Information about Jenifer Lewis

Jenifer Lewis
Birth name	Jenifer Jeanette Lewis
Born	January 25 1957 (1957--) (age 50) Kinloch, Missouri, U.S.
Died
Occupation	Actress

Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born on January 25, 1957 in Kinloch, Missouri , is an American film and television 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.

Lewis is probably most famous to many Southern Californians from her turn as the Pre-Show announcer on the Star Tours ride at Disneyland which opened in 1987.

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 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's occasionally-visiting 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. 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 a Robert Townsend made-for-TV film Jackie's Back, a mockumentary about the struggling comeback of a pop 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's co-worker. Since 2000, she has played Lana Hawkins on the Lifetime television medical drama Strong Medicine, the show ended February 2006.

In May 2005, Jenifer discussed losing her beloved cousin and stylist Ronald Stewart to AIDS. She also mentioned entering psychotherapy following her being diagnosed as bipolar in 1997. In one episode of That's So Raven she played the titular character's maternal grandmother who has psychic powers.

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	Mama Rose Franklin
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		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

External link

• Jenifer Lewis at the Internet Movie Database
• Jenifer Lewis at the Notable Names Database
• May 05 A&U interview: Jenifer discusses AIDS Affecting Her and her psychotherapy since being diagnosed as bipolar in 1997.

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