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.
76 movies · 66 shows
GOAT
2026·8.1
Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Disneyland Resort
2025·6.0
Ado
2025·5.5
Spellbound
2024·6.6
The Greatest Love Story Never Told
2024·6.5
This Is Me…Now
2024·5.4
Commitment to Life
2023·0.0
black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special
2022·2.5
All Boys Aren't Blue
2021·0.0
Finding Kendrick Johnson
2021·7.6
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square
2020·5.8
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
2019·5.0
The Addams Family
2019·6.6
Forbidden
2018·8.2
Cars 3
2017·6.9
Jewel's Catch One
2017·6.6
Secrets of the Magic City
2015·5.5
The Wedding Ringer
2015·6.5
Think Like a Man Too
2014·6.4
The Radiator Springs 500½
2014·6.3
Baggage Claim
2013·5.3
Hiccups
2013·6.0
Zambezia
2012·6.2
Think Like a Man
2012·6.8
Five
2011·7.1
Cars 2
2011·6.2
When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren
2011·6.9
Hereafter
2010·6.1
The Princess and the Frog
2009·7.2
Not Easily Broken
2009·6.3
Prop 8: The Musical
2008·6.9
Meet the Browns
2008·6.7
Redrum
2007·1.5
Who's Your Caddy?
2007·3.4
Geared-Up
2006·0.0
Dirty Laundry
2006·5.7
Cars
2006·7.0
Madea's Family Reunion
2006·6.4
Earth to America
2005·7.7
Shark Tale
2004·6.0
The Cookout
2004·4.7
Nora's Hair Salon
2004·7.9
Antwone Fisher
2002·6.9
Juwanna Mann
2002·5.1
The Brothers
2001·6.6
Dancing in September
2001·6.5
Cast Away
2000·7.7
Partners
2000·5.5
Little Richard
2000·6.6
Mystery Men
1999·5.9
Jackie's Back!
1999·6.9
Blast from the Past
1999·6.8
Get Bruce!
1999·6.5
An Unexpected Life
1998·4.9
The Mighty
1998·7.3
Rituals
1998·9.0
The Preacher's Wife
1996·5.8
Girl 6
1996·5.0
Dead Presidents
1995·6.7
Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan
1995·7.0
Panther
1995·6.3
Deconstructing Sarah
1994·3.0
Shake, Rattle and Rock!
1994·6.0
Corrina, Corrina
1994·6.7
Renaissance Man
1994·6.1
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
1993·6.4
Undercover Blues
1993·6.0
The Meteor Man
1993·5.8
Poetic Justice
1993·6.7
What's Love Got to Do with It
1993·7.1
Frozen Assets
1992·3.6
Sister Act
1992·6.8
Sunday in Paris
1991·6.0
Beaches
1988·6.7
Bette Midler: Art or Bust
1984·7.0
Bette Midler: No Frills
1983·0.0