Francine Joy Drescher, born on September 30, 1957, is a celebrated American actress and prominent trade unionist, currently serving as the national president of SAG-AFTRA. She gained fame for her iconic role as Fran Fine in the beloved sitcom The Nanny (1993–1999), which she co-created and produced with her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson. The role showcased her distinctive voice and comedic style, earning her two Emmy and two Golden Globe nominations. Drescher has since become not only a staple in comedy television but also a vocal advocate for workers’ rights within the entertainment industry.
Before achieving television stardom, Drescher began her career with a small part in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and appeared in films like American Hot Wax (1978), Gorp (1980), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), and UHF (1989). She was known throughout the 1980s for her sharp comedic timing and bold screen presence, making guest appearances on a variety of TV shows. In the 2000s, she starred in the sitcoms Living with Fran and Happily Divorced, and voiced Eunice in the Hotel Transylvania film series (2012–2022). In 2014, she made her Broadway debut in Cinderella, playing the wicked stepmother Madame, and later returned to television in NBC’s Indebted (2020).
In addition to her entertainment career, Drescher has emerged as a significant labor leader. She was elected president of SAG-AFTRA in 2021 and took office in October of that year. As president, she played a central role in leading the union through the high-profile actors’ strike of 2023, which lasted five months and overlapped with the writers’ strike. Her leadership during this period solidified her status not only as a cultural icon but also as a powerful advocate for performers’ rights and fair labor practices in the evolving media landscape.
