CineScope
Jenifer Lewis picture

Jenifer Lewis

Acting
Known For

69 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

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