Jenifer Lewis profile
Actor profile

Jenifer Lewis

25th January 1957 Kinloch, Missouri, USA Acting

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.

75 Movies 69 TV Shows 149 Credits
Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

GOAT poster
GOAT 11th February 2026 as Flo Everson (voice)
Ado poster
Ado 21st January 2025 as Ms. Hopkins
Cars 3 poster
Cars 3 15th June 2017 as Flo (voice)
Hiccups poster
Hiccups 22nd March 2013 as Flo (voice)
Five poster
Five 10th October 2011 as Maggie
Cars 2 poster
Cars 2 11th June 2011 as Flo (voice)
Redrum poster
Redrum 30th October 2007 as Therapist
Cars poster
Cars 8th June 2006 as Flo (voice)
Shark Tale poster
Shark Tale 20th September 2004 as Motown Turtle (voice)
Girl 6 poster
Girl 6 22nd March 1996 as Boss #1 - Lil
Sherri poster
Sherri 12th September 2022 as Self - Guest
Rugrats poster
Rugrats 27th May 2021 as Ms. Marjorie / Narrator (voice)
Rugrats poster
Rugrats 27th May 2021 as Ms. Marjorie (voice)
Amphibia poster
Amphibia 17th June 2019 as Mama Hasselback (voice)
Day Break poster
Day Break 15th November 2006 as Elizabeth Hopper
Shark poster
Shark 21st September 2006 as Ellie Broussard
The PJs poster
The PJs 10th January 1999 as Bebe Ho (voice)
Moesha poster
Moesha 23rd January 1996 as Mrs. Biggs
Roc poster
Roc 25th August 1991 as Charlaine