Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today, we chat about one of the most famously beautiful (and talented!) actors of all time: Michelle Pfeiffer! We’re honored to have Veronica Fitzpatrick - of Brown University and The Bright Wall/Dark Room Podcast - on to talk Pfeiffer B-Sides Sweet Liberty, Tequila Sunrise, Wolf, and The Deep End of the Ocean.

We discuss what makes Michelle so iconic, how hard she had to work to push past being dismissed as just a pretty face, the incredible roles she’s turned down in her career, the extreme range she’s boasted during her time in the spotlight, and her willingness to take challenging roles.

The propensity of Oprah Book Club film adaptations in the late ‘90s/early 2000s (and Michelle’s propensity to star in them) is dished on, as is the beautiful lurid-ness of Wolf. Finally, we dig into why Whoopi Goldberg got some much criticism for her role in The Deep End of the Ocean, the interesting filmography of Ulu Grosbard, and Alan Alda’s decade of creative decadence.

Two podcasts recommended and used for research: The Mixed Reviews Podcast & This Had Oscar Buzz. Please check both of these linked Pfeiffer-focused episodes out!

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