Novella Nelson, born in 1939, established herself as a versatile performer in both acting and music. She appears in Weekend at Bernie's II (1993), where her comedic timing adds depth to the film's offbeat humor. Before her film career, Nelson made her mark on the off-Broadway stage and in cabaret settings, blending her singing prowess with her acting skills. Her contributions to cult cinema highlight the intersection of music and film, making her a noteworthy figure in the genre.
Weekend at Bernie's II
Larry Wilson (Andrew McCarthy) and Richard Parker (Jonathan Silverman) are at a Manhattan morgue where they see their deceased CEO Bernie Lomax (Terry Kiser). Larry falsely claims Bernie as his uncle, so he can get some of Bernie's possessions including Bernie's credit card. At the insurance company, Larry and Richard are quizzed by their boss and Arthur Hummel (Barry Bostwick), the company's internal investigator, who ask the two if they have the US$2 million that Bernie embezzled. They deny knowing where the money is, but their boss believes they're lying and fires them. He also sends Hummel after them, giving him two weeks to prove their guilt. Over dinner (paid for with Bernie's credit card, in one of its many uses), Larry tells Richard he found a key to a safe deposit box in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and asks Richard if he will use the computer at work to see if the $2 million is in Bernie's account. At first Richard refuses but ultimately gives in. Meanwhile, in the Virgin Islands, a voodoo queen named Mobu (Novella Nelson) is hired by mobsters to find the $2 million Bernie stole. She sends two servants—Henry (Steve James) and Charles (Tom Wright)—to go to New York, get Bernie's body, use a voodoo ceremony to reanimate him, and bring him back to her so he can lead her to the money. Their attempts to bring Bernie back are plagued by accidents. They prepare in a bathroom at a sleazy porno theater for the voodoo ceremony, but having lost the sacrificial chicken, they use a pigeon instead. This limits Bernie's ability to walk toward the hidden money: he only moves when he hears music. At the 42nd Street–Grand Central subway station, Henry and Charles soon abandon him to chase a man who stole their boombox. Later that night, Larry and Richard sneak into their office building to check Bernie's account, only to find that Bernie is the only one that can open it. They are soon arrested by the police for breaking and entering. After their release, they find Bernie (whom they believe is still dead), stuff him into a suitcase, bring him with them to the Virgin Islands, and put him into a small refrigerator in their hotel room. Unbeknownst to the two, Hummel is following them to recover the embezzled cash. The guys successfully use Bernie to open his safety deposit box but they only find a map. Meanwhile, Larry befriends a lovely native girl named Claudia (Troy Beyer), and gives her the map. Later, he and Richard are captured by Henry and Charles, who take them to Mobu. With one of the mobsters holding a gun to his head, she forces Richard to drink a poisonous concoction and tells them they must find the map by sundown to get the antidote. When Larry, Richard, and Claudia are reunited, they are shocked to discover that Bernie is moving and realize he is leading them towards the $2 million. To keep him moving, they put a Walkman with headphones on his head. As Bernie finds a large chest underwater they cheer, due to which Larry accidentally shoots Bernie in the head with an underwater speargun and destroys the headphones. They attempt to bring Bernie back to the surface but he will not let go of the chest, which is too heavy to hoist out of the water. They end up attaching Bernie to a horse carriage with music playing. It seems to work at first, but when they go downhill, the carriage goes out of control. Eventually, the carriage ends up at Mobu's place. Bernie hits a large tree branch and spins into a somersault before knocking out Mobu. The crash also causes Bernie to drop the chest on the ground and it breaks open. Larry tries to scoop up the money but is caught by Hummel (now slightly unhinged upon seeing the undead Bernie walk) and he relinquishes the $2 million to him. With Mobu out of commission, Claudia's father, a medical doctor, says that he can cure Richard if he can get the blood of a virgin (which Larry confesses he can provide). The mobsters and Mobu are arrested, and Bernie is last seen leading Henry and Charles, who have been transformed into goats by voodoo, in a carnival parade. Larry confesses to Richard that he returned the $2 million to the insurance company, but only after learning Bernie actually stole $3 million. Larry and Richard use some of the remaining million to purchase a yacht crewed by attractive women.
