Name: Patti LuPone, 68
Who she is: Singer/Actress, starred this year on Broadway in War Paint.
Why She Matters: LuPone created the title role in Evita on Broadway, and from there went on to star in acclaimed productions of Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George and Anything Goes. She scored two Tony Awards along the way.
Why We’re Proud: Despite heaping some serious shade at Madonna over the Evita film (sorry Madge; we still love you), LuPone’s ferocity on and off stage has made her into one of the Broadway gay icons. Watching her on stage–as when she performed “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” at this year’s Grammys–feels a bit like staring at a waterfall: it’s a thing of incredible, natural beauty.
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LuPone’s voice sounds magnificent.
Related: Patti LuPone took everyone to queer church last night and gay Twitter is having a religious meltdown
As much as we enjoy watching LuPone on stage though, her off stage work gives us pride fever. Apart from snatching cell phones out of the hands of rude and moronic audience members who text during a show, or even better, snapping pictures (thank you, Patti), LuPone consistently is a forceful voice for equality. Through the ’80s and ’90s, she performed innumerable benefits for HIV/AIDS research. In the 2000s, she used her celebrity to speak out in favor of marriage equality. In 2014, the Human Rights Campaign awarded her the Ally for Equality Award for her activism.
Today, she continues to speak out against enemies, in particular, Donald Trump.
That makes us proud.
MacAdvisor
I gather I am in the minority, but I loved Madonna in Evita. I enjoyed the film greatly and saw when it first came out. LuPone played Evita as a very human, very vulnerable figure, while Madonna the very personification of icy ambition. I think Madonna’s interpretation is closer to the reality of who Evita was.
Troyfight
^MacAdvisor….great comparison. ……LuPone has a charismatic presence and is a hearty singer, but honestly from the different songs I’ve heard by her, over the years, never found her voice to be very beautiful, imho….maybe I’m alone on that.
PJBFan
I had the chance to meet Patti LuPone. She is probably one of the nicest actresses I have ever met. I love her.
qwe549
Patti LuPone has NOTHING to do with “Torch Song Trilogy” on Broadway. She’s about to be in “Company” in London. She did star with Michael Urie in a play a few years back, and she played his mom on Ugly Betty…
nitejonboy
When was she in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE ??? Are you thinking of Bernadette Peters ??