“I held on because I was really scared of the costume,” Midler said of saying no to the role.
Bette Midler credit divine intervention for refusing”sister act.”
The multi-hyphenated talent has revealed she turned down a role in the 1992 musical about a woman who claims to be a nun while in the witness protection program. Whoopi Goldberg was instead cast in the lead role and later starred in its 1993 sequel “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.”
“I turned them down,” Midler said Variety. “They came up to me with ‘Sister Act’ and I said, ‘My fans don’t want to see me in a gimp.’ Can you believe that? How off the wall is that? How crazy is that?
She continued: “Jeffrey Katzenberg called me every day, ‘Please, please.’ I held on because I was really scared of the costume. Isn’t it amazing? I can wear something other than a nun’s habit?
The “Beaches” star credited Goldberg’s performance, saying, “Whoopi carried it to the bank. So God bless her. And she was perfect for that.
Midler also denied being hired for 1990’s “Misery” before Kathy Bates was cast. “I just couldn’t. It was too violent,” she said. “So the character was not funny, so without any redeeming quality. She cut off his foot. Come on. Who do this ?
Of course, less of a nun’s habit, Midler has transformed into many on-screen characters with a wide range of outrageous costumes.
“I wore them all,” she explained. “I’ve been an old lady, a young lady, a witch, a mermaid, a showgirl, a stripper, a bad lounge singer. I’ve been through the gamut. And I have to say it’s been a blast .
And Midler isn’t the only star to turn down a classic role: Sally Field was Midler’s. would co-star in the 1996 comedy “First Wives Club.”
“Goldie [Hawn] really wanted me to,” said Field, the original “Flying Nun.” People. “Maybe it would have been fun, but they were all so musical, and I’m not. And the movie wouldn’t have been the same.
The ’80 for Brady’ star added, “I’ve avoided other films that are about groups of women because I feel women are more than just looking for a date or who’s my. next husband.”
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