Jenifer Lewis
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Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born on January 25, 1957 in Kinloch, Missouri (County of St. Louis)is an African-American actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayals of strong-willed, matronly characters. Soon after she arrived in NYC, Lewis began 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. Undaunted, 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 NYC cabarets. Word of mouth was quite good and she performed the show Off-Broadway at the Public Theatre.
In 1988, Lewis relocated to Los Angeles and found herself in a decidedly dry spell, although she continued to hone her act. Finally, in 1992, she was cast as one of the back-up singers to Delores van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) in Sister Act. Goldberg sponsored several performances of The Diva Is Dismissed in the hopes of producing the show for HBO and while that did not come about, Hollywood took notice of Lewis.
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's occasionally-visiting Aunt Helen on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. Her breakout film role was her part as Michelle in Sister Act.
Although she auditioned and wanted the role of Tina Turner in the biopic What's Love Got to Do with It? she landed the role of Turner’s mother and delivered a scene-stealing turn that garnered her attention. In 1994 she followed with other strong supporting roles followed, 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 the explosive 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 . Although Lewis is only six years older than Whitney Houston she played her mother in Penny Marshall's The Preacher's Wife.
In 1999, she starred in the Lifetime Television original "Jackie's Back." A film by Robert Townsend a mockumentary about the struggling comeback of a pop diva in turmoil. Lewis steals every scene and the film boasts a who's who of cameo appearances by such top name stars as Dolly Parton, Whoopi Goldberg, Diahann Carroll, Sean Hayes, Melissa Etheridge, Don Cornelius and many more.
She recently appeared in The Cookout, Nora's Hair Salon, Shark Tale and Cars. She was in a few episodes of Friends as Monica's co-worker. Since 2000, she has played Lana Hawkins on the Lifetime television medical drama Strong Medicine, the show ended February 2006.
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Cars | Flo (voice) |
| Dirty Laundry | Aunt Lettuce | |
| Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion | Milay Jenay Lori | |
| 2004 | Nora's Hair Salon | Nora |
| Shark Tale | Motown Turtle (voice) | |
| The Cookout | Lady Em | |
| 2002 | Juwanna Mann | Aunt Ruby |
| Little Richard | ||
| 2001 | Dancing in September | Judge Warner |
| The Brothers | Louise Smith | |
| 2000 | Cast Away | Becca Twig |
| Panther | ||
| 1999 | Jackie's Back | Jackie Washington |
| Blast From the Past | Dr Aron | |
| Get Bruce | Herself | |
| Mystery Men | Lucille | |
| 1998 | The Mighty | Mrs Addison |
| The Temptations | ||
| 1996 | Girl 6 | Boss No 1—Lil |
| The Preacher's Wife | Marguerite Coleman | |
| 1995 | Dead Presidents | Mrs. Curtis |
| Panther | Rita | |
| 1994 | Corrina, Corrina | Jevina |
| Renaissance Man | Mrs Coleman | |
| 1993 | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | Michelle |
| Undercover Blues | Cab Driver | |
| What's Love Got to Do With It? | Zelma Bullock | |
| A Different World | Dean Dorothy Dandrige Davenport | |
| Meteor Man | Mrs. Williams | |
| 1992 | Frozen Assets | Jomisha |
| Sister Act | Michelle | |
| 1988 | Beaches | Diva |
