Kristin Chenoweth’s 10 Best On-Screen Performances

This article contains spoilers about Wicked: Part 1 (2024)

Kristin Chenoweth has been performing professionally since her stage debut in The King and I in 1991. Since then, her career has skyrocketed, having played countless roles both on stage and screen, from originating the role of Glinda in Wicked on Broadway, to guest appearances on TV shows such as Glee. In other fare, she has lent herself to a collection of Christmas movies, ranging from Deck the Halls to Holidate, making Kristin Chenoweth a staple name in many households.

Most recently, Chenoweth appeared alongside her Wicked costar Idina Menzel in a movie cameo that delighted Broadway lovers and fans of her work and the original musical. The cameo reminded everyone of Chenoweth’s incredible pipes and vocal range, but she’s long since proven herself an acting powerhouse in multiple formats. Although it may be difficult to rank all of her screen performances, there are certainly some that stand out above others.

10 The Boy Next Door (2015)

Claire Peterson

Kristin Chenoweth tends to act in comedies, romcoms, and other lighthearted projects, but The Boy Next Door really changed that trend. The film starred Jennifer Lopez in the leading role of Claire Peterson, while Chenoweth played her fun and bubbly best friend, Vicky. Though Vicky was only in the film for a handful of scenes, she definitely made an impression, being there for Claire when she really needed a friend to lean on.

It was interesting to see Kristin Chenoweth take on a type of role far different than her usual ones, and it certainly showed off her incredible acting abilities.

Given the dark themes and genre of the film, it was only a matter of time until someone was killed off, and the film delivered. Vicky was killed in the final act of the film in a tense scene where she was kidnapped by Noah Sandborn, Claire’s crazed stalker. Off-screen, Noah killed Vicky, with Claire finding her lifeless body upon arriving at the house. It was interesting to see Kristin Chenoweth take on a type of role far different than her usual ones, and it certainly showed off her incredible acting abilities.

9 Schmigadoon! (2021-2023)

Mildred Layton/Miss Codwell

AppleTV+’s musical comedy Schmigadoon! follows Melissa and Josh, a couple whose relationship is on the rocks. They’re on a backpacking trip when they get lost and find themselves trapped in the magical land of Schmigadoon. Schmigadoon!‘s cast is made up of a huge collection of Broadway stars, from Alan Cumming to Aaron Tveit and of course, Kristin Chenoweth.As a musical, the show is the perfect screen role for Chenoweth, with the first season paying homage to musicals of the 1940s and 50s, where season 2 is inspired by musicals of the 1960s and 70s.

Kristin Chenoweth appeared in both seasons of the show, playing different characters. In season 1, she plays Mildred Layton, the preacher’s wife. Based on Mrs. Shinn from The Music Man, the stern and conservative Mildred pushes traditional values onto the residents of the town. In season 2, she plays Miss Codwell, the owner of the local orphanage who cooks and eats the children, combining elements of Miss Hannigan from Annie and Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd. Chenoweth plays both roles phenomenally, with both roles having iconic, catchy show tunes and performances that show off her triple threat of singing, dancing, and acting.

8 Four Christmases (2008)

Courtney Kinkaid

The film Four Christmases focuses on Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon), a couple who plans to travel and visit all their families on Christmas day. The only catch is that both of their parents are divorced, so they must have four Christmases in one day. Kristin Chenoweth plays the role of Courtney, Kate’s sister. As a comedy, Chenoweth only heightens the comedic elements of the film, appearing to be jealous of Kate as she develops her own crush on Brad.

Kristin Chenoweth only has a brief appearance in the film, starring in just a few scenes, but she makes her presence known. Courtney plays a role in derailing Brad and Kate’s relationship by telling Brad about Kate being bullied as a child with her nickname “Cootie Kate”. She also begins to crush on Brad, watching him in awe as he acts out the Nativity. Her daughter, Kasi, also steals Kate’s pregnancy test, acting like a brat because of the lack of discipline in her life from Courtney. Kristin Chenoweth may not play the main character, but she certainly created some drama.

7 The West Wing (1999-2006)

Annabeth Schott

Political drama The West Wing, set in the titular West Wing of the White House, followed President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and his administration during his term in office. Kristin Chenoweth entered the show’s sixth season and stuck around through the show’s seventh and final season. Her character, Annabeth Schott, had left her job as a producer of a political talk show show to become the Deputy Press Secretary in the White House.

It was exciting to see Kristin Chenoweth playing a calculating character with career ambitions.

Although all of her roles are emotionally complex, it was exciting to see Kristin Chenoweth playing a calculating character with career ambitions. It was also one of her first major roles that rooted itself wholly in drama, and didn’t incorporate any singing, dancing, or comedic elements, giving her the chance to flex her dramatic acting chops for audiences who were previously unfamiliar with her.

6 Holidate (2020)

Aunt Susan

Holidate is a wholesome romantic comedy about Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) becoming each other’s non-commitment dates to all the family holidays throughout the year. Obviously, the non-commitment aspect of their relationship doesn’t work out, and they ultimately develop romantic feelings for each other. In the film, Aunt Susan, played by Chenoweth, is the one who tells Sloane what a “Holidate” is and how it works.

Kristin Chenoweth’s performance in the film is absolutely hilarious, and she clearly had lots of fun playing the role. Aunt Susan would appear during all the important holidays with different dates and in different holiday-themed costumes. While her positivity is contagious, beneath it all, it’s clear that she wishes she had a stable relationship and someone to go home to every night. The film does such a good job with the different layers of Susan’s feelings and emotions, making her one of the most complicated and interesting characters that Kristin Chenoweth has played on screen.

5 Descendants (2015)

Maleficent

The beloved Disney Channel Original movie, Descendants, revolves around the children of the original Disney villains. The film focuses on Mal (Dove Cameron), the daughter of Maleficent (Kristin Chenoweth), as she attempts to be evil to make her mother proud, even though she knows deep-down it isn’t what she wants and she doesn’t have it in her to be a villain. Maleficent is only in the movie for a handful of scenes, but they are the highlight of the film. Seeing Kristin Chenoweth doing what she does best, singing and dancing while dressed in whimsical costumes, is always a pleasure to watch.

Chenoweth suited the role so well and came across as a master manipulator during her iconic duet “Evil Like Me”. The role of Maleficent is one of her most iconic and camp roles, including lavish costumes and Descendants‘ original songs with fun lyrics. She embodied the role of the villainous diva, returning her to a role that is arguably the closest she to the manipulative and dramatic Glinda since Wicked. In a franchise with plenty of memorable ones, Maleficent was by far the best villain of the Descendants franchise.

4 Hairspray Live! (2016)

Velma Von Tussle

In 2016, a live recording of the musical Hairspray was released on NBC. The special has an all-star cast that included Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, Martin Short, and Kristin Chenoweth, among others. Chenoweth starred as Velma Von Tussle, the racist and unethical mother of Amber (Dove Cameron), reuniting them a year after their work together in Descendants. Velma is the main antagonist throughout the show, putting her at odds with both Tracy and Edna Turnblad, trying to make sure the television station remains racially segregated.

This role was arguably a challenging one to play, however, Chenoweth gave an immaculate performance. In particular, her rendition of “(The Legend Of) Miss Baltimore Crabs” was sensational, truly a showstopping moment. After seeing her work in Descendents and Schmigadoon!, it seems that Kristin Chenoweth enjoys playing camp, over-the-top villains. She does a sensational job in those roles, taking over the frame and the audience’s full attention, and her appearance on Hairspray Live! was no different.

3 Deck The Halls (2006)

Tia Hall

The 2006 Christmas film Deck the Halls saw Kristin Chenoweth in one of her biggest on-screen roles to date, playing Tia Hall, the wife of Buddy (Danny DeVito). Tias is a loving, supportive wife throughout most of the movie, supporting Buddy in his quest to light up his house so it can be seen from space. However, when Buddy pawns her vase to buy more lights, she stands her ground and lets him know he’s in the wrong.

Chenoweth does a great job of balancing Tia’s complexities, wanting to support her husband and raise her children, while also still having a personal life and forming a friendship with her neighbor Kelly. This film also highlights Kristin Chenoweth’s singing abilities, with the actor giving a rendition of “O Holy Night” that is truly beautiful. It’s a testament to Chenoweth that Tia came across as much more present and empathetic than any other supporting character in the movie.

2 Glee (2009-2015)

April Rhodes

April Rhodes is not only one of Kristin Chenoweth’s most iconic roles ever, she’s also arguably the most iconic character to appear on Fox’s hit TV show Glee! Despite only appearing in five episodes of the show, every episode she starred in was all about her. It shows just how much focus Chenoweth deserved that, even if there were any ongoing storylines at the time of her appearances, they would be pushed aside and the whole episode would be the April Rhodes show.

The talented trainwreck April is a high school dropout with an alcohol dependence problem. When Will Schuester needed a lead singer for the glee club, he recruited April, re-enrolling her in high school so she could finally get her diploma. Ultimately, April realizes that she’s too old for high school and drops out again, but the character continues to reappear throughout the show. Every time she appeared, Chenoweth showed why April was a pint-sized force to be reckoned with.

1 Wicked (2024)

Wise One

One of Kristin Chenoweth’s most recent film roles has been the role of one of the Wise Ones in the 2024 film Wicked. Chenoweth had a cameo in the Wicked song “One Short Day” alongside Idina Menzel, and, though she only had around one minute of screen time, it was absolutely brilliant. The two actresses had brand-new lyrics for the movie, explaining the Grimmerie to the audience before continuing to sing their own segments in “One Short Day”.

The costumes for the pair were perfect, with them dressed in fancy, whimsical dresses, their lines paying homage to their original roles in the musical. Idina Menzel got to sing her classic Elphaba riff, while Chenoweth got a few high notes to belt out, as well a comedic moment where she cut off the new Glinda, Ariana Grande, shutting her up and not allowing her to sing. The chemistry between Kristin Chenoweth and Menzel is unmatched, and their appearance in Wicked has been the best surprise in movies this year.