Keala Settle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keala Settle
Settle at The Greatest Showman premiere in Japan on 13 February 2018
Born	(1975-11-05) November 5, 1975 (age 49) Laie, Hawaii, U.S.
Alma mater	Brigham Young University-Hawaii Southern Utah University
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	2002–present

Keala Settle (born November 5, 1975) is a talented American actress and singer. She is well-known for her powerful voice and amazing stage presence. Keala became famous for playing Lettie Lutz, the bearded lady, in the musical movie The Greatest Showman in 2017. Her song "This Is Me" from the film became a huge hit. It even won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Early Life and Education

Keala Settle was born in Hawaii. She is the oldest of five children. Her mother, Susanne Ti Settle, was a Māori woman from New Zealand. Her father, David James Settle, was born in Britain.

Keala graduated from Kahuku High School in 1993. She then studied at Brigham Young University–Hawaii and Southern Utah University.

Keala Settle's Acting Career

Keala Settle has had an exciting career in both theatre and film. She is known for her strong performances and incredible singing voice.

Broadway Musicals

Keala started her Broadway journey in 2011. Her first role was Shirley in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

In 2013, she played Norma Valverde in Hands on a Hardbody. This musical was based on a true story about people trying to win a new truck. Critics loved her performance. One reviewer said her singing had a "soulful, oversized gospel range." For this role, Keala was nominated for several big awards. These included the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She also won the Theatre World Award for her amazing Broadway debut.

From 2014 to 2015, Keala played Madame Thenardier in the famous musical Les Misérables.

She also created the role of Becky in the musical Waitress. This show opened on Broadway in 2016.

Other Stage and Screen Work

Before Broadway, Keala toured the country in popular musicals. She played Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray. She also played Bloody Mary in South Pacific.

Keala has shared that she didn't always plan to be a musical theatre star. She saw herself more as an R&B singer. She even sang backup for famous artists like Gladys Knight.

In 2017, Keala starred in the movie The Greatest Showman. She played Lettie Lutz, a character inspired by a real-life bearded lady. She acted alongside stars like Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron. The song "This Is Me" became a global anthem. It won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar.

Keala has continued to perform in many projects. In 2019, she joined Hugh Jackman on his world tour, The Man. The Music. The Show.. She performed "This Is Me" for live audiences. She also sang her own original song, "Harder," for the first time on this tour.

In 2022, Keala made her debut in London's West End. She played Angelique/Nurse in the musical & Juliet. She returned to this role in Sydney, Australia, in 2024.

She also played Miss Coddle in the movie version of the musical Wicked. This movie features many well-known actors.

In 2024, Keala Settle appeared on The Masked Singer UK. She performed as the character "Air Fryer" and made it to the semi-finals.

Film and Television Roles

Keala Settle has appeared in several movies and TV shows.

Film

Television

Theatre Performances

Video Games

Music Albums and Songs

Keala Settle has lent her powerful voice to many soundtrack albums and released her own music.

Soundtrack Albums

Extended Plays (EPs)

Singles

Other Songs

Other Appearances