Jenifer Lewis
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
Credits
- 2026 · GOAT as Florence Everson (voice)
- 2024 · This Is Me…Now as Gemini
- 2020 · Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square as Margeline
- 2015 · The Wedding Ringer as Doris Jenkins
- 2014 · Think Like a Man Too as Loretta
- 2014 · The Radiator Springs 500½ as Flo (voice)
- 2013 · Baggage Claim as Catherine Moore
- 2012 · Zambezia as Gogo (voice)
- 2012 · Think Like a Man as Loretta Hanover
- 2011 · Five as Maggie
- 2010 · Hereafter as Candace
- 2008 · Meet the Browns as Vera
- 2007 · Who's Your Caddy? as C-Note's Mom
- 2006 · Madea's Family Reunion as Milay Jenay Lori
- 2005 · Earth to America as Self
- 2004 · The Cookout as Lady Em
- 2002 · Juwanna Mann as Aunt Ruby
- 2001 · The Brothers as Louise Smith
- 2000 · Bette as
- 1999 · Mystery Men as Lucille
- 1999 · Blast from the Past as Dr. Aron
- 1998 · The Mighty as Mrs. Addison
- 1996 · The Preacher's Wife as Margueritte Coleman
- 1996 · Girl 6 as Boss #1 - Lil
- 1995 · Dead Presidents as Mrs. Curtis
- 1995 · Courthouse as Judge Rosetta Reide
- 1995 · The Parent 'Hood as
- 1994 · Corrina, Corrina as Jevina
- 1994 · Renaissance Man as Mrs. Coleman
- 1993 · Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit as Vegas Backup Singer #1
- 1993 · Undercover Blues as Cab Driver
- 1993 · The Meteor Man as Mrs. Williams
- 1993 · Poetic Justice as Annie
- 1993 · What's Love Got to Do with It as Zelma Bullock
- 1991 · Roc as Charlaine
- 1990 · Dream On as Carolyn
- 1988 · Beaches as Diva
- Future · Rhona Who Lives by the River as Missy
- 2025 · ADO as Ms. Hopkins
- 2024 · Spellbound as Nazara (voice)
- 2024 · The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish as Mother Nature (voice)
- 2024 · The Greatest Love Story Never Told as Self
- 2023 · History of the World: Part II as Grandma
- 2023 · Not Dead Yet as Donna
- 2023 · Night Court as Erika
- 2022 · So Help Me Todd as Jacqueline Burton
- 2022 · Sherri as Self - Guest
- 2022 · Cars on the Road as Flo (voice)
- 2022 · I Love That for You as Patricia Cochran
- 2022 · black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special as Self
- 2021 · The Ghost and Molly McGee as Patty (voice)
- 2021 · Mickey Mouse Funhouse as Wheezelene (voice)
- 2021 · All Boys Aren't Blue as
- 2021 · Finding Kendrick Johnson as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · Monsters at Work as Grandma Tuskmon (voice)
- 2021 · Rugrats as Ms. Marjorie / Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · Rugrats as Ms. Marjorie (voice)
- 2021 · The Upshaws as Dr. Pearl Edmunds
- 2021 · Celebrity Wheel of Fortune as Self - Contestant
- 2020 · Star Trek: Lower Decks as Bartender (voice)
- 2020 · Stars in the House as Self - Special Guest
- 2019 · Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back as Self (archive footage)
- 2019 · The Addams Family as Great Auntie Sloom (Voice)
- 2019 · Amphibia as Mama Hasselback (voice)
- 2018 · Forbidden as
- 2018 · grown-ish as Ruby Johnson
- 2017 · Big Hero 6 The Series as Professor Granville (voice)
- 2017 · Cars 3 as Flo (voice)
- 2017 · Jewel's Catch One as Self
- 2016 · The $100,000 Pyramid as Self
- 2016 · Match Game as Self - Panelist
- 2016 · To Tell the Truth as Self - Panelist
- 2015 · Secrets of the Magic City as Aunt Valerie
- 2014 · black-ish as Ruby Johnson
- 2013 · Hiccups as Flo (voice)
- 2012 · RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as Self - Guest Judge
- 2012 · Jenifer Lewis and Shangela as Jenifer Lewis
- 2011 · The Playboy Club as Pearl
- 2011 · Cars 2 as Flo (voice)
- 2011 · When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren as Retirement Home Waitress (uncredited)
- 2010 · Young Justice as Olympia Savage (voice)
- 2009 · The Princess and the Frog as Mama Odie (voice)
- 2009 · Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- 2009 · Not Easily Broken as Mary 'Mama' Clark
- 2008 · Prop 8: The Musical as Riffing Prop 8'er
- 2007 · Redrum as Therapist
- 2006 · Day Break as
- 2006 · Cars Wal-Mart Exclusive Geared UP as
- 2006 · Shark as
- 2006 · Dirty Laundry as Aunt Lettuce
- 2006 · Cars as Flo (voice)
- 2005 · The Boondocks as Boss Willona (voice)
- 2005 · The Boondocks as Geraldine (voice)
- 2005 · American Dad! as Lessie (voice)
- 2004 · Boston Legal as Judge Isabel Fisher
- 2004 · Shark Tale as Motown Turtle (voice)
- 2004 · Nora's Hair Salon as Nora
- 2003 · That's So Raven as Vivian
- 2001 · Dancing in September as Judge Warner
- 2000 · Cast Away as Becca Twig
- 2000 · Girlfriends as
- 2000 · Strong Medicine as Lana Hawkins
- 2000 · Partners as Detective Lancy
- 2000 · Little Richard as Muh Penniman
- 1999 · Time of Your Life as
- 1999 · Grown Ups as
- 1999 · Jackie's Back! as Jackie Washington
- 1999 · The PJs as Bebe Ho (voice)
- 1999 · Get Bruce! as Self
- 1998 · The Temptations as Mama Rose
- 1998 · An Unexpected Life as Camille
- 1997 · The Chris Rock Show as Self
- 1996 · Promised Land as Queenie
- 1996 · The Jamie Foxx Show as Josie
- 1996 · The Daily Show as
- 1996 · Moesha as
- 1995 · Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan as Denice Cooper
- 1995 · Panther as Rita
- 1995 · Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child as Female Black Widow Spider (voice)
- 1995 · Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child as Hazel (voice)
- 1994 · Deconstructing Sarah as Betty
- 1994 · Friends as Paula
- 1994 · Touched by an Angel as Queenie
- 1994 · New York Undercover as
- 1994 · Shake, Rattle and Rock! as Amanda
- 1994 · Rebel Highway as Amanda
- 1993 · Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman as
- 1993 · Living Single as
- 1992 · Frozen Assets as Jomisha
- 1992 · Hangin' with Mr. Cooper as Georgia Rodman
- 1992 · Sister Act as Michelle
- 1991 · Sunday in Paris as Taylor Chase
- 1990 · The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Aunt Helen
- 1990 · In Living Color as
- 1987 · A Different World as Susan Clayton
- 1987 · A Different World as Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport
- 1987 · A Different World as Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport
- 1984 · Bette Midler: Art or Bust as Self - Harlette
- 1983 · Bette Midler: No Frills as Herself