Jenifer Lewis
Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born January 25, 1957[1]) is an American actress. She began her career appearing in Broadway musicals and worked as a back-up singer for Bette Midler before appearing in films Beaches (1988) and Sister Act (1992). Lewis is known for playing roles of mothers in the films What's Love Got to Do With It (1993), Poetic Justice (1993), The Preacher's Wife (1996), The Brothers (2001), The Cookout (2004), Think Like a Man (2012) and in the sequel Think Like a Man Too (2014), Baggage Claim (2013) and The Wedding Ringer (2015), as well as in The Temptations miniseries (1998).
Jenifer Lewis | |
|---|---|
Lewis in 2008 | |
| Born | Jenifer Jeanette Lewis January 25, 1957 Kinloch, Missouri, U.S. |
| Education | Webster University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Spouse | Arnold Byrd (m. 2012) |
| Children | 1 |
Lewis is known unofficially as "The Mother of Black Hollywood" (also the name of her memoir) given her frequent matriarchal film and television roles.[2][3] She also provided the voice for Mama Odie in Disney's animated feature The Princess and the Frog (2009), and Flo in Pixar's Cars series. Additional film roles include Dead Presidents (1995), Cast Away (2000) and Hereafter (2010).
On television, Lewis starred as Lana Hawkins in the Lifetime medical drama Strong Medicine from 2000 to 2006. She also had recurring roles on sitcoms A Different World, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Girlfriends. In 2014, Lewis began starring as Ruby Johnson in the ABC comedy series Black-ish, for which she received two Critics' Choice Television Award nominations.
Early life
Lewis was born in Kinloch, Missouri,[1] a suburb of St. Louis, to a nurse's aide mother, Dorothy, and a factory worker father. Lewis is the youngest of seven children. She sang in her church choir at the age of five. She attended Kinloch High School and then college at Webster University in Webster Groves, Missouri. She received an honorary degree from Webster in 2015.[4] After college, Lewis moved to New York.
Career
1970s–1980s
Soon after she arrived in New York City, Lewis debuted on Broadway in a small role in Eubie (1979), the musical based on the work of Eubie Blake.[5] She next landed the role of Effie White in the workshop of the Michael Bennett–directed musical Dreamgirls, but when the show moved to Broadway, Bennett chose Jennifer Holliday for the role.[citation needed]
Lewis accepted a position as a Harlette, a back-up singer for Bette Midler which led to Lewis' first TV appearances on Midler's HBO specials. She acquired her first screen role as a result, appearing as a singer in the Otto Titsling production number in the Bette Midler vehicle Beaches (1988). At the same time, Lewis was developing her nightclub act, The Diva Is Dismissed, an autobiographical comedy and music show in New York City cabarets. She performed the show off-Broadway at the Public Theater.[6]
1990s
After Lewis relocated to Los Angeles, she began appearing in television sitcoms, including Murphy Brown, Dream On, In Living Color, Roc, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper and Friends. From 1992 to 1993, she played Dean Davenport in the sixth and final season of the NBC sitcom A Different World. She also had a recurring role as Will Smith's Aunt Helen in the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1991 to 1996. As a series regular, Lewis starred alongside Patricia Wettig in her short-lived legal drama Courthouse in 1995, playing Judge Rosetta Reide, the first main African American lesbian character on television.[7]
In 1992, Lewis was cast as one of the back-up singers to Whoopi Goldberg in the comedy film Sister Act. The following year, Lewis played the mother of Tupac Shakur's character in the film Poetic Justice, and as Zelma Bullock, Tina Turner's mother, in the biopic What's Love Got to Do With It starring Angela Bassett. Lewis has stated that she never auditioned to play Turner, but would have been thrilled to play the iconic singer. Lewis is only one year older than Bassett. For her performance, she received her first NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture nomination. In 1994, she followed with other comedic supporting roles, including Mrs. Coleman, the Unemployment Office lady, in Renaissance Man and as Whoopi Goldberg's sister in Corrina, Corrina. In 1995, she was cast in maternal roles to Kadeem Hardison in Panther and to Larenz Tate in Dead Presidents.[citation needed]
In 1996, Lewis appeared as Theresa Randle's telephone sex line boss in the film Girl 6. Later that year, she played Whitney Houston's character's mother in the film The Preacher's Wife,[8] for which she received her second NAACP Image Award nomination. She also had roles in The Mighty (1998), The Temptations miniseries (1998), Mystery Men (1999) and Blast from the Past (1999), and the leading role in the film Jackie's Back (1999).[5]
2000s
In 2000, Lewis had a supporting role in the adventure drama film Cast Away, directed by Robert Zemeckis.[9] In the same year, she began starring as Lana Hawkins on the Lifetime television medical drama Strong Medicine, for which she also performed the theme song.[10] The show ended in February 2006. She also voiced Flo in Pixar's Cars franchise.[11] She also had a recurring role as Veretta Childs (Toni's mother) in the UPN sitcom Girlfriends. In film, she appeared as Morris Chestnut's mother in the romantic comedy The Brothers (2001). In 2006, she had a featured role as the wedding planner in Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, and also appeared in Perry's comedy-drama Meet the Browns (2008) as Vera Brown. She also appeared in Juwanna Mann (2002), The Cookout (2004), Nora's Hair Salon (2004), Dirty Laundry (2006) and Not Easily Broken (2009).
On April 22, 2008, Lewis replaced Darlene Love as Motormouth Maybelle in Broadway's Hairspray.[12] On television, she guest-starred on That's So Raven and Boston Legal. Lewis also had a number of voice acting roles, including Walt Disney Animation Studios's animated musical The Princess and the Frog (2009), for which she was nominated for the Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production.[13]
2010s
In June 2010, Lewis told the Jazz Joy and Roy syndicated radio show: "I just did a production of Hello Dolly at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle and it had to be one of the greatest productions that I have ever done, because I got to just do a character, Dolly Levi, and it was just great."[14] In 2012, Lewis began working with Shangela on the online reality show parody Jenifer Lewis and Shangela, where she acts as herself alongside Shangela, a "drag queen living in her basement." She later appeared in Shangela's music video for "Werqin Girl (Professional)".[citation needed]
In 2010, Clint Eastwood cast Lewis in his fantasy film Hereafter.[15] The following year, she starred alongside Rosario Dawson and Tracee Ellis Ross in Five, for which she received her third NAACP Image Award nomination. She also co-starred in the short-lived NBC series The Playboy Club.[16] She played Terrence J's overbearing mother in box-office hit Think Like a Man (2012) and its sequel Think Like a Man Too (2014). In 2013, she played Paula Patton's mother in the romantic comedy Baggage Claim. In 2015, she starred in the romantic comedy The Wedding Ringer.[3]
In 2014, Lewis was cast as Ruby Johnson, Anthony Anderson's character's mother in the ABC comedy series Black-ish.[17] She was elevated to series regular status as of the second season. In 2016, she received Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series nomination for her performance.[18] She has also been featured in various TV commercials.
In 2017, she published a book about her life and career, entitled The Mother of Black Hollywood, in which she shared her life experiences with Whoopi Goldberg, Loretta Devine, Chris Rock, Bette Midler, Rosie O'Donnell, Liza Minnelli, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin.[19]
Personal life
Lewis has been married to Arnold Byrd since 2012.[20][21] She has an adopted daughter named Charmaine Lewis.[22][23]
In 1990, Lewis was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.[24] She originally hid her diagnosis, as she felt ashamed, but eventually came to embrace it after 17 years of therapy and 10 years of medication. In a 2014 interview, she said: "You have to look in the mirror... and say—before you can go or grow into anything—you have to say you love yourself."[25]
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | Murphy Brown | Sales Person | Episodes: "Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way" and "Uh-Oh: Pt. 2" |
| 1990–93 | A Different World | Susan Clayton / Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport | Recurring role, 9 episodes |
| 1991 | Stat | Felicia Brown | Episode: "Psychosomatic" |
| Sunday in Paris | Taylor Chase | Television film | |
| 1991–96 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Aunt Helen Smith | Recurring role, 8 episodes |
| 1992 | Dream On | Carolyn | Episode: "To the Moon, Alex!" |
| 1993 | In Living Color | Various characters | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| Roc | Charlaine | Episode: "Joey the Bartender" | |
| Moon Over Miami | Aurora Tyler | Episode: "If You Only Knew" | |
| 1993–95 | Hangin' With Mr. Cooper | Georgia Rodman | Episodes: "Father Fairest", "Double Cheeseburger, Hold the Diploma" and "Here Comes the Groom" |
| 1994 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Mystique | Episode: "All Shook Up" |
| Friends | Paula | Episode: "The One With the Thumb" | |
| Deconstructing Sarah | Betty | Television film | |
| Shake, Rattle and Rock! | Amanda | ||
| Last Days of Russell | Aunt Yvette | ||
| 1995 | New York Undercover | Medina | Episode: "Private Enemy No. 1" |
| Living Single | Delia Deveaux | Episode: "Talk Showdown" | |
| Courthouse | Judge Rosetta Reide | Series regular, 11 episodes | |
| 1996 | Cosby | Bernice | Episode: "Basketball Story" |
| 1997 | Touched by an Angel | Queenie | Episode: "Amazing Grace: Part 1" |
| Promised Land | Episode: "Amazing Grace: Part 2" | ||
| 1997–99 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Black Widow Spider (voice) / Hazel (voice) | Episodes: "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and "The Bremen Town Musicians" |
| 1998 | The Parent 'Hood | Linda | Episode: "Hurricane Linda" |
| The Temptations | Mama Rose Franklin | Television film | |
| An Unexpected Life | Camille | ||
| 1998–2000 | For Your Love | Sylvia Ellis / Mel and Reggie's Mother | Episodes: "The Brother's Day" and "Father Fixture" |
| 1999 | The Jamie Foxx Show | Josie | Episode: "Always Follow Your Heart" |
| Moesha | Mrs. Biggs | Episode: "A Den Is a Terrible Thing to Waste" | |
| Grown Ups | Melissa's mother | Episode: "Family Circus" | |
| Time of Your Life | Joss's mother | Episode: "The Time They Had Not" | |
| Jackie's Back | Jackie Washington | Television film Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Actress | |
| 1999–2001 | The PJs | Bebe Ho (voice) | Series regular, 35 episodes |
| 2000 | Bette | Inez | Episode: "The Grammy Pre-Show" |
| Little Richard | Muh Penniman | Television film | |
| Partners | Detective Lancy | ||
| 2000–06 | Strong Medicine | Receptionist Lana Hawkins | Series regular, 131 episodes Nominated – NAMIC Vision Awards for Best Performance – Drama (2006) |
| 2001 | The Ponder Heart | Narcissa Wingfield | Television film |
| 2002 | Family Affair | Mrs. Summers | Episode: "Pilot: Part 1" |
| 2002–06 | Girlfriends | Veretta Childs | Recurring role, 7 episodes |
| 2003 | The Proud Family | Aunt Spice (voice) | Episode: "Penny Potter" |
| 2004 | That's So Raven | Vivian Baxter | Episode: "To See or Not to See" |
| 2007 | Day Break | Elizabeth Hopper | Episode: "What If She's Lying?" |
| Shark | Ellie Broussard | Episode: "Backfire" | |
| 2007–08 | Boston Legal | Judge Isabel Fisher | Episodes: "No Brains Left Behind" and "Mad About You" |
| 2009–10 | Meet the Browns | Vera Brown | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 2011 | The Cleveland Show | Various (voices) | Episodes: "A Short Story and a Tall Tale" and "The Way the Cookie Crumbles" |
| American Dad! | Lessie | Episode: "School Lies" | |
| State of Georgia | Patrice | Episode: "Best Friends For-Never" | |
| The Playboy Club | Pearl | Main cast | |
| Five | Maggie | Television film Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Actress in a Television Miniseries or Movie Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Nominated – NAMIC Vision Awards for Best Performance – Drama | |
| 2014 | The Boondocks | Boss Willona / Geraldine (voice) | Episodes: "Breaking Grandad" and "Early Bird Special" |
| 2014–22 | Black-ish | Ruby Johnson | Recurring (Season 1), Series regular (Season 2-) Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2017) Nominated – Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series (2016) Nominated – Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2017) Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2017-2018) |
| 2015 | The Exes | Caren Dupree | Episode: "Requiem for a Dream" |
| Instant Mom | Delois | Episodes: "Not Full House" and "Mysteries of Maggie" | |
| It Had to Be You | Reggie | Television film | |
| 2017–21 | Big Hero 6: The Series | Professor Granville (voice) | Main cast |
| 2018 | Young Justice | Olympia Savage (voice) | Episode: "Evolution" |
| RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Herself; Guest Judge | Episode: "All Star Super Queen Variety Show" | |
| 2019 | Elena of Avalor | Tornado (voice) | Episodes: "Luna’s Big Leap" and "King Skylar" |
| 2019–22 | Tuca & Bertie | Aunt Tallulah Toucan (voice) | Episodes: "Plumage", "Yeast Week", "Nighttime Friend" and "The Pain Garden" |
| 2020 | Amphibia | Mama Hasselback (voice) | Episode: "The Ballad of Hopediah Planter" |
| Twenties | Herself | Episode: "Redemption Song" | |
| 2021 | Star Trek: Lower Decks | Bartender (voice) | Episode: "An Embarrassment of Dooplers" |
| Rugrats | Ms. Marjorie (voice) | Episode: "Escape from Preschool/Mr. Chuckie" | |
| 2021–present | Mickey Mouse Funhouse | Wheezelene (voice) | Recurring role |
| The Ghost and Molly McGee | Patty (voice) | ||
| 2022 | Grown-ish | Ruby Johnson | Episodes: "It Was Good Until It Wasn’t" and "Empire State of Mind" |
| Central Park | Celeste (voice) | Episode: "Celeste We Forget" | |
| I Love That for You | Patricia Cochran | Main cast | |
| Cars on the Road | Flo (voice) | Episode: "Dino Park" |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Cars | Flo | Voice |
| 2007 | Cars Mater-National Championship | ||
| 2009 | Cars Race-O-Rama |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "On & On" | Erykah's Mother | |
| 2018 | Forbidden | Nosy neighbor | "What's Going On", "Ring-a-Ling", "Apple Pie" |
Theme parks
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Body Wars | Ride Cue Instructional Video Announcer | Disney attraction |
| 2012 | Radiator Springs Racers | Flo | Disney attraction |
References
- ^ a b McCann, Bob (2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland. p. 205. ISBN 9780786458042.
- ^ Pendleton, Tonya (February 3, 2014). "Jenifer Lewis: 'They Call Me the Black Mother of Hollywood'". Black America Web. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ a b Stephens, Stephanie (January 14, 2015). "Mega Diva Jenifer Lewis on 'The Wedding Ringer' and Seeing Yourself". Parade. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ "Honorary Degrees at Webster University". Retrieved October 15, 2018.
- ^ a b "Jenifer Lewis". Hollywood.com. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (1994-10-31). "THEATER REVIEW; A Diva in Progress Travels the Road to Fame - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
- ^ "Lesbians on series TV". Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Lane, Clay (January 7, 2009). "Jenifer Lewis: That's my mama!". BET.com. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ^ "Cast Away". Rotten Tomatoes. December 22, 2000. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Winston, Oretha (2015-10-20). "Jenifer Lewis Brings Honesty To The Small Screen And Reminds Us To Live In Gratitude". Praise 104.7. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
- ^ "Jenifer Lewis". IMDb. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ The Broadway League. "Jenifer Lewis – IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information". Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ "Annie Awards :: 37th Annie Awards". Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ "Jenifer Lewis". Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ "Jenifer Lewis on "Hereafter"". BET.com. 19 December 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Williams, Brennan (22 September 2011). "Jenifer Lewis Talks: 'Playboy Club,' New Lifetime Film And Broadway Comeback". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Slezak, Michael (September 30, 2014). "ABC's black-ish Casts Jenifer Lewis as Anthony Anderson's Mother". TVLine. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Gray, Tim (14 December 2015). "2016 Critics' Choice Award Nominations: Full List of Nominees – Variety". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ "Can We Talk About...? Divatastic Cult Classic "Jackie's Back ..." Logo TV. July 10, 2019.
- ^ Freeman, Dennis J. (October 22, 2010). "Jenifer Lewis Talks About Love, Happiness and the Hereafter". News4usonline. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Weinraub, Bernard (July 1, 1993). "JENIFER LEWIS: FROM 'DIVA' TO 'STAR'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
- ^ Pennington, Gail (2 October 2011). "Actress Jenifer Lewis says Kinloch helped shape her". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
- ^ Stephens, Stephanie (April 1, 2015), "Jenifer Lewis: How a Diva Does Bipolar", bphope.
- ^ "Jenifer Lewis Opens Up About Battle With Bipolar Disorder". BET.com. 28 January 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Lane, Derrick (January 25, 2014). "Jenifer Lewis: "You Have To Love Yourself"". BlackDoctor. from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
External links
- Jenifer Lewis at IMDb
- Jenifer Lewis at the Internet Broadway Database
- Jenifer Lewis at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Jenifer Lewis at AllMovie