Biography
Jenifer Lewis is one of Hollywood's busiest actresses, with over 60 films and 200 TV appearances to her credit. Her uniquely recognizable voice is adored by fans worldwide in such animated rolesas "Flo" in Cars and Cars 2 and "Mama Odie" in The Princess and the Frog. Lewis earned the title "Black Mother of Hollywood," thanks to memorable performances as Tina Turner's mother in What's Love Got To Do With It and alongside Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston in The Preacher's Wife. She also portrayed the distraught mother, "Candace," opposite Matt Damon in Clint Eastwood's Hereafter.
Lewis' versatility is at the heart of herlong and diverse career. She is a series regular on NBC's drama, "The Playboy Club" and has also been featured as "Aunt Helen" on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Lana Hawkins" on Lifetime's No.1 hit series "Strong Medicine." She has also had guest-starring roles on "Friends," "Boston Legal," and "Girlfriends." Lewis achieved "diva" status as star of the Lifetime "mock-umentary" "Jackie's Back!" For director Tyler Perry, Lewis created unforgettable characters in Madea's Family Reunion and Meet The Browns. She also portrayed a small yet notable role as Tom Hanks' boss in Castaway.
Lewis is highly respected in the theatre world with five Broadway shows to her credit, including Hairspray, as "Motormouth Maybelle." In 2006, Lewis co-starred opposite Meryl Streep in the Shakespeare In The Park presentation of Mother Courage And Her Children in New York City. Lewis has performed her acclaimed one-woman show, The Diva is Dismissed worldwide.
As an activist, Lewis is proud to support breast cancer awareness and mental health causes. In 2007, Lewis chose "The Oprah Winfrey Show" as a platform to reveal that she has bipolar disorder.
Jenifer Lewis was born and raised in Kinloch, Mo. She holds a bachelor's degree in theater artsfrom Webster University in St. Louis.
© 2012 Screen Gems (Sony)
Actress
Documentaries | |
---|---|
2024 |
The Greatest Love Story Never Told |
2021 |
Finding Kendrick Johnson - narrator |
2018 |
Fahrenheit 11/9 |
2009 |
Biography: Whoopi Goldberg |
1999 |
Get Bruce |
Short | |
---|---|
2021 |
All Boys Aren't Blue |
2014 |
The Radiator Springs 500½ |
2008 |
Prop 8: The Musical |
2003 |
The Sunday Morning Stripper |
1998 |
Rituals |
1991 |
Sunday in Paris (TV movie) |
Performer
Shows | |
---|---|
2021 |
The Problem with Jon Stewart |
2020 |
Stars in the House |
2018 |
49th NAACP Image Awards |
2016 |
The $100,000 Pyramid |
2015 |
Daily Blast Live |
2012 |
RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars |
2009 |
The Mo'Nique Show |
2008 |
Piper's Picks TV |
The Doctors |
|
2005 |
Made in Hollywood |
2001 |
The Wayne Brady Show |
1998 |
Hollywood Squares |
The Roseanne Show |
|
1997 |
28th NAACP Image Awards |
The Chris Rock Show |
|
1996 |
The Rosie O'Donnell Show |
1994 |
26th NAACP Image Awards |
Sidewalks Entertainment |
|
1979 |
SAG Foundation Conversations |
Fans
(7)- Kolonza actress
- Rebella538 actress
- Leonka actress
- luaka actress
- jezz_ actress
- JosefP actress
- Petulka.Jeli actress