This article was written in the style of Teen Vogue for the purposes of submission.
The glue of the Disney+ universe further bonds the theatricality of Broadway to the world of Marvel. On the cleverly calculated journey of Agatha All Along, the outstanding Patti LuPone plays a vital role to the plot’s discovery and gives us something to sing about whilst we venture down The Witches’ Road. But for those who might not have audibly gasped at her appearance alongside Kathryn Hahn and Joe Locke, who is Patti LuPone? And how did she reach Diva Status?
All rights to Disney+ 2024
LuPone’s honourable fifty-three years of theatre, film and tv began modestly with dance lessons and performances with her twin brothers as a trio — perhaps an origin story for her reputably strong opinions. Guiding her to an education at Juilliard, Patti LuPone followed the rhythms of theatre to earn her first debut on stage in 1971, and first Broadway debut in 1973. Quick to impress, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical only two years later, for her work in The Robber Bridegroom. Alongside working on eighty-four series and films throughout her career, one of LuPone’s most renowned roles was as Eva Perón in Evita, awarding her the Tony that she was nominated for, prior to blowing audiences away with Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.
For the older Generation-Z amongst us, you might remember hearing a rendition of the Broadway songs in TV show, Glee (specifically in Rachel and Kurt’s Diva-Off), not to mention Patti LuPone’s appearance as herself in season two episode twenty-two, New York. Offering advice to one Rachel Berry in legendary Broadway restaurant, Sardi’s, she asks Rachel to promise one thing — ‘never give up’ — and also jokes ‘he’s cute’ about Finn, played by the late Cory Monteith.
All rights to 20th Television
Perhaps you’re familiar with the performer from her other work with director, Ryan Murphy, in American Horror Story playing two different roles, in seasons Coven and NYC. Due to the success of Agatha All Along with both critics and fans, compilations and clips of the cast have been making their rounds on the internet. In a particularly viral video from 2023, during her appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, LuPone expressed her distain for celebrities like Kim Kardashian taking roles and opportunities away from actors, after Kardashian's casting in AHS season twelve. Directly after, Cohen asks the actress 'Do you give a damn…?' about Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical, to which she replied, ‘I don’t give a damn’.
All rights to Embassy Row and Andy Cohen Productions
The two famously engaged in a twenty-five year-long feud in the world of theatre, which began in 1994 when LuPone was fired from her second Lloyd Webber production, Sunset Boulevard. Never one to shy away, the actress sued the famous composer for a settlement of $1 million, and used the winnings to build a pool, hilariously named, The Andrew Lloyd Webber Memorial Pool. Talk about sending someone to an early grave.
Patti LuPone’s true diva-ship was proven in the wake of the show’s recasting, taking to her dressing room with a floor lamp and new-found fury. After allowing herself a short two decades to maintain the grudge, the pair reconnected at the 2018 Grammy Awards, in honour of Lloyd Webber’s work, where she ended the war with her homage to Evita and a joke about the easing of their hostility — ‘This is détente, ladies and gentlemen’.
Patti LuPone’s miraculous vivacity and valued casting as Lilia Calderu, contributes to a much larger identity, one of prestigious achievement and true variety. However, perhaps unknowingly due to her lack of MCU knowledge, the multi-faceted character so gracefully exhibited in Agatha All Along, brought back the demand of much needed plot depth, to the works of Marvel. Highly valued by fans, this intricate unfolding of events takes place alongside a uniquely individual cast, all of whom bring something special to the table in their sorcery. The seemingly unhinged, yet gentle, Lilia Calderu, provides character evolution rivalling that of a Greek Tragedy, with her fascinating, non-chronological existence through time.
All rights to Disney+
Personality quirks and personal histories are just one layer of the Marvel Multiverse that fans invest in, with every detail of intricacy offering another clue to the viewer. Through a rocky turn in their general viewership’s opinion, Marvel appear to be correcting the course, once again making bold new waves in popular culture that fans still feel the ripples of from movies-past. Fun chemistry pairings, with LuPone starring opposite Hahn and comedic professionals, like Aubrey Plaza, are key to the studio’s superhero genre, except this time we were treated to the cast’s incredibly harmonious vocals also.
Down, down, down the road
Down the Witches’ Road…