Kristin Chenoweth

Kristin Chenoweth

Active - 1963 - 2022  |   Born - Jul 24, 1968 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, United States  |   Genres - Drama, Comedy, Fantasy

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Biography by AllMovie

Any fan of Kristin Chenoweth knows that the musical quality of her lilting timbre is more than just a nice speaking voice: the actress has been one of the most successful and well-known performers on Broadway for the past 15 years. The sprightly 4'11" actress attended Oklahoma City University on a full scholarship to study voice before going on to earn her master's in opera performance. Chenoweth's first Broadway role came in 1997 when she was cast in a production of Molière's Scapin. The next season, she was cast in Steel Pier, winning a Theatre World Award for her performance.

Once Chenoweth's stage career was off and running, she quickly became one of the most well-known and best-liked Broadway actresses alive, working constantly and winning several awards, including a Tony for her performance in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. She was particularly praised for her performance in 2003's Wicked, and her performance of selections from her album Let Yourself Go at a concert for Lincoln Center's fifth American Songbook.

Chenoweth began a second career onscreen in 2001 with a short-lived NBC sitcom called Kristin. The mid-season replacement didn't last, but Chenoweth was soon delighting audiences with guest appearances on shows like Frasier, and in 2004, she began a recurring role on the critically acclaimed series The West Wing. In 2005, Nicole Kidman saw Chenoweth in a performance of Wicked and was so impressed with the songstress' talent and charisma that she had her cast in her upcoming film adaptation of Bewitched. This kicked off a series of appearances in comedies for the actress, who proved to have great comic timing. After roles in The Pink Panther, RV, and Deck the Halls, Chenoweth joined the cast of a new TV show called Pushing Daisies, about a man who falls in love with a deceased lady after he discovers how to bring people back from the dead. She followed the tragically cancelled show with a memorable arc on the exceedingly popular musical series Glee, as well as a starring role on the short-lived comedic series CGB. Chenoweth continued to alternate between films, television and the stage (and occasionally released an album) for the next several years.

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Factsheet

  • Runner-up in the 1991 Miss Oklahoma pageant.
  • Won a scholarship to Philadelphia's prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts, but turned it down two weeks before attending to pursue a career in musical theater in New York.
  • Made her 1997 Broadway debut in the Kander and Ebb musical Steel Pier.
  • Appears on numerous cast recordings and has released solo albums including Let Yourself Go, As I Am and A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas.
  • Has appeared on Sesame Street as Elmo's friend Ms. Noodle.
  • Originated the role of Glinda in the Broadway musical Wicked in 2003.
  • Published the 2009 autobiography A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love and Faith in Stages.
  • Publicly defended her Promises, Promises costar Sean Hayes when he was targeted in a 2010 Newsweek article that stated gay actors are often unconvincing playing straight roles.