Bernadette Peters

À propos de Bernadette Peters

Bernadette Peters, born on February 28, 1948, in New York City, is a celebrated American actress and singer. With a career that has flourished over five decades, she has made a mark on musical theatre, film, and television, as well as releasing solo concert recordings. Peters is renowned as one of Broadway’s standout performers, having garnered seven Tony Award nominations, of which she won two, along with eight Drama Desk Awards, winning three. Notably, four of the Broadway cast recordings featuring her have received Grammy Awards.

Peters began her stage career at a young age and transitioned into film and television during the 1970s, earning recognition for her appearances on shows such as The Muppet Show and The Carol Burnett Show, as well as in films like Silent Movie, The Jerk, and Pennies from Heaven. She returned to the stage in the 1980s, quickly becoming one of the most recognized names on Broadway. In addition to her stage work, Peters has released six solo albums and various singles, continuing to perform solo concerts and standing out in both film and television roles; she has been nominated for three Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards, with one win.

Peters is especially noted for iconic roles in many musicals, including Song and Dance, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Annie Get Your Gun, and Gypsy, becoming particularly associated with the work of composer Stephen Sondheim. In her personal life, she had a four-year relationship with comedian Steve Martin and was married to investment advisor Michael Wittenberg for over nine years until his untimely death in 2005. Peters is also deeply involved in charitable work, notably co-founding the animal charity Broadway Barks and participating in AIDS activism.

Born Bernadette Lazzara into an Italian-American family in Queens, New York, she is the youngest of three siblings. Her brother, Joseph Lazzara, and sister, casting director Donna DeSeta, were also involved in the industry. Her father, Peter, worked as a bread delivery driver, while her mother, Marguerite (née Maltese), introduced her to performance at the young age of three when she appeared on the television show Juvenile Jury. By five, Peters was showcasing her talent on Name That Tune and The Horn and Hardart Children’s Hour.

In January 1958, she secured her Actors Equity Card under the name Bernadette Peters, choosing her father's first name to evade ethnic stereotyping. The same month, she made her professional stage debut in a comedy titled This is Goggle, which unfortunately did not reach Broadway. Her television career blossomed in 1958 with a role in the Kraft Theatre’s A Boy Called Ciske and later on Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Christmas Tree.

At ten, Peters took part in a New York City Center revival of The Most Happy Fella. Throughout her teenage years, she continued her education at