Keala Settle
Keala Joan Settle (born November 5, 1975) is an American actress and singer. Settle originated the role of Norma Valverde in Hands on a Hardbody, which ran on Broadway in 2013, and was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In 2016 she was in the original Broadway cast of Waitress portraying Becky. In 2017, she portrayed Lettie Lutz, a bearded lady, in the musical film The Greatest Showman. The song "This Is Me" from the film, principally sung by Settle, won the 2018 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. On January 27, 2019, Settle sang "Seasons of Love" in Fox's Rent: Live.
Keala Settle | |
|---|---|
Settle at The Greatest Showman premiere in Japan on 13 February 2018 | |
| Born | Keala Joan Settle November 5, 1975 Laie, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Southern Utah University |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2002–present |
Personal life
Settle was born in Hawaii, the oldest of five children of Susanne (née Riwai), who is of Māori (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu) descent from New Zealand, and British-born David Settle. She is a graduate of Kahuku High School (class of 1994), and an alumna of Southern Utah University.[1][2][3][4]
Career
Broadway
Settle made her Broadway debut in 2011 in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert as Shirley and in the ensemble.[3][5]
Settle originated the role of Norma Valverde in Hands on a Hardbody, a musical which ran briefly on Broadway in 2013, and is based on the 1997 documentary about real people competing to win a new truck. The TheatreMania reviewer wrote: "Settle, as Norma, steals every scene she's in. The spectacularly bizarre lead-in to her big number, 'Joy of the Lord,' is more difficult to pull off than most Shakespearean monologues, and her solo vocals reveal a soulful, oversized gospel range that drives the Holy Spirit straight to the back of the theater. When she tearfully realizes what her faith in God may have wrought, it stings like a chigger bite. Settle's touching performance should go on the shortlist for every Best Featured Actress prize in town."[6] For this role, Settle was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[7][8][9][10] Additionally, she was awarded the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway debut performance during the 2012-13 theatrical season.[11]
Settle played the role of Madame Thenardier in the revival of Les Misérables, starting in March 2014,[12] and ending on March 1, 2015.[13]
Settle originated the role of Becky in the musical Waitress, which opened on Broadway on April 24, 2016, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre after premiering at the American Repertory Theater in August 2015.[14]
Other work
Settle played the role of Tracy Turnblad in the national tour of Hairspray. In the review of the tour stop at the Kennedy Center in 2005, the Washington Post reviewer wrote: "As for Settle, she is a fine Tracy, even if she looks too old for graduate school, let alone high school."[15] She appeared in the national tour of the Lincoln Center production of South Pacific as Bloody Mary, starting in 2009.[16][17] The reviewer for the Pioneer Press, Massachusetts, wrote: "Better cast is Keala Settle, who plays the conniving Tonkinese trader lady Bloody Mary with a rolling gait, the venom of viper and—buried deeply but achingly visible in strategic moments—the maternal fierceness of a lioness."[18]
In November through December 2012, Settle played the role of Mrs. Fezziwig in the Pioneer Theatre Company (Salt Lake City) production of the musical A Christmas Carol.[19]
She played the role of the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Ogunquit Playhouse, Ogunquit, Maine from July 31 to August 25, 2013.[20]
Settle performed in the Encores! concert staging of Violet on July 17, 2013, with Sutton Foster,[21] but did not move on to the Broadway revival due to taking the role of Madame Thénardier in the revival of Les Misérables; she was replaced in Violet by Annie Golden.
Settle discussed her career path, noting that "I really am not a musical theatre performer. I'm more an R&B singer and have been doing that my whole life. My mother is—well, was—also an R&B singer, in New Zealand....I was too busy wanting to sing backup or doing studio work singing chorus stuff, and singing backup for Gladys Knight in Vegas." Further, after her run in Hairspray, she stated that she "didn't know how to live in that world..." and so for several years worked backstage with designers until she was cast in South Pacific.[22]
In 2017, Settle portrayed Lettie Lutz, a bearded lady, in the biographical musical drama film The Greatest Showman, alongside Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Zendaya. The song "This Is Me" from the film, principally sung by Settle, won the 2018 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.[23] On December 22, 2017, she released an extended play entitled Chapter One.[24]
In 2018, she was featured in Forbidden, the newest Todrick Hall visual album, especially in the song called "Forbidden", a song against homophobia.[25]
In 2019, Settle played the role of Cy (a gender-flipped version of Paul from the original, also combined with soloist 1) in Fox's Rent: Live.[26][27][28]
Also in 2019, Settle toured with Hugh Jackman during his The Man. The Music. The Show. concerts globally, performing the song "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman. On this tour Settle performed her original song Harder to a live audience for the very first time.
She performed "This Is Me" at the 2021 Royal Variety Performance. In January 2022, it was announced that Settle would make her West End debut performing the role of Angelique/Nurse in the musical & Juliet for a three-month run from March 29 to June 18, 2022.[29]
Settle made her pantomime debut in 2022, playing the role of Fairy Sugarsnap in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Royal Derngate Theatre, Northampton.[citation needed]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Rent: Live | Cy, Homeless Person, Vendor, Roger's Mother | Television special |
| 2021 | Big Shot | Christina Winters | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | Central Park | Young Bitsy (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Murder in Provence | Hélène Paulik | |
| The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebration | Guest Presenter & Performer |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Ricki and the Flash | Sharon | |
| 2017 | The Greatest Showman | Lettie Lutz | |
| 2020 | All My Life | Viv Lawrence | |
| 2022 | American Reject | Holly | |
| 2024 | Wicked: Part One | Miss Coddle | Filming |
Video games
Theatre credits
| Year | Production | Role | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–2006 | Hairspray | Tracy Turnblad | US Touring Production |
| 2009–2011 | South Pacific | Bloody Mary | |
| 2010 | Priscilla, Queen of the Desert | Shirley | Pre-Broadway Try-out |
| 2011–2012 | Broadway | ||
| 2013 | Hands on a Hardbody | Norma Valverde | |
| Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Narrator | Ogunquit Playhouse | |
| 2014–2015 | Les Misérables | Madame Thénardier | Broadway |
| 2014 | Waitress | Becky | Workshop |
| 2015 | American Repertory Theatre World Premiere | ||
| 2016 | Broadway | ||
| 2017 | Jesus Christ Superstar | Peter | All-Female Concert Production |
| 2022 | & Juliet | Angelique/Nurse | West End, Manchester |
| Sister Act | Sister Mary Patrick |
Discography
Soundtrack albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Soundtracks | US Cast Album | CAN | GER | IRL | JAP | NZ | KOR | UK | |||
| Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Original Broadway Cast Recording) |
| - | 1[31] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Hands on a Hardbody (Original Broadway Cast Recording) |
| - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Waitress (Original Broadway Cast Recording) |
| 81[32] | 2[33] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For Orlando |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| The Greatest Showman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack |
| 1 [34] | - | 1 [35] | 3 [36] | 5 [37] | 1 [38] | 1 [39] | 1 [40] | 17 [41] | 1 [42] | |
| The Greatest Showman: Reimagined |
| 3 | - | 4 | 12 | 47 | - | - | 5 | - | - |
|
| Rent (Original Soundtrack of the Fox Television Event) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
Extended plays
| Title | Album details | Track listing |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter One[51] |
|
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS | CAN | FRA | GER | IRL | JAP | NZ | KOR | UK | ||||
| "This Is Me" (with The Greatest Showman Ensemble) | 2017 | 58 [52] | 10 [53] | 74 [54] | 52 [55] | 55 [56] | 11 [57] | 17 [58] | 13 [59] | 9 [60] | 3 [61] | The Greatest Showman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |
| "Bird Set Free" | 2018 | — | Non-album singles | ||||||||||
| "Harder"[66] | 2019 | ||||||||||||
Other charted songs
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS [67] | IRE [68] | FRA [69] | NZ [70] | UK [71] | ||||
| "The Greatest Show" (with Zac Efron, Hugh Jackman, Zendaya and The Greatest Showman Ensemble) | 2017 | 88 | 42 | 34 | 110 | —[a] | 20 | The Greatest Showman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |
| "Come Alive" (with Hugh Jackman, Zendaya and Daniel Everidge) | —[b] | — | 70 | — | —[c] | 55 | |||
Other appearances
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "It Ain't Over 'Til the Fat Lady Sings" | 2007 | Hairspray (Music from the Motion Picture) [Collector's Edition] |
| "Forbidden" (with Todrick Hall & Jade Novah) | 2018 | Forbidden |
Notes
- ^ "The Greatest Show" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 3 on the NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart.[72]
- ^ "Come Alive" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at No. 21 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[citation needed]
- ^ "Come Alive" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 8 on the NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart.[72]
References
- ^ "Southern Utah University alum Keala Settle earns Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical"Salt Lake Tribune, April 30, 2013
- ^ http://artandseek.net/2009/12/17/artseek-qa-south-pacifics-keala-settle/ artandseek.net
- ^ a b Champion, Lindsay. "Broadway Buzz. Hands on a Hardbody Showstopper Keala Settle on Growing Up Barefoot.." broadway.com, March 14, 2013
- ^ Burkitt, Bree. "The greatest show woman: SUU alum Keala Settle finds success on screen and stage" The Spectrum, January 10, 2018
- ^ " 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert' Listing' " ibdb, accessed May 11, 2013
- ^ Kaye, Kimberly."Review. 'Hands on a Hardbody'" theatermania.com, March 22, 2013
- ^ Gans, Andrew (2013-04-22). . Playbill. Archived from the original on 2013-04-25. Retrieved 2013-04-27.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (2013-04-29). . Playbill. Archived from the original on 2013-05-01. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
- ^ "Tony Awards 2013 nominees: Complete list". Los Angeles Times. 2013-04-30. Retrieved 2013-04-30.
- ^ "Buzz. Keala Settle Popped the Champagne on Nomination Morning" broadway.com
- ^ Gans, Andrew (May 7, 2013). . playbill.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-07.
- ^ Playbill Staff. "Beyond the Barricades: 'Les Misérables' Thénardier and Madame Thénardier" Playbill, March 18, 2014
- ^ Gioia, Michael. "Caissie Levy, Andy Mientus, Keala Settle, Cliff Saunders and Kyle Scatliffe Take Final Bows in 'Les Misérables'" Playbill, March 1, 2015
- ^ Viagas, Robert. " 'Bullets Over Broadway' Star Nick Cordero Joins Cast of Broadway-Bound 'Waitress'" Playbill, January 12, 2016
- ^ Marks, Peter. Mostly, 'Hairspray' Holds Up Well" washingtonpost.com, July 18, 2005
- ^ "People, Keala Settle" broadwayworld.com
- ^ Blank, Matthew. "PHOTO CALL: 'South Pacific' Tour Begins Rehearsal" playbill.com, August 26, 2009
- ^ Papatola, Dominic P. "Theater review: 'South Pacific' is very nearly an enchanted evening" thetranscript.com, May 5, 2010
- ^ Gioia, Michael (November 30, 2012). "Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens' Christmas Carol, With Kevin Earley, Laura Hall, Opens Nov. 30 in Salt Lake City". Playbill.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (July 31, 2013). "Clay Aiken and Keala Settle Star in Ogunquit's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Beginning July 31". Playbill.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (July 17, 2013). . Playbill. Archived from the original on 2013-11-03.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (March 8, 2013). "Diva Talk: A Chat With Hands on a Hardbody Star Keala Settle". Playbill.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (November 17, 2017). "The Greatest Showman Songwriters Benj Pasek & Justin Paul on the Revitalization of the Original Hollywood Musical". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Chapter One itunes.apple.com, December 22, 2017
- ^ todrickhall (2018-03-29), FORBIDDEN by Todrick Hall, retrieved 2019-07-25
- ^ Rent: Live, retrieved 2019-07-25
- ^ Quinn, Dave (January 27, 2019). "The Greatest Showman's Keala Settle Slays 'Seasons of Love' in Rent Live Amid Stroke Recovery". People.
- ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (October 29, 2018). "Brandon Victor Dixon, Vanessa Hudgens, Keala Settle, Jordan Fisher Set for Fox's Rent Live!". broadway.com.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe (January 17, 2022). "Keala Settle to Make West End Debut as Nurse in & JULIET". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
- ^ Mitsuno, Raio (September 9, 2021). "Journey with Frey to Forspoken's fantastical world next spring". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
- ^ "PRISCILLA Cast Album Debuts at #1 on Billboard Charts". April 13, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: 'Waitress' Cast Album Debuts, The Lonely Island & Rebelution Make Waves". Billboard. June 17, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
- ^ "Charts". Billboard Biz. August 6, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith. "'The Greatest Showman' Soundtrack Hits No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart" billboard.com, January 7, 2018
- ^ " 'The Greatest Showman'" australian-charts.com
- ^ "Canadian Albums billboard.com
- ^ "Album Details" offiziellecharts.de
- ^ "IRMA - Irish Charts". www.irma.ie.
- ^ "2018年02月26日～2018年03月04日 オリコン週間 CDアルバムランキング". oricon.co.jp.
- ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART.
- ^ "국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트!". gaonchart.co.kr.
- ^ "the greatest showman | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". officialcharts.com.
- ^ a b "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "British album certifications – Motion Picture Cast Recording – The Greatest Showman". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ "Albums Chart" ariacharts.com.au
- ^ "Gold/Platinum - Music Canada". musiccanada.com.
- ^ "Certificeringer | IFPI".
- ^ "一般社団法人 日本レコード協会". www.riaj.or.jp.
- ^ "Albums Chart" nztop40.co.nz
- ^ "British album certifications – Various Artists – The Greatest Showman Reimagined". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ "Chapter One - EP by Keala Settle". iTunes. 22 December 2017.
- ^ "Music: Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". billboard.com.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "australian-charts.com - Australian charts portal". www.australian-charts.com.
- ^ "Canadian Music: Top 100 Songs Chart". billboard.com.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "lescharts.com - Les charts français". www.lescharts.com.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de.
- ^ "IRMA - Irish Charts". www.irma.ie.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 | Charts | Billboard JAPAN". billboard-japan.com.
- ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART.
- ^ "Gaon Download Chart – Issue date: 2017.12.24 – 2017.12.30"
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
- ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #502". auspOp. December 8, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
- ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART.
- ^ "British certifications – Settle/Greatest Showman Ens – This Is Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "Gold/Platinum - Music Canada".
- ^ "Harder by Keala Settle". Apple Music. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "australian-charts.com - Australian charts portal". australian-charts.com.
- ^ http://www.irma.ie/#chartTab1 (NOTE: Respective dates need to be searched)
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "lescharts.com - Les charts français". lescharts.com.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "charts.nz - New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz.
- ^ "JACKMAN/SETTLE/EFRON/ZENDAYA | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/52837/hugh-jackman-greatest-showman/
- ^ a b "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
- ^ "American single certifications – The Greatest Showman Ensemble". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
- ^ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2019 Singles". ARIA. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- ^ "British single certifications – Jackman/Settle/Efron/Zendaya – The Greatest Show". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ "British certifications – Hugh Jackman/Greatest Showman – Come Alive". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.
External links
- Keala Settle at IMDb
- Keala Settle at the Internet Broadway Database
- @TheKealaSettle at TikTok