Jenifer Lewis
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 Acting
Most Rating 13.147
Birthday 1957-01-25
Place of Birth Kinloch, Missouri, USA
Also Known As
Cars
2006

Cars

Prop 8: The Musical
2008

Prop 8: The Musical

The Princess and the Frog
2009

The Princess and the Frog

Beaches
1988

Beaches

Sister Act
1992

Sister Act

The Brothers
2001

The Brothers

The Preacher's Wife
1996

The Preacher's Wife

The Mighty
1998

The Mighty

Mystery Men
1999

Mystery Men

Dirty Laundry
2006

Dirty Laundry

Panther
1995

Panther

Jackie's Back!
1999

Jackie's Back!

Not Easily Broken
2009

Not Easily Broken

Madea's Family Reunion
2006

Madea's Family Reunion

The Cookout
2004

The Cookout

Get Bruce!
1999

Get Bruce!

Think Like a Man
2012

Think Like a Man

Nora's Hair Salon
2004

Nora's Hair Salon

Meet the Browns
2008

Meet the Browns

Shark Tale
2004

Shark Tale

When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal and Helen Mirren
2011

When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal and Helen Mirren

black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special
2022

black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special

Think Like a Man Too
2014

Think Like a Man Too

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
1993

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

Partners
2000

Partners

Deconstructing Sarah
1994

Deconstructing Sarah

The Wedding Ringer
2015

The Wedding Ringer

Baggage Claim
2013

Baggage Claim

Spellbound
2024

Spellbound

Dancing in September
2001

Dancing in September

Undercover Blues
1993

Undercover Blues

Zambezia
2012

Zambezia

Bette Midler: No Frills
1983

Bette Midler: No Frills

The Temptations Le film de leur ascension vers la gloire

The Temptations Le film de leur ascension vers la gloire

An Unexpected Life
1998

An Unexpected Life

Shake, Rattle and Rock!
1994

Shake, Rattle and Rock!

Earth to America
2005

Earth to America

This Is Me…Now
2024

This Is Me…Now

Cars 2
2011

Cars 2

The Greatest Love Story Never Told
2024

The Greatest Love Story Never Told

Finding Kendrick Johnson
2021

Finding Kendrick Johnson

Cars Wal-Mart Exclusive Geared UP
2006

Cars Wal-Mart Exclusive Geared UP

What's Love Got to Do with It
1993

What's Love Got to Do with It

Five
2011

Five

Frozen Assets
1992

Frozen Assets

Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan
1995

Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan

Juwanna Mann
2002

Juwanna Mann

Cars 3
2017

Cars 3

Blast from the Past
1999

Blast from the Past

Bette Midler: Art or Bust
1984

Bette Midler: Art or Bust

Hereafter
2010

Hereafter

Little Richard
2000

Little Richard

Hiccups
2013

Hiccups

The Radiator Springs 500½
2014

The Radiator Springs 500½

Jewel's Catch One
2017

Jewel's Catch One

Forbidden
2018

Forbidden

Girl 6
1996

Girl 6

Sunday in Paris
1991

Sunday in Paris

Corrina, Corrina
1994

Corrina, Corrina

The Addams Family
2019

The Addams Family

Cast Away
2000

Cast Away

Dead Presidents
1995

Dead Presidents

Secrets of the Magic City
2015

Secrets of the Magic City

Who's Your Caddy?
2007

Who's Your Caddy?

Redrum
2007

Redrum

Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square
2020

Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

Renaissance Man
1994

Renaissance Man

All Boys Aren't Blue
2021

All Boys Aren't Blue

Poetic Justice
1993

Poetic Justice

The Meteor Man
1993

The Meteor Man

Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
2019

Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back

Sister Act 3: Kicking the Habit

Sister Act 3: Kicking the Habit