Background
Sister Act 2 has historical significance as the first Hollywood blockbuster sequel headed by an African-American film director, Bill Duke.
It was also a breakout role for several young performers:
- Singer/actress Lauryn Hill, who would go on to greater fame with The Fugees and as a solo artist.
- Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, who became well known for her later roles in movies and television (Party of Five, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Ghost Whisperer)
- Singer Ryan Toby, who went on to be part of the musical group City High.
The film is popular for its (often altered) gospel songs and R&B classics and soul versions of church hymns. These songs include:
- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
- Martha & The Vandellas - "Dancing in the Street"
- The Supremes - "Stop! In the Name of Love"
- "Joyful, Joyful" (an interpretation of Henry van Dyke's "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee". The choir's version features a rap break and an interpolation of Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and Naughty by Nature's O.P.P.)
- The Edwin Hawkins Singers - "Oh Happy Day."
- His Eye Is on the Sparrow
- "Barbara Allen" and "In the Still of the Night", performed by the musical group Rock Theatre.
Aretha Franklin scored a worldwide hit single from the film's soundtrack with "A Deeper Love," featuring a backing vocal by Lisa Fischer.
The soundtrack album reached #74 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and #40 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts and received a Gold certification from the RIAA for shipment of 500,000 copies on March 26, 1996.
Whoopi Goldberg's own daughter, Alex Martin, played one of the classroom kids in the movie.
Thomas Gottschalk earned his role as Father Wolfgang by winning a bet against Whoopi Goldberg on his German entertainment show Wetten, dass..?.
Read more about this topic: Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit
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