Jenifer Lewis
Acting
- Born:
- 1957-01-25
- Place of birth:
- Kinloch, Missouri, USA
Biography
Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born January 25, 1957) is an American film and television actress and singer. She is one of Hollywood's most familiar faces, with more than 300 appearances in film and television and was dubbed a "national treasure" by TV Guide.com. She began her career appearing in Broadway musicals and worked as a back-up singer for Bette Midler before appearing in the films Beaches and Sister Act. She delivered legendary performances as Tina Turner's mother in What's Love Got to Do With It and in The Preacher's Wife as the mother of Whitney Houston's character. She starred opposite Matt Damon in Clint Eastwood's Hereafter. For director Tyler Perry, she created unforgettable characters in Madea's Family Reunion and Meet the Browns. In the movie Cast Away, she portrayed Tom Hanks' boss. In animated films, Jenifer's uniquely recognizable voice is adored by Disney fans worldwide in roles such as "Flo" in Cars and Cars 2, and as "Mama Odie" in The Princess and the Frog. For six seasons, Jenifer portrayed "Lana Hawkins" on Lifetime's hit series Strong Medicine. She starred on the hit show Black-ish (ABC), where her hilarious portrayal of "Ruby Johnson" earned her a nomination for the 2016 Critics Choice Award. She has also written two books: The Mother of Black Hollywood and Walking in My Joy: In These Streets.
Known For
Filmography
A Different World
GOAT
Haunted Hotel
No Friends
Ado
Spellbound
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish
The Greatest Love Story Never Told
This Is Me…Now
History of the World: Part II
Commitment to Life
Not Dead Yet
Night Court
So Help Me Todd
Sherri
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Cars on the Road
I Love That for You
black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special
And Just Like That…
The Ghost and Molly McGee
Mickey Mouse Funhouse
All Boys Aren't Blue
Finding Kendrick Johnson
Monsters at Work
Rugrats
The Upshaws
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Stars in the House
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
The Addams Family
Amphibia
Forbidden
grown-ish
Big Hero 6 The Series
Cars 3
Jewel's Catch One
The $100,000 Pyramid
Match Game
To Tell the Truth
Secrets of the Magic City
The Wedding Ringer
black-ish
Think Like a Man Too
The Radiator Springs 500½
Baggage Claim
Teen Titans Go!
Hiccups
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
Jenifer Lewis and Shangela
Zambezia
Think Like a Man
Five
The Playboy Club
Cars 2
When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren
Young Justice
Hereafter
The Princess and the Frog
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Not Easily Broken
Prop 8: The Musical
Meet the Browns
Redrum
Who's Your Caddy?
Day Break
Geared-Up
Shark
Dirty Laundry
Cars
Madea's Family Reunion
Earth to America
The Boondocks
Dancing with the Stars
American Dad!
Boston Legal
Shark Tale
The Cookout
Nora's Hair Salon
That's So Raven
Antwone Fisher
Family Affair
Juwanna Mann
The Brothers
Dancing in September
Cast Away
Bette
Girlfriends
Strong Medicine
Partners
Little Richard
Time of Your Life
Grown Ups
Mystery Men
Jackie's Back!
Blast from the Past
The PJs
Get Bruce!
The Temptations
An Unexpected Life
The Mighty
Rituals
The Chris Rock Show
The Preacher's Wife
Promised Land
The Jamie Foxx Show
The Daily Show
Girl 6
Moesha
Dead Presidents
Courthouse
Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan
Panther
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
The Parent 'Hood
Deconstructing Sarah
Friends
Touched by an Angel
New York Undercover
Shake, Rattle and Rock!
Corrina, Corrina
Rebel Highway
Renaissance Man
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Undercover Blues
Living Single
The Meteor Man
Poetic Justice
What's Love Got to Do with It
Frozen Assets
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Sister Act
Roc
Sunday in Paris
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Dream On
In Living Color
Beaches
A Different World
Women Like Us
Tut