Pfeiffer continued to showcase her range and talent in the following years, appearing in diverse films such as Into the Night, a comedy thriller with Jeff Goldblum; Ladyhawke, a fantasy adventure with Rutger Hauer; Sweet Liberty, a satire with Alan Alda; and The Witches of Eastwick, a dark comedy with Jack Nicholson, Cher, and Susan Sarandon. She also made a cameo appearance in Amazon Women on the Moon, a spoof anthology film directed by John Landis.
In 1988, Pfeiffer had one of her most productive and acclaimed years, starring in three films that earned her critical and commercial success. She played Angela de Marco, a widow of a mobster who tries to start a new life, in Married to the Mob, a comedy directed by Jonathan Demme. She received her first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her performance. She also starred opposite Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell in Tequila Sunrise, a crime drama about a former drug dealer, a cop, and a restaurateur who are involved in a love triangle.
She received her second Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Drama for her role. Finally, she played Madame de Tourvel, a virtuous married woman who is seduced by a ruthless aristocrat, in Dangerous Liaisons, a period drama based on the novel by Choderlos de Laclos. She received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, as well as a BAFTA Award and a third Golden Globe nomination for her performance.
Pfeiffer’s success continued in 1989, when she starred as Susie Diamond, a lounge singer who joins two brothers in their piano act, in The Fabulous Baker Boys, a romantic drama with Jeff and Beau Bridges. She received rave reviews for her performance, especially for her rendition of “Makin’ Whoopee” on top of a piano. She won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama, and received her second Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She also appeared on the cover of People magazine as one of the “50 Most Beautiful People in the World”.
1990s: Peak and Transition
Pfeiffer entered the 1990s as one of the highest-paid and most respected actresses in Hollywood. She starred in The Russia House, a spy thriller based on the novel by John le Carré, opposite Sean Connery. She also reunited with Al Pacino in Frankie and Johnny, a romantic comedy based on the play by Terrence McNally, where she played a waitress who falls in love with a cook. She received her fourth consecutive Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Drama for her role.
