Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Kristin Chenoweth contributes a song to Angel Studios' film "The King of Kings."
- The film, inspired by Dickens, features Oscar Isaac and Kenneth Branagh.
- Chenoweth describes the project as a significant personal and professional milestone.
SALT LAKE CITY — Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth is lending her voice to a star-studded animated film about the life of Jesus Christ — a project she has described as "both a professional and personal milestone."
The singer is one of the songwriters behind "Live Like That," a new song that will play during the closing credits of the upcoming Angel Studios film "The King of Kings," which hits theaters on April 11, just before Easter.
Kristin Chenoweth performs new song for 'The King of Kings'
Performed by Chenoweth, "Live Like That" "shares a story of yearning for a childlike faith," per a news release shared with the Deseret News.
The song "moved us all to tears the first time we heard it," Ryan Svendsen, head of music at Angel Studios, said in a statement. "We cannot wait for the world to hear this beautiful song and the amazing talent of Kristin's performance."
Chenoweth said she is "deeply honored" to be a part of the movie.
"The opportunity to contribute musically to a film that explores the life of Jesus Christ is both a professional and personal milestone," she said in a statement. "I hope my song can touch the hearts of everyone who watches 'The King of Kings.'"
The Tony Award-winning singer has been vocal about her Christian faith throughout the years.
In 2018, she was the guest artist for the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square's annual Christmas concert. While she brought a lot of laughs, she also shared her belief in Jesus Christ and gratitude for the Christmas season as she performed songs like "O Holy Night," "For Unto Us a Child is Born" and "What Child Is This?"
Last year, as a keynote speaker at the RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City, Chenoweth shared how she has come to view her career in music as a calling of sorts.
"I felt God say to me, a handprint on my heart, 'You're going to be a missionary,'" she said, per the Deseret News, noting that she initially thought that meant she would travel around the world proselytizing. "I just didn't know that I was going to be in the entertainment industry, and doing it that way. ... I want people to see God through me."
What is 'The King of Kings' about?
"The King of Kings" is inspired by the Charles Dickens short story "The Life of Our Lord."
"Dickens would read 'The Life of Our Lord' annually to his family as a Christmas tradition, but the work was largely unknown until it was published in 1934, six decades after the author's death," Deadline reported. "The story follows Dickens, his son Walter and their cat Willa as they become immersed in the story of Jesus."
In the official trailer for the film — which has more than 2 million views on YouTube — Dickens begins to tell his son, who has a fascination with King Arthur, the story of "the King of Kings."
The trailer highlights Christ's ministry and some of the miracles that take place along the way.
"The King of Kings" marks a directorial debut from visual effects artist Seong-ho Jang and emerges from the South Korea-based animation house Mofac Animation.
Rob Edwards, known for his work on "The Princess and the Frog" and "Treasure Planet," is a co-writer.
Who stars in 'The King of Kings'?
"The King of Kings" boasts a star-studded cast, per IMDb, including:
- Oscar Isaac (Jesus Christ)
- Kenneth Branagh (Charles Dickens)
- Uma Thurman (Catherine Dickens)
- Roman Griffin Davis (Walter Dickens)
- Mark Hamill (King Herod)
- Pierce Brosnan (Pontius Pilate)
- Forest Whitaker (Peter)
- Ben Kingsley (High Priest Caiaphas)
