Editing Christopher Plummer (section)

=== 1980–1997: Return to theatre ===
[[File:Ronald Reagan Meets Christopher Plummer C31162-24 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Plummer with President [[Ronald Reagan]] at the [[White House]], 1985]]
During this time Plummer appeared in the romantic drama ''[[Somewhere in Time (film)|Somewhere in Time]]'' (1980), the drama ''[[Eyewitness (1981 film)|Eyewitness]]'' (1981), the comedy ''[[Dragnet (1987 film)|Dragnet]]'' (1987) and ''Shadow Dancing'' (1988). Plummer also did some voice work, such as his role of Henri the pigeon in ''[[An American Tail]]'' (1986) and the villainous Grand Duke of Owls in ''[[Rock-a-Doodle]]'' (1991), both directed by [[Don Bluth]]. In 1982, he starred on [[Broadway (theatre)|Broadway]] production of the Shakespearean tragedy ''[[Othello]]'', playing [[Iago]] opposite [[James Earl Jones]]' Moor.<ref>{{Cite web|last=The Broadway League|date=|title=Othello – Broadway Play – 1982 Revival|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/othello-4160#OpeningNightCast|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214163520/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/othello-4160#OpeningNightCast|archive-date=February 14, 2021|access-date=February 7, 2021|website=IBDB. Internet Broadway Database|language=en}}</ref> The production also featured performances from [[Kelsey Grammer]] as Cassio and [[Dianne Wiest]] as Desdemona. ''[[New York Times]]'' theatre critic [[Frank Rich]] wrote in his original review, "Mr. Plummer, a sensational actor in peak form, has made something crushing out of Shakespeare's archvillain. He gives us evil so pure - and so bottomless - that it can induce tears. Our tears are not for the dastardly Iago, of course - that would be wrong. No, what Mr. Plummer does is make us weep for a civilization that can produce such a man and allow him to flower."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/02/04/theater/stage-jones-and-plummer-s-othello.html|title= STAGE: JONES AND PLUMMER'S 'OTHELLO'|website= [[The New York Times]]|date= February 4, 1982|access-date= June 16, 2021|last= Rich|first= Frank}}</ref> For his performance he received a [[Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play]] nomination losing to [[Roger Rees]] in ''[[The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (play)|The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1982/category/any/show/any/|title=1982 Tony Awards Nominees|author=<!--Not stated-->|publisher=[[American Theatre Wing]]|access-date=March 5, 2025}}</ref>

In 1987, Plummer provided the [[English language|English]] narration for [[Frédéric Back]]'s animated film ''[[The Man Who Planted Trees (film)|The Man Who Planted Trees]]''. The film won [[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film|Best Animated Short]] at the [[60th Academy Awards]].<ref name="Oscars1988">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1988 |title=The 60th Academy Awards (1988) Nominees and Winners |accessdate=16 October 2011|work=oscars.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUrE-PO5J0U |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/KUrE-PO5J0U |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=The Man Who Planted Trees Wins Animated Short: 1988 Oscars|website=[[YouTube]] |date=February 4, 2016 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 1988, he starred in another Shakespeare adaptation on Broadway in the title role in ''[[Macbeth]]'' with [[Glenda Jackson]] playing his [[Lady Macbeth|lady]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=The Broadway League|date=|title=Macbeth – Broadway Play – 1988 Revival|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/macbeth-4503#OpeningNightCast|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213214314/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/macbeth-4503#OpeningNightCast|archive-date=February 13, 2021|access-date=February 7, 2021|website=IBDB. Internet Broadway Database|language=en}}</ref> Frank Rich wrote of his performance "Mr. Plummer's thoughtful, beautifully spoken performance best illuminates the strengths and built-in limitations of the entire enterprise. This actor grapples arrestingly with his early bouts of conscience, as ''horrible imaginings'' send Macbeth's heart knocking at his ribs."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/22/theater/review-theater-a-macbeth-starring-plummer-and-jackson.html|title= Review/Theater; A 'Macbeth' Starring Plummer and Jackson|website= [[The New York Times]]|date= April 22, 1988|access-date= June 16, 2021|last= Rich|first= Frank}}</ref> From 1990 to 1993, he starred in the Canadian-French drama series ''[[Counterstrike (1990 TV series)|Counterstrike]]''. From 1993 to 1995, he narrated the animated television series ''[[Madeline]]'', for which he received an [[Emmy Award]], as well as the animated television series ''[[The World of David the Gnome]]''.<ref>{{cite book| title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–present| year=2003| first1=Tim| last1=Brooks| first2=Earle F.| last2=Marsh| publisher=Ballantine Books| isbn=0-345-45542-8| page=1444}}</ref> He appeared with [[Jason Robards]] in the 1994 revival of [[Harold Pinter]]'s ''[[No Man's Land (play)|No Man's Land]]'' by the [[Roundabout Theatre Company]]. ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' film critic Jeremy Gerard praised Plummer's performance while critiquing Robards by writing, "They're a remarkable pair to watch wrangling with Pinter's elliptical, often uncrackable script. As it happens, Plummer emerges triumphant, while Robards seems utterly at sea...Plummer plays the humour and the bathos with equal ease and complete conviction. By turns funny and heartbreaking, it's an exquisite, haunting performance."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1994/legit/reviews/no-man-s-land-3-1200435111/|title= No Man's Land|website= [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date= January 28, 1994|access-date= June 16, 2021}}</ref> For his performance Plummer received his fourth [[Tony Award]] nomination.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1994/category/any/show/any/|title=1994 Tony Awards Nominees|author=<!--Not stated-->|publisher=[[American Theatre Wing]]|access-date=March 5, 2025}}</ref>

Plummer achieved great success in the 1997 Broadway production of the [[William Luce]] play ''[[Barrymore (play)|Barrymore]]'' portraying [[John Barrymore]] a few months before his death. [[Vincent Canby]] in his ''[[New York Times]]'' review he praised Plummer for his performance "With the confidence of the superb actor he has become, and in the trim of an athlete, Christopher Plummer is here in a new play, giving an achingly funny, memorably strong and debonair performance".<ref>{{cite news |last=Canby |first=Vincent |author-link=Vincent Canby |date=October 6, 1996 |title=Christopher Plummer Reigns As Barrymore |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/06/theater/christopher-plummer-reigns-as-barrymore.html |access-date=June 16, 2021 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> After a successful run on Broadway he went on tour with the production. His performance brought him his second [[Tony Award]] (this time as [[Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play|Best Actor in a Play]]) and a [[Drama Desk Award]] as Outstanding Actor in a Play. Plummer continued acting in films including the science fiction film ''[[Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country]]'' (1991), which was a welcome opportunity for him since he was a fan of the ''[[Star Trek]]'' franchise which also allowed him to perform with his former understudy and long-time friend, [[William Shatner]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Parker |first=Ryan |title=Christopher Plummer Was a Diehard Trekkie Before Being Cast in 'Undiscovered Country' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/christopher-plummer-was-a-diehard-trekkie-before-being-cast-in-undiscovered-country|access-date=February 7, 2021 |publisher=Hollywood Reporter |date=February 5, 2021 |archive-date=February 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206092005/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/christopher-plummer-was-a-diehard-trekkie-before-being-cast-in-undiscovered-country#:~:text=Shatner%20was%20Plummer's%20understudy%20in,a%20speech%2C%20he%20sat%20down. |url-status=live }}</ref> He also appeared in [[Spike Lee]]'s biographical drama ''[[Malcolm X (1992 film)|Malcolm X]]'' (1992), [[Mike Nichols]]' horror drama ''[[Wolf (1994 film)|Wolf]]'' (1994), [[Taylor Hackford]]'s psychological drama ''[[Dolores Claiborne (film)|Dolores Claiborne]]'' (1995), and [[Terry Gilliam]]'s science fiction drama ''[[12 Monkeys]]'' (1995). Plummer portrayed [[George Hees]] in the Canadian miniseries ''[[The Arrow (miniseries)|The Arrow]]'' (1997).