Jenifer Lewis
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.
Acting
Movie
Cars
as Flo (voice)
2006
Movie
Cast Away
as Becca Twig
2000
TV
Friends
as Paula
1994
Movie
Cars 2
as Flo (voice)
2011
Movie
Shark Tale
as Motown Turtle (voice)
2004
Movie
Cars 3
as Flo (voice)
2017
Movie
The Princess and the Frog
as Mama Odie (voice)
2009
Movie
Sister Act
as Michelle
1992
Movie
The Addams Family
as Great Auntie Sloom (Voice)
2019
TV
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
as Aunt Helen
1990
TV
American Dad!
as Lessie (voice)
2005
Movie
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
as Vegas Backup Singer #1
1993
Movie
Hereafter
as Candace
2010
Movie
The Wedding Ringer
as Doris Jenkins
2015
TV
Monsters at Work
as Grandma Tuskmon (voice)
2021
Movie
Blast from the Past
as Dr. Aron
1999
TV
Young Justice
as Olympia Savage (voice)
2010
Movie
Mystery Men
as Lucille
1999
Movie
Think Like a Man
as Loretta Hanover
2012
Movie
GOAT
as Flo Everson (voice)
2026
TV
Teen Titans Go!
as Microwavabelle (voice)
2013
TV
The Daily Show
1996
Movie
Think Like a Man Too
as Loretta
2014
Movie
Antwone Fisher
as Aunt Mary Williams (uncredited)
2002
