Patti LuPone | |
|---|---|
.png) LuPone in 2024 | |
| Born | (1949-04-21)April 21, 1949 (age 76) Northport, New York, U.S. |
| Citizenship | United States Italy |
| Education | Juilliard School (BFA) |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Robert LuPone (brother) Adelina Patti (great-great aunt) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Website | pattilupone |
| Signature | |
 | |
Patti Ann LuPone (born April 21, 1949) is an American actress and singer. After starting her professional career withThe Acting Company in 1972, she soon gained acclaim for her leading performances on theBroadway andWest End stage. Known for playing bold, resilient women inmusical theater, she has receivednumerous accolades, including threeTony Awards, twoOlivier Awards, and twoGrammy Awards.[1] She was inducted to theAmerican Theater Hall of Fame in 2006.[2]
She made herBroadway debut inThree Sisters in 1973. She went on to receive threeTony Awards: two forBest Actress in a Musical for her roles asEva Perón inTim Rice andAndrew Lloyd Webber'sEvita (1980), andRose inGypsy (2008) and one forBest Featured Actress in a Musical for playing Joanne in theStephen Sondheim revivalCompany (2022).[3] She was Tony-nominated forThe Robber Bridegroom (1975),Anything Goes (1988),Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2006),Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2010), andWar Paint (2017).
For her performances on theWest End stage she received twoLaurence Olivier Awards: one forBest Actress in a Musical for her performances asFantine in the original London cast ofLes Misérables and Moll inThe Cradle Will Rock in 1985, and the second forBest Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical forCompany in 2019. She was nominated for her role asNorma Desmond inSunset Boulevard in 1993. She has twoGrammy Awards for the recording of the 2007Los Angeles Opera production ofRise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny.
On television, she starred in the drama seriesLife Goes On (1989–1993). She is a two-timeEmmy Award Nominee forThe Song Spinner (1995) andFrasier (1998) and a two-timeCritics Choice Award Nominee forPenny Dreadful (2014–2016) andAgatha All Along (2024), the latter of which she also received anIndependent Spirit Award Nomination. She appeared in threeRyan Murphy series:American Horror Story (2013–2014, 2022),Pose (2019), andHollywood (2020).[4] She also acted inOz (2003),Will & Grace (2005),30 Rock (2009–2012),Glee (2011),Ugly Betty (2007),Girls (2014)Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2017),Steven Universe (2016–2019),And Just Like That... (2025),Palm Royale (2025), andThe Artist (2025). LuPone's film roles include1941 (1979),Witness (1985),Driving Miss Daisy (1989),Summer of Sam (1999),State and Main (2000),Heist (2001), andBeau Is Afraid (2023).
LuPone was born on April 21, 1949, inNorthport, New York, onLong Island, the daughter of Italian-American parents Angela Louise (née Patti), a library administrator at theC.W. Post Campus ofLong Island University, and Orlando Joseph LuPone, a school administrator and English teacher atWalt Whitman High School inHuntington, NY.[citation needed] Her great-great aunt was 19th-century Spanish-born Italian opera singerAdelina Patti.[5] Her father's side came fromAbruzzo, while her mother's side isSicilian.[6]Lucille Ball was a family friend, having attending grade school with LuPone's mother.[7] Her older brotherRobert LuPone was a Tony-nominated actor, dancer, and director who originated the role of Zach, the director, inA Chorus Line.[8] She grew upCatholic.[9] LuPone is a dual citizen ofItaly and theUnited States.[10]
LuPone was part of the first graduating class ofJuilliard's Drama Division (1968–1972:Group 1),[11] which also included actorsKevin Kline andDavid Ogden Stiers.[12] She graduated from Juilliard in 1972 with aBachelor of Fine Arts degree.[13] According to LuPone, her rigorous Juilliard training has instilled in her "a respect for the craft of acting and the stage", but maintains that it did little to prepare her for the realties of pursuing a career on Broadway.[14] LuPone has amezzo-soprano vocal range,[15][16][17] and she is known for her strong/high "Broadway"belt singing voice. In a 2008 interview, she maintained that she was "an actor who sings", and thankful she "had a voice".[18]
In 1972, LuPone became one of the original members ofThe Acting Company, formed byJohn Houseman.[19] The Acting Company is a nationally touring repertory theater company.[20] LuPone's stint with the company lasted from 1972 to 1976, and she appeared in many of their productions, such asThe Cradle Will Rock,The School for Scandal,Women Beware Women,The Beggar's Opera,The Time of Your Life,The Lower Depths,The Hostage,Next Time I'll Sing to You,Measure for Measure,Scapin,Edward II,The Orchestra,Love's Labours Lost,Arms and the Man, andThe Way of the World. She made herBroadway debut in theplayThe Three Sisters as Irina in 1973.[21] For her work inThe Robber Bridegroom (1975) she received her firstTony Award nomination, for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[22] The Acting Company honored LuPone on March 12, 2012, in an event called "Patti's Turn" at theKaye Playhouse.[23]
In 1976, theater producerDavid Merrick hired LuPone as a replacement to play Genevieve, the title role of the troubled pre-Broadway production ofThe Baker's Wife. The production toured at length but Merrick deemed it unworthy of Broadway and it closed out of town.[24]
Since 1977, LuPone has frequently collaborated withDavid Mamet, appearing in his playsThe Woods,All Men Are Whores,The Blue Hour,The Water Engine (1978),[25]Edmond,The Old Neighborhood (1997),[26] andThe Anarchist (2012).The New York Times reviewer wrote of LuPone inThe Old Neighborhood, "Those who know Ms. LuPone only as a musical comedy star will be stunned by the naturalistic fire she delivers here. As Jolly, a part inspired by Mr. Mamet's real-life sister and his realized female character, Ms. LuPone finds conflicting layers of past and present selves in practically every line. She emerges as both loving matriarch and wounded adolescent, sentimental and devastatingly clear-eyed."[27] In 1978, she appeared in the Broadway musical adaptation ofStuds Terkel'sWorking, which ran for only 24 performances.[28]
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In 1979, LuPone starred in the original Broadway production ofEvita, the musical based on the life ofEva Perón, composed byAndrew Lloyd Webber andTim Rice, and directed byHarold Prince.[29] She reportedly won the role over 200 auditionees, includingMeryl Streep,Ann-Margret andRaquel Welch.[30] Although LuPone was hailed by critics, she has since said that her time inEvita was not an enjoyable one. In a 2007 interview, she stated "Evita was the worst experience of my life," she said. "I was screaming my way through a part that could only have been written by a man who hates women. And I had no support from the producers, who wanted a star performance onstage but treated me as an unknown backstage. It was like Beirut, and I fought like a banshee."[31] Despite the trouble, LuPone won her firstTony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[32] "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina", a song she performed for the show, became one of her signature songs throughout her career.[33] It was not until she had reprised the role in a production inSydney when she had finally enjoyed the part and felt comfortable singing the score.[34][35] LuPone and her co-star,Mandy Patinkin, remained close friends both on and off the stage.
In 1980, LuPone's cabaret act, "Patti LuPone at Les Mouches," played for 27 consecutive weeks on Saturday evenings at midnight following her 8pm performance inEvita.[36] TheNew York Daily News reviewed saying, "Anyone who thinks there are no volcanoes in New York should check out Les Mouches any Saturday midnight in March. It is here at the witching hour that Patti LuPone fulminates, thunders, and showers the room with sparks of her debut cabaret act."[37] In 2008, a restored recording was released as an album byGhostlight Records.[38]
In 1983,John Cassavetes and LuPone workshopped a production of a play calledThornhill byMeade Roberts. The play, directed by Cassavetes, starred LuPone asEugene O'Neill's wifeCarlotta Monterey, and Cassavetes as O'Neill. The production also featured cast membersBen Gazzara andCarol Kane.[39]
Also in 1983, LuPone starred as Rosalind oppositeVal Kilmer inAs You Like It at theGuthrie Theatre directed byLiviu Ciulei.[40] In the same year, founding alumni of The Acting Company reunited for an off-Broadway revival ofMarc Blitzstein's landmark labor musicalThe Cradle Will Rock at theAmerican Place Theater. It was narrated byJohn Houseman with LuPone in the roles of Moll and Sister Mister.[41] The production premiered at The Acting Company's summer residence at Chautauqua Institution, toured the United States including an engagement at the Highland Park, Illinois'Ravinia Festival in 1984 and played in London'sWest End.
When the run ended, LuPone remained in London to create the role ofFantine inCameron Mackintosh's original London production ofLes Misérables, in 1985, which premiered at theBarbican Theatre, at that time the London home of theRoyal Shakespeare Company.[42] LuPone had previously worked for Mackintosh in a short-lived Broadway revival ofOliver! in 1984, playing Nancy oppositeRon Moody as Fagin.[43] For her work in bothThe Cradle Will Rock andLes Misérables, LuPone received the 1985Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, making LuPone first American actor or actress to win anOlivier Award.[44][45]
She returned to Broadway in 1987 to star asnightclub singer Reno Sweeney in theLincoln Center Theater revival ofCole Porter'sAnything Goes. Starring oppositeHoward McGillin, they both received Tony nominations for their performances.[46][47] The Lincoln Center cast reassembled for a one-night-only concert performance ofAnything Goes in New York in 2002.[48]
Among LuPone's film credits areFighting Back,Witness,Steven Universe: The Movie,Just Looking,The Victim,Summer of Sam,Driving Miss Daisy,King of the Gypsies,1941,Wise Guys,Nancy Savoca'sThe 24 Hour Woman and Savoca'sUnion Square,Family Prayers, andCity by the Sea. She has also worked with playwrightDavid Mamet on his filmsState and Main, andHeist. In 1987, LuPone starred asLady Bird Johnson in the TV movie,LBJ: The Early Years (1987).[49][50]
LuPone played Libby Thatcher on the television dramaLife Goes On, which ran onABC from 1989 to 1993.[51][52][53] In the 1990s she had a recurring role as defense attorney Ruth Miller onLaw & Order. She has twice been nominated for anEmmy Award: for the TV movieThe Song Spinner (1995,Daytime Emmy Award nominee),[54] and thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series onFrasier in 1998.[citation needed] She had a cameo as herself that year on an episode ofSaturday Night Live hosted byKelsey Grammer.
In 1993, LuPone returned to London to create the role of Norma Desmond in the original production ofAndrew Lloyd Webber'sSunset Boulevard at theAdelphi Theater. There was much anticipation of LuPone appearing in another Lloyd Webber musical, the first since her performance inEvita. Her time in the show was difficult, and she was abruptly fired by Lloyd Webber. Lloyd Webber then selectedGlenn Close to open the show in Los Angeles and eventually onBroadway, despite LuPone being contracted to open both productions.[55][56] She says she was essentially blacklisted in Hollywood after theSunset Boulevard debacle due to rumors that she had been difficult to work with in New York.[57]
In November 1995, LuPone starred in her one-woman show,Patti LuPone on Broadway, at theWalter Kerr Theatre.[58] For her work, she received anOuter Critics Circle Award. The following year, she was selected by producerRobert Whitehead to succeed his wife,Zoe Caldwell in the Broadway production ofTerrence McNally's playMaster Class, based on the master classes given by operatic divaMaria Callas atJuilliard.[55] LuPone received positive reviews, withVincent Canby writing "Ms. LuPone really is vulnerable here in a way that wasn't anticipated: she's in the process of creating a role for which she isn't ideally suited, but she's working like a trouper to get it right."[59] She appeared in the play to acclaim in theWest End.
In November 2001, she starred in a Broadway revival ofNoises Off, withPeter Gallagher andFaith Prince.[60] LuPone has performed in many New York concert productions of musicals includingPal Joey withPeter Gallagher andBebe Neuwirth,Annie Get Your Gun with Peter Gallagher,Sweeney Todd withGeorge Hearn in both New York andSan Francisco,Anything Goes withHoward McGillin,Can-Can withMichael Nouri forCity CenterEncores!,Candide withKristin Chenoweth,Passion withMichael Cerveris andAudra McDonald andGypsy withBoyd Gaines andLaura Benanti for City Center Encores!. Her performances inSweeney Todd, andCandide were recorded and broadcast forPBSsGreat Performances and were released on DVD. The concert staging ofPassion was televised as part ofLive from Lincoln Center. Since 2001, LuPone has been a regular performer at the ChicagoRavinia Festival. She starred in a six-year-long series of concert presentations ofStephen Sondheim musicals, which began in honor of his seventieth birthday. Her roles there have included Mrs. Lovett inSweeney Todd, Fosca inPassion, Cora Hoover Hooper inAnyone Can Whistle, Rose inGypsy and two different roles inSunday in the Park with George.[61]
LuPone's television work also included a recurring role on her cousin Tom Fontana's HBO series in its final season,Oz (2003).[62] She appeared as herself on a February 2005 episode ofWill & Grace.[63] She also appeared on the seriesUgly Betty in March 2007 as the mother of Marc St. James (played byMichael Urie).[64] LuPone had a recurring guest role asFrank Rossitano's mother on30 Rock. LuPone appeared as herself in theseason two finale of the television seriesGlee.[65]
She returned to Broadway in October 2005 to star as Mrs. Lovett inJohn Doyle's new Broadway production ofSweeney Todd. In this radically different interpretation of the musical, the ten actors on stage also served as the show's orchestra, and LuPone played the tuba and orchestra bells as well as performing the score vocally.[66] For her performance, she received aTony Award nomination as well as Golden Icon Award for Best Female Musical Theater Performance.[67] In August 2006, LuPone took a three-week leave fromSweeney in order to play Rose inLonny Price's production ofGypsy at Ravinia.[61]Sweeney Todd closed in September 2006.
On February 10, 2007, LuPone starred withAudra McDonald in theLos Angeles Opera production ofKurt Weill's operaRise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny directed byJohn Doyle.[68] The cast recording ofRise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny was recognized atthe 51st Grammy Awards asBest Classical Album andBest Opera Recording in February 2009.[69]
Following the Ravinia Festival production ofGypsy, LuPone and authorArthur Laurents mended a decade-long rift, and she was cast in the City Center Encores!Summer Stars production of the show. Laurents directed LuPone inGypsy for a 22-performance run (July 9, 2007 – July 29, 2007) at City Center.[70] This production ofGypsy then transferred toBroadway, opening March 27, 2008 at theSt. James Theatre.[71] LuPone won theOuter Critics Circle Award, Drama League Award,Drama Desk Award andTony Award for her performance inGypsy.[72][73] It closed on January 11, 2009. During the penultimate performance ofGypsy on January 10, 2009, LuPone interrupted her performance of "Rose's Turn" to address an audience member using a flash camera, a violation of theater etiquette.[74] After the patron was removed, LuPone resumed her performance to applause.[75] This incident, captured on video and widely circulated online, sparked a broader discussion about the impact of audience distractions on live theater.[76][77]
In August 2010, LuPone appeared in a three-day run ofIrving Berlin'sAnnie Get Your Gun where she played the title role oppositePatrick Cassidy at the Ravinia Festival, directed by Lonny Price.[78] That same year, LuPone created the role of Lucia in the original Broadway production ofWomen on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, which opened at theBelasco Theater on November 4, 2010, and closed on January 2, 2011, after 23 preview and 69 regular performances. LuPone was nominated for a Tony and Drama Desk, and an Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance. LuPone'smemoir recounting her life and career from childhood onwards, was published in September 2010 titledPatti LuPone: A Memoir.[79][80] It was aNew York Times Best Seller.[81]
In 2011, LuPone played the role of Joanne in a four-night limited engagement concert production ofStephen Sondheim's musicalCompany at theNew York Philharmonic, conducted byPaul Gemignani. The production starredNeil Patrick Harris as Bobby. Harris had previously worked with LuPone in the 2000 and 2001 concert productions ofSweeney Todd. The cast ofCompany performed the song "Side by Side by Side" at the65th Tony Awards on June 12, 2011. LuPone made herNew York City Ballet debut in May 2011 in a production ofThe Seven Deadly Sins directed and choreographed byLynne Taylor-Corbett. A piece she had previously performed, LuPone sang the role of Anna in theKurt Weill andBertolt Brecht score.[82] LuPone concluded a 63-performance Broadway engagement of her concert with formerEvita co-starMandy Patinkin entitledAn Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin. The run started on November 21, 2011, at theEthel Barrymore Theater and ended on January 13, 2012.[83] In late 2012, LuPone appeared withDebra Winger in the premiere of David Mamet's playThe Anarchist.[citation needed]
In 2011, the feature filmUnion Square, co-written and directed by theSundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Award Winner,Nancy Savoca, was premiered at theToronto International Film Festival. In it, LuPone co-starred withMira Sorvino,Tammy Blanchard,Mike Doyle,Michael Rispoli andDaphne Rubin-Vega.[84]LuPone guest starred onArmy Wives on July 8, 2012. She reunited with fellow guest starKellie Martin as her mother once again.[85][86] LuPone appeared in the 2013 filmParker, an action-thriller.[87] She voiced the character Yellow Diamond in theanimated seriesSteven Universe (2013–2019) andSteven Universe Future (2019–2020). In 2013, LuPone was cast in thethird season of the FX seriesAmerican Horror Story asJoan Ramsey, a religious mother with a hidden past,[88] and played herself in the third season of HBO'sGirls.
In 2015, she appeared in several episodes of theShowtime horror seriesPenny Dreadful as a cantankerous yet powerfulwhite witch. For her performance she received a nomination for theCritics Choice Award.[89]She returned to the show in 2016 in the role of Dr. Seward, analienist aidingEva Green's character. Seward is an adaptation ofJohn Seward fromBram Stoker'sDracula, and claims to be a descendant of Joan Clayton, the character LuPone portrayed in the second season. Also in 2016, she began appearing inSteven Universe as the voice of Yellow Diamond, reprising the role inthe movie and the epilogue seriesSteven Universe Future.[90]
In early 2015, she returned to Los Angeles Opera to perform the role of Samira in a new production ofJohn Corigliano'sThe Ghosts of Versailles, receiving positive reviews.[91][92] In April 2016, an audio recording of the production was released byPentatone (PTC 5186538, a 2-SACD album).[93] It won the2017 Grammy Awards forBest Classical Album and forBest Opera Recording.[94] In June 2015, LuPone appeared in theDouglas Carter Beane playShows for Days at Lincoln Center Theater.[95] LuPone again received media attention for an incident during aShows for Days performance when she confiscated a patron's cellphone after they were observed using it during the show; it was returned after the performance. LuPone expressed frustration with audience members who disrupt performances with their phones, stating, "We work hard on stage to create a world that is being totally destroyed by a few, rude, self-absorbed and inconsiderate audience members who are controlled by their phones."[96] In October 2015, LuPone, along with the current Fantine on the West End, joined her castmates to celebrate the 30th anniversary ofLes Misérables.[97]
In 2017, LuPone originated the role ofHelena Rubinstein in the musicalWar Paint onBroadway, after performing the role in the summer of 2016 in the musical's world premiere atChicago'sGoodman Theatre.[98] Performing oppositeChristine Ebersole as Rubinstein's longtime competitorElizabeth Arden, LuPone stayed with the role forWar Paint's entire run at theNederlander Theatre, from March 7 to November 5, 2017.[99] The show closed prematurely to allow LuPone to undergo hip surgery.[100] LuPone disclosed in an interview thatWar Paint would be her last musical on stage: "I'm too old. It's been hard—it's been harder than it's ever been. I can't do it anymore."[101] Nevertheless, in September 2017 it was announced that LuPone would star as Joanne in the 2018 London revival ofCompany alongsideRosalie Craig as Bobbie in a gender-swapped production directed byMarianne Elliot.[102] For her performance she received her secondLaurence Olivier Award, this time forOutstanding Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical. In August 2019, it was announced that the production would move to Broadway, with LuPone returning as Joanne andKatrina Lenk as Bobbie.[103]
In 2019, LuPone played an antagonistic role inPose, appearing in second season of the series. In 2020, LuPone starred in theRyan Murphy seriesHollywood forNetflix.[104] The following year she teamed up with social media starRandy Rainbow to perform a duet song criticizingDonald Trump three weeks before the2020 United States presidential election.
A transfer of the successfulWest End production ofCompany was set to open at theBernard B. Jacobs Theatre on March 22, 2020, coinciding withStephen Sondheim's 90th birthday, but was postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[105] The production returned, featuring LuPone starring oppositeKatrina Lenk, with previews starting on November 15, 2021, before officially opening December 9, 2021.[106] LuPone won her third Tony Award for the role. On May 10, 2022, during a live conversation with the American Theatre Wing and herCompany co-stars, Patti LuPone publicly addressed a patron who was not wearing their face mask properly, a violation of Broadway League COVID-19 safety protocols.[107] LuPone later explained that the patron had already been warned by theater staff and had responded dismissively.[108] Her passionate response highlighted the importance of adhering to safety guidelines to ensure the continued operation of Broadway. This incident led to increased attention on safety protocols and a subsequent extension of the mask mandate by the Broadway League, from May 31 to June 30, 2022.[109][110] Following the closing ofCompany, LuPone resigned fromActors' Equity Association, the union for professional stage managers and actors in the United States.[111]
In 2023 she played Beau's mother, Mona, in theAri Astersurrealisthorror filmBeau Is Afraid. The film starsJoaquin Phoenix,Nathan Lane,Richard Kind, andAmy Ryan.[112] LuPone received critical acclaim for her performance with David Rooney ofThe Hollywood Reporter writing "[the film] features fabulous performances...most of all, LuPone in all her magnificent, scenery-chomping glory."[113] Anthony Lane ofThe New Yorker also praised LuPone performance, comparing her role of an imperious mother to that ofAngela Lansbury's inThe Manchurian Candidate (1962).[114]
In 2023, LuPone played the role ofLilia Calderu, a centuries-old witch withdivination powers, in theMarvel Cinematic UniverseDisney+ seriesAgatha All Along.[115] Calderu is a Romani character in the comics.[116] The series received mostly positive reviews from critics, with LuPone's performance in her character's central episode, "Death's Hand in Mine", being particularly praised.[117][118][119] In 2025, Lupone's performance as Lilia Calderu received nominations for theIndependent Spirit Award and theCritics Choice Award.[120][121]
In 2024, LuPone returned to Broadway inThe Roommate starring oppositeMia Farrow at theBooth Theatre.[122] In 2025, LuPone played Gianna "Gia" Ammato onAnd Just Like That (a sequel series toSex and the City) and appeared as a castmember in Season 2 ofPalm Royale.[123][124] Lupone is starring in the upcoming limited seriesThe Artist.[125]
LuPone performs regularly in her solo showsMatters of the Heart;Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda; andThe Lady With the Torch[126] which sold out atCarnegie Hall. For example, she performed her one-woman showThe Gypsy In My Soul at the Caramoor Fall Festival, New York, in September 2010.[127] She also appears at venues across North America in concerts withMandy Patinkin, at such venues as the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in September 2010.[128][129]
She appeared as the inaugural act at a newcabaret space,54 Below, in New York City in June 2012. According toThe New York Times reviewer,
Nowadays Ms. LuPone generates more raw excitement than any other performer on the Broadway and cabaret axis, with the possible exception ofLiza Minnelli.... And her brilliant show, conceived and directed by her long-time collaborator, Scott Wittman, deserves many lives, perhaps even a Broadway run in an expanded edition. It certifies Ms. LuPone's place in the lineage of quirky internationalchanteuses likeLotte Lenya,Marlene Dietrich andEdith Piaf, who, like Ms. LuPone, conquered show business with forceful, outsize personalities while playing by their own musical rules.[130]
She also appeared as the inaugural act at the Sharon L. Morse Entertainment Center inThe Villages, Florida, on April 30, 2015, to a sold-out audience of residents mainly 55 years-of-age and older.[131]
LuPone is widely regarded as one of the greatest Broadway performers of her generation,[30][132][133][134] and one of the most influential actors in musical theater.[135]The London Times once nicknamed her the "first lady of the theater",[30] and American-British journalistHadley Freeman declared her "the queen of Broadway" and "the goddess of the modern musical".[136] In 2010, theatre criticCharles McNulty wrote that her stage presence demonstrates a ferocity that, when paired with the right material, resembles "a return to agolden age when powerhouses ruled Broadway".[132]AllMusic biographer William Ruhlmann noted that, unlike her predecessorsMary Martin andEthel Merman, LuPone was never afforded the luxury to seamlessly transition between musical productions, instead using lulls in her Broadway career to diversify her endeavors by appearing in plays, films, television, nightclubs, concert tours, and recording solo studio albums.[133] According to Susan Vaughn of theLos Angeles Times, LuPone is mostly known for playing "larger-than-life characters" on stage,[30] whereas Adam Sandel ofThe Advocate observed "she's often played women who've fought like hell to overcome obstacles through the sheer force of indomitable will".[137] She is not of Jewish origin but has played many Jewish women, both on stage and screen.[14][138][139]
LuPone believes she is often cast in ethnic parts because of her Italian heritage and prominent facial features, which allow her to play more interesting female roles.[138] At the same time, she has expressed frustration at frequently being overlooked for roles she believes she is best suited for, often in favor of less qualified actors.[134] She has stated she has been "bullied" by Broadway professionals for much of her career.[140]
Music and theatre critics have described LuPone as amezzo-soprano,[141][142][143] whichThe Seattle Times said can equally "blast a big showtune out of the park, or sweetly murmur a lullaby".[144] Vocally, she is known for her powerful, emotive style of belting,[136] and according to Nerelle Harper ofQNews set a new standard "for a modern generation of high-belt thrill trillers".[145] To cope with some vocally demanding roles such asEvita, during which she lost her voice several times, she remained silent when not performing and limited social activities.[146] After undergoing surgery to treatvocal nodules during the 1990s,[147] she learned how to sing in a moreoperatic manner to preserve her voice, prior to which she admitted to relying on "sheer guts and willpower" to belt.[30] She credits vocal coachJoan Lader with saving her career and teaching her "a technique to allow me to continue to sing with the strength and the clarity".[147] LuPone has performed some operatic roles, despite having no formal operatic training.[148] She has performed in severalSondheim musicals, and credits the composer with making her a better singer due to the difficulty of his material.[149] In return, Sondheim has praised her singing, acting, and attention to detail, and thanked her for "enhancing my shows — and everyone else's for that matter".[57] According to Andrew Gans ofPlaybill, LuPone belongs to a handful of singing actors who "are masters of stillness, bringing songs to full life with an inner well of emotions that seep out in unexpected and heartbreaking moments".[150] However, her trademarkdiction has been criticized for sounding unclear,[151][152][153][154] including by collaboratorsAndrew Lloyd Webber andJohn Houseman, the latter of whom reportedly strangled her over her enunciation.[140] LuPone admitted that her emotional acting choices can compromise her diction.[140] In addition to Sondheim, LuPone has identified performersEdith Piaf,Bette Davis, andDavid Mamet as influences,[155] and expressed admiration for stage actressesAngela Lansbury,Zoe Caldwell, andElaine Stritch, all of whose signature roles she would eventually play herself.[14]
The media has described LuPone as a polarizing entertainer,[132] equally praised and criticized for her talent and unfiltered opinions.[155][156] McNulty observed that critics have alternated betweenpigeonholing her into specific genres or underappreciating her vibrancy.[132] She has been labeled adiva for much of her career,[136][157] which journalists attribute to both her talent and high standards,[136][145] and perceived demanding temperament on and off-stage.[146][140] Ruhlmann said her reported "cold, dark" persona allowed her to excel playing "the kinds ofanti-heroines who peopled the musicals of the later decades of the 20th century".[133] LuPone has been described by some as difficult to work with,[132][146] a reputation she attributes to sexism and the way assertive women are often perceived in the industry.[57] Theatre criticBen Brantley reported that the fallout fromSunset Boulevard damaged LuPone's public image and relegated her Broadway appearances to one-woman and non-musical shows, until she returned to musical theater in the early 2000s.[158] Meanwhile, herEvita co-starMandy Patinkin defended her as a sensitive performer who "can't let certain feelings go, which is a burden and a blessing. She fights through it all and gives everything, until there's nothing left in her".[57] Herfanbase has been nicknamed "LuPonistas",[30][159][160] and she has often been hired to play exaggerated versions of herself in television and film, representing "the symbol of Broadway musical theater", according toTime Out's Adam Feldman.[134]
LuPone is known for her candid and outspoken nature,[137] a trait she attributes to her upbringing.[14] She has stated that her forthrightness has occasionally led to professional setbacks, beginning with her time promotingEvita.[14] Her unfiltered remarks and actions have often made headlines, including instances ofgoing off-script during performances.[135] A vocal critic of the commercialization of Broadway, LuPone has likened its current state to Las Vegas,[14][140][134][161] arguing that shows should have limited runs to allow space for fresh, innovative productions.[14] She has also expressed a disdain for red carpet events, noting that her tendency to "speak [her] truth" can be at odds with the expected decorum of such occasions.[136] Additionally, LuPone has been outspoken about theater etiquette, frequently voicing concerns over disruptive behavior by some audience members.[162] She is widely regarded as agay icon,[163] which LuPone attributes to fans recognizing that she has "had to fight, like the LGBTQ community has had to fight for identity. For a simple way to live. For acceptance".[164]
In May 2025, LuPone posted her first public apology on Instagram after criticism of comments she had made aboutAudra McDonald andKecia Lewis in aNew Yorker profile published earlier that week.[165][166] In the statement she called her own language “demeaning and disrespectful”, said she regretted her “flippant and emotional responses”, and added that she hoped to apologise to both actors personally. The apology followed an open letter signed by more than 500 Broadway professionals that described her remarks as racially disrespectful and urged “accountability, justice and respect”.[167][168][169][170]
LuPone is married to Matthew Johnston. The couple's wedding ceremony was on the stage of theVivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center on December 12, 1988, after filming the TV movieLBJ; Johnston was a cameraman.[171] They have one child.[52] They reside inEdisto Beach, South Carolina,[172] andKent, Connecticut.[173] In the 1970s, LuPone dated actorKevin Kline for seven years, after the two met as students atJuilliard.[174]
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Sources: Playbill Vault;[175] Internet Broadway Database;[176] Internet Off-Broadway Database[177]
| Year | Show | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Iphigenia | Unknown | West End –The Young Vic (professional stage debut) | |
| 1972 | The School for Scandal | Lady Teazle | Off-Broadway (City Center Acting Company) | |
| Women Beware Women | Bianca | |||
| The Hostage | Colette / Kathleen | |||
| The Lower Depths | Natasha Karpovna | |||
| Next Time I'll Sing To You | Lizzie | |||
| 1973 | Three Sisters | Irina Prozorova | Broadway (debut) –Billy Rose Theater | [178] |
| The Beggar's Opera | Lucy Lockit | Broadway – Billy Rose Theater | [179] | |
| Measure For Measure | Boy and Understudy, Julietta | [180] | ||
| Scapin | Hyancinthe | [181] | ||
| 1974 | Next Time I'll Sing To You | Lizzie | [182] | |
| 1975 | The Robber Bridegroom | Rosamund Musgrove | Broadway –Harkness Theatre | [183] |
| Edward II | Prince Edward | [184] | ||
| The Time of Your Life | Kitty Duval | [185] | ||
| Three Sisters | Irina Prozorova | [186] | ||
| 1976 | The Baker's Wife | Genevieve Castagnet | Off-Broadway / Tour | |
| 1977 | The Woods | Ruth | Chicago – St. Nicholas Theatre | |
| The Water Engine | Rita Lang | Off-Broadway –The Public Theater | ||
| 1978 | Rita Lang / Lily La Pon | Broadway –Plymouth Theatre | [187] | |
| Working | Nora Watson / Roberta Victor | Broadway –46th Street Theater | [188] | |
| Catchpenny Twist | Monagh | Connecticut –Hartford Stage | [189] | |
| 1979 | Evita | Eva Perón | Broadway –Broadway Theatre | [190] |
| 1981 | Australian tour | |||
| 1982 | The Woods | Ruth | Off-Broadway –Second Stage Theatre | [191] |
| Edmond | Mrs. Burke (replacement) | Off-Broadway –Provincetown Playhouse | ||
| 1983 | As You Like It | Rosalind | Regional –Guthrie Theatre | |
| America Kicks Up Its Heels | Cleo | Off-Broadway –Playwrights Horizons | [192] | |
| The Cradle Will Rock | Moll / Sister Mister | Off-Broadway – America Place Theater | [193] | |
| 1984 | Oliver! | Nancy | Broadway –Mark Hellinger Theatre | [194] |
| Accidental Death of an Anarchist | The Reporter | Broadway –Belasco Theatre | [195] | |
| 1985 | The Cradle Will Rock | Moll | West End –The Old Vic | [196] |
| Les Misérables | Fantine | West End –Barbican Centre | [197] | |
| 1987 | Anything Goes | Reno Sweeney | Broadway –Vivian Beaumont Theater | [198] |
| 1993 | Sunset Boulevard | Norma Desmond | West End –Adelphi Theatre | [199] |
| 1995 | Patti LuPone on Broadway | Herself | Concert –Walter Kerr Theatre | [200] |
| Pal Joey | Vera Simpson | Concert –Encores! | [201] | |
| 1996 | Master Class | Maria Callas (replacement) | Broadway –John Golden Theater | [202] |
| 1997 | West End –Queen's Theatre | |||
| The Old Neighborhood | Jolly | Broadway –Booth Theater | [203] | |
| 1998 | Annie Get Your Gun | Annie Oakley | Concert –Lincoln Center Theater | |
| 2000 | Matters of the Heart | Herself | Broadway – Vivian Beaumont Theater | [204] |
| Sweeney Todd | Mrs. Nellie Lovett | Concert –New York Philharmonic | [205] | |
| 2001 | Concert –San Francisco Symphony | [206] | ||
| Illinois –Ravinia Festival | ||||
| Noises Off | Dotty Ottley | Broadway –Brooks Atkinson Theater | [207] | |
| 2002 | Anything Goes | Reno Sweeney | Concert – Lincoln Center | [208] |
| A Little Night Music | Desiree Armfeldt | Illinois – Ravinia Festival | ||
| 2003 | Passion | Fosca | ||
| 2004 | Can-Can | La Mome Pistache | Concert – Encores! | [209] |
| Candide | Old Lady | Concert – New York Philharmonic | [210] | |
| Sunday in the Park with George | Yvonne / Blair Daniels | Illinois – Ravinia Festival | [211] | |
| 2005 | Regina | Regina Giddens | Washington, D.C. –Kennedy Center | [212] |
| Passion | Fosca | Off-Broadway – Lincoln Center Theater | ||
| Children And Art | Performer | Concert –New Amsterdam Theatre | [213] | |
| Anyone Can Whistle | Cora Hoover Hooper | Illinois – Ravinia Festival | [214] | |
| Sweeney Todd | Mrs. Nellie Lovett | Broadway –Eugene O'Neill Theatre | [215] | |
| 2006 | Gypsy | Rose Hovick | Illinois- Ravinia Festival | [216] |
| 2006 | To Hell and Back | Anne | California – First United Methodist Church | |
| 2007 | Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny | Leokadja Begbick | Los Angeles Opera | [217] |
| 2007 | Gypsy | Rose Hovick | City CenterEncores! | |
| 2008 | Broadway –St. James Theatre | [218] | ||
| 2010 | Annie Get Your Gun | Annie Oakley | Illinois- Ravinia Festival | [219] |
| 2010 | Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown | Lucia | Broadway – Belasco Theater | [220] |
| 2011 | An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin | Herself | Concert –Ethel Barrymore Theatre | [221] |
| Company | Joanne | Concert – New York Philharmonic | [222] | |
| The Seven Deadly Sins | Anna I (Singer) | New York City Ballet | [223] | |
| 2012 | The Anarchist | Cathy | Broadway –John Golden Theatre | [224] |
| 2015 | The Ghosts of Versailles | Samira | Los Angeles Opera | [225] |
| Shows For Days | Irene | Off-Broadway – Newhouse Theater | [226] | |
| 2016 | War Paint | Helena Rubinstein | Chicago –Goodman Theatre | [227] |
| 2017 | Broadway – Nederlander Theater | [228] | ||
| 2018 | Company | Joanne | West End Revival –Gielgud Theatre | [229] |
| 2020 | Broadway –Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (Pre-Covid and Post-Covid) | [230] | ||
| 2021–22 | ||||
| 2023 | Gutenberg! The Musical! | The Producer (one night only) | Broadway –James Earl Jones Theater | [231] |
| 2024 | The Roommate | Robyn | Broadway –Booth Theater | [232] |
Sources: TCM;[233] AllMovie[234]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | King of the Gypsies | Unknown | Uncredited | |
| 1979 | 1941 | Lydia Hedberg | ||
| 1982 | Fighting Back | Lisa D'Angelo | ||
| 1985 | Witness | Elaine Book | ||
| 1986 | Wise Guys | Wanda Valentini | ||
| 1989 | Driving Miss Daisy | Florine Werthan | ||
| 1993 | Family Prayers | Aunt Nan | [235] | |
| 1999 | The 24 Hour Woman | Joan Marshall | [236] | |
| Summer of Sam | Helen | [237] | ||
| 2000 | State and Main | Sherry Bailey | ||
| 2001 | Heist | Betty Croft | ||
| 2002 | City by the Sea | Maggie LaMarca | ||
| 2011 | Company | Joanne | Filmed production | [238][239] |
| Union Square | Lucia | |||
| 2013 | Parker | Ascension Cienfuegos | ||
| 2016 | The Comedian | Flo Berkowitz | ||
| 2019 | Cliffs of Freedom | Yia-Yia | ||
| Steven Universe: The Movie | Yellow Diamond | Voice | ||
| Last Christmas | Joyce | |||
| 2022 | The School for Good and Evil | Mrs. Deauville | ||
| 2023 | Beau Is Afraid | Mona Wassermann |
Sources: TCM;[233] AllMovie[234]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | The Time of Your Life | Kitty Duval | Television film | |
| 1977 | The Andros Targets | Sharon Walker | 2 episodes | |
| 1984 | Piaf | Narrator | Voice; Television film | |
| Love Cycle: A Soap Operetta | Rachel Burston | Television film | ||
| 1987 | LBJ: The Early Years | Lady Bird Johnson | ||
| Un Siciliano in Sicilia | Vincenzina | 3 episodes | ||
| Cowboy Joe | Linda Tidmunk | Television film | ||
| 1989–93 | Life Goes On | Elizabeth "Libby" Thatcher | 83 episodes | |
| 1992 | The Water Engine | Rita Lang | Television film | |
| 1993 | Frasier | Pam (voice) | Episode: "Dinner at Eight" | |
| 1995 | The Song Spinner | Zantalalia | Television film | |
| 1996 | Remember WENN | Grace Cavendish | Episode: "There But for the Grace" | |
| Her Last Chance | Joanna Saxen | Television film | ||
| 1996–97 | Law & Order | Ruth Miller | 2 episodes | |
| 1998 | Frasier | AuntZora Crane | Episode: "Beware of Greeks" | |
| Saturday Night Live | Herself | Episode: "Kelsey Grammer/Sheryl Crow" | ||
| 1999 | Bonanno: A Godfather's Story | C. Canzinarra | Television film | |
| Encore! Encore! | Wine Critic | Episode: "A Review to Remember" | ||
| 2000 | Falcone | Francesca Gold | 9 episodes | |
| 2001 | Touched by an Angel | Alice Dupree | Episode: "Thief of Hearts" | |
| 2002 | Monday Night Mayhem | Emmy Cosell | Television film | |
| 2003 | In-Laws | Rochelle Landis | Episode: "Mother's Nature" | |
| Oz | Stella Coffa | 7 episodes | ||
| 2005 | Live from Lincoln Center | Fosca | Episode: "Passion" | |
| Will & Grace | Herself | Episode: "Bully Woolley" | ||
| 2007 | Ugly Betty | Mrs. Weiner | Episode: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" | |
| 2009–12 | 30 Rock | Sylvia Rossitano | 3 episodes | |
| 2011 | Glee | Herself | Episode: "New York" | |
| 2012 | Army Wives | Ms. Galassini | Episode: "Battle Scars" | |
| 2013–14 | American Horror Story: Coven | Joan Ramsey | 4 episodes | |
| 2014 | Girls | Herself | 2 episodes | |
| 2015 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Lydia Lebasi | Episode: "Agent Provocateur" | |
| 2015–16 | Penny Dreadful | Joan Clayton (Season 2) Dr. Florence Seward (Season 3) | Episode: "The Nightcomers" (Season 2) Main role (Season 3) | |
| 2016–19 | Steven Universe | Yellow Diamond | Voice; 8 episodes | |
| 2017 | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | Rabbi Shari | Episode: "Will Scarsdale Like Josh's Shayna Punim?" | |
| BoJack Horseman | Mimi Stilton | Voice; Episode: "The Judge" | ||
| 2017–21 | Vampirina | Nanpire | Voice; 19 episodes | |
| 2018 | Mom | Rita | Episode: "Taco Bowl and a Tubby Seamstress" | [240] |
| 2019 | The Simpsons | Cheryl Monroe | Voice; Episode: "The Girl on the Bus" | |
| Pose | Ms. Frederica Norman | 5 episodes | [241][242] | |
| Steven Universe: The Movie | Yellow Diamond | Voice; Television film | [243] | |
| 2020 | Steven Universe Future | Voice; 2 episodes | ||
| Hollywood | Avis Amberg | 7 episodes | [244] | |
| Penny Dreadful: City of Angels | Vocalist | Episode: "Hide and Seek" | [245] | |
| 2021 | Central Park | Roberta McCullough | Voice; Episode: "Down to the Underwire" | [246] |
| The Great North | Momma Marita | Voice; Episode: "Tasteful Noods Adventure" | ||
| F Is for Family | Nora Murphy | Voice; 3 episodes | [247] | |
| 2022 | American Horror Story: NYC | Kathy Pizazz | 5 episodes | [248] |
| 2024 | Agatha All Along | Lilia Calderu | Main role | [249] |
| Marvel Studios: Assembled | Herself | Episode: "The Making ofAgatha All Along " | [250] | |
| 2025 | And Just Like That | Gianna "Gia" Amato | 3 episodes | |
| Palm Royale | TBA | 3 episodes | ||
| The Artist | Rosie Morsch |
Selected recordings include:
Her live performance of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" at theGrammy Awards was released on the 1994 albumGrammy's Greatest Moments Volume IV.[252]
In 2009, LuPone's 1985 recording of "I Dreamed a Dream" reached No. 45 on theUK Singles Chart[253] It also reached theBillboard magazineHot Digital Songs andHot Singles Recurrents charts in the US.
LuPone recorded a duet withSeth MacFarlane (who was in character asGlenn Quagmire) on the 2005 albumFamily Guy: Live In Vegas.
A live concert special film,An Evening with Patti LuPone, was filmed in July 2012 and released in November 2012 on SethTv.com with 104 minutes of Patti LuPone songs and stories with host Seth Rudetsky.[254]
A new CD of one of her shows,The Lady with the Torch, was released in 2006 onSh-K-Boom Records. In December she released bonus tracks for that CD only available on iTunes and the Sh-K-Boom website.[255]
LuPone featured in theWhy Am I So Single? Original London cast recording for an extended version of ‘Men R Trash’, which is exclusive to the cast recording.[256]
She's considered one of the finest Broadway performers of her generation
one of the most celebrated musical theater performers of her generation
one of the most successful musical theater stars of her generation
the great musical-theater star of our time
rare is the article about LuPone that does not include the dreaded four-letter word "diva"
Patti LuPone, known for her dubious diction
Equally loved ... and feared ... she is an actress whose ferocious stage presence knows no compromise.
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