Michelle Pfeiffer Says She Was ‘Unhirable’ During Career Hiatus

Michelle Pfeiffer began her acting journey in the late 1970s, appearing in television shows and small film roles. She gained attention for her performances in 1982’s Grease 2 and 1983’s Scarface, where she portrayed Elvira Hancock, the love interest of Al Pacino’s character. Her breakthrough role came in 1992 when she starred as Catwoman in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns.

Throughout the 1990s, Pfeiffer continued to impress audiences and critics with her diverse roles, showcasing versatility by taking on characters in various projects like The Fabulous Baker Boys, Frankie and Johnny, The Age of Innocence, and Dangerous Minds, along the way earning herself major accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, three Oscar nominations and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, despite building a highly rewarding career, the 65-year-old took a break from the spotlight to focus on other very important things.

Michelle Pfeiffer gives reason for taking a break from acting

The actress made a brief return to feature in Dark Shadows (2012), The Family (2013) and Mother. Recently, during a discussion with Interview Magazine featuring  Darren Aronofsky, who directed the latter film, Pfeiffer shed light on her retreat from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. She disclosed that her disappearance was hinged on her quest to spend quality time with her family.

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“Well, the first thing that comes to mind is I’m an empty nester now. I’ve never lost my love for acting,” the actress stated. “I feel really at home on the movie set. I’m a more balanced person, honestly, when I’m working. But I was pretty careful about where I shot, how long I was away, whether or not it worked out with the kids’ schedule.”

Pfeiffer also explained that she became quite selective in regards to the kind of roles she took on. “And I got so picky that I was unhirable. And then… I don’t know, time just went on,” she confessed. “And now, you know, when the student is ready, the teacher appears. I’m more open now, my frame of mind, because I really want to work now, because I can.”

The actress was afraid to take up a movie role out of fear of criticism

Pfeiffer shared her journey of discovering her passion for acting during her formative years, even though her family was detached from the entertainment world. “I’m from Orange County, Southern California, and couldn’t have been more removed from the entertainment business. In fact, I didn’t really even go to the movies much. My mother didn’t drive. My father couldn’t be bothered. So, I didn’t really go anywhere,” she detailed. “But what I did do is I would stay up really late watching old movies on television. I can’t even tell you what they were, because I was so young. But I remember watching what they were doing and saying to myself, ‘I can do that.’”

She also revealed that despite achieving considerable success in her career, she was a bit apprehensive to take up a role in the 2017 movie, Murder on the Orient Express. “I think that’s because I started working fairly quickly, and I wasn’t ready. I didn’t have any formal training. I didn’t come from Juilliard. I was just getting by and learning in front of the world,” Pfeiffer told Interview Magazine. “So I’ve always had this feeling that one day they’re going to find out that I’m really a fraud, that I really don’t know what I’m doing.”