Kristin Chenoweth, Adrenaline Junkie

Kristin Chenoweth is a master of the bimbo and the brainiac, on screen and on stage. From delivering comic relief in movies like Bewitched to originating Glinda in Wicked on Broadway, the Tony Award–winning actor always finds her shine. Now, at 57, Chenoweth is starring as the lead in Stephen Schwartz’s new musical, The Queen of Versailles, based on the documentary about a billionaire couple who race to build a lavish mansion as the 2008 financial crisis looms. As she tells her dear friend and former costar Reese Witherspoon ahead of the show’s New York debut, for the first time in her life, everything’s coming together right on time.

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TUESDAY 3pm AUG. 5, 2025 NYC

 

KRISTIN CHENOWETH: Oh my god! So happy to see you. Thank you for doing this.

REESE WITHERSPOON: Are you kidding me? I’m so excited to talk to you.

CHENOWETH: [Laughs] Thanks, babe.

WITHERSPOON: Full disclosure, I’m sitting in a parking lot because my kid’s taking a golf lesson.

CHENOWETH: Perfect. Are you in Nashville?

WITHERSPOON: I am. Are you?

CHENOWETH: No.

WITHERSPOON: We’re never here at the same time.

CHENOWETH: I know, but I’m going to be there next week. I have to do a Queen of Versailles documentary screening for business people, the industry.

WITHERSPOON: I feel like they’ve been waiting for this moment. It’s been so long since you’ve been on Broadway.

CHENOWETH: It’s been 10 years and so much has changed, Reese. I remember showing up and doing an interview, maybe a photo shoot, and now all this begins way before you start. We start rehearsal in a couple of weeks. I’m from the old school era where we do eight shows a week. You got a broken ankle? Take it up. You got a sore throat? Go on. Now it’s very different. There’s a lot to learn from the younger generation about self-care. I’m still getting used to that.

WITHERSPOON: Well, you’re known for being very disciplined.

CHENOWETH: You are, too. People like you and I have to be careful about overworking and not getting burnt out. I’m not proud of it, but it’s all I know how to do.

WITHERSPOON: Same. You mean you just go like a maniac until you fall over? [Laughs]

CHENOWETH: Yes, ma’am.

WITHERSPOON: Even when you have the flu and 100-degree fever, you still work?

CHENOWETH: Here’s the story. Three weeks ago, I got this really sexy thing called RSV. I wore my mask and just kept going.

WITHERSPOON: Were you singing through the mask?

CHENOWETH: No, I couldn’t sing because I had such a bad sore throat. I did take three days off. But then I had my Kristen Chenoweth Broadway Bootcamp, which is really–

WITHERSPOON: I want to hear about that.

CHENOWETH: I started it 10 years ago. They built a performing arts center in my hometown and wanted to name it after me. So I thought, “How am I going to make a difference?” My dad really challenged me and said, “What’s your legacy?”

WITHERSPOON: Really pile on the pressure. Thanks, Dad. [Laughs]

CHENOWETH: We created it for kids from the state of Oklahoma. But during COVID, I did it virtually and I opened it up to the world. Now we have kids coming in from London, Scotland, Brazil, Australia, Germany, the Philippines, you name it. We have kids going on to be successful, and I’m so proud of that, Reese. And here’s the thing about Queen of Versailles that I know you’re going to love. When she was 14 years old, a young lady from Shawnee named Tatum Hopkins came in to audition. She sang “Ring of Keys” from Fun Home, which is about a young little lesbian in Oklahoma, and now she’s making her Broadway debut in Queen of Versailles. She plays my niece.

WITHERSPOON: Wow! I love that. You opened a door, but she had done the hard work and all the practice, and she had the confidence that you gave her through the camp. That’s so beautiful.

CHENOWETH: Thanks, Reese.

WITHERSPOON: Isn’t it so lovely to be at this place in your life, now that you’re a producer? How does that feel?

CHENOWETH: I’m sure so many people have told you this, but what you put your name on and how hard you work—I’ve been producing myself for many years, but that’s different. They said, “We want you to come on because we want your voice.” So many times when you do a show, you help write it, but you don’t get the credit. So I think, “Sure, I’m going to do it.” But I had no idea. We’re looking at budgets. So much happens before the star walks in. I knew it happened, but now I’m in on every single thing. I actually enjoy it.

WITHERSPOON: [Laughs]

CHENOWETH: I know you’re shocked. I would like to produce some other things for very talented friends of mine that I’m not in, like you do. In fact, I’m already working with my lead producer, Bill Damaschke. Yesterday, for example, I was at Sirius Radio and I needed to ask Andy Cohen a favor. The connections you make over the years, how you conduct your business, is so important. I wish I did a course on that at camp and I probably will.

WITHERSPOON: It’s so important. I’m sure a lot of people don’t remember, but we did a movie together a long time ago.

CHENOWETH: Oh, they remember. Trust me.

WITHERSPOON: [Laughs]

WITHERSPOON: I’m in the airport. “You know what my favorite movie is? Four Christmases.”

WITHERSPOON: Honey, you are the queen of Christmas movies. You’re like, “Which one?” [Laughs] But I love that you’re in a position now to help mentor and guide young people, because talent isn’t enough.

CHENOWETH: It’s not. I’ve done so many different kinds of work and I love it all. But after a while, you’re looking for something else to fulfill you. You know what I mean?

WITHERSPOON: Yeah. Okay, wait, I want to go back because I want to hear about Stephen Schwartz and your relationship. You guys had this incredible, brilliant collaboration on Wicked. What’s the dynamic now?

CHENOWETH: Well, it’s 24 years later at this point.

WITHERSPOON: Pass the wrinkle cream.

CHENOWETH: Listen–

WITHERSPOON: [Laughs] You look so good.

CHENOWETH: I have something I do. I’ll tell you later. Anyway, you must do it too because you look 12.

WITHERSPOON: [Laughs]

CHENOWETH: But when he said to me, “After Wicked, I’m gong to write your next Broadway show.” I thought, “Sure, Yeah. We’ll see.” And 10 years ago when I was doing On the Twentieth Century, he came and he said, “I have a idea that I can’t talk to you about yet because we’re trying to get the right.” And I thought, “Okay.” Then right when COVID hit, Michael Arden and the writer Lindsey Ferrentino, who you would love, called me and said, “This is your role. You better take it and run,” and it was The Queen of Versailles. I said, “That documentary about the white billionaire family? Are we sure?” He played me one song and I went, “Yes”.

WITHERSPOON: Wow.

CHENOWETH: I like being in a room with him because we can skip 45 steps. When I say, “I don’t like that vowel on that high note, I’m better on this vowel,” he’ll rewrite the word, or he’ll fight me on it, or we’ll talk about the story and what we think’s the most important. He makes it fun and we love each other. He’s like my mentor.

WITHERSPOON: And what a brilliant mentor. And also how wonderful to bring in your life experiences and add on to each other. I want to hear about the themes of this story. It’s a documentary, but you have to pull out what you feel are the really resonant parts that audiences are gong to attach to or learn from.

CHENOWETH: Golly, I don’t think they’re expecting to learn anything. That’s what’s so great.

WITHERSPOON: [Laughs] It says a lot about culture, though.

CHENOWETH: It’s a cautionary tale, an American fable.

WITHERSPOON: There you go.

CHENOWETH: If you have a crap ton of money, how are you going to behave? And how are you going to handle true loss? Because it doesn’t matter how much money you have. My favorite part is that there’s a very special relationship between the mother and daughter. I don’t think people will see that one coming.

WITHERSPOON: Well, I think that’s a beautiful thing, what we present to the world versus how it really is.

CHENOWETH: I like to be pretty authentic and put my real self out there half of the time because that’s true life. But I think for reality stars, some of them want that fame, and then they get it and people are mean and it’s a hard life. It’s like, “Be careful what you wish for.”

WITHERSPOON: Right. I’m so excited to see it because I remember it being such a snapshot of a time and culture that’s only gotten progressively worse. We consume more, we want more. There’s always somebody with a bigger house and a bigger car.

CHENOWETH: You know that “We Want More” is a song? It’s a big theme. And also, when is it enough?

WITHERSPOON: And when does our conscience wake up? When do we create consciousness around consumerism and our impact on the world and the people around us? I’m fascinated to see you play this part because you have this incredible blend of humor, extraordinary vocal talent, but also this deep emotional part of yourself that you share with audiences in every performance.

CHENOWETH: Thank you, Reese. You know there was a decision I had to make between this and another piece. I started helping develop Death Becomes Her, which seems right on target for me to do, right?

WITHERSPOON: Mm-hmm.

CHENOWETH: But this piece is a real person. It’s not a fairy tale. She goes through some hard stuff, and she’s alive right now. I’m not doing an imitation, I’m doing my version of her, which seemed like more of a challenge. I just turned 57 last week and I thought, “I’m so glad I made this decision.” I’m doing hot yoga and everything else I can. [Laughs] But I still want to be challenged, I still want to work hard, and I still love it.

WITHERSPOON: Well, I think that’s you as an artist. You have to still have that feeling of fear. Do you still get that performance anxiety?

CHENOWETH: I call myself an adrenaline junkie. I like it. Which is probably why I love performing live.

WITHERSPOON: What is it like to play a real person? I’ve done it a couple of times and I have an interesting relationship with it.

CHENOWETH: I have to be really honest with you. I’ve come to know and love Jackie Siegel because I see the real person and I don’t care how much money she has or does not have. People will be like, “Why are we talking about this billionaire?” I don’t care. I see the good heart that is there. What I struggle with is telling her story. I never want anyone to be hurt. At the end of the show, you have very mixed emotions about this character. Some people don’t like her at all, but my concern, of course, went to her feelings. But I have to not be afraid and not hold back. She came to Boston and she saw some of the readings. She said, “Kristin, do the role, do me.” She gave me the most beautiful permission.

WITHERSPOON: Wow.

CHENOWETH: So that’s helped a lot. But still, there’s this one particular point in the show, which I won’t give away, but I feel the audience does turn on her.

WITHERSPOON: Okay.

CHENOWETH: I do comedy all the time. It’s a wonderful thing to make people laugh at your expense, but this is a real complicated, interesting, smart lady who looks one way and is something else. And it’s fun playing that kind of character, but I’m trying to put my apprehension into the part too.

WITHERSPOON: I think it’s really beautiful that Jackie has blessed this experience because we are all human, right? We are all capable of saying or doing monstrous things and then learning and evolving. I think that’s the beauty of having somebody like you play her. You’re always going to search for a deeper humanity.

CHENOWETH: Thank you for that. I have to tell you, people have asked me, “What is the part that you want to play in your career?” This is it. For the first time in my life, I might accidentally be actually current and right on time. [Laughs]

WITHERSPOON: I think that’s beautiful. My 12-year-old’s about to get in the car after his golf lessons. Is there anything else you want to talk about? Other than what I’m going to wear on opening night?

CHENOWETH: Can you believe the thing’s in November and it’s already being discussed? I can’t wait. I want to see you so bad.

WITHERSPOON: I know. Just text me when you get back because I really do want to talk about some of these mentorship themes. It’s the next chapter.

CHENOWETH: That’s my favorite subject. I’ll text you when I get in. Do you ever go to hot yoga?

WITHERSPOON: I could go to hot yoga with you, honey. I’ll go with you anywhere.

CHENOWETH: I love you to death.

WITHERSPOON: I love you to bits and pieces.

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Hair and Makeup: Bruce Wayne.

Tailor: Macy Idzakovich at The Zaks Group.

Photography Assistant: Andrew Espinal.

Fashion Assistants: Evan Dombkowski and Chejolie Collins.

Production Coordination: Tyler Demauro.

Production Intern: Lean Levy.

Location: Superhouse Gallery.

Special Thanks: Stephen Markos and Justin Dechillo.