Sister Act
Updated: 12/21/2025, 1:04:28 PM Wikipedia source
Sister Act is a 1992 American musical crime comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Paul Rudnick (billed as Joseph Howard). It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to hide in a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. It also features Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, Mary Wickes, and Harvey Keitel. Receiving mixed to favorable reviews, Sister Act was one of the most financially successful comedies of the early 1990s, grossing $231.6 million worldwide against a $31 million budget. Its success extended to the home video market, and it was the most rented film of 1993 in the United States. The film spawned a franchise, which consists of the critically panned 1993 sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit and a musical adaptation, which premiered in 2006. A third film is in development for Disney+.
Infobox
Directed by
Emile Ardolino
Written by
Paul Rudnick (as Joseph Howard)
Produced by
Teri Schwartz
Starring
mw- Whoopi Goldberg Maggie Smith Harvey Keitel
Cinematography
Adam Greenberg
Edited by
Colleen Halsey Richard Halsey
Music by
Marc Shaiman
Productioncompanies
Touchstone Pictures Touchwood Pacific Partners I
Distributed by
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date
May 29, 1992 (1992-05-29)
Running time
100 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$31 million
Box office
$231.6 million
Tables
· Soundtrack › Certifications
Australia (ARIA)
Australia (ARIA)
Region
Australia (ARIA)
Certification
Platinum
Certified units/sales
70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)
Canada (Music Canada)
Region
Canada (Music Canada)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
50,000^
Germany (BVMI)
Germany (BVMI)
Region
Germany (BVMI)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
500,000
United States (RIAA)
United States (RIAA)
Region
United States (RIAA)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Region
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Australia (ARIA) | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Germany (BVMI) | Gold | 500,000 |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
· Reception › Accolades
American Comedy Awards
American Comedy Awards
Award
American Comedy Awards
Category
Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role)
Nominee(s)
Whoopi Goldberg
Result
Won
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Award
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Category
Kathy Najimy
Nominee(s)
Won
Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith
Award
Maggie Smith
Category
Nominated
Mary Wickes
Mary Wickes
Award
Mary Wickes
Category
Nominated
Artios Awards
Artios Awards
Award
Artios Awards
Category
Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Comedy
Nominee(s)
Judy Taylor, Lynda Gordon, Geoffrey Johnson, Vincent Liff and Andrew Zerman
Result
Nominated
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
Award
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
Category
Top Box Office Films
Nominee(s)
Marc Shaiman
Result
Won
Awards Circuit Community Awards
Awards Circuit Community Awards
Award
Awards Circuit Community Awards
Category
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominee(s)
Whoopi Goldberg
Result
Won
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Award
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Category
Whoopi Goldberg
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Golden Screen Awards
Golden Screen Awards
Award
Golden Screen Awards
Category
Won
Kids' Choice Awards
Kids' Choice Awards
Award
Kids' Choice Awards
Category
Favorite Movie Actress
Nominee(s)
Whoopi Goldberg
Result
Won
Movieguide Awards
Movieguide Awards
Award
Movieguide Awards
Category
Best Movie for Mature Audiences
Nominee(s)
Won
MTV Movie Awards
MTV Movie Awards
Award
MTV Movie Awards
Category
Best Female Performance
Nominee(s)
Whoopi Goldberg
Result
Nominated
Best Comedic Performance
Best Comedic Performance
Award
Best Comedic Performance
Category
Nominated
Best Breakthrough Performance
Best Breakthrough Performance
Award
Best Breakthrough Performance
Category
Kathy Najimy
Nominee(s)
Nominated
NAACP Image Awards
NAACP Image Awards
Award
NAACP Image Awards
Category
Outstanding Motion Picture
Nominee(s)
Won
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Award
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Category
Whoopi Goldberg
Nominee(s)
Won
People's Choice Awards
People's Choice Awards
Award
People's Choice Awards
Category
Favorite Comedy Motion Picture
Nominee(s)
Won
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| American Comedy Awards | Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) | Whoopi Goldberg | Won |
| Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Kathy Najimy | Won | |
| Maggie Smith | Nominated | ||
| Mary Wickes | Nominated | ||
| Artios Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Comedy | Judy Taylor, Lynda Gordon, Geoffrey Johnson, Vincent Liff and Andrew Zerman | Nominated |
| ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards | Top Box Office Films | Marc Shaiman | Won |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Whoopi Goldberg | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Nominated | |
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Whoopi Goldberg | Nominated | |
| Golden Screen Awards | Won | ||
| Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Movie Actress | Whoopi Goldberg | Won |
| Movieguide Awards | Best Movie for Mature Audiences | Won | |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Female Performance | Whoopi Goldberg | Nominated |
| Best Comedic Performance | Nominated | ||
| Best Breakthrough Performance | Kathy Najimy | Nominated | |
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Motion Picture | Won | |
| Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture | Whoopi Goldberg | Won | |
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite Comedy Motion Picture | Won | |
References
- Tied with Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
- Sister Acthttps://web.archive.org/web/20180926151535/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/sister-act-1970-7
- PowerGridhttps://web.archive.org/web/20161107161849/http://powergrid.thewrap.com/project/sister-act
- boxofficemojo.comhttps://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=sisteract.htm
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2018/film/news/sister-act-3-regina-hicks-karin-gist-disney-1203083508/
- CNNhttps://www.cnn.com/entertainment/best-90s-comedy-movies-cec/index.html
- EW.comhttps://ew.com/movies/sister-act-where-are-they-now/
- The New Yorkerhttps://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/07/20/090720fa_fact_rudnick
- IMDbhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105417/trivia
- Hearst Newspapershttps://www.sfchronicle.com/movies/article/Sister-Act-transformed-Noe-Valley-into-a-14865742.php
- "Image"http://oripter.com/cath%20BN111_BN045.jpg
- www.ssj-tosf.orghttp://www.ssj-tosf.org/
- Billboardhttps://www.billboard.com/charts/1993-09-04/billboard-200
- riaahttps://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH
- Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010
- "Canadian album certifications – Various Artists – Sister Act"https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=Sister+Act%20Various+Artists
- Billboardhttps://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1994/BB-1994-09-17-N.pdf
- "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (O.S.T. - Various; 'Sister Act')"https://www.musikindustrie.de/wie-musik-zur-karriere-werden-kann/markt-bestseller/gold-/platin-und-diamond-auszeichnung/datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=Sister+Act&strInterpret=O.S.T.+-+Various&strTtArt=2&strAwards=checked
- "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Sister Act"https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Soundtrack&ti=Sister+Act&format=Album&type=#search_section
- Sister Act at Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sister_act
- "Sister Act movie review & film summary (1992) | Roger Ebert"https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sister-act-1992
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/sister-act
- "Cinemascore :: Movie Title Search"https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/
- "Nominees/Winners"http://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/1992
- HFPAhttps://www.goldenglobes.com/film/sister-act
- "AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs Nominees"http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/laughs500.pdf
- $200 mil suit targets 'Sister Act'https://variety.com/1993/biz/news/200-mil-suit-targets-sister-act-107715/
- The New Yorkerhttps://web.archive.org/web/20120318192423/http://byliner.com/tad-friend/stories/copy-cats-hollywood-stole-my-story
- "Harlem Nun Sues Disney, Sony Claiming They Stole 'Sister Act': File under, "Divine Inspiration.""https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/sister-act-nun-disney-sony-260274
- TheWraphttps://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/nun-sues-disney-1b-over-sister-act-54361
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/nov/11/nun-sues-disney-sister-act
- New York Supreme Court Decisionhttps://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet?documentId=8yLZ41K93bXe0eeHJ8E2/g==&system=prod
- The Saginaw Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news-video-releases/158923718/
- Enterprise-Recordhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/enterprise-record-billboard-video-poll/158923782/
- Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Sister-Act-Anniversary-Collection-Three-Disc/dp/B007JNR4UU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340161929&sr=8-1&keywords=sister+act+blu+ray
- Hernandez, Ernio."Sister Act — Musical Based on Film — Opens World-Premiere Run November 3" Archived July 19, 2008, at thttp://www.playbill.com/news/article/103215.html
- Sister Act Sets Pasadena Playhouse Record broadwayworld.comhttp://broadwayworld.com/article/Sister_Act_Sets_Pasadena_Playhouse_Record_20061208
- "SISTER ACT the Musical listing"[permanent dead link], alliancetheatre.org, accessed November 27, 2008http://www.alliancetheatre.org/performance.aspx?id=2082&subsec=PS
- Gans, Andrew."Habit Forming: Whoopi Goldberg to Produce London Premiere of Sister Act" Archived January 7, 2009, at thehttp://www.playbill.com/news/article/123328.html
- Official Website sisteractthemusical.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20100914203717/http://www.sisteractthemusical.com/creative/
- Sister Act, A Divine Musical Comedy."Sister Act Cast is announced", sisteractthemusical.com, January 29, 2009https://web.archive.org/web/20100727144527/http://www.sisteractthemusical.com/news/cast-announcement.php
- Playbillhttps://web.archive.org/web/20100211123601/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/136659-Spring-Awakening-Enron-and-Red-Score-Big-in-Olivier-Nominations
- Playbillhttps://web.archive.org/web/20121018035440/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/139385-West-Ends-Sister-Act-to-Vacate-London-Palladium-Oct-30-Future-Plans-Announced
- Playbillhttps://web.archive.org/web/20101216081155/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/143635-Sister-Act-The-Musical-Will-Open-at-the-Broadway-Theatre-in-April-2011
- BroadwayWorld.comhttp://www.broadwayworld.com/article/SISTER_ACT_Confirms_Broadway_for_Spring_2011_20100708
- "It's Official: Douglas Carter Beane Joins 'Sister Act' Team". Broadwayworld.com, February 28, 2011http://broadwayworld.com/article/Its_Official_Douglas_Carter_Beane_Joins_SISTER_ACT_Team_20110228
- Hetrick, Adam. "Victoria Clark, Fred Applegate, Chester Gregory Will Be Part of Broadway's 'Sister Act' " Archived Februhttp://www.playbill.com/news/article/147227-Victoria-Clark-Fred-Applegate-Chester-Gregory-Will-Be-Part-of-Broadways-Sister-Act
- Playbillhttps://web.archive.org/web/20110914233343/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/150437-2011-Tony-Nominations-Announced-Book-of-Mormon-Earns-14-Nominations
- Hetrick, Adam. "Broadway's Sister Act Will Kick the Habit Aug. 26" Archived June 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Playhttp://www.playbill.com/news/article/167295-Broadways-Sister-Act-Will-Kick-the-Habit-Aug-26