Personal Info
Birth date
1957-01-25 (68 Years)
Gender
Female
Known for
Acting
Place of birth
Kinloch, Missouri, USA
Also known as
-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.
Filmography
The Daily Show
6.39
Overview:
The World's Fakest News Team tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and pop culture.Friends
8.429
Overview:
Six young people from New York City, on their own and struggling to survive in the real world, find the companionship, comfort and support they get from each other to be the perfect antidote to the pressures of life.American Dad!
7
Overview:
The series focuses on an eccentric motley crew that is the Smith family and their three housemates: Father, husband, and breadwinner Stan Smith; his better half housewife, Francine Smith; their college-aged daughter, Hayley Smith; and their high-school-aged son, Steve Smith. Outside of the Smith family, there are three additional main characters, including Hayley's boyfriend turned husband, Jeff Fischer; the family's man-in-a-goldfish-body pet, Klaus; and most notably the family's zany alien, Roger, who is "full of masquerades, brazenness, and shocking antics."Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
5
Overview:
Bravo network executive Andy Cohen discusses pop culture topics with celebrities and reality show personalities.Young Justice
8.398
Overview:
Teenage superheroes strive to prove themselves as members of the Justice League.Sherri
3.8
Overview:
Sherri Shepherd, actress, comic, and Emmy Award-winning longtime co-host of "The View", appears before a live audience with a daily dose of pop culture, comedy, conversations, and daytime talk staples, including celebrity and human interest interviews.Boston Legal
7.892
Overview:
Alan Shore and Denny Crane lead a brigade of high-priced civil litigators in an upscale Boston law firm in a series focusing on the professional and personal lives of brilliant but often emotionally challenged attorneys. A spin-off of long-running series The Practice.Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
6.937
Overview:
A much more lavish version of the popular Superman television series which had first aired forty years earlier, Lois & Clark focused more on the Man of Steel's early adult years in Metropolis. With the unknowing help of Lois Lane, Clark Kent created Superman there in Metropolis after finding work at the world-famous Daily Planet newspaper, where he meets fellow reporter Lois Lane.The Boondocks
8.159
Overview:
When Robert “Granddad” Freeman becomes legal guardian to his two grandsons, he moves from the tough south side of Chicago to the upscale neighborhood of Woodcrest (a.k.a. "The Boondocks") so he can enjoy his golden years in safety and comfort. But with Huey, a 10-year-old leftist revolutionary, and his eight-year-old misfit brother, Riley, suburbia is about to be shaken up.Strong Medicine
7.1
Overview:
The lives of staff in the womens' health clinic of a fictitious hospital in Philadelphia.black-ish
7.163
Overview:
A family man struggles to gain a sense of cultural identity while raising his kids in a predominantly white, upper-middle-class neighborhood.Cars 2
6.158
Overview:
Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.Cars 3
6.9
Overview:
Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician with her own plan to win, inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet, and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn't through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage!Touched by an Angel
7.2
Overview:
Monica, an angel, is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives.Girlfriends
7.3
Overview:
The series revolves around the friendship of four African-American women in different phases of their lives. They explore the many trials and tribulations that most women face today such as relationships, family, friends and other current issues that will interest most women. Whether it’s getting over a divorce, finding a career, or looking for true love, Girlfriends delivers along with comedy and wit.Star Trek: Lower Decks
7.6
Overview:
The lives of the support crew serving on one of Starfleet's least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.A Different World
7
Overview:
A Different World is a spin-off series from The Cosby Show and originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional mixed but historically black college in the state of Virginia. After Bonet's departure in the first season, the remainder of the series primarily focused more on Southern belle Whitley Gilbert and mathematics whiz Dwayne Wayne. The series frequently depicted members of the major historically black fraternities and sororities.Cars
7
Overview:
Lightning McQueen, a hotshot rookie race car driven to succeed, discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. On route across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the town's offbeat characters.Amphibia
8.6
Overview:
The adventures of 13-year-old, self-centered Anne Boonchuy who is magically transported to the fictitious world of Amphibia, a rural marshland full of frog-people. With the help of an excitable young frog named Sprig, Anne will become a hero and discover the first true friendship of her life.The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
7.923
Overview:
Will, a street-smart teenager, moves from the tough streets of West Philly to posh Bel-Air to live with his Uncle Philip, Aunt Vivian, his cousins — spoiled Hilary, preppy Carlton and young Ashley — and their sophisticated British butler, Geoffrey. Though Will’s antics and upbringing contrast greatly with the upper-class lifestyle of his extended relatives, he soon finds himself right at home as a loved part of the family.That's So Raven
7.2
Overview:
No ordinary teenager; Raven Baxter can see glimpses of the future! Watch her schemes and misadventures as she enlists the help of friends, including best friends Eddie and Chelsea, to change life's little outcomes. Raven's younger brother, Cory, is obsessed with money and creates get-rich-quick schemes to try to earn cash.The Princess and the Frog
7.2
Overview:
A waitress, desperate to fulfill her dreams as a restaurant owner, is set on a journey to turn a frog prince back into a human being, but she has to face the same problem after she kisses him.Living Single
8.4
Overview:
Living Single is an American television sitcom that aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone. Throughout its run, Living Single became one of the most popular African-American sitcoms of its era, ranking among the top five in African-American ratings in all five seasons. The series was produced by Yvette Lee Bowser's company, Sister Lee, in association with Warner Bros. Television. In contrast to the popularity of NBC's "Must See TV" on Thursday nights in the 1990s, many African American and Latino viewers flocked to Fox's Thursday night line-up of Martin, Living Single, and New York Undercover. In fact, these were the three highest-rated series among black households for the 1996–1997 season.grown-ish
8
Overview:
Zoey Johnson heads to college and begins her hilarious journey to adulthood but quickly discovers that not everything goes her way once she leaves the nest.Stars in the House
NYR
Overview:
In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic and theatres across the world closing their curtains indefinitely, SiriusXM host Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley have created Stars in the House, a daily live streamed series to support The Actors Fund and its services.Big Hero 6 The Series
7.6
Overview:
Picking up immediately following the events in the feature film, these are the continuing adventures and friendship of 14-year-old tech genius Hiro and his compassionate, cutting-edge robot Baymax. As the new prodigy at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, Hiro now faces daunting academic challenges and the social trials of being the little man on campus. Off campus, the stakes are raised for the high-tech heroes as they must protect their city from an array of scientifically enhanced villains.The Meteor Man
5.8
Overview:
One night Jefferson Reed gets hit in the chest by a souped-up chunk of meteor. So he can fly, but he's scared of heights. He can master the information in any book ... for about thirty seconds. Now his friends and family want him to protect their community from the dreaded Golden Lords.Moesha
7
Overview:
The everyday life of Moesha Mitchell, a vivacious young woman juggling romance, school, ever-changing family dynamics, and friendships.Acting
TBARhona Who Lives by the River (1 Episode) as Missy
2026GOAT as Florence Everson (voice)
2025ADO as Ms. Hopkins
2024Spellbound as Nazara (voice)
2024The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish (1 Episode) as Mother Nature (voice)
2024The Greatest Love Story Never Told as Self
2024This Is Me…Now as Gemini
2023History of the World: Part II (1 Episode) as Grandma
2023Not Dead Yet (2 Episodes) as Donna
2023Night Court (1 Episode) as Erika
2022So Help Me Todd (1 Episode) as Jacqueline Burton
2022Sherri (1 Episode) as Self - Guest
2022Cars on the Road (1 Episode) as Flo (voice)
2022I Love That for You (8 Episodes) as Patricia Cochran
2022black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special as Self
2021And Just Like That… (1 Episode) as Lucille Highwater
2021The Ghost and Molly McGee (7 Episodes) as Patty (voice)
2021Mickey Mouse Funhouse (1 Episode) as Wheezelene (voice)
2021All Boys Aren't Blue as Unknown
2021Finding Kendrick Johnson as Narrator (voice)
2021Monsters at Work (5 Episodes) as Grandma Tuskmon (voice)
2021Rugrats (1, 1 Episode) as Ms. Marjorie / Narrator (voice), Ms. Marjorie (voice)
2021The Upshaws (3 Episodes) as Dr. Pearl Edmunds
2021Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (1 Episode) as Self - Contestant
2020Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square as Margeline
2020Star Trek: Lower Decks (1 Episode) as Bartender (voice)
2020Stars in the House (1 Episode) as Self - Special Guest
2019Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back as Self (archive footage)
2019The Addams Family as Great Auntie Sloom (Voice)
2019Amphibia (1 Episode) as Mama Hasselback (voice)
2018Forbidden as Unknown
2018grown-ish (2 Episodes) as Ruby Johnson
2017Big Hero 6 The Series (1 Episode) as Professor Granville (voice)
2017Cars 3 as Flo (voice)
2017Jewel's Catch One as Self
2016The $100,000 Pyramid (1 Episode) as Self
2016Match Game (1 Episode) as Self - Panelist
2016To Tell the Truth (1 Episode) as Self - Panelist
2015Secrets of the Magic City as Aunt Valerie
2015The Wedding Ringer as Doris Jenkins
2014black-ish (159 Episodes) as Ruby Johnson
2014Think Like a Man Too as Loretta
2014The Radiator Springs 500½ as Flo (voice)
2013Baggage Claim as Catherine Moore
2013Hiccups as Flo (voice)
2012RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (1 Episode) as Self - Guest Judge
2012Jenifer Lewis and Shangela (4 Episodes) as Jenifer Lewis
2012Zambezia as Gogo (voice)
2012Think Like a Man as Loretta Hanover
2011Five as Maggie
2011The Playboy Club (3 Episodes) as Pearl
2011Cars 2 as Flo (voice)
2011When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren as Retirement Home Waitress (uncredited)
2010Young Justice (1 Episode) as Olympia Savage (voice)
2010Hereafter as Candace
2009The Princess and the Frog as Mama Odie (voice)
2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (1 Episode) as Self - Guest
2009Not Easily Broken as Mary 'Mama' Clark
2008Prop 8: The Musical as Riffing Prop 8'er
2008Meet the Browns as Vera
2007Redrum as Therapist
2007Who's Your Caddy? as C-Note's Mom
2006Day Break (1 Episode) as Unknown
2006Cars Wal-Mart Exclusive Geared UP as Unknown
2006Shark (1 Episode) as Unknown
2006Dirty Laundry as Aunt Lettuce
2006Cars as Flo (voice)
2006Madea's Family Reunion as Milay Jenay Lori
2005Earth to America as Self
2005The Boondocks (1, 1 Episode) as Boss Willona (voice), Geraldine (voice)
2005American Dad! (1 Episode) as Lessie (voice)
2004Boston Legal (2 Episodes) as Judge Isabel Fisher
2004Shark Tale as Motown Turtle (voice)
2004The Cookout as Lady Em
2004Nora's Hair Salon as Nora
2003That's So Raven (1 Episode) as Vivian
2002Juwanna Mann as Aunt Ruby
2001The Brothers as Louise Smith
2001Dancing in September as Judge Warner
2000Cast Away as Becca Twig
2000Bette (1 Episode) as Unknown
2000Girlfriends (8 Episodes) as Veretta Childs
2000Strong Medicine (132 Episodes) as Lana Hawkins
2000Partners as Detective Lancy
2000Little Richard as Muh Penniman
1999Time of Your Life (1 Episode) as Unknown
1999Mystery Men as Lucille
1999Grown Ups (1 Episode) as Unknown
1999Jackie's Back! as Jackie Washington
1999Blast from the Past as Dr. Aron
1999The PJs (43 Episodes) as Bebe Ho (voice)
1999Get Bruce! as Self
1998The Temptations (2 Episodes) as Mama Rose
1998An Unexpected Life as Camille
1998The Mighty as Mrs. Addison
1997The Chris Rock Show (1 Episode) as Self
1996The Preacher's Wife as Margueritte Coleman
1996Promised Land (1 Episode) as Queenie
1996The Jamie Foxx Show (1 Episode) as Josie
1996The Daily Show (1 Episode) as Unknown
1996Girl 6 as Boss #1 - Lil
1996Moesha (1 Episode) as Unknown
1995Dead Presidents as Mrs. Curtis
1995Courthouse (11 Episodes) as Judge Rosetta Reide
1995Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan as Denice Cooper
1995Panther as Rita
1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1, 1 Episode) as Female Black Widow Spider (voice), Hazel (voice)
1995The Parent 'Hood (1 Episode) as Unknown
1994Deconstructing Sarah as Betty
1994Friends (1 Episode) as Paula
1994Touched by an Angel (1 Episode) as Queenie
1994New York Undercover (1 Episode) as Unknown
1994Shake, Rattle and Rock! as Amanda
1994Corrina, Corrina as Jevina
1994Rebel Highway (10 Episodes) as Amanda
1994Renaissance Man as Mrs. Coleman
1993Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit as Vegas Backup Singer #1
1993Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1 Episode) as Unknown
1993Undercover Blues as Cab Driver
1993Living Single (1 Episode) as Unknown
1993The Meteor Man as Mrs. Williams
1993Poetic Justice as Annie
1993What's Love Got to Do with It as Zelma Bullock
1992Frozen Assets as Jomisha
1992Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (3 Episodes) as Georgia Rodman
1992Sister Act as Michelle
1991Roc (1 Episode) as Charlaine
1991Sunday in Paris as Taylor Chase
1990The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (8 Episodes) as Aunt Helen
1990Dream On (1 Episode) as Carolyn
1990In Living Color (1 Episode) as Unknown
1988Beaches as Diva
1987A Different World as Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport
1987A Different World (1, 8 Episode) as Susan Clayton, Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport
1984Bette Midler: Art or Bust as Self - Harlette
1983Bette Midler: No Frills as Herself
Crew
2013LaQuifa is Halleloosin' It! ... Thanks
Sound
2012Jenifer Lewis and Shangela (4 Episodes) ... Theme Song Performance
Production
2012Jenifer Lewis and Shangela (4 Episodes) ... Producer
1999Jackie's Back! ... Co-Producer
Creator
2012Jenifer Lewis and Shangela ... Creator