20 Years of Soul Singing: Snakkle Catches Up with the Stars of Sister Act

Whoopi Goldberg had already reached critical acclaim with her Oscar nomination for The Color Purple (1985) and win for Ghost (1990). But the role of Deloris wasn’t originally hers—in fact, the divine diva Bette Midler was first offered the part. But Midler turned down the role, thinking her fans would not like to see her as a nun. Goldberg took up the mantle, bringing much levity to the role.

The Oscar winner has kept busy since Sister Act made her a box-office sensation. She was a reoccurring character on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1988-1993) and reprised her role as Deloris in 1993’s Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. Goldberg returned to her dramatic roots in Girl, Interrupted (1999). Since then, she’s held numerous roles in film and TV, including her current stint as a cohost on The View. In 2010, Goldberg played Mother Superior in the West End musical production of Sister Act. She is pragmatic about her success in the film franchise. As she told The Guardian in 2009, “I was funny, and the music was great.”

Dame Maggie Smith has a long and storied career, appearing in more than 60 roles in TV and film, among them Thetis in Clash of the Titans (1981) and Charlotte Bartlett in A Room with a View (1985). As the ultimately supportive Mother Superior in Sister Act, she brought Catholic propriety to a whole new level.

After Sister Act, Smith reprised her role in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. She continued to wow us as Constance Trentham in Gosford Park (2001) and  Lady Gresham in Becoming Jane (2007), all the while participating in a little-known (we jest) franchise called Harry Potter, where she appeared as Professor Minerva McGonagall. Today, she delights as witty Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, on the worldwide smash hit Downton Abbey.

As Lieutenant Eddie Souther, Bill Nunn saved the day as the heroic police officer who gets Deloris (Goldberg) into witness protection and later rescues her from the clutches of Vince. Previous to the film, Nunn had appeared in Spike Lee’s School Daze (1988). Lee and Nunn both attended Morehouse College. He made an impression in Lee’s Do the Right Thing (1989), playing the ill-fated Radio Raheem. He also played a kind physical therapist in Regarding Henry (1991).

Known as a consummate professional, the actor has worked extensively in both film and TV after Sister Act. He has appeared on Chicago Hope (1995), Touched by an Angel (1996), and Millennium (1997). In film, he had roles in Lockdown (2000) and Spider-Man (2002). He will next appear in 2012’s Won’t Back Down.

Keitel was a theater performer best known for his work in Martin Scorsese films, including Mean Streets (1973) and Taxi Driver (1976). So for the Brooklyn tough guy, taking on the role of tough guy Vince LaRocca in Sister Act was no stretch. Why did he choose the part? As he told a reporter just before Sister Act was released, “Well, I just love the idea of doing a horror film, [or] doing a comedy, which I just did with Whoopi Goldberg.” Keitel’s love clearly meant box office gold.

After Sister Act, Keitel took a role against type as twisted romantic George Baines in the Oscar bait The Piano (1993). Since then, Keitel has continued to work consistently, with roles in Pulp Fiction (1994), Cop Land (1997), and U-571 (2000). He’s most recently appeared in 2010’s Little Fockers and has several projects slated for release, including 2012’s Gandhi of the Month.

Najimy was struggling in bit parts in Hollywood (do you remember her as Crazed Video Customer in 1991’s The Fisher King?) when she got her break as giggly Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act. The California girl had Hollywood in her childhood—she appeared with her family on Family Feud in 1981 to win the $10,000 grand prize.

After her breakthrough in Sister Act, Najimy went on to establish herself as a stalwart comedic player in Hollywood. She reprised this role in 1993’s Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. She went on to TV roles in Ellen (1994-1997), Veronica’s Closet (1997-2000), and Numb3rs (2006-2007). She was also the voice of Peggy Hill on King of the Hill (1997-2010) and is next slated to appear in The Guilt Trip in 2012.

As salty musical director Sister Mary Lazarus, Mary Wickes showed why she had built a career of being an epic scene-stealer. With roles in theater, film, and television dating back to 1935, the actress counted spots on iconic shows like I Love Lucy (1952), Dennis the Menace (1959-1962), and Bonanza (1963-1966) among her roles. Her heavenly role in Sister Act was not the first time Wickes donned a habit. In 1966, she played Sister Clarissa in the comedy The Trouble with Angels.

Wickes reprised her role as Sister Mary Lazarus in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993). She also went on to appear as cranky Aunt March in 1994’s Little Women and voiced a gargoyle in The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1996 (released posthumously). Wickes, who died at the age of 85 in 1995, left behind a legacy of Hollywood wisecracking, wit, and sass.

Wendy Makkena rounded out the nuns as meek Sister Mary Robert. The actress had just started working in Hollywood before Sister Act, appearing on TV’s Santa Barbara (1986) and in the film Eight Men Out (1988). Sister Act was her breakout role. So does Makkena sing as sweetly as Sister Mary Robert? Possibly, but her voice was dubbed by singer Andrea Robinson.

Sister Act spawned a successful career for Makkena, who has since worked extensively in both TV and film. Like her castmates, Makkena reprised her role in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993). Since then, she has had roles on shows such as NYPD Blue (1994), Judging Amy (1999-2000), Chuck (2007), Desperate Housewives (2009), and The Good Wife (2011). She currently appears as Dr. Rachel Cranston on NCIS.