Marilu Henner was born on April 6, 1952, in Chicago, Illinois, to Loretta Callis and Joseph Henner. She is of Greek and Polish descent. Henner began her career in the original production of the musical "Grease" in 1971.

She made her screen debut in the 1977 comedy-drama film "Between the Lines" and gained prominence with her role as Elaine O'Connor Nardo in the sitcom "Taxi" from 1978 to 1983. For her performance in "Taxi," she received five Golden Globe Award nominations.

Her career continued to flourish with co-starring roles in films such as "Hammett" (1982), "The Man Who Loved Women" (1983), "Cannonball Run II" (1984), "Johnny Dangerously" (1984), "Rustlers' Rhapsody" (1985), "Ladykillers" (1988), "L.A. Story" (1991), and "Noises Off" (1992).

She returned to television with a starring role in the CBS sitcom "Evening Shade" from 1990 to 1994. She has also been involved in various Broadway productions, including "Over Here!" with John Travolta, revivals of "Pal Joey," "Chicago," "Social Security," and "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife".

Marilu Henner has been married three times. Her first marriage was to actor Frederic Forrest in 1980, which ended in 1982. She then married director Robert Lieberman in 1990, and they had two children, Nick and Joe Lieberman, before divorcing in 2001.

She has been married to Michael Brown since 2006. She has written several books on health and wellness, including "Total Health Makeover" and "Healthy Life Kitchen."

Throughout her career, She has received numerous awards and nominations, including five Golden Globe nominations for "Taxi" and an American Comedy Award nomination for "L.A. Story".