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Kristin Chenoweth Cast as Maleficent in Disney Channel’s ‘The Descendants’

Kristin Chenoweth has been cast in the Disney Channel’s latest TV movie The Descendants as the iconic evil witch, Maleficent, from Sleeping Beauty. The release date has been set for 2015. Kenny ...
Kristin Chenoweth Cast as Maleficent in Disney Channel’s ‘The Descendants’
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  • Kristin Chenoweth has been cast in the Disney Channel’s latest TV movie The Descendants as the iconic evil witch, Maleficent, from Sleeping Beauty.

    The release date has been set for 2015. Kenny Ortega is slated to direct, and Chenoweth will appear along side Twilight’s Booboo Stewart and prolific child actor Cameron Boyce.

    The actress has appeared on television before starring in shows such as Pushing Daisies, Kristin, The West Wing, and The Good Wife, during which she was injured on set. In December, she appeared for Glee‘s 100th episode.

    But Chenoweth made her arguably biggest role on Broadway as another witch, Wicked‘s Glinda:

    Disney first announced the made for TV movie back in December, describing the plot as a comedy about the children of well-known Disney villains:

    In a present day idyllic kingdom, the benevolent teenaged son of the King and Queen (Beast and Belle from Disney’s iconic Beauty and the Beast) is poised to take the throne. His first proclamation: offer a chance at redemption to the trouble-making offspring of Cruella De Vil, Maleficent, the Evil Queen and Jafar who have been imprisoned on a forbidden island with all the other villains, sidekicks, evil step-mothers and step-sisters. These villainous descendants (Carlos, Mal, Evvie and Jay, respectively) are allowed into the kingdom to attend prep school alongside the offspring of iconic Disney heroes including Fairy Godmother, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Mulan. However, the evil teens face a dilemma. Should they follow in their nefarious parents’ footsteps and help all the villains regain power or embrace their innate goodness and save the kingdom?

    Up and coming Disney star Dove Cameron is set to play Maleficent’s daughter, Mal, and plenty of mother/daughter antics are sure to ensue.

    Chenoweth is not the only contemporary actress to tackle the character. Angelina Jolie will appear as Maleficent in a titular movie this summer. The casting announcement has spurred the imaginations of people like The Wire’s Esther Zuckerman, who thought the actresses should share other roles: “something just tickles us about the fact that these two actresses—one a tiny blonde with an impressive soprano; the other an imposing brunette movie star known for her humanitarianism—are sharing a part. What other roles in their resumes could they perhaps share?” Social media is certain to inform us if it captures the internet’s imagination as well.

    However, from the look of things, Jolie’s take on the character is sure to be much, much darker:

    Image via Kristin Chenoweth, Facebook

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