‘Sister Act 3’ Needed ‘Readjustments’ After Maggie Smith’s Death, Says Whoopi Goldberg: ‘We’ll Get It Done. It’s a Shift’

During an interview on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Whoopi Goldberg discussed her upcoming film “Sister Act 3” and how the team needed to adjust their plans following the death of her co-star Maggie Smith. 

“We’re having to make some readjustments because we just lost Maggie Smith, as you know,” Goldberg said. “And so, we will get it done. We will get it done. It’s a shift.”

Goldberg and Smith worked together on the original “Sister Act” film in 1992 and then again in 1993 for its sequel, “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.” The story follows Deloris Van Cartier (Goldberg), who ends up in a California convent as part of a witness protection program. Smith plays the Mother Superior at the convent. The original movie made $231 million at the box office against a $31 million budget. The second movie included rising stars like Lauryn Hill and Jennifer Love Hewitt. 

In January 2023, during an appearance on the “Loose Women” talk show, Goldberg mentioned she was “holding the part of Mother Superior” for Smith, saying they could shoot wherever was most convenient for the two-time Academy Award winner. 

The “Harry Potter” and “Downton Abbey” star died on Sept. 27 at 89. Following the announcement, Goldberg shared a picture on Instagram of the two on the set of the original film. The post’s caption read, “Maggie Smith was a great woman and a brilliant actress. I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the ‘one-of-a-kind.’ My heartfelt condolences go out to the family…RIP.”