Jenifer Lewis

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

146

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

  • Friends

    Friends

  • The Daily Show

    The Daily Show

  • American Dad!

    American Dad!

  • Teen Titans Go!

    Teen Titans Go!

  • Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

    Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

  • Dancing with the Stars

    Dancing with the Stars

  • Boston Legal

    Boston Legal

  • Young Justice

    Young Justice

  • Sherri

    Sherri

  • black-ish

    black-ish

  • Girlfriends

    Girlfriends

  • Strong Medicine

    Strong Medicine

  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

    Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

  • The Boondocks

    The Boondocks

  • The Boondocks

    The Boondocks

  • Star Trek: Lower Decks

    Star Trek: Lower Decks

  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

    The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

  • Touched by an Angel

    Touched by an Angel

  • A Different World

    A Different World

  • A Different World

    A Different World

  • Stars in the House

    Stars in the House

  • Cars 2

    Cars 2

  • The Princess and the Frog

    The Princess and the Frog

  • Cars 3

    Cars 3

  • That's So Raven

    That's So Raven

  • Moesha

    Moesha

  • grown-ish

    grown-ish

  • Amphibia

    Amphibia

  • And Just Like That…

    And Just Like That…

  • Big Hero 6 The Series

    Big Hero 6 The Series

  • Cast Away

    Cast Away

  • Living Single

    Living Single

  • Cars

    Cars

  • The Ghost and Molly McGee

    The Ghost and Molly McGee

  • Monsters at Work

    Monsters at Work

  • Spellbound

    Spellbound

  • Night Court

    Night Court

  • Shark Tale

    Shark Tale

  • New York Undercover

    New York Undercover

  • RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars

    RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars

  • The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish

    The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish

  • In Living Color

    In Living Color

  • Shark

    Shark

  • GOAT

    GOAT

  • Haunted Hotel

    Haunted Hotel

  • Match Game

    Match Game

  • Mystery Men

    Mystery Men

  • Not Dead Yet

    Not Dead Yet

  • The Jamie Foxx Show

    The Jamie Foxx Show

  • Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

    Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

  • Rugrats

    Rugrats

  • Rugrats

    Rugrats

  • Dream On

    Dream On

  • To Tell the Truth

    To Tell the Truth

  • 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

  • So Help Me Todd

    So Help Me Todd

  • Sister Act

    Sister Act

  • The $100,000 Pyramid

    The $100,000 Pyramid

  • Not Easily Broken

    Not Easily Broken

  • Mickey Mouse Funhouse

    Mickey Mouse Funhouse

  • Blast from the Past

    Blast from the Past

  • Cars on the Road

    Cars on the Road

  • History of the World: Part II

    History of the World: Part II

  • Zambezia

    Zambezia

  • Beaches

    Beaches

  • The Addams Family

    The Addams Family

  • The Parent 'Hood

    The Parent 'Hood

  • The Upshaws

    The Upshaws

  • Poetic Justice

    Poetic Justice

  • Celebrity Wheel of Fortune

    Celebrity Wheel of Fortune

  • The Chris Rock Show

    The Chris Rock Show

  • Five

    Five

  • The Cookout

    The Cookout

  • Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

    Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

  • The Brothers

    The Brothers

  • Hiccups

    Hiccups

  • Promised Land

    Promised Land

  • The Wedding Ringer

    The Wedding Ringer

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

    When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren

  • Renaissance Man

    Renaissance Man

  • The PJs

    The PJs

  • Think Like a Man

    Think Like a Man

  • Juwanna Mann

    Juwanna Mann

  • Girl 6

    Girl 6

  • Shake, Rattle and Rock!

    Shake, Rattle and Rock!

  • Corrina, Corrina

    Corrina, Corrina

  • Dirty Laundry

    Dirty Laundry

  • Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

    Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

  • Day Break

    Day Break

  • Redrum

    Redrum

  • This Is Me…Now

    This Is Me…Now

  • Time of Your Life

    Time of Your Life

  • Deconstructing Sarah

    Deconstructing Sarah

  • Baggage Claim

    Baggage Claim

  • Rebel Highway

    Rebel Highway

  • The Mighty

    The Mighty

  • Panther

    Panther

  • Roc

    Roc

  • Antwone Fisher

    Antwone Fisher

  • The Preacher's Wife

    The Preacher's Wife

  • Forbidden

    Forbidden

  • The Radiator Springs 500½

    The Radiator Springs 500½

  • Undercover Blues

    Undercover Blues

  • Think Like a Man Too

    Think Like a Man Too

  • Hereafter

    Hereafter

  • Dead Presidents

    Dead Presidents

  • What's Love Got to Do with It

    What's Love Got to Do with It

  • The Playboy Club

    The Playboy Club

  • Bette

    Bette

  • I Love That for You

    I Love That for You

  • Grown Ups

    Grown Ups

  • Get Bruce!

    Get Bruce!

  • The Meteor Man

    The Meteor Man

  • Frozen Assets

    Frozen Assets

  • Meet the Browns

    Meet the Browns

  • Courthouse

    Courthouse

  • Partners

    Partners

  • Madea's Family Reunion

    Madea's Family Reunion

  • Earth to America

    Earth to America

  • The Greatest Love Story Never Told

    The Greatest Love Story Never Told

  • ADO

    ADO

  • Sunday in Paris

    Sunday in Paris

  • Who's Your Caddy?

    Who's Your Caddy?

  • Dancing in September

    Dancing in September

  • The Temptations

    The Temptations

  • Jackie's Back!

    Jackie's Back!

  • Cars Wal-Mart Exclusive Geared UP

    Cars Wal-Mart Exclusive Geared UP

  • Cars Toons

    Cars Toons

  • Nora's Hair Salon

    Nora's Hair Salon

  • An Unexpected Life

    An Unexpected Life

  • A Different World

    A Different World

  • Bette Midler: Art or Bust

    Bette Midler: Art or Bust

  • Rhona Who Lives by the River

    Rhona Who Lives by the River

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

    black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special

  • Bette Midler: No Frills

    Bette Midler: No Frills

  • Finding Kendrick Johnson

    Finding Kendrick Johnson

  • Secrets of the Magic City

    Secrets of the Magic City

  • Prop 8: The Musical

    Prop 8: The Musical

  • Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back

    Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back

  • All Boys Aren't Blue

    All Boys Aren't Blue

  • Little Richard

    Little Richard

  • Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan

    Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan

  • Jewel's Catch One

    Jewel's Catch One

  • Jenifer Lewis and Shangela

    Jenifer Lewis and Shangela

  • Rituals

    Rituals