Kristin Chenoweth to Play Sleeping Beauty Villain in Disney Channel's DESCENDANTS

Variety reports that star of stage and screen, Kristin Chenoweth will take on the role of Sleeping Beauty villain Maleficent in the Disney Channel telepic DESCENDANTS. The project follows the offspring of iconic Disney bad guys.

Chenoweth will star as the mother of a 'Mal', portrayed by Disney Channel star Dove Cameron. 'High School Musical's Kenny Ortega will helm the film from a script by Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott. Filming is scheduled to get underway this month for a 2015 premiere.

Best known on-stage for creating the role of Glinda in the original Broadway production of Wicked, Kristin Chenoweth is one of Broadway's most celebrated stars. The actress lends her voice in the animated film, Rio 2, now in theaters and will be appearing in concert titled 'The Evolution of a Soprano' at New York's Carnegie Hall on May 3rd.

Chenoweth's TV credits include The West Wing, Pushing Daisies and GCB. She has been a recurring guest star on Glee as April Rhodes and recently appeared on the show's milestone 100th episode.

Chenoweth has also garnered a multitude of awards, including Broadway's coveted Tony Award for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1999), and an Emmy Award for her role in Pushing Daisies in 2009. She most recently appeared on Broadway opposite Sean Hayes in the revival of Promises, Promises.

Chenoweth has also taken the stage off-Broadway in Love, Loss, and What I Wore, Stairway to Paradise, The Apple Tree, Candide, Earth Girls Are Easy, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, A New Brain, Strike Up the Band, Scapin, Box Office of the Damned, The Fantasticks and more.