Born Bernadette Lazara on February 28, 1948 in New York, this Tony Awardee film and theater actress began her acting debut at age 11 as a cast member of Broadway’s Most Happy Fella. In 1968, she made a name for herself when she played the role of Ruby, a chorus girl in the off-Broadway musical Dames at Sea. That same year she won a Theater World Award.

The years that followed saw her career as both a film and theater actress as she jetsets from her hometown New York to Hollywood to hone her acting career. In 1980, she decided to concentrate more on theater and captured a wide audience and critical acclaim for her performances in musicals such as Sunday in the Park with George, Song and Dance, and Into the Woods.

That era cemented her superstar capability both in film and on stage. In 2003, she was casted as lead in the revival of the musical Gypsy where she got a Drama Desk nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. That same year she was nominated as well for the Tony Awards. Bernadette shares her blessings by devoting her time and talent to benefit events such as her pet project Broadway Barks.