Kathy Najimy

Kathy Najimy gained national recognition through her feminist comedy play ‘The Kathy and Mo Show,’ co-written and performed with Mo Gaffney, which premiered in 1981. The work led to two HBO specials, ‘Parallel Lives’ and ‘The Dark Side.’ Her film career began in the early 1990s, leading to her breakthrough as Sister Mary Patrick in the 1992 hit film Sister Act. She reprised the role in the 1993 sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, and originated the role of Mary Sanderson in the cult classic Hocus Pocus that same year. Najimy is widely recognized for her extensive voice acting career, most notably as Peggy Hill on the animated series King of the Hill from 1997 to 2010, a role she is set to reprise for its revival from 2025 onwards.

She was named Ms. Magazine’s Woman of the Year in 2004 and was a featured speaker at the March for Women’s Lives. Her commitment to animal welfare led to collaborations with PETA, earning her their Humanitarian of the Year award in 2000 and the Compassionate Action Award in 2014. Najimy supports women’s health and reproductive rights, contributing to ‘The Choices We Made,’ and created and produced ‘Gloria: A Life,’ an off-Broadway play centered on Gloria Steinem.

She has also developed personal monologues with actresses including Olivia Wilde and Amy Schumer. Leveraging her platform, Najimy has raised funds for charities, including The Feminist Majority Foundation and V-Day, through appearances on game shows such as The Weakest Link, Celebrity Poker Showdown, and Gameshow Marathon. Currently, Kathy Najimy is developing a television series focused on the women’s movement, in addition to her planned return to King of the Hill in 2025.