Actress Keala Settle is about to grace the big screen once again in Wicked, seven years after her breakthrough role as Lettie Lutz, a bearded lady in The Greatest Showman. Her role in the latter garnered much critical acclaim, and continues to spark social media trends. In 2018, Settle had a mini-stroke, causing her to pause musical theater performing.

Now, alongside Miss Coddle, a new character in the Wicked world. Since The Greatest Showman, Settle has earned Tony and Drama Desk award nominations for her powerhouse vocals. Settle's return to the big screen is a much anticipated one, especially with Wicked picking up so much traction as an adaptation of a popular play, not to mention its Wizard of Oz connections.

Wicked Will Be Keala Settle's First Major Movie Appearance Since The Greatest Showman

Settle's Role As Lettie Lutz Continues To Resonate

Keala Settle made her Broadway debut in 2011's revival of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (via Broadway Buzz). Settle went on to originate the role of Becky in Broadway's Waitress, and play the role of Madame Thenardier in Les Misérables from 2014-2015. That same year, Settle starred in Ricki and the Flash opposite Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline. Though the film boasts major star power, it was met with mixed reviews, per its 60% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Settle's powerhouse vocals combined with the emotionally moving message of her song "This Is Me" from 2017's musical film The Greatest Showman catapulted Settle's success to new heights, introducing her talents to a mainstream audience. The song continues to soundtrack countless social media trends and has become a musical theater staple.

In 2018, following her demanding role in The Greatest Showman, Settle suffered a mini-stroke, in part due to physical trauma (via The Guardian). As a result, Settle stepped away from acting for film for several years, before returning to the screen in 2020 with All My Life. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Wicked is set to be Settle's first return to a major blockbuster since 2017. How it pans out could naturally lead to more frequent and more prominent roles after Wicked.

What Else Keala Settle Has Done Since The Greatest Showman

Settle Has Appeared In Several Stage Productions Since The Smash Hit Film

Settle has appeared in several streaming films and stage productions since her inspiring breakout role in The Greatest Showman. In 2022, she was featured in American Reject. That same year, she starred as Sister Mary Patrick in The Sister Act, which marked her West End debut in London.

Settle more recently ventured to Australia to star in the jukebox musical & Juliet as Nurse/Angelique, reprising her run as the same role from the 2022 West End run of the show. The actress also appeared on The Masked Singer in 2024 under the guise of an air fryer. Settle's impressive vocal prowess, coupled with her pride for her mixed Māori heritage, makes her a truly dynamic performer who continues to break barriers in the theater world. With this mind, it's perhaps no surprise that Wicked turned to Keale Settle for a part in the play adaptation.

Keala Settle's Character Shows How Wicked Is Expanding The Original Story

Settle's Character Is New To The Wicked World

Settle is set to appear as Miss Coddle in Wicked. Miss Coddle is a new character added to the Wicked world for the film, and does not appear in the original hit Broadway musical. This aspect of her role makes it hard to identify exactly how she'll fit into the equation, but the story provides some hints. Wicked picks up when Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) are roommates at the fictional Shiz University, learning more from one another than from many of their professors.

From the looks of things, Settle's Miss Coddle will be among the characters used to bring the setting of Shiz University to life on the big screen. Given the film's lengthy runtime, it appears that Miss Coddle was created to dial up the importance of the witches' university experience. Other than her name and placement at Shiz University, details of Settle's role in Wicked remain under wraps until the film's November 22 release.

Sources: Broadway Buzz, The Guardian