Jenifer Lewis
Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born January 25, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, singer and activist. 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 and in the sequel Think Like a Man Too (2014), Baggage Claim (2013), and The Wedding Ringer (2015), as well as in The Temptations TV miniseries (1998).
Jenifer Lewis | |
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![]() Lewis in November 2008 | |
Born | Jenifer Jeanette Lewis January 25, 1957 Kinloch, Missouri, U.S. |
Education | Webster University |
Occupation | Actress, singer, activist, comedian |
Years active | 1979–present |
Spouse(s) | Arnold Byrd (m. 2012) |
Children | 1 |
As such, Lewis earned the title "Black Mother of Hollywood".[1][2] 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. She is known unofficially as "The Mother of Black Hollywood" (also the name of her memoir) given her frequent matriarchal film and television roles.
Early life
Lewis was born in Kinloch, Missouri, 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 would later receive an honorary degree from Webster in 2015.[3] After college, she moved to New York to focus on her career in performing.
Career
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.[4] 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.
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.
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 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.[5]
In 1992, Lewis was cast as one of the back-up singers to Whoopi Goldberg in 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 she never auditioned to play Tina Turner, but would have been thrilled to play the iconic Tina Turner . 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.
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.[6] She received another NAACP Image Award nomination for her role in The Preacher's Wife. She also has had roles in The Mighty (1998), The Temptations TV miniseries (1998), Mystery Men (1999) and Blast from the Past (1999), before obtaining the leading role in the film Jackie's Back.[4]
2000s
In 2000, Lewis had a supporting role in the adventure drama film Cast Away directed by Robert Zemeckis.[7] Also in 2000, she began starring as Lana Hawkins on the Lifetime television medical drama Strong Medicine. The show ended in February 2006. She also voiced Flo in the Pixar Cars movies. Lewis also performed the theme song for Strong Medicine.[8] 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 2001 romantic comedy The Brothers. 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 2008 comedy-drama Meet the Browns as Vera Brown. She also appeared in Juwanna Mann, The Cookout, Nora's Hair Salon, Dirty Laundry and Not Easily Broken.
On April 22, 2008, Lewis replaced Darlene Love as Motormouth Maybelle in Broadway's Hairspray.[9] On television, she guest starred on That's So Raven and Boston Legal. Lewis also had number of voice over roles, include Walt Disney's animated musical The Princess and the Frog (2009), for which she received Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production nomination.[10]
2010s
In June 2010, Lewis' distinctive voice was in fine form as she 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."[11] 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)."
In 2010, Clint Eastwood cast Lewis in his fantasy film Hereafter.[12] The following year, she starred alongside Rosario Dawson and Tracee Ellis Ross in Five, for which she received another NAACP Image Award nomination. She also co-starred in the short-lived NBC series, The Playboy Club.[13] She played Terrence J's overbearing mother in box-office hit Think Like a Man (2012), and in its sequel Think Like a Man Too (2014). In 2013, she played Paula Patton's mother Baggage Claim. In 2015, she starred in The Wedding Ringer.[2]
In 2014, Lewis was cast as Ruby Johnson, Anthony Anderson's character's mother in the ABC comedy series, Black-ish.[14] She was upped to regular as of second season. In 2016, she received Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series nomination for her performance.[15] She has also been featured on various TV advertising commercials.
In 2017, she published a book about her life and career, entitled The Mother of Black Hollywood in which she shares her life experiences with Whoopi Goldberg, Loretta Devine, Chris Rock, Bette Midler, Rosie O'Donnell, Liza Minnelli, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin.[16]
Personal life
Lewis has been married to Arnold Byrd since 2012.[17][18] She has an adopted daughter named Charmaine Lewis.[19][20]
Bipolar disorder
In 1990, Lewis was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.[21] 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. She now embraces her diagnosis, saying that "You have to look in the mirror... and say—before you can go or grow into anything—you have to say you love yourself," she says.[22][23]
"People who are bipolar switch from feeling an energetic, 'high' and/or irritable to feeling sad and hopeless, and then back again. They often have normal moods in between. These 'up' and 'down' feelings are called mania and depression. If left untreated, bipolar disorder can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide."[22]
Filmography
Film
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990–1991 | Murphy Brown | Sales Person | Episodes: "Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way" and "Uh-Oh: Pt. 2" |
1990–1993 | A Different World | Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport | Recurring role, 9 episodes |
1991 | Stat | Felicia Brown | Episode: "Psychosomatic" |
1991–1996 | 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 | Episodes: "Bunny Clive" and "Calhoun Tubbs" |
Roc | Charlaine | Episode: "Joey the Bartender" | |
Moon Over Miami | Aurora Tyler | Episode: "If You Only Knew" | |
1993–1994 | Hangin' With Mr. Cooper | Georgia Rodman | Episodes: "Father Fairest" and "Double Cheeseburger, Hold the Diploma" |
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 | Television film | |
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" | ||
1997–1999 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Black Widow Spider (voice) Hazel (voice) |
Episode: "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" Episode: "The Bremen Town Musicians" |
1998 | The Parent 'Hood | Linda | Episode: "Hurricane Linda" |
The Temptations | Mama Rose Franklin | Television film | |
An Unexpected Life | Camille | Television film | |
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" | |
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 | Television film | |
2000–2006 | 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" |
2002–2006 | 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" | |
2007–2008 | Boston Legal | Judge Isabel Fisher | Episodes: "No Brains Left Behind" and "Mad About You" |
2009–2010 | Meet the Browns | Vera Brown | Recurring role, 4 episodes |
2011 | The Cleveland Show | Woman / Kevin Garnett's Mom / Receptionist / Middle-Aged Woman (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 | Recurring role, 7 episodes | |
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–present | 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 | Episode: "Not Full House" | |
It Had to Be You | Reggie | Television film | |
2017–present | Big Hero 6: The Series | Professor Granville (voice) | Main cast |
2018 | Young Justice | Olympia Savage (voice) | Episode: "Evolution" |
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Guest Judge | Episode: "All Star Super Queen Variety Show" | |
2019 | Elena of Avalor | Tornado (voice) | 2 episodes |
Tuca & Bertie | Tallulah (voice) | 2 episodes | |
2020 | Amphibia | Mama Hasselback (voice) | Episode: "The Ballad of Hopediah Planter" |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
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 |
References
- Pendleton, Tonya (February 3, 2014). "Jenifer Lewis: 'They Call Me the Black Mother of Hollywood'". Black America Web. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- 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.
- "Jenifer Lewis". Hollywood.com. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- "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.
- "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. "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.
- "Jenifer Lewis: "You Have To Love Yourself"". BlackDoctor. January 25, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- Lane, Derrick (January 25, 2014). "Jenifer Lewis Bipolar Disorder". News One. Retrieved January 25, 2016.