Jenifer Lewis
Born: 1957-01-25 in Kinloch, Missouri, USA
Known For: Acting
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.
Filmography
2026
- GOAT as Flo Everson (voice)
2025
- Haunted Hotel as Additional Voices (voice)
- Ado as Ms. Hopkins
- Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Disneyland Resort as Mama Odie (Voice)
2024
- The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish as Mother Nature (voice)
- Spellbound as Nazara (voice)
- This Is Me…Now as Gemini
- The Greatest Love Story Never Told as Self
2023
- History of the World: Part II as Grandma
- Night Court as Erika
- Not Dead Yet as Donna
- Commitment to Life as Self (archive footage)
2022
- The Jennifer Hudson Show as Self - Guest
- Sherri as Self - Guest
- So Help Me Todd as Jacqueline Burton
- Cars on the Road as Flo (voice)
- I Love That for You as Patricia Cochran
- black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special as Self
2021
- And Just Like That… as Lucille Highwater
- Monsters at Work as Grandma Tuskmon (voice)
- The Ghost and Molly McGee as Patty (voice)
- The Upshaws as Dr. Pearl Edmunds
- Mickey Mouse Funhouse as Wheezelene (voice)
- Rugrats as Ms. Marjorie / Narrator (voice)
- Celebrity Wheel of Fortune as Self - Contestant
- Finding Kendrick Johnson as Narrator (voice)
- All Boys Aren't Blue
2020
- Star Trek: Lower Decks as Bartender (voice)
- Stars in the House as Self - Special Guest
- Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square as Margeline
2019
- Amphibia as Mama Hasselback (voice)
- The Addams Family as Great Auntie Sloom (Voice)
- Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back as Self (archive footage)
2017
- Cars 3 as Flo (voice)
- Big Hero 6 The Series as Professor Granville (voice)
- Jewel's Catch One as Self
2016
- Match Game as Self - Panelist
- The $100,000 Pyramid as Self
- To Tell the Truth as Self - Panelist
2015
- The Wedding Ringer as Doris Jenkins
- Secrets of the Magic City as Aunt Valerie
2014
- black-ish as Ruby Johnson
- Think Like a Man Too as Loretta
- The Radiator Springs 500½ as Flo (voice)
2013
- Teen Titans Go! as Microwavabelle (voice)
- Baggage Claim as Catherine Moore
- Hiccups as Flo (voice)
- LaQuifa is Halleloosin' It! ... (Thanks)
2012
- RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as Self - Guest Judge
- Zambezia as Gogo (voice)
- Think Like a Man as Loretta Hanover
- Jenifer Lewis and Shangela as Jenifer Lewis
2011
- Cars 2 as Flo (voice)
- The Playboy Club as Pearl
- Five as Maggie
- When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren as Retirement Home Waitress (uncredited)
2010
- Young Justice as Olympia Savage (voice)
- Hereafter as Candace
2009
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- The Princess and the Frog as Mama Odie (voice)
- Not Easily Broken as Mary 'Mama' Clark
2008
- Meet the Browns as Vera
- Prop 8: The Musical as Riffing Prop 8'er
2007
- Who's Your Caddy? as C-Note's Mom
- Redrum as Therapist
2006
- Cars as Flo (voice)
- Shark as Ellie Broussard
- Day Break as Elizabeth Hopper
- Madea's Family Reunion as Milay Jenay Lori
- Geared-Up
- Dirty Laundry as Aunt Lettuce
2005
- American Dad! as Lessie (voice)
- Dancing with the Stars as Self - Musical Guest
- The Boondocks as Boss Willona (voice)
- Earth to America as Self
2004
- Boston Legal as Judge Isabel Fisher
- Shark Tale as Motown Turtle (voice)
- The Cookout as Lady Em
- Nora's Hair Salon as Nora
2003
- That's So Raven as Vivian
2002
- Antwone Fisher as Aunt Mary Williams (uncredited)
- Juwanna Mann as Aunt Ruby
2001
- The Brothers as Louise Smith
- Dancing in September as Judge Warner
2000
- Strong Medicine as Lana Hawkins
- Girlfriends as Veretta Childs
- Cast Away as Becca Twig
- Bette
- Partners as Detective Lancy
- Little Richard as Muh Penniman
1999
- The PJs as Bebe Ho (voice)
- Blast from the Past as Dr. Aron
- Mystery Men as Lucille
- Time of Your Life
- Grown Ups as Kathy
- Jackie's Back! as Jackie Washington
- Get Bruce! as Self
1998
- The Temptations as Mama Rose
- The Mighty as Mrs. Addison
- An Unexpected Life as Camille
- Rituals as Carmen
1997
- The Chris Rock Show as Self
1996
- The Daily Show
- Moesha as Mrs. Biggs
- The Jamie Foxx Show as Josie
- Promised Land as Queenie
- The Preacher's Wife as Margueritte Coleman
- Girl 6 as Boss #1 - Lil
1995
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child as Female Black Widow Spider (voice)
- The Parent 'Hood
- Dead Presidents as Mrs. Curtis
- Courthouse as Judge Rosetta Reide
- Panther as Rita
- Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan as Denice Cooper
1994
- Friends as Paula
- Touched by an Angel as Queenie
- New York Undercover
- Rebel Highway as Amanda Baldwin Cooper
- Corrina, Corrina as Jevina
- Renaissance Man as Mrs. Coleman
- Shake, Rattle and Rock! as Amanda
- Deconstructing Sarah as Betty
1993
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman as Mystique
- Living Single
- What's Love Got to Do with It as Zelma Bullock
- Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit as Vegas Backup Singer #1
- Poetic Justice as Annie
- The Meteor Man as Mrs. Williams
- Undercover Blues as Cab Driver
1992
- Hangin' with Mr. Cooper as Georgia Rodman
- Sister Act as Michelle
- Frozen Assets as Jomisha
1991
- Roc as Charlaine
- Sunday in Paris as Taylor Chase
1990
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Aunt Helen
- In Living Color
- Dream On as Carolyn
1988
- Beaches as Diva
1987
- A Different World as Susan Clayton
1984
- Bette Midler: Art or Bust as Self - Harlette
1983
- Bette Midler: No Frills as Herself