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Jenifer Lewis

Acting 69 years old Kinloch, Missouri, USA ★ 1.6
Born: January 25, 1957

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.

External Links

🎬 IMDb 📘 Facebook 📷 Instagram 🐦 Twitter

Known For

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Self - Guest 2009
The Daily Show
The Daily Show 1996
Friends
Friends Paula 1994
GOAT
GOAT Flo Everson (voice) 2026
Teen Titans Go!
Teen Titans Go! Microwavabelle (voice) 2013

Filmography

Acting Credits (147)

GOAT
GOAT Flo Everson (voice) 2026
Haunted Hotel
Haunted Hotel Additional Voices (voice) 2025
Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Disneyland Resort
Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Disneyland Resort Mama Odie (Voice) 2025
Ado
Ado Ms. Hopkins 2025
Spellbound
Spellbound Nazara (voice) 2024
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish Mother Nature (voice) 2024
The Greatest Love Story Never Told
The Greatest Love Story Never Told Self 2024
This Is Me…Now
This Is Me…Now Gemini 2024
History of the World: Part II
History of the World: Part II Grandma 2023
Commitment to Life
Commitment to Life Self (archive footage) 2023
Not Dead Yet
Not Dead Yet Donna 2023
Night Court
Night Court Erika 2023
So Help Me Todd
So Help Me Todd Jacqueline Burton 2022
Sherri
Sherri Self - Guest 2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
The Jennifer Hudson Show Self - Guest 2022
Cars on the Road
Cars on the Road Flo (voice) 2022
I Love That for You
I Love That for You Patricia Cochran 2022
black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special
black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special Self 2022
And Just Like That…
And Just Like That… Lucille Highwater 2021
The Ghost and Molly McGee
The Ghost and Molly McGee Patty (voice) 2021
Mickey Mouse Funhouse
Mickey Mouse Funhouse Wheezelene (voice) 2021
All Boys Aren't Blue
All Boys Aren't Blue 2021
Finding Kendrick Johnson
Finding Kendrick Johnson Narrator (voice) 2021
Monsters at Work
Monsters at Work Grandma Tuskmon (voice) 2021
Rugrats
Rugrats Ms. Marjorie / Narrator (voice) 2021
Rugrats
Rugrats Ms. Marjorie (voice) 2021
The Upshaws
The Upshaws Dr. Pearl Edmunds 2021
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Self - Contestant 2021
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square Margeline 2020
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Star Trek: Lower Decks Bartender (voice) 2020
Stars in the House
Stars in the House Self - Special Guest 2020
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back Self (archive footage) 2019
The Addams Family
The Addams Family Great Auntie Sloom (Voice) 2019
Amphibia
Amphibia Mama Hasselback (voice) 2019
Forbidden
Forbidden 2018
grown-ish
grown-ish Ruby Johnson 2018
Big Hero 6 The Series
Big Hero 6 The Series Professor Granville (voice) 2017
Cars 3
Cars 3 Flo (voice) 2017
Jewel's Catch One
Jewel's Catch One Self 2017
The $100,000 Pyramid
The $100,000 Pyramid Self 2016
Match Game
Match Game Self - Panelist 2016
To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth Self - Panelist 2016
Secrets of the Magic City
Secrets of the Magic City Aunt Valerie 2015
The Wedding Ringer
The Wedding Ringer Doris Jenkins 2015
black-ish
black-ish Ruby Johnson 2014
Think Like a Man Too
Think Like a Man Too Loretta 2014
The Radiator Springs 500½
The Radiator Springs 500½ Flo (voice) 2014
Baggage Claim
Baggage Claim Catherine Moore 2013
Teen Titans Go!
Teen Titans Go! Microwavabelle (voice) 2013
Hiccups
Hiccups Flo (voice) 2013
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Self - Guest Judge 2012
Jenifer Lewis and Shangela
Jenifer Lewis and Shangela Jenifer Lewis 2012
Zambezia
Zambezia Gogo (voice) 2012
Think Like a Man
Think Like a Man Loretta Hanover 2012
Five
Five Maggie 2011
The Playboy Club
The Playboy Club Pearl 2011
Cars 2
Cars 2 Flo (voice) 2011
When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren
When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren Retirement Home Waitress (uncredited) 2011
Young Justice
Young Justice Olympia Savage (voice) 2010
Hereafter
Hereafter Candace 2010
The Princess and the Frog
The Princess and the Frog Mama Odie (voice) 2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Self - Guest 2009
Not Easily Broken
Not Easily Broken Mary 'Mama' Clark 2009
Prop 8: The Musical
Prop 8: The Musical Riffing Prop 8'er 2008
Meet the Browns
Meet the Browns Vera 2008
Redrum
Redrum Therapist 2007
Who's Your Caddy?
Who's Your Caddy? C-Note's Mom 2007
Day Break
Day Break Elizabeth Hopper 2006
Geared-Up
Geared-Up 2006
Shark
Shark Ellie Broussard 2006
Dirty Laundry
Dirty Laundry Aunt Lettuce 2006
Cars
Cars Flo (voice) 2006
Madea's Family Reunion
Madea's Family Reunion Milay Jenay Lori 2006
Earth to America
Earth to America Self 2005
The Boondocks
The Boondocks Boss Willona (voice) 2005
The Boondocks
The Boondocks Geraldine (voice) 2005
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars Self - Musical Guest 2005
American Dad!
American Dad! Lessie (voice) 2005
Boston Legal
Boston Legal Judge Isabel Fisher 2004
Shark Tale
Shark Tale Motown Turtle (voice) 2004
The Cookout
The Cookout Lady Em 2004
Nora's Hair Salon
Nora's Hair Salon Nora 2004
That's So Raven
That's So Raven Vivian 2003
Antwone Fisher
Antwone Fisher Aunt Mary Williams (uncredited) 2002
Juwanna Mann
Juwanna Mann Aunt Ruby 2002
The Brothers
The Brothers Louise Smith 2001
Dancing in September
Dancing in September Judge Warner 2001
Cast Away
Cast Away Becca Twig 2000
Bette
Bette 2000
Girlfriends
Girlfriends Veretta Childs 2000
Strong Medicine
Strong Medicine Lana Hawkins 2000
Partners
Partners Detective Lancy 2000
Little Richard
Little Richard Muh Penniman 2000
Time of Your Life
Time of Your Life 1999
Grown Ups
Grown Ups Kathy 1999
Mystery Men
Mystery Men Lucille 1999
Jackie's Back!
Jackie's Back! Jackie Washington 1999
Blast from the Past
Blast from the Past Dr. Aron 1999
The PJs
The PJs Bebe Ho (voice) 1999
Get Bruce!
Get Bruce! Self 1999
The Temptations
The Temptations Mama Rose 1998
An Unexpected Life
An Unexpected Life Camille 1998
The Mighty
The Mighty Mrs. Addison 1998
Rituals
Rituals Carmen 1998
The Chris Rock Show
The Chris Rock Show Self 1997
The Preacher's Wife
The Preacher's Wife Margueritte Coleman 1996
Promised Land
Promised Land Queenie 1996
The Jamie Foxx Show
The Jamie Foxx Show Josie 1996
The Daily Show
The Daily Show 1996
Girl 6
Girl 6 Boss #1 - Lil 1996
Moesha
Moesha Mrs. Biggs 1996
Dead Presidents
Dead Presidents Mrs. Curtis 1995
Courthouse
Courthouse Rosetta Reide 1995
Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan
Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan Denice Cooper 1995
Panther
Panther Rita 1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Female Black Widow Spider (voice) 1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Hazel (voice) 1995
The Parent 'Hood
The Parent 'Hood 1995
Deconstructing Sarah
Deconstructing Sarah Betty 1994
Friends
Friends Paula 1994
Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel Queenie 1994
New York Undercover
New York Undercover 1994
Shake, Rattle and Rock!
Shake, Rattle and Rock! Amanda 1994
Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina Jevina 1994
Rebel Highway
Rebel Highway Amanda Baldwin Cooper 1994
Renaissance Man
Renaissance Man Mrs. Coleman 1994
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Vegas Backup Singer #1 1993
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Mystique 1993
Undercover Blues
Undercover Blues Cab Driver 1993
Living Single
Living Single 1993
The Meteor Man
The Meteor Man Mrs. Williams 1993
Poetic Justice
Poetic Justice Annie 1993
What's Love Got to Do with It
What's Love Got to Do with It Zelma Bullock 1993
Frozen Assets
Frozen Assets Jomisha 1992
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Georgia Rodman 1992
Sister Act
Sister Act Michelle 1992
Roc
Roc Charlaine 1991
Sunday in Paris
Sunday in Paris Taylor Chase 1991
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Aunt Helen 1990
Dream On
Dream On Carolyn 1990
In Living Color
In Living Color 1990
Beaches
Beaches Diva 1988
A Different World
A Different World Susan Clayton 1987
A Different World
A Different World Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport 1987
Bette Midler: Art or Bust
Bette Midler: Art or Bust Self - Harlette 1984
Bette Midler: No Frills
Bette Midler: No Frills Herself 1983
Rhona Who Lives by the River
Rhona Who Lives by the River Missy

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