Go to church with them! Sister Act gave life to a musical movie with an influence that has lasted more than 30 years and lifted the veil on what it’s like to be a nun.
When Whoopi Goldberg played Deloris Van Cartier in the 1992 movie, a nightclub singer who joins a convent after being put in witness protection, she made nun life sound chic.
Sister Mary Patrick (Kathy Najimy), Sister Mary Lazarus (Mary Wickes), and Sister Mary Robert (Sister Mary Robert) become lifelong friends after she adopts the guise of Sister Mary Clarence in order to remain safe until she testifies against her ex-boyfriend Vince (Harvey Keitel), who she witnessed kill someone in Reno, Nevada (Wendy Makkena).
Sister Mary Clarence and Mother Superior (Maggie Smith) have a tough relationship at first, but things work out for the best when the showgirl generates excitement about the church choir and spreads happiness around the neighbourhood.
Sister Mary Clarence was one of the four sisters who returned in the 1993 sequel Sister Act: Back in the Habit, which was made in response to the success of the original movie. In the film, Deloris suspends her Las Vegas performance in order to return incognito as a nun and work with her friends to prevent the closure of St. Francis High School.
High school students Rita (Lauryn Hill), Maria (Alanna Ubach), and Margaret were among the newcomers in the sequel (Jennifer Love Hewitt). Following the two box office triumphs, a Broadway musical debuted in 2006 before making its West End debut in 2009.
Goldberg said that a third movie is in the works, over three decades after Sister Act captured audiences’ attention.
On an October 2020 episode of The Late Late Show With James Corden, the cohost of The View commented, “For a long time, they kept saying no one wanted to see it.” Then, relatively lately, it became apparent that this might not be the case. They might want to view it. We are thus making strenuous efforts to devise a plan to gather the gang and return.
The Sister Act family has always been a favourite place for the Ghost actress, who said, “It’s fun and it feels wonderful. You know, nobody is upset. Just listen: there are nuns after awful singing, wonderful singing, and OK singing. What could be superior to that?
See what the Sister Act cast has been up to since the movie’s release by scrolling down:
Bill Nunn
Nunn portrayed Eddie Souther, a cop whose responsibility was was to protect Deloris until she gave a testimony against Vince. In the films Save Me, Bulletproof, Ambushed, Lockdown, Firehouse Dog, and Won’t Back Down, the Pennsylvania native played the lead role. He also had appearances on Sirens and The Job. Playing Joseph “Robbie” Robertson in the Spider-Man franchise was one of his most notable performances.
At the age of 62, the actor passed away on September 24, 2016. His wife Donna Nunn and their two children Cydney and Jessica are still alive.
Harvey Keitel
The Oscar contender portrayed Deloris’s irate ex-boyfriend, crime leader Vince LaRocca. Later films starring Keitel included The Irishman, The Last Godfather, Little Fockers, One Last Dance, Smoke, From Dusk Till Dawn, Pulp Fiction, and From Dusk Till Dawn. In the National Treasure series, he additionally played Sadusky. In addition to producing numerous movies, such as Reservoir Dogs and Cuban Blood, Keitel also starred in Life of Mars and The Power Inside.
He is the father of three kids from various relationships: sons Hudson and Roman, and daughters Stella. The New Yorker’s youngest kid is shared with his wife Daphna Kastner, whom he wed in 2001.
Kathy Najimy
In between playing Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act and its sequel, the California native played witch Mary in Hocus Pocus. Then she made appearances in All You Can Eat, Numb3rs, WALL-E, The Wedding Planner, Hope Floats, and The Wedding Planner. Prior to starring on Veronica’s Closet, King of the Hill (as Peggy Hill), Make It or Break It, Unforgettable, Veep, and Duncanville, Najimy also provided several character voices for Pepper Ann. Najimy is well-known for his role as Dirty Blonde on Broadway. She cowrote and directed These Girls as well as the Off-Broadway success Back to Bacharach and David. Najimy returned to the role of Mary in Hocus Pocus 2 in 2022.
Since 1998, the celebrity has been wed to comedian Dan Finnerty. Samia is the couple’s daughter.
Maggie Smith
In each of the movies with a nun motif, the British actress played Mother Superior. Since then, she has acted in films including Sherlock Gnomes, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Nanny McPhee Returns, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The First Wives Club, and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. In addition, Smith is well-known for her roles as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter series and Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey, which she performed for six seasons. Smith has also appeared in many stage productions, such as A German Life and The Lady in the Van.
The Oscar winner and her ex-husband Robert Stephens are parents to Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin.
Mary Wickes
The native of St. Louis, Missouri, portrayed Sister Mary Lazarus in the musical movie. Sister Mary Lazarus is an older nun who believes she is a wonderful driver but is actually terrible. Before taking up the part of Aunt March in Little Women, she returned to the role the following year. The Hunchback of Notre Dame’s Laverne was then performed by her at Weldon Pond. For two seasons, Wickes also provided the grandma’s voice in Life With Louie.
On October 22, 1995, the White Christmas actress passed away. 85 years old.
Richard Portnow
The actor from New York played Willy, one of Vince’s goons entrusted with finding and executing Deloris. Since then, the actor has been in a number of films, including Roe v. Wade, Café Society, Mad City, Desert Thunder, The Mystery of Spoon River, Killer by Nature, and Night Eyes Three. Portnow also made appearances on The Sopranos, EZ Streets, and Home Free.
Wendy Makkena
In Sister Act and Sister Act 2, Wendy Makkena Makkena portrayed Sister Mary Robert, the youngest nun. A League of Their Own, Judging Amy, Oliver Beene, Listen Up, The Mob Doctor, and Rizzoli & Isles were among the shows in which the New York native starred later on. He also made cameo appearances on NCIS, Numb3rs, and Rizzoli & Isles. Her filmography also includes Wanderland, The Tomorrow Man, Finding North, and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
In 1997, she wed movie producer Bob Krakower. Ruby is their daughter.
Whoopi Goldberg
The Oscar winner portrayed Deloris and Sister Mary Clarence, her witness protection persona. In the 1993 follow-up movie, she changed back into her nun robe. The Lion King, Corrina, Corrina, Rat Race, Toy Story 3, A Little Bit of Heaven, and Nobody’s Fool are among the films in which Goldberg has since acted. The actress also appeared in episodes of Summer Camp Island, The Stand, Freedom: A History of the US, Whoopi, Glee, and Foxbusters. Whoopi, Strong Medicine, and more than 10 episodes of The View are among the projects that Goldberg has worked on behind the scenes as a producer, writer, and director. The New Yorker has been a cohost of The View since that year. She also appeared in Xanadu on Broadway, and in 2010, she played Mother Superior for a brief run in the West End production of Sister Act.
Being the recipient of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award makes the Ghost actor one of the select few celebrities to have achieved the feat. The cofounder of Whoopi & Maya and her ex-husband Alvin Martin has a daughter named Alex Martin.