CineScope
Jenifer Lewis picture

Jenifer Lewis

Acting
Known For

68 Years Old

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.

Born

Kinloch, Missouri, USA on 25th January 1957

All Credits

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