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.
as President Davenport(1 ep)
as Flo Everson (voice)
as Additional Voices (voice)(1 ep)
as Paula
as Ms. Hopkins
as Nazara (voice)
as Mother Nature (voice)(1 ep)
as Gemini
as Grandma(1 ep)
as Self (archive footage)
as Donna(2 eps)
as Erika(1 ep)
as Jacqueline Burton(1 ep)
as Self - Guest(1 ep)
as Self - Guest(2 eps)
as Flo (voice)(1 ep)
as Patricia Cochran(8 eps)
as Lucille Highwater(1 ep)
as Patty (voice)(7 eps)
as Wheezelene (voice)(1 ep)
as Narrator (voice)
as Grandma Tuskmon (voice)(5 eps)
as Ms. Marjorie / Narrator (voice)(1 ep)
as Ms. Marjorie (voice)(1 ep)
as Dr. Pearl Edmunds(5 eps)
as Self - Contestant(1 ep)
as Margeline
as Bartender (voice)(1 ep)
as Self - Special Guest(1 ep)
as Self (archive footage)
as Great Auntie Sloom (Voice)
as Mama Hasselback (voice)(1 ep)
as Ruby Johnson(2 eps)
as Professor Granville (voice)(2 eps)
as Flo (voice)
as Self
as Self(1 ep)
as Self - Panelist(1 ep)
as Self - Panelist(1 ep)
as Aunt Valerie
as Doris Jenkins
as Ruby Johnson(159 eps)
as Loretta
as Flo (voice)
as Catherine Moore
as Microwavabelle (voice)(1 ep)
as Flo (voice)
as Self - Guest Judge(1 ep)
as Jenifer Lewis(4 eps)
as Gogo (voice)
as Loretta Hanover
as Maggie
as Pearl(3 eps)
as Flo (voice)
as Retirement Home Waitress (uncredited)
as Olympia Savage (voice)(1 ep)
as Candace
as Mama Odie (voice)
as Self - Guest(1 ep)
as Mary 'Mama' Clark
as Riffing Prop 8'er
as Vera
as Therapist
as C-Note's Mom
as Elizabeth Hopper(1 ep)
as Ellie Broussard(1 ep)
as Aunt Lettuce
as Flo (voice)
as Milay Jenay Lori
as Self
as Boss Willona (voice)(1 ep)
as Geraldine (voice)(1 ep)
as Self - Musical Guest(1 ep)
as Lessie (voice)(1 ep)
as Judge Isabel Fisher(2 eps)
as Motown Turtle (voice)
as Lady Em
as Nora
as Vivian(1 ep)
as Aunt Mary Williams (uncredited)
as Mrs. Summers(1 ep)
as Aunt Ruby
as Louise Smith
as Judge Warner
as Becca Twig
as Veretta Childs(8 eps)
as Lana Hawkins(132 eps)
as Detective Lancy
as Muh Penniman
as Kathy(1 ep)
as Lucille
as Jackie Washington
as Dr. Aron
as Bebe Ho (voice)(43 eps)
as Self
as Mama Rose(2 eps)
as Camille
as Mrs. Addison
as Carmen
as Self(1 ep)
as Margueritte Coleman
as Queenie(1 ep)
as Josie(1 ep)
as Boss #1 - Lil
as Mrs. Biggs(1 ep)
as Mrs. Curtis
as Rosetta Reide(11 eps)
as Denice Cooper
as Rita
as Female Black Widow Spider (voice)(1 ep)
as Hazel (voice)(1 ep)
as Betty
as Paula(1 ep)
as Queenie(1 ep)
as Amanda
as Jevina
as Amanda Baldwin Cooper(1 ep)
as Mrs. Coleman
as Vegas Backup Singer #1
as Mystique(1 ep)
as Cab Driver
as Mrs. Williams
as Annie
as Zelma Bullock
as Jomisha
as Georgia Rodman(3 eps)
as Michelle
as Charlaine(1 ep)
as Taylor Chase
as Aunt Helen(8 eps)
as Carolyn(1 ep)
as Diva
as Susan Clayton(1 ep)
as Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport(8 eps)