Take them to church! Sister Act pulled back the curtain on what it’s like to be a nun — and gave life to a musical film with impact that’s lasted 30-plus years.
Whoopi Goldberg made nun life seem cool when she starred as Deloris Van Cartier, a lounge singer who joins a convent after being placed in witness protection in the 1992 film.
After taking on the persona of Sister Mary Clarence — in order to stay safe until she testifies against her ex-boyfriend Vince (Harvey Keitel), who she saw kill someone in Reno, Nevada — she creates life-long friendships with Sister Mary Patrick (Kathy Najimy), Sister Mary Lazarus (Mary Wickes) and Sister Mary Robert (Wendy Makkena).
While Sister Mary Clarence gets off to a rocky start with Mother Superior (Maggie Smith), the duo ultimately come together when the showgirl creates buzz around the church’s choir and sparks joy in the community.
The success of the first film led to the 1993 sequel, Sister Act: Back in the Habit, which saw the return of all four nuns — Sister Mary Clarence included. In the movie, Deloris presses pause on her Las Vegas show to go back undercover as a nun to help her friends save St. Francis High School from closing.
The sequel brought in new faces with high schoolers Rita (Lauryn Hill), Maria (Alanna Ubach) and Margaret (Jennifer Love Hewitt). The two box-office successes then led to a Broadway musical, which ran regionally in 2006 before opening on the West End in 2009.
Nearly three decades after Sister Act caught fans’ attention, Goldberg announced that a third film is in the works.
“For a long time, they kept saying no one wanted to see it,” the View cohost said on an October 2020 episode of The Late Late Show With James Corden. “And then quite recently, it turns out, that may not be true. People may want to see it. So, we’re working diligently to try to figure out how to get the gang together and come back.”
The Ghost actress revealed that she’s always loved being a part of the Sister Act family, saying, “It’s fun and it feels good. And you know, nobody’s mad. It’s just, listen — bad singing, great singing, OK singing and then nuns. What’s better than that?”
Scroll down to see what the Sister Act cast has been up to since the film’s release:
Take them to church! Sister Act pulled back the curtain on what it’s like to be a nun — and gave life to a musical film with impact that’s lasted 30-plus years.
Whoopi Goldberg made nun life seem cool when she starred as Deloris Van Cartier, a lounge singer who joins a convent after being placed in witness protection in the 1992 film.
After taking on the persona of Sister Mary Clarence — in order to stay safe until she testifies against her ex-boyfriend Vince (Harvey Keitel), who she saw kill someone in Reno, Nevada — she creates life-long friendships with Sister Mary Patrick (Kathy Najimy), Sister Mary Lazarus (Mary Wickes) and Sister Mary Robert (Wendy Makkena).
While Sister Mary Clarence gets off to a rocky start with Mother Superior (Maggie Smith), the duo ultimately come together when the showgirl creates buzz around the church’s choir and sparks joy in the community.
The success of the first film led to the 1993 sequel, Sister Act: Back in the Habit, which saw the return of all four nuns — Sister Mary Clarence included. In the movie, Deloris presses pause on her Las Vegas show to go back undercover as a nun to help her friends save St. Francis High School from closing.
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The sequel brought in new faces with high schoolers Rita (Lauryn Hill), Maria (Alanna Ubach) and Margaret (Jennifer Love Hewitt). The two box-office successes then led to a Broadway musical, which ran regionally in 2006 before opening on the West End in 2009.
Nearly three decades after Sister Act caught fans’ attention, Goldberg announced that a third film is in the works.
“For a long time, they kept saying no one wanted to see it,” the View cohost said on an October 2020 episode of The Late Late Show With James Corden. “And then quite recently, it turns out, that may not be true. People may want to see it. So, we’re working diligently to try to figure out how to get the gang together and come back.”
The Ghost actress revealed that she’s always loved being a part of the Sister Act family, saying, “It’s fun and it feels good. And you know, nobody’s mad. It’s just, listen — bad singing, great singing, OK singing and then nuns. What’s better than that?”
Scroll down to see what the Sister Act cast has been up to since the film’s release:
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Whoopi Goldberg
The Oscar winner played Deloris and her witness protection alter ego, Sister Mary Clarence. She slipped back into her nun gown in the 1993 follow-up film. Goldberg has since starred in The Lion King, Corrina, Corrina, Rat Race, Toy Story 3, A Little Bit of Heaven and Nobody’s Fool. The actress also had roles on Foxbusters, Freedom: A History of US, Whoopi, Glee, The Stinky & Dirty Show, Summer Camp Island and The Stand. Goldberg’s behind-the-camera work as producer, writer and director, includes Whoopi, Strong Medicine and more than 10 episodes of The View. The New York native has been one of the The View’s cohosts since 2007. She has also performed on Broadway in Xanadu, and portrayed Mother Superior in the musical version of Sister Act for a limited engagement on the West End in 2010.
The Ghost star is also one of very few celebrities to earn an EGOT, winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award. The Whoopi & Maya cofounder has one daughter, Alex Martin, whom she shares with ex-husband, Alvin Martin.
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Maggie Smith
The British actress played Mother Superior in both of the nun-themed films. She has since starred in The First Wives Club, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Nanny McPhee Returns, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Sherlock Gnomes. Smith also famously played Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise and portrayed Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey for six seasons. Smith has also performed in numerous stage plays, including The Lady in the Van and A German Life.
The Oscar winner is mother of two sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, with her ex-husband Robert Stephens.
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Kathy Najimy
The California native played witch Mary in Hocus Pocus in between her portrayal of Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act and its sequel. She then appeared in Hope Floats, The Wedding Planner, Numb3rs, WALL-E and All You Can Eat. Najimy also voiced multiple characters on Pepper Ann, before starring on Veronica’s Closet, King of the Hill (as Peggy Hill), Make It or Break It, Unforgettable, Veep and Duncanville. In the theater, Najimy is known for starring in Broadway’s Dirty Blonde. She cocreated the off-Broadway hit Back to Bacharach and David and directed and cowrote These Girls. In 2022, Najimy reprised her role as Mary for Hocus Pocus 2.
The star has been married to comedian Dan Finnerty since 1998. The couple share daughter Samia.
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Wendy Makkena
Makkena played Sister Mary Robert — the youngest nun — in both Sister Act and Sister Act 2. The New York native then starred on A League of Their Own, Judging Amy, Oliver Beene, Listen Up, The Mob Doctor and had guest appearances on NCIS, Numb3rs and Rizzoli & Isles. Her movie credits include Air Bud, Finding North, Wanderland, The Tomorrow Man and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
She married film producer Bob Krakower in 1997. They share daughter Ruby.
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Mary Wickes
The St. Louis, Missouri, native played Sister Mary Lazarus — an older nun who thinks she is a great driver but is actually horrible — in the musical film. She reprised her role the following year before playing Aunt March in Little Women. She then appeared in Weldon Pond and voiced Laverne in the Hunchback of Nortre Dame. Wickes also voiced the grandma on Life With Louie for two seasons.
The White Christmas actress died on October 22, 1995. She was 85.
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Harvey Keitel
The Oscar nominee played mob boss Vince LaRocca, the disgruntled ex of Deloris. Keitel later starred in Pulp Fiction, Smoke, From Dusk Till Dawn, One Last Dance, Little Fockers, The Last Godfather and The Irishman. He also played Sadusky in the National Treasure franchise. Keitel appeared on Life of Mars and The Power Inside and has produced multiple films, including Reservoir Dogs and Cuban Blood.
He is father of three children, daughter Stella and sons Hudson and Roman, from different relationships. The New York native shares his youngest child with wife Daphna Kastner, who he married in 2001.
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Bill Nunn
Nunn played cop Eddie Souther, whose job it was to keep Deloris safe until she testified against Vince. The Pennsylvania native starred in Save Me, Bulletproof, Ambushed, Lockdown, Firehouse Dog and Won’t Back Down. He also appeared on The Job and Sirens. One of his biggest roles was playing Joseph “Robbie” Robertson in the Spider-Man franchise.
The actor died on September 24, 2016, at the age of 62. He is survived by his wife, Donna Nunn, and their two children, Cydney and Jessica.
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Richard Portnow
The New York native played one of Vince’s thugs, Willy, who was tasked with locating and killing Deloris. The actor has since starred in Night Eyes Three, Man of the House, Mad City, Desert Thunder, The Mystery of Spoon River, Killer by Nature, Hitchcock, Café Society, Duke and Roe v. Wade. Portnow also appeared on Home Free, EZ Streets and The Sopranos.
Johnni Macke
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