Kathy Najimy is a successful actress, writer, and activist. You probably know her from the Halloween classics Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 or the legendary comedy classic Sister Act. One thing’s for sure: Kathy Najimy is a prominent household name, an inspiring feminist, and a passionate fighter for human rights.
While she’s a talented Hollywood icon, most known to the audiences for her role of the crooked-mouthed witch Mary Sanderson in Hocus Pocus, Najimy is much more than her roles. Her activism speaks louder than words. So here are eight facts you probably didn’t know about Kathy Najimy.
8. Kathy Najimy Is Of Lebanese Heritage
Najimy was born on February 6, 1957, in San Diego, California. She is the daughter of an immigrant mother and an American father. Her mother, Samia, is of Lebanese heritage, making Kathy half-American, and half-Lebanese.
7. She’s Married to Actor and Singer Dan Finnerty
Najimy is happily married to Dan Finnerty, who’s a singer and an actor. He’s the lead singer of the cult hit comedy group called The Dan Band, but he was also a part of the Broadway show Stomp. The two got married in 1998, and interestingly enough, Gloria Steinem, Kathy Najimy’s fellow activist, officiated the wedding.
6. She Has One Daughter
Kathy Najimy and Dan Finnerty have one daughter together. Her name is Samia, just like Kathy’s mother. Since talent runs in the family, it’s not strange that Samia Najimy Finnerty decided to follow in her dad’s footsteps. She’s a singer-songwriter with two impressive albums called The Baby and Honey.
5. Kathy Najimy Has a Rich Portfolio of TV Shows and Movies
Hocus Pocus and Sister Act are not the only legendary movies in Najimy’s portfolio. Since the beginning of her career in the entertainment industry, she’s been on many fascinating projects. Some of her greatest acting gigs include Soapdish, Hope Floats, The Wedding Planner, and Rat Race. She’s also famous for her TV show roles, such as Veronica’s Closet, Veep, and King of the Hill. Kathy Najimy also guest-starred on various classic shows like That’s So Raven, Drop Dead Diva, Desperate Housewives, and Ugly Betty.
4. She’s a Human Rights Activist
One of the most interesting facts about Kathy Najimy is her life of activism. She’s been a human rights activist for many decades, frequently speaking on issues like equal rights for women, LGBTQ rights, domestic violence, and AIDS awareness. She’s also collaborated with PETA on animal welfare issues and participated in the globally known “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign.
3. Kathy Najimy Uses Her Fame for Good
Najimy is a celebrity who uses her power and status for good. Her life of activism is truly remarkable. Not only did Najimy dedicate her life to it, but she’s also donated money to charities on several occasions, even through game shows.
2. She Created and Produced a Play About Gloria Steinem
Another fact you probably didn’t know about Kathy Najimy is that she created and produced an off-Broadway play about Gloria Steinem. The show is called Gloria: A Life, and it was performed by an all-female cast. It’s a unique representation and a beautiful celebration of Steinem’s life of activism dedicated to the cause of women’s rights.
1. Kathy Najimy Improvised the Famous Crooked Smile in Hocus Pocus
Kathy Najimy truly did a remarkable job playing Mary, one of the charmingly wicked Sanderson sisters on Hocus Pocus. Mary was one of the main antagonists with a signature character quirk that made her instantly stand out from her sister witches. Her crooked smile is still iconic to this day, but did you know that the actress actually improvised it in the original 1992 movie? As a matter of fact, Kathy Najimy came up with this legendary quirk during their first week of filming. And it’s good that she did that. She said, “It’s just something I came up with the first week. This is a big comedy, so you don’t have to be subtle or have a 40-page Shakespearean backstory.”
Another interesting fact is that Kathy Najimy’s smile changed in the sequel from one side to the other. The actress said that it was simply because it was getting too difficult for her to do it on the right side, so she switched it to the left side. She explained, “It’s on the other side mainly because it’s so hard for me to do it on the side I did it on 30 years ago. I’m sure the fans are going to go into deep detail about why it’s on the other side.”
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