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Jenifer Lewis

Highest Rated: 100% Finding Kendrick Johnson (2021)

Lowest Rated: 5% The Cookout (2004)

Birthday: Jan 25, 1957

Birthplace: Kinloch, Missouri, USA

Nicknamed the Black Mother of Hollywood, Jenifer Lewis played dozens of maternal figures during a prolific screen career, most notably Zelma Bullock in Tina Turner biopic "What's Love Got to Do With It" (1993) and Ruby Johnson in socially-conscious sitcom "Black-ish" (ABC, 2014-). Born in St. Louis, MO in 1957, Lewis studied theatre at Webster University before moving to New York to pursue a performing career. After making her Broadway debut in "Eabie," she was invited to join Bette Midler's backing band, The Staggering Harlettes, who performed with the star on various HBO specials and in "Beaches" (1988). Switching her focus to acting, Lewis played a judge in "Red Heat" (1988), back-up singer in "Sister Act" (1992) and college dean in "A Different World" (NBC, 1987-1993), and in 1991 joined "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" cast (NBC, 1990-96) as Aunt Helen. Her breakthrough came when she portrayed Tina Turner's real-life mother in "What's Love Got to Do With It" (1993). Lewis subsequently played maternal figures in "Poetic Justice" (1993), "The Meteor Man" (1993), "Panther" (1995), "Dead Presidents" (1995) and "The Preacher's Wife" (1996), but proved there was more to her talents when she became the first actress to play an African-American lesbian character in legal drama "Courthouse" (CBS, 1995). There were also memorable supporting roles as Whoopi Goldberg's sister in "Corrina, Corrina" (1994), sex line boss Lil in "Girl 6" (1996) and school principal Mrs. Addison in "The Mighty" (1998). After adding "An Unexpected Life" (1998), "Blast from the Past" (1999) and "Mystery Men" (1999) to her credits, she enjoyed a rare leading role in "Jackie's Back" (1999), a mockumentary about an aging soul diva's comeback attempt, played Tom Hanks' boss in "Cast Away" (2000) and voiced Bebe Ho in "The PJs" (Fox, 1999-2002). She landed her longest-recurring role when she was cast as receptionist Lana Hawkins in "Strong Medicine" (Lifetime, 2000-06). During her six-year stint on the medical drama she also performed the theme tune to, Lewis returned to motherly roles in "Little Richard" (2000), "The Brothers" (2001) and "Girlfriends" (UPN, 2002-08), and played aunts in "Juwanna Mann" (2002), "Antwone Fisher" (2002) and "Dirty Laundry" (2006). She also assumed the titular role in "Nora's Hair Salon" (2004) and voiced the Motown Turtle in "Shark Tale" and Flo in "Cars" (2006). Lewis then showed up in Tyler Perry's "Madea's Family Reunion" (2006) and "Meet the Browns" (2008), played mom in "Who's Your Caddy?" (2007), "Not Easily Broken" (2009), "Hereafter" (2010), "Think Like A Man" (2012) and "Baggage Claim" (2013), and voiced Mama Odie in "The Princess and the Frog" (2009) and Gogo in "Zambezia" (2012). There was also a recurring role as seamstress Pearl in "The Playboy Club" (NBC, 2011) and supporting parts in "Five" (2011), "Playin' for Love" (2013), "Secrets of the Magic City" (2014), "The Wedding Ringer" (2015) and "It Had To Be You" (2015). Lewis also became a regular prime-time face again when she was cast as Anthony Anderson's overbearing mother Ruby Johnson on "Black-ish" (ABC, 2014-).

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Highest rated movies

100% 71% Finding Kendrick Johnson Watchlist
97% 88% What's Love Got to Do With It
Watchlist
85% 74% The Princess and the Frog Watchlist 75% 73% This Is Me... Now: A Love Story Watchlist
75% 79% The Mighty
Watchlist
66% 52% Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square Watchlist
64% 84% The Brothers
Watchlist
62% 42% The Preacher's Wife Watchlist
54% 79% Think Like a Man
Watchlist
50% 68% Dirty Laundry
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
44% 53% Spellbound Nazara (Voice) - 2024
75% 73% This Is Me... Now: A Love Story Gemini (Character) - 2024
100% 71% Finding Kendrick Johnson Narrator,
Executive Producer
- 2021
66% 52% Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square Margeline (Character) - 2020
46% 69% The Addams Family Great Auntie Sloom (Voice) $673.0K 2019
29% 63% The Wedding Ringer Doris Jenkins (Character) $64.5M 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet It Had to Be You Reggie (Character) - 2015
23% 59% Think Like a Man Too Loretta (Character) $65.1M 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Playin' for Love Alize Gates (Character) - 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Magic City Aunt Valerie (Character) - 2013
25% 44% Zambezia Gogo (Voice) - 2012
54% 79% Think Like a Man Loretta (Character) $91.5M 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Zambezia 3D Gogo (Voice) - 2012
No Score Yet 74% Five Pearl (Character) - 2011
39% 49% Cars 2 Flo (Voice) - 2011
85% 74% The Princess and the Frog Mama Odie (Voice) - 2009
31% 67% Not Easily Broken Mary "Mama" Clark (Character) $10.6M 2009
33% 90% Meet the Browns Vera (Character) $41.9M 2008
No Score Yet 38% Redrum Therapist (Character) - 2007
50% 68% Dirty Laundry Lettuce (Character) $20.1K 2006
26% 93% Madea's Family Reunion Milay Jenay Lori (Character) $63.2M 2006
5% 37% The Cookout Lady Em (Character) $11.5M 2004
No Score Yet 70% Nora's Hair Salon Nora (Character) - 2004
10% 39% Juwanna Mann Aunt Ruby (Character) $13.6M 2002
64% 84% The Brothers Louise Smith (Character) $27.5M 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ponder Heart Narcissa Wingfield (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet 70% Little Richard Muh Penniman (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Partners Detective Lancy (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 73% Dancing in September Judge Warner (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 87% Jackie's Back! Jackie Washington (Character),
Producer
- 1999
75% 79% The Mighty Mrs. Addison (Character) $2.6M 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet An Unexpected Life Camille (Character) - 1998
39% 36% Girl 6 Lil (Character) $4.6M 1996
62% 42% The Preacher's Wife Margueritte Coleman (Character) $48.1M 1996
49% 78% Dead Presidents Mrs. Curtis (Character) $24.1M 1995
25% 75% Panther Rita (Character) $6.3M 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan Denice Cooper (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 50% Shake, Rattle and Rock! Amanda (Character) - 1994
37% 69% Corrina, Corrina Jevina (Character) $20.2M 1994
37% 67% Undercover Blues Cab Driver (Character) $12.0M 1993
97% 88% What's Love Got to Do With It Zelma Bullock (Character) $38.9M 1993
No Score Yet 73% Star Tours Unknown (Character) - 1987

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 28% The Drew Barrymore Show Guest 2024
No Score Yet 54% American Idol Music Performer 2024
56% 91% So Help Me Todd Jacqueline (Guest Star) 2024
No Score Yet 56% Night Court Erika Ellis (Guest Star) 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Guest 2022
No Score Yet 12% The View Guest 2017 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Guest 2022
81% 87% I Love That for You Patricia (Character) 2022
92% 57% black-ish Ruby (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star),
Unknown (Voice)
2014-2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2018 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Celebrity Family Feud Guest 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Elena of Avalor Tornado (Guest Voice) 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet To Tell the Truth Guest 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Doctors Guest 2013 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Match Game Guest 2018
21% 25% The Playboy Club Pearl (Character) 2011
No Score Yet 90% American Dad! Lessie (Guest Voice) 2011
No Score Yet 64% The Cleveland Show Receptionist/Middle-Aged Woman (Guest Voice) 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns Vera Brown (Guest Star) 2009-2010
86% 90% Boston Legal Judge Isabel Fisher (Guest Star) 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Courthouse Judge Rosetta Reide (Character) 1995 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet Strong Medicine Unknown (Character) 2005-2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet Girlfriends Unknown (Guest Star) 2002-2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cracking Up Unknown (Guest Star) 2004
No Score Yet No Score Yet That's So Raven Unknown (Guest Star) 2004
No Score Yet 40% The Proud Family Aunt Spice (Guest Voice) 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet The PJs Bebe Ho (Voice) 1999-2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Moesha Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
33% No Score Yet Grown Ups Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Unknown (Voice) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jamie Foxx Show Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet For Your Love Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Parent 'Hood Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cosby Unknown (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet 91% The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Unknown (Guest Star) 1991-1993 1995-1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Living Single Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
78% 93% Friends Paula (Guest Star) 1994
86% 88% Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Unknown (Guest Star) 1994