski

Posted on 26 Jun 2026

**Christine Baranski** makes her long-awaited West End debut this autumn in Noël Coward's classic comedy [*Hay Fever*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/hay-fever-tickets), starring opposite [Richard E. Grant](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/spotlight-on-richard-e-grant). As one of America's most celebrated stage and screen actors prepares to tread the boards in London for the very first time, here's a look back at her remarkable career and some of her most memorable performances. ### **Who is Christine Baranski?** Christine Baranski is an award-winning American actor whose career has spanned stage, television and film for more than four decades. Renowned for her razor-sharp wit, impeccable comic timing and commanding screen presence, she's become one of Hollywood's most recognisable performers. Whether she's delivering cutting one-liners or stealing the show in a musical, Baranski has a unique ability to make every role unforgettable. ### **Where have you seen her before?** Christine Baranski has appeared in countless films and television series throughout her career, making her one of those actors everyone recognises, even if they can't quite place where from. Many audiences know her as the formidable Diane Lockhart in *The Good Wife* and its spin-off *The Good Fight*. Others will recognise her as Tanya in the [*MAMMA MIA!*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/mamma-mia-tickets) films, where she proved she can belt out an ABBA classic just as effortlessly as she delivers a perfectly timed punchline. ### **Wasn't she in** ***The Grinch*****?** Yes! Baranski played Martha May Whovier in *How the Grinch Stole Christmas* opposite **Jim Carrey**. Glamorous with an INCREDIBLE dressing gown, Martha May quickly became one of the film's most memorable characters. It's a festive favourite that many audiences revisit every Christmas, and Baranski is a huge part of its enduring charm. ### **What else have I seen her in?** Baranski's screen credits are packed with iconic performances. She appeared in *Chicago* as newspaper columnist Mary Sunshine, starred in *Cruel Intentions*, *Into the Woods* and *A Bad Moms Christmas*, and currently delights audiences as Agnes van Rhijn in HBO's lavish period drama *The Gilded Age*. Television fans may also remember her Emmy-winning performances in sitcoms including *Cybill*, while younger viewers may know her distinctive voice from animated favourites and family films.

### **Has Christine Baranski appeared on stage before?** Yes! In fact, theatre is where Christine Baranski's incredible career began. She is a two-time Tony Award winner, taking home Best Featured Actress in a Play for *The Real Thing* in 1984 and *Rumours* in 1989. Over the years she's appeared in acclaimed Broadway productions including *Sweeney Todd*, *Boeing-Boeing*, *Hurlyburly*, and *The House of Blue Leaves*, earning a reputation as one of America's finest stage performers. Despite her extraordinary theatrical career, *Hay Fever* marks the very first time audiences will be able to see the celebrated actor perform on a UK stage! ### **So, what is** ***Hay Fever*** **about?** Noël Coward's *Hay Fever* follows the eccentric Bliss family as they each invite guests to spend the weekend at their country home, without telling one another. What begins as a quiet getaway quickly descends into chaos as clashing personalities, theatrical outbursts and misunderstandings create a weekend nobody will forget. The play remains one of the most popular comedies in the British theatre canon, and we can see Christine Baranski fitting into the mayhem perfectly. ### **Who does Christine Baranski play?** Baranski stars as Judith Bliss, a celebrated actress who has recently retired from the stage but still craves the excitement, admiration and applause that once defined her life. Dramatic, charismatic and delightfully self-absorbed, Judith invites an adoring admirer to the family home, unaware that the rest of the Bliss household have had exactly the same idea with guests of their own. As the weekend spirals into complete chaos, Judith's theatrical instincts only add fuel to the fire, making her one of Noël Coward's funniest and most unforgettable creations. ### **Why see Christine Baranski on stage?** From *The Good Wife* and *MAMMA MIA!* to *The Grinch* and *The Gilded Age*, Christine Baranski has entertained audiences across generations with her unmistakable wit, elegance and impeccable comic timing. *Hay Fever* offers the rare opportunity to see the two-time Tony Award winner perform live in London for the very first time, alongside the brilliant Richard E. Grant. For fans of theatre, film and television alike, it's a chance to experience one of the world's most celebrated performers exactly where she first made her name: on the stage. [*Hay Fever*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/hay-fever-tickets) plays at [Wyndham's Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/wyndhams-theatre-london) from 22 September to 12 December 2026. Book your tickets today.