Bernadette Peters

At 5'3" with red hair and brown eyes, Bernadette Peters is a compact presence who has dominated the American stage for over six decades. Born in Ozone Park, New York, she began performing as a child, making her professional debut at age nine. She is an American actress, one of the most lauded Broadway performers of her generation, with two Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards to her name. Her career spans musical theatre, film, television, and recordings, and she remains active well into her seventies.

Peters first gained attention Off-Broadway in Dames at Sea before moving to Los Angeles for film and TV work in the 1970s. She starred in films like The Jerk and Pennies from Heaven, the latter earning her a Golden Globe. Returning to Broadway in the 1980s, she became closely associated with Stephen Sondheim, creating roles in Sunday in the Park with George and Into the Woods. She won Tony Awards for Song and Dance and the revival of Annie Get Your Gun, and earned nominations for Mack and Mabel, On the Town, and Gypsy. Her television work ranges from The Muppet Show to Ally McBeal, and she has voiced characters in Animaniacs.

Peters has also recorded six solo albums, several of which earned Grammy nominations. She co-founded Broadway Barks, an animal charity, and wrote a children's book of the same name. She was married to Michael Wittenberg, who died in 2005. With a career that shows no signs of slowing, she remains a beloved figure in entertainment.