Jenifer Lewis

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

143

Gender

Female

Birthday

1957-01-25 (68 years old)

Place of Birth

Kinloch, Missouri, USA

Jenifer Lewis

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.

Known For

  • The Daily Show

    The Daily Show

  • American Dad!

    American Dad!

  • Friends

    Friends

  • Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

    Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

  • Young Justice

    Young Justice

  • Boston Legal

    Boston Legal

  • Sherri

    Sherri

  • Touched by an Angel

    Touched by an Angel

  • Strong Medicine

    Strong Medicine

  • The Boondocks

    The Boondocks

  • The Boondocks

    The Boondocks

  • Girlfriends

    Girlfriends

  • black-ish

    black-ish

  • The Princess and the Frog

    The Princess and the Frog

  • A Different World

    A Different World

  • A Different World

    A Different World

  • Star Trek: Lower Decks

    Star Trek: Lower Decks

  • Big Hero 6 The Series

    Big Hero 6 The Series

  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

    Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

    The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

  • Haunted Hotel

    Haunted Hotel

  • Cars 3

    Cars 3

  • Stars in the House

    Stars in the House

  • Cars 2

    Cars 2

  • Amphibia

    Amphibia

  • grown-ish

    grown-ish

  • The Jamie Foxx Show

    The Jamie Foxx Show

  • Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

    Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

  • Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

    Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

  • And Just Like That…

    And Just Like That…

  • New York Undercover

    New York Undercover

  • That's So Raven

    That's So Raven

  • Dream On

    Dream On

  • Shark Tale

    Shark Tale

  • Rugrats

    Rugrats

  • Rugrats

    Rugrats

  • Moesha

    Moesha

  • Living Single

    Living Single

  • So Help Me Todd

    So Help Me Todd

  • Cars

    Cars

  • Monsters at Work

    Monsters at Work

  • RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars

    RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars

  • Shark

    Shark

  • The Ghost and Molly McGee

    The Ghost and Molly McGee

  • Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

    Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

  • The Addams Family

    The Addams Family

  • Match Game

    Match Game

  • In Living Color

    In Living Color

  • To Tell the Truth

    To Tell the Truth

  • Night Court

    Night Court

  • The Parent 'Hood

    The Parent 'Hood

  • The Upshaws

    The Upshaws

  • Spellbound

    Spellbound

  • Roc

    Roc

  • Celebrity Wheel of Fortune

    Celebrity Wheel of Fortune

  • Not Easily Broken

    Not Easily Broken

  • Mickey Mouse Funhouse

    Mickey Mouse Funhouse

  • History of the World: Part II

    History of the World: Part II

  • The $100,000 Pyramid

    The $100,000 Pyramid

  • The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish

    The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish

  • Cast Away

    Cast Away

  • The Meteor Man

    The Meteor Man

  • Blast from the Past

    Blast from the Past

  • Think Like a Man Too

    Think Like a Man Too

  • Not Dead Yet

    Not Dead Yet

  • Promised Land

    Promised Land

  • Meet the Browns

    Meet the Browns

  • Cars on the Road

    Cars on the Road

  • The Chris Rock Show

    The Chris Rock Show

  • Time of Your Life

    Time of Your Life

  • GOAT

    GOAT

  • The PJs

    The PJs

  • The Radiator Springs 500½

    The Radiator Springs 500½

  • This Is Me…Now

    This Is Me…Now

  • Think Like a Man

    Think Like a Man

  • Renaissance Man

    Renaissance Man

  • Zambezia

    Zambezia

  • Corrina, Corrina

    Corrina, Corrina

  • Grown Ups

    Grown Ups

  • Poetic Justice

    Poetic Justice

  • Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back

    Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back

  • Day Break

    Day Break

  • Sister Act

    Sister Act

  • Hiccups

    Hiccups

  • The Cookout

    The Cookout

  • Rebel Highway

    Rebel Highway

  • Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

    Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

  • Earth to America

    Earth to America

  • The Greatest Love Story Never Told

    The Greatest Love Story Never Told

  • Jackie's Back!

    Jackie's Back!

  • Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

    Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

  • Bette

    Bette

  • Juwanna Mann

    Juwanna Mann

  • An Unexpected Life

    An Unexpected Life

  • The Mighty

    The Mighty

  • The Wedding Ringer

    The Wedding Ringer

  • A Different World

    A Different World

  • I Love That for You

    I Love That for You

  • Mystery Men

    Mystery Men

  • Undercover Blues

    Undercover Blues

  • What's Love Got to Do with It

    What's Love Got to Do with It

  • Madea's Family Reunion

    Madea's Family Reunion

  • Baggage Claim

    Baggage Claim

  • Sunday in Paris

    Sunday in Paris

  • Deconstructing Sarah

    Deconstructing Sarah

  • Beaches

    Beaches

  • The Playboy Club

    The Playboy Club

  • Hereafter

    Hereafter

  • When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren

    When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren

  • The Brothers

    The Brothers

  • Courthouse

    Courthouse

  • Five

    Five

  • Panther

    Panther

  • Who's Your Caddy?

    Who's Your Caddy?

  • Shake, Rattle and Rock!

    Shake, Rattle and Rock!

  • ADO

    ADO

  • Dead Presidents

    Dead Presidents

  • Cars Wal-Mart Exclusive Geared UP

    Cars Wal-Mart Exclusive Geared UP

  • The Temptations

    The Temptations

  • Dancing in September

    Dancing in September

  • Rhona Who Lives by the River

    Rhona Who Lives by the River

  • Redrum

    Redrum

  • Get Bruce!

    Get Bruce!

  • Frozen Assets

    Frozen Assets

  • Dirty Laundry

    Dirty Laundry

  • The Preacher's Wife

    The Preacher's Wife

  • Forbidden

    Forbidden

  • Partners

    Partners

  • Jenifer Lewis and Shangela

    Jenifer Lewis and Shangela

  • Little Richard

    Little Richard

  • Girl 6

    Girl 6

  • black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special

    black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special

  • Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Disneyland Resort

    Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Disneyland Resort

  • Nora's Hair Salon

    Nora's Hair Salon

  • Bette Midler: Art or Bust

    Bette Midler: Art or Bust

  • Secrets of the Magic City

    Secrets of the Magic City

  • Finding Kendrick Johnson

    Finding Kendrick Johnson

  • Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan

    Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan

  • Bette Midler: No Frills

    Bette Midler: No Frills

  • Rituals

    Rituals

  • Prop 8: The Musical

    Prop 8: The Musical

  • Jewel's Catch One

    Jewel's Catch One

  • All Boys Aren't Blue

    All Boys Aren't Blue