21 Actors You Might Not Have Known Were Republicans

11. Kristin Chenoweth

Many country music singers, musicians, and artists from the southern part of the U.S. are much less reticent than Hollywood Right Wingers tend to be.

For example, Brooks & Dunn, the Gatlin Brothers and Lee Ann Womack all openly supported George W. Bush throughout his campaigns, elections and presidencies.

Other actors and celebrities from the south have offered more low-key support for Republicans: Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears offered quiet support behind the scenes, just to name a few. Kristin Chenoweth is a more outspoken advocate for the Republican party, but her affiliation is more nuanced and thoughtful than most.

Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (sometimes called “Cheno”) is a star of stage, screen and television. Although her fans often disagree about her most famous role, she has impressed in both on and off-Broadway plays and musicals as well as on TV and the big screen. She has a wonderful singing voice and has lent her talents to a number of animated features. Chenoweth also calls herself a Christian Republican who is conservative in some ways, and not so conservative in others.

While she may vote Republican, she is also an avid supporter of gay marriage rights and the rights of gay people in general not to be treated like second class citizens. She said so publicly on a national interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan, and this point of view has landed her in hot water more than once with some traditional Christians and conservatives in Hollywood and around the country.

However, she continues to stand her ground and stand up for what she believes in. She has said publicly that she was raised by parents who were also Christian conservatives but who taught her “not to hate.” Chenoweth has publicly wondered “when all that changed in America” in terms of Christian Republicans being loving and accepting of all people and taking a more compassionate viewpoint.