Jenifer Lewis
Acting
143 titles
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
GOAT
2026
Haunted Hotel
2025
Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Disneyland Resort
2025
Ado
2025
Spellbound
2024
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish
2024
The Greatest Love Story Never Told
2024
This Is Me…Now
2024
History of the World: Part II
2023
Commitment to Life
2023
Not Dead Yet
2023
Night Court
2023
So Help Me Todd
2022
Sherri
2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
Cars on the Road
2022
I Love That for You
2022
black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special
2022
And Just Like That…
2021
The Ghost and Molly McGee
2021
Mickey Mouse Funhouse
2021
All Boys Aren't Blue
2021
Finding Kendrick Johnson
2021
Monsters at Work
2021
Rugrats
2021
The Upshaws
2021
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
2021
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square
2020
Star Trek: Lower Decks
2020
Stars in the House
2020
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
2019
The Addams Family
2019
Amphibia
2019
Forbidden
2018
grown-ish
2018
Big Hero 6 The Series
2017
Cars 3
2017
Jewel's Catch One
2017
The $100,000 Pyramid
2016
Match Game
2016
To Tell the Truth
2016
Secrets of the Magic City
2015
The Wedding Ringer
2015
black-ish
2014
Think Like a Man Too
2014
The Radiator Springs 500½
2014
Baggage Claim
2013
Teen Titans Go!
2013
Hiccups
2013
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
2012
Jenifer Lewis and Shangela
2012
Zambezia
2012
Think Like a Man
2012
Five
2011
The Playboy Club
2011
Cars 2
2011
When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren
2011
Young Justice
2010
Hereafter
2010
The Princess and the Frog
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
Not Easily Broken
2009
Prop 8: The Musical
2008
Meet the Browns
2008
Redrum
2007
Who's Your Caddy?
2007
Day Break
2006
Geared-Up
2006
Shark
2006
Dirty Laundry
2006
Cars
2006
Madea's Family Reunion
2006
Earth to America
2005
The Boondocks
2005
Dancing with the Stars
2005
American Dad!
2005
Boston Legal
2004
Shark Tale
2004
The Cookout
2004
Nora's Hair Salon
2004
That's So Raven
2003
Antwone Fisher
2002
Juwanna Mann
2002
The Brothers
2001
Dancing in September
2001
Cast Away
2000
Bette
2000
Girlfriends
2000
Strong Medicine
2000
Partners
2000
Little Richard
2000
Time of Your Life
1999
Grown Ups
1999
Mystery Men
1999
Jackie's Back!
1999
Blast from the Past
1999
The PJs
1999
Get Bruce!
1999
The Temptations
1998
An Unexpected Life
1998
The Mighty
1998
Rituals
1998
The Chris Rock Show
1997
The Preacher's Wife
1996
Promised Land
1996
The Jamie Foxx Show
1996
The Daily Show
1996
Girl 6
1996
Moesha
1996
Dead Presidents
1995
Courthouse
1995
Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan
1995
Panther
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
The Parent 'Hood
1995
Deconstructing Sarah
1994
Friends
1994
Touched by an Angel
1994
New York Undercover
1994
Shake, Rattle and Rock!
1994
Corrina, Corrina
1994
Rebel Highway
1994
Renaissance Man
1994
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
1993
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993
Undercover Blues
1993
Living Single
1993
The Meteor Man
1993
Poetic Justice
1993
What's Love Got to Do with It
1993
Frozen Assets
1992
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
1992
Sister Act
1992
Roc
1991
Sunday in Paris
1991
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
Dream On
1990
In Living Color
1990
Beaches
1988
A Different World
1987
Bette Midler: Art or Bust
1984
Bette Midler: No Frills
1983
Rhona Who Lives by the River