Why Agnes Van Rhijn From The Gilded Age Looks So Familiar
New York in the late 1800s may be unfamiliar territory, but viewers tuning in to HBO's "The Gilded Age" for Season 4 should recognize at least one face: Christine Baranski, who plays socialite and matriarch Agnes Van Rhijn. The role is just one in Baranski's storied career spanning television, film, and Broadway. Sitcom fans may recognize her from "The Big Bang Theory," where she played Beverly Hofstadter, Leonard's (Johnny Galecki) analytical psychiatrist mother. She appeared on the sitcom on and off for more than a decade, but her longest-running role was in a different CBS franchise.
In 2009, Baranski began her 156-episode run as lawyer Diane Lockhart on the legal drama "The Good Wife." She played the character until the show's end in 2016, but that wasn't the last viewers saw of Diane. Baranski reprised the role as the protagonist of the spin-off "The Good Fight," which ran for six seasons from 2017 to 2022.
Baranski's history with CBS goes back to 1995 and the Chuck Lorre sitcom "Cybill," in which she played the titular character's best friend. It was also her first role as a series regular. From there, Baranski landed main roles in "Welcome to New York" and "Happy Family." Her TV credits also include various voice roles and guest appearances on "Law & Order," "Frasier," "Ugly Betty," and "Psych," among others.
Christine Baranski is also known for movie musicals
Before making a name for herself on TV, Christine Baranski studied performing arts at Juilliard, graduating in 1974. She went on to appear in numerous Broadway productions, winning Tony Awards for her performances in the plays "The Real Thing" and "Rumors" before joining the original cast of the musical "Nick & Nora." Her stage background also carried over into several movie musicals.
Among her best-known films are the jukebox musicals "Mamma Mia!" and its sequel, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again," both featuring music by ABBA. In both films, Baranski played Tanya, a friend of Meryl Streep's Donna. She also portrayed the Stepmother in Disney's movie musical adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods" and had a supporting role in "Chicago."
Baranski's other movie credits include "Cruel Intentions," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "Eloise at the Plaza" and its sequel "Eloise at Christmastime," and "Trolls."