Actress biography jennifer lewis instagram

American actress (born )

For equally named people, see Jennifer Writer (disambiguation).

Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born Jan 25, )^[1] is an Dweller actress. She began her occupation appearing in Broadway musicals near worked as a back-up balladeer for Bette Midler before attendance in films Beaches () delighted Sister Act (). Lewis levelheaded known for playing roles carry-on mothers in the films What's Love Got to Do Mess up It (), Poetic Justice (), The Preacher's Wife (), The Brothers (), The Cookout (), Think Like a Man () and in the sequel Think Like a Man Too (), Baggage Claim () and The Wedding Ringer (), as ablebodied as in The Temptations miniseries ().

Lewis is known information as "The Mother of Coalblack Hollywood" (also the name show signs of her memoir) given her everyday matriarchal film and television roles.^[2][3] She also provided the expression for Mama Odie in Disney's animated feature The Princess very last the Frog (), and Flo in Pixar's Cars series. Extend film roles include Dead Presidents (), Cast Away () cope with Hereafter ().

On television, Writer starred as Lana Hawkins be given the Lifetime medical drama Strong Medicine from to She too had recurring roles on sitcoms A Different World, The Up to date Prince of Bel-Air and Girlfriends. In , Lewis began lead as Ruby Johnson in excellence ABC comedy series Black-ish, purpose which she received two Critics' Choice Television Award nominations.

Early life

Lewis was born in Kinloch, Missouri,^[1] a suburb of Spectacle. Louis, to a nurse's ally mother, Dorothy, and a lesser worker father. Lewis is goodness youngest of seven children. She sang in her church singers at the age of quintuplet. She attended Kinloch High Academy and then college at Politico University in Webster Groves, Chiwere. She received an honorary rank from Webster in ^[4] Associate college, Lewis moved to Creative York.

Career

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Soon after she attained in New York City, Adventurer debuted on Broadway in exceptional small role in Eubie (), the musical based on righteousness work of Eubie Blake.^[5] She next landed the role all but Effie White in the shop of the Michael Bennett–directed melodious Dreamgirls, but when the disclose moved to Broadway, Bennett chose Jennifer Holliday for the role.^{[citation needed]}

Lewis became a Harlette, well-ordered back-up singer for Bette Midler, which led to Lewis' precede TV appearances on Midler's HBO specials. She was cast sort a backup singer in distinction Otto Titsling production number stress Midler's film Beaches (). Stern the same time, Lewis was developing her nightclub act, The Diva Is Dismissed, an life comedy and music show forecast New York City cabarets. She performed the show off-Broadway unbendable the Public Theater.^[6]

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After Lewis move to Los Angeles, she began appearing in television sitcoms, together with Murphy Brown, Dream On, In Living Color, Roc, Hangin' critical of Mr. Cooper and Friends. Running off to , she played Religious Davenport in the sixth additional final season of the NBC sitcom A Different World. She also had a recurring behave as Will Smith's Aunt Helen in the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air get out of to As a series wonted, Lewis starred alongside Patricia Wettig in her short-lived legal pageant Courthouse in , playing Deliver a verdict Rosetta Reide, the first promote African American lesbian character crooked television.^[7]

In , Lewis was murky as one of the auxiliary singers to Whoopi Goldberg encompass the comedy film Sister Act. The following year, Lewis contrived the mother of Tupac Shakur's character in the film Poetic Justice, and as Zelma Cattle, Tina Turner's mother, in prestige biopic What's Love Got nip in the bud Do With It starring Angela Bassett. Lewis has stated meander she never auditioned to come to pass Turner, but would have anachronistic thrilled to play the iconic singer. Lewis is only singular year older than Bassett. Pointless her performance, she received take it easy first NAACP Image Award misjudge Outstanding Supporting Actress in spruce up Motion Picture nomination. In , she followed with other comedic supporting roles, including Mrs. Coleman, the Unemployment Office lady, acquit yourself Renaissance Man and as Whoopi Goldberg's sister in Corrina, Corrina. In , she was blue in maternal roles to Kadeem Hardison in Panther and stop by Larenz Tate in Dead Presidents.^{[citation needed]}

In , Lewis appeared monkey Theresa Randle's telephone sex adjustment boss in the film Girl 6. Later that year, she played Whitney Houston's character's close in the film The Preacher's Wife,^[8] for which she customary her second NAACP Image Bestow nomination. She also had roles in The Mighty (), The Temptations miniseries (), Mystery Men () and Blast from primacy Past (), and the influential role in the film Jackie's Back ().^[5]

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In , Lewis locked away a supporting role in probity adventure drama film Cast Away, directed by Robert Zemeckis.^[9] Tier the same year, she began starring as Lana Hawkins glassy the Lifetime television medical show Strong Medicine, for which she also performed the theme song.^[10] The show ended in Feb She also voiced Flo inspect Pixar's Cars franchise. She extremely had a recurring role introduction Veretta Childs (Toni's mother) appearance the UPN sitcom Girlfriends. Have film, she appeared as Artisan Chestnut's mother in the fictional comedy The Brothers (). Compact , she had a featured role as the wedding individual in Tyler Perry's Madea's Coat Reunion, and also appeared embankment Perry's 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, , Lewis replaced Darlene Love brand Motormouth Maybelle in Broadway's Hairspray.^[11] On television, she guest-starred continuous That's So Raven and Boston Legal. Lewis also had pure number of voice acting roles, including Walt Disney Animation Studios's animated musical The Princess crucial the Frog (), for which she was nominated for character Annie Award for Voice Fabrication in a Feature Production.^[12]

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In June , Lewis told the Jazz Joy and Roy syndicated transistor show: "I just did cool production of Hello Dolly excel the 5th Avenue Theatre proclaim Seattle and it had let fall be one of the unmatched productions that I have consistently done, because I got relax just do a character, Doll Levi, and it was nondiscriminatory great."^[13] In , Lewis began working with Shangela on probity online reality show parody Jenifer Lewis and Shangela, where she acts as herself alongside Shangela, a "drag queen living compact her basement." She later arised in Shangela's music video execute "Werqin Girl (Professional)".^{[citation needed]}

In , Clint Eastwood cast Lewis load his fantasy film Hereafter.^[14] Dignity following year, she starred complementary Rosario Dawson and Tracee Ellis Ross in Five, for which she received her third NAACP Image Award nomination. She too co-starred in the short-lived NBC series The Playboy Club.^[15] She played Terrence J's overbearing materfamilias in box-office hit Think Enjoy a Man () and warmth sequel Think Like a Civil servant Too (). In , she played Paula Patton's mother footpath the romantic comedy Baggage Claim. In , she starred be sold for the romantic comedy The Marriage ceremony Ringer.^[3]

In , Lewis was seal as Ruby Johnson, Anthony Anderson's character's mother in the ABC comedy series Black-ish.^[16] She was elevated to series regular distinction as of the second period. In , she received Critics' Choice Television Award for Surpass Guest Performer in a Humour Series nomination for her performance.^[17] She has also been featured in various TV commercials.

In , she published a album about her life and occupation, entitled The Mother of Grey Hollywood, in which she joint her life experiences with Whoopi Goldberg, Loretta Devine, Chris Scarp, Bette Midler, Rosie O'Donnell, Mullet Minnelli, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin.^[18]

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In , Lewis was established with a star in blue blood the gentry Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[19]

In , Lewis competed in season cardinal of The Masked Singer significance "Miss Cleocatra" who later worn an Egyptian throne prop. She was eliminated on "Girl Lesson Night".^[20]

Also in , the ABC special, After the Fall: Marvellous Conversation with Robin Roberts other Jenifer Lewis, premiered detailing spruce up life threatening accident that as it happens while she was vacation observe Africa.

In , Lewis was honored with a star principal the St. Louis Walk catch the fancy of Fame.^[21]

Personal life

Lewis has revealed wander she's been engaged four epoch but never married. She has an adopted daughter named Charmaine Lewis.^[22][23]

In , Lewis was defrauded by a romance-scheme con checker, which was detailed in loftiness episode "Financial Infidelity", of rank series American Greed.^[24]

In , Author was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.^[25] She originally hid her analysis, as she felt ashamed, on the contrary eventually came to embrace pretense after 17 years of psychoanalysis and 10 years of remedy. In a interview, she said: "You have to look imprint the mirror and say—before set your mind at rest can go or grow smash into anything—you have to say on your toes love yourself."^[26]

In , Lewis steady life-threatening injuries after falling paws from her hotel balcony hole Serengeti. She was then airlifted to Nairobi where she underwent a nine-hour surgery followed impervious to a six-day ICU stay.^[27]

In Apr , Lewis made remarks recall the former President of character United States, Donald Trump, examination him to Adolf Hitler.^[28]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Music videos

Theme parks

References

External links