Patti LuPone has been a staple not only in the theater worldm but the general entertainment world as a whole. The celebrated actress began her career in 1971 and was a member of Juilliard’s first drama class. Upon graduating, she established herself as one of the original members of the nonprofit The Acting Company, and she appeared in many of the company’s productions over four years. Ever since then, she took off running, appearing as the original Fantine in the London run of Les Misérables, Norma Shearer in the musical adaptation of Sunset Boulevard, and Evita.
Although LuPone has been well-loved in the theater community for decades, and she only recently gave up her equity card, her career has also extended into film and television. She made her first appearance in these mediums in the 1976 movie The Time of Your Life, which aired on television, and she has enjoyed consistent appearances and cameos on shows ever since. Whether it’s American Horror Story, Steven Universe, or Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid, LuPone has continuously shown her skill as an actress across different platforms and her dedication to the craft — even if it means calling out unruly audience members for not playing by the rules. These are Patti LuPone’s best movies and shows, ranked.
12 Oz
Tom Fontana’s Oz ran for several years before closing its final season in 2003. The prison drama, which aired on HBO, takes place in a fictional New York prison. This story’s focus is on the experimental wing of the prison, which focuses on restorative justice. Instead of punishing the prisoners for their actions, it focuses on accountability and learning the meaning of responsibility. Because of this, the prisoners are put into different cohorts, but that doesn’t solve the creation of gangs and conflict between the prisoners. LuPone appears as a supporting cast member in the show’s final season.
11 The School for Good and Evil
The School for Good and Evil, which premiered on Netflix in 2022, is based on a popular book series. After living in development hell for many years, the movie finally came out, with Sophia Anne Caruso and Sofia Wylie in the leading roles. They portray two friends who are outcasts in their community, but when they’re whisked away to the School of Good and Evil one night, they’re placed in the opposite schools — and the opposite ones they were expecting to go to. As they learn to cope with their new circumstances, pondering the differences between good, evil, and what it means to succumb to temptation.
10 Summer of Sam
Released in 1999, and directed by Spike Lee, Summer of Sam takes place in a neighborhood in the Bronx amid conflict. The protagonists are two men from the neighborhood each dealing with their issues — one, Vinny, is in the middle of a failing marriage, and it’s his faul; and the other, Ritchie, is exploring his new passion for punk. Set in the late-70s, their stories are juxtaposed against an actual killer active during that time: David Berkowitz, also known as Son of Sam. As the killings increase, tension also rises in their neighborhood, forever changing their lives and friendship.
9 Girls
Lena Dunham’s television show Girls takes on a familiar topic for many: four young women living and working in New York City. Throughout six seasons, the four friends, who recently graduated from Oberlin College, are trying to get through their 20s in New York while surviving financial problems, jobs, their love lives, and the various setbacks that come with being creative people working in such industries. LuPone briefly appears on the series as herself for two episodes, making an iconic cameo. The show was massively successful during its original run.
8 Last Christmas
Released in 2019, Last Christmas starred Henry Golding and Emilia Clarke in the lead roles. Clarke portrays a Christmas store worker, who, at her job, has to play an elf. She wants to be a singer, so she becomes disheartened with her job. One day, she meets a man outside of the store (Golding) who’s constantly looking up at the sky, and, throughout the movie, they become closer. As Kate deals with her inner turmoil and tries to discover who the mysterious man is, it leads to some moments she’s going to be ashamed about, but deep learning moments.
7 Vampirina
For three seasons, Vampirina aired on Disney Channel Junior for children, adapting a book series of the same name for its audience. Its protagonist is Vampirina, also known as Vee, who has just moved from Transylvania to Pennsylvania. Forced to confront what it means to be a kid who has moved to a completely different location, Vampirina has to learn how to adjust and mentally cope with the circumstances created by such a move. At the same time, the family has to learn to hide their vampire nature from the humans in the area, as it might lead to some pretty bad scenarios if they found out.
6 American Horror Story: Coven
American Horror Story: Coven is the third season of the show American Horror Story, and it makes deep connections to America’s past. Although the show is set in 2013 New Orleans, the coven of witches it follows are descendants of those who were investigated at the Salem Witch Trials. One of the main characters, Zoe, kick-starts the plot after accidentally discovering she is a witch, and her parents send her to a witch school in New Orleans to help control her powers. LuPone briefly appears in the season as Joan Ramsey, the mother of their newest next-door neighbor.
5 Life Goes On
ABC’s Life Goes On originally aired in 1989 and lasted for four years before releasing its final season in 1993. The Thatcher family lives in the suburbs of Chicago, and the parents, Drew (Bill Smitrovish) and Libby (LuPone) live with their three children. One of the children, Corky, has Down syndrome, and the show’s early episodes focus on how it affects their dynamics and relationships with each other. By the second half of the show, in the remaining seasons, a focus is given to the other siblings and characters, allowing them their chance to shine.
4 American Horror Story: NYC
American Horror Story: NYC thrusts viewers into a relatively recent history: 1980s New York City. On the cusp of the AIDs pandemic, in 1981, gay men were being targeted and killed by an unknown killer. The motive is unclear, but it is suspected they are homophobic. The main two characters are an NYPD detective, who hides the fact he’s gay, and his partner, a reporter working for the New York Native. As it becomes increasingly clear that a new pandemic is happening from an unknown virus, threats seem to close in from all sides for the characters, especially when the killer seems to be just out of reach.
3 Steven Universe
Steven Universe has been well-loved for years, and, in Beach City, Steven Universe, a young man who is half-Gem, is learning what it means to grow up. In this world, the Gems are alien warriors whose only task is to protect humanity from anything that can threaten their existence, whether it’s monsters or demons. Steven’s powers are something he needs to learn to understand as they grow stronger, so he accompanies the Gems when they go out on missions, learning about what exactly it means to be a Gem. Throughout the series, more is revealed about them, adding to the lore of the television series.
2 Pose
Pose ran for three seasons before concluding its triumphant run, and is an excellent example of LGBTQIA+ representation in television. Taking place throughout the 80s and 90s, the show spotlights ball culture in New York, showing the vibrant lives of the people active in the scene, as well as the writing and art worlds, at the time. HIV and AIDs become a prominent theme throughout the show, as it was an unfortunate reality of the period. LuPone appears in the show as a real estate mogul named Frederica whose motives aren’t very clear from the get-go.
1 Beau Is Afraid
Released in 2023, Beau Is Afraid adds to director Ari Aster’s filmography. Joaquin Phoenix stars in the leading role of Beau, who wants to go visit his mother but encounters an odd series of events. First, his luggage and keys are stolen, his apartment is broken into, and he calls his mother only for a UPS driver to tell him she’s dead. Beau then wakes up in a married couple’s home, and when he tries to escape, things only get weirder. LuPone portrays Beau’s mother, Mona, who only appears in the movie during certain segments.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
