Yahoo News Whoopi Goldberg will follow Maggie Smith — wherever she may go — to get her to do Sister Act 3
Hail mother of mercy and of love, ooooooooh Maaaaaaggiiiieeeee Smith!
Whoopi Goldberg is ready, willing, and able to do Sister Act 3, but first she needs her mother — her mother superior, that is.
On a recent appearance on the British talk show Loose Women, the once and future Deloris Van Cartier took some time to plead with Dame Maggie Smith, who played the Reverend Mother in the first two films, to join in on the franchise fun.
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"One of the things that I want to make sure I do while I'm here is I want to let Maggie Smith know that I'm holding the part of Mother Superior for you," the View co-host said, addressing the camera directly. "Because I just can't do it with anybody but you."
The EGOT'er said she'll do whatever it takes to get the 88-year-old actress on board; if the Dame can't come to the production, production will come to the Dame.
"So if you need me to come over here and shoot it and do whatever we have to do, we will do whatever you want us to do," Goldberg continued. "But we don't want to do it without you, Maggie."
Goldberg went on to confirm that the sequel, more than 30 years in the making since Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit introduced the world to a young Lauryn Hill, is indeed happening. Disney announced Sister Act 3 was in development all the way back in 2020, with an anticipated streaming release on Disney+, but since then it's been as quiet as a church mouse.
But have faith! Goldberg says she's "liking the script" and is on the search for a director. Tyler Perry, who is producing the project, gave an update on the continuing nun-sense of Sister Mary Clarence back in September during an appearance on The View.
"I loved the idea of us making this happen, but the Hollywood system moves a little slower than I'd like to," Perry said. "We've got a good script, we're off to a great start, we're just trying to get everybody moving in the right direction to get it going."
The spirit is certainly willing, Goldberg is just trying to make sure all the flesh is able. In addition to OGs like Smith and Jenifer Lewis, the legendary multi-hyphenate also wants some new blood for the third installment.
"I'm going to ask for Keke [Palmer] to come in. I want everybody to come in. I want Lizzo to come in. I want everybody," Goldberg told Charlamagne the God during an episode of his Comedy Central show Hell Week. "I want the girl with the chest, what's her name?… Nicki [Minaj]! I want Nicki to come. I want everybody. I want as many people who want to have some fun, because I really, desperately need to have some fun."
Palmer, for one, wants to be somebody and wants to go somewhere, so she's waking up and paying attention to the gospel according to Goldberg.
"Whoopi, I'm ready. I'm ready for whatever you need from me," the Nope star recently told the Los Angeles Times. "I'm here for the Lizzo and Nicki Minaj of it all as well."
So with all that enthusiasm bubbling over, and Downton Abbey no longer taking up her precious time, Dame Maggie's got to say yes. Doesn't she? Please?!
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