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Kitty BaxterA guide · fact-checked November 2026
In the same stretch that gave her Charlie's Angels and O-Ren Ishii, Lucy Liu turned up in the year's Best Picture winner, stealing a scene as a killer with better headlines than the leads.
The film
Chicago was Rob Marshall's feature directorial debut, released in December 2002. The adaptation of the stage musical went on to win six Academy Awards at the 2003 ceremony, including Best Picture, the first musical to take the top prize since Oliver! in 1968.
Her role
Liu plays Kitty Baxter, a millionaire heiress who briefly outshines Roxie and Velma when she murders her husband and his two mistresses, a fresh scandal crowding the headlines the other women are fighting for. It is a sharp supporting turn in a crowded, starry ensemble.
A Best Picture ensemble
The cast around her was formidable: Renée Zellweger as Roxie Hart, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly (who won Best Supporting Actress), Richard Gere as Billy Flynn, Queen Latifah as Mama Morton and John C. Reilly as Amos. For Liu, it placed her inside a prestige, award-winning film at the height of her movie-star run.
Frequently asked questions
Who did Lucy Liu play in Chicago?
Kitty Baxter, a millionaire heiress who kills her husband and his two mistresses and briefly becomes the sensation of the moment.
Did Chicago win Best Picture?
Yes. It won six Academy Awards at the 2003 ceremony, including Best Picture, the first musical to do so since Oliver! in 1968.
Who starred in Chicago (2002)?
Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah and John C. Reilly, with Lucy Liu as Kitty Baxter.
When was Chicago released?
December 2002, directed by Rob Marshall in his feature debut.
Read next
- Charlie's Angels — her blockbuster film role.
- Iconic Roles — Ling Woo to O-Ren to Joan Watson.
- Full Filmography — every credit in one place.