Jenifer Lewis
- Acting
- January 25, 1957 · 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 · President Davenport
- GOAT · Flo Everson (Voice)
- Haunted Hotel · Additional Voices (Voice)
- No Friends · Paula
- Ado · Ms. Hopkins
- Spellbound · Nazara (Voice)
- The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish · Mother Nature (Voice)
- The Greatest Love Story Never Told · Self
- This Is Me…Now · Gemini
- History of the World: Part II · Grandma
- Commitment to Life · Self
- Not Dead Yet · Donna
- Night Court · Erika
- So Help Me Todd · Jacqueline Burton
- Sherri · Self
- The Jennifer Hudson Show · Self
- Cars on the Road · Flo (Voice)
- I Love That for You · Patricia Cochran
- black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special · Self
- And Just Like That… · Lucille Highwater
- The Ghost and Molly McGee · Patty (Voice)
- Mickey Mouse Funhouse · Wheezelene (Voice)
- All Boys Aren't Blue
- Finding Kendrick Johnson · Narrator (Voice)
- Monsters at Work · Grandma Tuskmon (Voice)
- Rugrats · Ms. Marjorie / Narrator (Voice), Ms. Marjorie (Voice)
- The Upshaws · Dr. Pearl Edmunds
- Celebrity Wheel of Fortune · Self
- Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square · Margeline
- Star Trek: Lower Decks · Bartender (Voice)
- Stars in the House · Self
- Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back · Self
- The Addams Family · Great Auntie Sloom (Voice)
- Amphibia · Mama Hasselback (Voice)
- Forbidden
- grown-ish · Ruby Johnson
- Big Hero 6 The Series · Professor Granville (Voice)
- Cars 3 · Flo (Voice)
- Jewel's Catch One · Self
- The $100,000 Pyramid · Self
- Match Game · Self
- To Tell the Truth · Self
- Secrets of the Magic City · Aunt Valerie
- The Wedding Ringer · Doris Jenkins
- black-ish · Ruby Johnson
- Think Like a Man Too · Loretta
- The Radiator Springs 500½ · Flo (Voice)
- Baggage Claim · Catherine Moore
- LaQuifa is Halleloosin' It! · Thanks
- Teen Titans Go! · Microwavabelle (Voice)
- Hiccups · Flo (Voice)
- RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars · Self
- Jenifer Lewis and Shangela · Jenifer Lewis, Theme Song Performance
- Zambezia · Gogo (Voice)
- Think Like a Man · Loretta Hanover
- Five · Maggie
- The Playboy Club · Pearl
- Cars 2 · Flo (Voice)
- When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren · Retirement Home Waitress (uncredited)
- Young Justice · Olympia Savage (Voice)
- Hereafter · Candace
- The Princess and the Frog · Mama Odie (Voice)
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen · Self
- Not Easily Broken · Mary 'Mama' Clark
- Prop 8: The Musical · Riffing Prop 8'er
- Meet the Browns · Vera
- Redrum · Therapist
- Who's Your Caddy? · C-Note's Mom
- Day Break · Elizabeth Hopper
- Geared-Up
- Shark · Ellie Broussard
- Dirty Laundry · Aunt Lettuce
- Cars · Flo (Voice)
- Madea's Family Reunion · Milay Jenay Lori
- Earth to America · Self
- The Boondocks · Boss Willona (Voice), Geraldine (Voice)
- Dancing with the Stars · Self
- American Dad! · Lessie (Voice)
- Boston Legal · Judge Isabel Fisher
- Shark Tale · Motown Turtle (Voice)