Christine Baranski is set to make her West End debut alongside Richard E Grant in a revival of Noël Coward’s comedy Hay Fever. The actress will portray Judith Bliss in Emily Burns' show that will run at Wyndham’s theatre from September 22 to December 12.
"So it’s rather a dream come true … I look forward to a life in London, a city I absolutely adore," said Christine of the news. She shared that she's excited to "tear a passion to tatters" in the 1925 play. "Hay Fever is a 101-year-old comedy of appalling manners. It requires quicksilver delivery and suave flamboyance. I hope it will be a delicious treat for audiences to spend time with this Blissful Bohemian family!" she added.
The synopsis reads: "Last year, Judith retired from her life-on-stage. Already, she misses the applause.Idling away at their country home, the rest of the family – reclusive novelist husband David and failure-to-launch children Sorrel and Simon – are too self-involved to be a good audience. So, Judith invites a young fan as her guest for the weekend. But unbeknownst to her, each of the Blisses have a guest of their own arriving at the very same time. Completely unsuited to hosting and allergic to compromise, the house quickly erupts into a chaos of parlour games, put-downs and unrequested encores."
© Getty ImagesHowever, away from the spotlight, Christine is a proud mom and shares two daughters – Isabel and Lily, 37 – with her late husband, Matthew Cowles. Married for 30 years, the couple raised their girls in Connecticut to give them a more grounded upbringing, before allowing them to carve their own paths in the world. Here's what we know about Isabel and Lily...
© ShutterstockIsabel and Lily are both creatives
Like their parents, Isabel and Lily are drawn to the creative arts. While Isabel has acted on Broadway, Christine explained that the industry wasn't for her, so she switched to writing. Meanwhile, Lily has gone on to appear in Roswell, New Mexico (2019-22), Antebellum (2020) and Albany Road (2024).
Speaking to The New Yorker in 2021, Christine opened up about her daughter's careers, explaining: "My youngest, Lily, is indeed an actress. She's on a show called Roswell, and she's been in Santa Fe, and she's having a wonderful time. But the older daughter, Isabel, who made her début in that Broadway theatre, is a writer now. Not an actress. She very wisely once said, 'Why would I be in a profession that's just going to reinforce all my insecurities?'
© ShutterstockThey were raised in Connecticut
Christine and Matthew didn't want to raise their daughters in Los Angeles. After her husband inherited his family home in Connecticut, the couple moved with their girls to New England. "I felt one of the great gifts my late husband, Matthew, and I could give our children was consistency and a sense of rootedness. Like, this is our home. These are your routines," she told The New Yorker.
In an interview with The Guardian, Christine admitted that she and Matthew had struggled financially when their daughters were little. In the mid-90s, Christine was offered a role in the hit sitcom, Cybill, and chose to travel between Connecticut and LA to secure a consistent income.
"It was a very anguished decision. My girls were five and eight, I think, and Matthew stayed home with them. But when I read the script by Chuck Lorre, this guy I'd never heard of, and saw how he'd written the character Maryanne, with the dry wit and martinis, I thought: 'Oh, I know how to play this.'"
© GettyIsabel has made Christine a proud grandmother
Isabel has made Christine a grandmother. Noting that her daughter has "given me three beautiful grandsons," Christine added: "They could not be cuter!"
Paying tribute to her late father, Isabel has named one of her sons Matthew.
© GettyChristine has given Lily acting advice
With Lily following in her footsteps, Christine has given her daughter some sage advice about the world of acting.
"I gave her [Lily] practical advice to be kind, to stay above the fray, stay above the gossip," she told Parade. "The safest place is the higher ground. If you're kind, gracious and professional, that makes as big an impression as your talent. Your reputation precedes you and it follows you out the door."
© GettyChristine raised her daughters to know their worth
For Christine, it was important to raise her daughters to be strong, confident women. "One big piece of advice I gave my daughters is don't give yourself away cheap. Know your worth," she reiterated to Elle magazine.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyFashion style
Christine has passed down her fashion flair to her daughters. Who could forget when she stepped out with Isabel for the 1998 VH1 Fashion Awards?
© Getty Images for National BoardRed carpet moments
It is not unusual for the actress to be joined by her daughters for a red carpet event. Christine and Lily attended The National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in 2025.
