Fran Drescher Siblings: All About Peter and Nadine Drescher

Fran Drescher is an American actress, comedian, writer, activist and current president of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).

She is best known for her role as Fran Fine in the sitcom, The Nanny, which she created and produced with her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson.

Drescher made her screen debut in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever and later appeared in various movies and TV shows throughout the 1980s.

In the 2000s, she starred in the sitcoms Living with Fran and Happily Divorced.

From 2012 to 2022, Drescher voiced a character in the animated Hotel Transylvania film series and in 2014, she made her Broadway debut in Cinderella as stepmother Madame.

She was elected president of SAG-AFTRA in September 2021 and took office on October 15, 2021. She led the union during the five-month actors’ strike that began on July 14, 2023, concurrently with the writers’ strike that began in May.

Siblings

Fran’s older sister Nadine Drescher was born in 1953.

Nadine also works in the entertainment industry as a writer and producer.

She co-created and co-produced The Nanny with Fran Drescher, and has written and produced other TV shows and films over the years.

Fran’s older brother Peter Drescher was born in 1951 and works outside the entertainment industry, though the exact nature of his career is not widely publicized.

Peter served as an inspiration for some of the male characters and storylines in The Nanny, and maintains a close relationship with his sisters, especially Fran.

The Drescher siblings grew up together in Flushing, Queens, New York.

Their family and upbringing were a major influence on the development of The Nanny series, which drew heavily from Fran’s real-life experiences and relationships.

Nadine’s involvement as a co-creator allowed the show to authentically capture the dynamic between the Drescher siblings.

While Fran is undoubtedly the most famous member of the family, her siblings have played important supporting roles both in her personal life and professional career over the years.

Career

Drescher made her screen debut with a small role in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever.

She later appeared in other films in the late 1970s and 1980s, gaining recognition as a comedic actress in movies like The Hollywood Knights, Doctor Detroit, This Is Spinal Tap and UHF.

Drescher established a television career in the 1980s with guest appearances on various series. In 1991, she landed her first leading role in the short-lived CBS sitcom, Princesses.

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Her big break came in 1993 when she achieved wider fame as Fran Fine in the hit sitcom The Nanny, which she created and produced with her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson.

Drescher was nominated for two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Television Series during the show’s run from 1993 to 1999.

In the 2000s, she reinforced her position as a leading sitcom star with roles in Living With Fran and Happily Divorced.

Drescher has also voiced a character in the Hotel Transylvania animated film series since 2012.

She made her Broadway debut in 2014, starring as the stepmother Madame in Cinderella. In 2020, she starred in the NBC comedy, Indebted.

Throughout her career, Drescher has been an outspoken advocate for healthcare and LGBTQ+ rights and has served as a Public Diplomacy Envoy for Women’s Health Issues for the U.S. State Department.

Awards and accolades

Drescher has received several major award nominations and accolades over the course of her career.

For her starring role in the hit sitcom The Nanny, she was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1996 and 1997.

Drescher also received two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical for the same role in 1996 and 1997.

In 2024, she was the recipient of the Special Award from the Online Film Critics Society for her diligent negotiation on behalf of working actors during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

That same year, she was also awarded the Redeemer Award at the Razzie Awards for her “brilliant shepherding of the actors’ guild through a prolonged 2023 strike with a successful conclusion”.

However, Drescher was previously nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Actress for the 1998 film, The Beautician and the Beast.

She has been further recognized with honors such as the TV Land Award for Favorite Nanny for The Nanny in 2008, as well as the John Wayne Institute’s Woman of Achievement Award, the Gilda Award and the City of Hope Spirit of Life Award over the years.

Drescher’s advocacy work and leadership during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike have cemented her status as an influential figure in the entertainment industry.