Jenifer Lewis


Jenifer Lewis Biography

Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born January 25, 1957) is an American film and television actress and singer.

Early life

Lewis was born in Kinloch, Missouri, to a nurse's aide mother and a factory worker father. She attended Kinloch High School and then college at Webster University in Webster Groves, Missouri. Soon after she arrived in New York City, Lewis debuted on Broadway in a small role in Eubie (1979), the musical based on the work of Eubie Blake. She next landed the role of Effie White in the workshop of the Michael Bennett-directed musical Dreamgirls, but when the show moved to Broadway, Bennett chose Jennifer Holliday for the role.

Lewis accepted a position as a Harlette, a back-up singer for Bette Midler which led to Lewis' first TV appearances on Midler's HBO specials. She also landed her first screen role as a result, appearing as one of the buxom chorines in the 'Otto Titsling' production number in the Midler vehicle Beaches (1988). At the same time, Lewis was developing her nightclub act, The Diva Is Dismissed, an autobiographical comedy and music show in New York City cabarets. She performed the show off-Broadway at the Public Theater.

Career

In 1987, Lewis was hired as the Pre-Show announcer on the Star Tours ride at Disneyland. In 1988, Lewis relocated to Los Angeles. In 1992, she was cast as one of the back-up singers to Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act. Goldberg sponsored several performances of The Diva Is Dismissed as a possible HBO series. In 1992 to 1993, she played Dean Davenport in the sixth and final season of A Different World. She also had a recurring role as Will Smith's Aunt Helen on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, as well as stints on a few episodes of In Living Color, reprising several of her characters from her nightclub act. Also in 1993, she played the mother of Tupac Shakur's character in Poetic Justice.

In 1993 she played the role of Tina Turner's mother in the biopic What's Love Got to Do with It (film). In 1994, she followed with other supporting roles, including Mrs. Coleman the Unemployment Office lady in Renaissance Man and as Whoopi Goldberg's sister in Corrina, Corrina. In 1995, she was cast in maternal roles to Kadeem Hardison in Panther and to Larenz Tate in Dead Presidents before she accepted the role of a lesbian judge on the short-lived CBS series Courthouse. Lewis returned to the big screen as Theresa Randle's telephone sex line boss in Spike Lee's Girl 6. She then played Whitney Houston's character's mother in Penny Marshall's The Preacher's Wife.

In 1999, she starred in the made-for-TV film Jackie's Back, a mockumentary about the struggling comeback of a diva in turmoil. She recently appeared in The Cookout, Nora's Hair Salon, Shark Tale and Cars. She was in a few episodes of Friends as Monica Gellar's co-worker. Beginning in 2000, she played Lana Hawkins on the Lifetime television medical drama Strong Medicine, until the show ended in February 2006. She also had a recurring role as Veretta Childs (Toni's mother) in the sitcom Girlfriends. In 2006, she had a featured role as the wedding planner in Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, and also appeared in the film Meet the Browns.

In one episode of That's So Raven she played the titular character's maternal grandmother, who has psychic powers. She recently starred as a judge in Boston Legal and appeared in the 2008 film Meet the Browns. On April 22, 2008, Lewis replaced Darlene Love as Motormouth Maybelle in Broadway's Hairspray, a role that was originally written for her.

In June 2010, Lewis' distinctive voice was in fine form as she told The Jazz Joy and Roy syndicated radio show, "I just did a production of 'Hello Dolly' at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle and it had to be one of the greatest productions that I have ever done, because I got to just do a character, Dolly Levi, and it was just great."

In 2012 Lewis began working with Shangela on the online reality show parody, "Jenifer Lewis and Shangela," where she acts as herself alongside Shangela, a "drag queen living in her basement." She later appeared in Shangela's music video for "Werqin Girl (Professional)."

Singing

Lewis has performed for many years on Broadway and has lent her vocals to many of the television and film projects that she has been a part of including the theme song for her most recognizable role, Strong Medicine.

Lewis' most recent singing role came with her role in the movie musical The Princess and the Frog.

Filmography

Year Title Role
1988 Beaches Diva
1992 Sister Act Michelle
Frozen Assets Jomisha
1993 Poetic JusticeAnne
Meteor Man Mrs. Williams
What's Love Got to Do With It Zelma Bullock
Undercover Blues Cab Driver
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Michelle
1994 Renaissance Man Mrs. Coleman
Corrina, Corrina Jevina Washington
1995 Panther Rita
Dead Presidents Mrs. Curtis
1996 The Preacher's Wife Marguerite Coleman
Girl 6 Boss No 1"?Lil
1998 The Temptations Mama Rose Franklin
The Mighty Mrs. Addison
1999 Mystery Men Lucille
Get Bruce Herself
Blast From the Past Dr Aron
Jackie's Back Jackie Washington
2000 Cast Away Becca Twig
2001 The Brothers Louise Smith
Dancing in September Judge Warner
2002 Little Richard Muh Penniman
Juwanna Mann Aunt Ruby
2004 The Cookout Emma "Lady Em" Andersen
Shark Tale Motown Turtle (voice)
Nora's Hair Salon Nora Harper
2006 Dirty Laundry Aunt Lettuce
Cars Flo (voice)
Madea's Family Reunion Milay Jenay Lori
2007 Who's Your Caddy? Mrs. Hawkins
2008 Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns Vera Brown
2009 The Princess and the Frog Mama Odie (voice)
Not Easily Broken Mary 'Mama' Clark
2010 Hereafter Candace
2011 Cars 2 Flo (voice)
2012 Think Like A Man Loretta
2013 Baggage Claim Catherine Moore

Television work




This webpage uses material from the Wikipedia article "Jenifer_Lewis" and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. Reality TV World is not responsible for any errors or omissions the Wikipedia article may contain.
ADVERTISEMENT




POPULAR TV SHOWS (100)



POPULAR PEOPLE (100)


Page generated in 0.27496099472046 seconds