The buttoned-up star of The West Wing loses her business suit

Kristin Chenoweth is a woman of contradictions. She’s 4-foot-11 and tips the scales at 95 pounds, yet she sports an Amazonian’s curves. She’s a Tony-award winning Broadway star, but she’s a diva with decidedly un-tony dining tastes. “Don’t be takin’ me to ‘nice’ restaurants,” Kristin says. “I don’t like anything I can’t pronounce. I like Applebee’s, Arby’s and Dairy Queen.”

Though proudly Christian, the 37-year-old forged her way playing Nicole Kidman’s naughty neighbor in Bewitched and the not-so Glinda the Good Witch in the original cast of Wicked, the award-winning musical. She’s as sweet a Southern girl as you’re likely to meet, but if you try to pick her up with a line like, “Are you an angel or am I dead?” she’ll fire back, “I think you’re dead.”

Raised in the Tulsa, OK, suburb of Broken Arrow, Kristin sang at her Baptist church from early childhood before going on to receive her master’s in opera performance from Oklahoma City University. Since winning her Tony in ’99, she’s multitasked across the entertainment universe. She’ll be singing onstage with Plácido Domingo in Washington, D.C., this spring, she’s currently finishing up her second season as Annabeth Schott on The West Wing and her third album is in the works. Plus, it’s about to become a Kristin Chenoweth world at the multiplex: She’s currently appearing on the big screen alongside Steve Martin in The Pink Panther (“He’s hot because he’s funny. If a guy’s not funny, forget about it. I’m bored stiff.”), and next month, she’ll headline with Robin Williams in RV before returning in Running With Scissors this fall.

With all that work, it’s no wonder Kristin is single. Or is it her cartoon-like speaking voice that’s the problem?

“I don’t suck helium—this is how I actually sound,” Kristin says. “If you want someone with a husky, sexy voice, call Demi Moore. If you want Betty Boop, I’m happy to oblige.” And, as a bonus, there would be no Ashton Kutcher to suffer. Sounds perfect.

Is it true that during the filming of Bewitched, Nicole Kidman said to you, “I want your boobs”?
Yes, and I was like, “Don’t even go there, Miss-porcelain-skin-and-legs-as-tall-as-my-whole-person!” I would take one of her legs, just one! I’ve always wanted just a normal-sized foot. I’ve been complaining my whole life that if I were tall, people would say I was “gorgeous.” Because I’m little, they say I’m “cute as a button” and “adorable.” But, hey, as my mom says, “At least they’re not callin’ you a bitch.”

Why are guys so breast-focused?
I don’t know. I’m surprised men can even see mine because I’m so short. But guys are very visual creatures—they like leg, they like chest. But, well, I don’t know why! I don’t get the fascination.

Do you have to downsize the men you date, or do you go for tall guys?
I’m a super-size-me kind of gal. I mean, I love men of any height, but I do prefer a taller guy. And you know what? Most taller men don’t mind the more petite girl. I don’t know if that’s because it makes them feel even bigger.

You’re successful and ambitious. Do you intimidate men?
Yes. I like to be a girlie girl but I’ve got so much going on that I need respect and compromise and all that. I believe that, ultimately, men like to be taken care of. And I like to be that woman. At the end of the day, what man doesn’t want a woman to say, “Hey, roll over. Let me rub your back”? That’s what a guy needs. And I truly want to be able to give someone everything, but I haven’t mastered the balancing-work-and-love thing yet. But I promise to get better.

You’re single and your bedtime companion is a Maltese. How are dogs preferable to men?
You don’t have to get dressed up for ’em and they just love ya. Dogs don’t care if your hair extensions are falling out or if your breath stinks. More than likely, theirs does too.

When you do get dressed to kill, what does the outfit look like?
The miniskirt with boots is always good.

You’ve played a lot of bad girls. Are you ever envious of them?
Definitely. I wouldn’t do the things they’ve done, but I get to live vicariously through the characters. Somewhere deep down there’s a bad girl in me.

Maybe you’d be a girl-loving bad girl? After all, you are playing a lesbian in the upcoming Running With Scissors. Did you do any in-depth research?
That’s one part of the role I did not research. Although I did kiss Annette Bening in the film.

How was Ms. Bening as a kisser?
Very good. But I said to her, “You know what? Unless you’re going to take me to dinner and a movie, that’s as far as this is going.” FHM