GOAT
2026 · Movie
as Flo Everson (voice)
Jenifer Lewis
1957-01-25
•
Kinloch, Missouri, USA
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.
Filmography
Ado
2025 · Movie
as Ms. Hopkins
Tiana's Bayou Adventure | Disneyland Resort
2025 · Movie
as Mama Odie (Voice)
Haunted Hotel
2025 · TV Show
as Additional Voices (voice)
Spellbound
2024 · Movie
as Nazara (voice)
This Is Me…Now
2024 · Movie
as Gemini
The Greatest Love Story Never Told
2024 · Movie
as Self
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish
2024 · TV Show
as Mother Nature (voice)
Commitment to Life
2023 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
Night Court
2023 · TV Show
as Erika
Not Dead Yet
2023 · TV Show
as Donna
History of the World: Part II
2023 · TV Show
as Grandma
black-ish: A Celebration – An ABC News Special
2022 · Movie
as Self
I Love That for You
2022 · TV Show
as Patricia Cochran
Sherri
2022 · TV Show
as Self - Guest
Cars on the Road
2022 · TV Show
as Flo (voice)
So Help Me Todd
2022 · TV Show
as Jacqueline Burton
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022 · TV Show
as Self - Guest
Finding Kendrick Johnson
2021 · Movie
as Narrator (voice)
All Boys Aren't Blue
2021 · Movie
Rugrats
2021 · TV Show
as Ms. Marjorie / Narrator (voice), Ms. Marjorie (voice)
The Upshaws
2021 · TV Show
as Dr. Pearl Edmunds
Monsters at Work
2021 · TV Show
as Grandma Tuskmon (voice)
The Ghost and Molly McGee
2021 · TV Show
as Patty (voice)
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
2021 · TV Show
as Self - Contestant
Mickey Mouse Funhouse
2021 · TV Show
as Wheezelene (voice)
And Just Like That…
2021 · TV Show
as Lucille Highwater
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square
2020 · Movie
as Margeline
Star Trek: Lower Decks
2020 · TV Show
as Bartender (voice)
Stars in the House
2020 · TV Show
as Self - Special Guest
The Addams Family
2019 · Movie
as Great Auntie Sloom (Voice)
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
2019 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
Amphibia
2019 · TV Show
as Mama Hasselback (voice)
Forbidden
2018 · Movie
grown-ish
2018 · TV Show
as Ruby Johnson
Cars 3
2017 · Movie
as Flo (voice)
Jewel's Catch One
2017 · Movie
as Self
Big Hero 6 The Series
2017 · TV Show
as Professor Granville (voice)
The $100,000 Pyramid
2016 · TV Show
as Self
To Tell the Truth
2016 · TV Show
as Self - Panelist
Match Game
2016 · TV Show
as Self - Panelist
The Wedding Ringer
2015 · Movie
as Doris Jenkins
Secrets of the Magic City
2015 · Movie
as Aunt Valerie
Think Like a Man Too
2014 · Movie
as Loretta
The Radiator Springs 500½
2014 · Movie
as Flo (voice)
black-ish
2014 · TV Show
as Ruby Johnson
Baggage Claim
2013 · Movie
as Catherine Moore
Hiccups
2013 · Movie
as Flo (voice)
Teen Titans Go!
2013 · TV Show
as Microwavabelle (voice)
Think Like a Man
2012 · Movie
as Loretta Hanover
Zambezia
2012 · Movie
as Gogo (voice)
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
2012 · TV Show
as Self - Guest Judge
Jenifer Lewis and Shangela
2012 · TV Show
as Jenifer Lewis
When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren
2011 · Movie
as Retirement Home Waitress (uncredited)
Cars 2
2011 · Movie
as Flo (voice)
Five
2011 · Movie
as Maggie
The Playboy Club
2011 · TV Show
as Pearl
Hereafter
2010 · Movie
as Candace
Young Justice
2010 · TV Show
as Olympia Savage (voice)
The Princess and the Frog
2009 · Movie
as Mama Odie (voice)
Not Easily Broken
2009 · Movie
as Mary 'Mama' Clark
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009 · TV Show
as Self - Guest
Prop 8: The Musical
2008 · Movie
as Riffing Prop 8'er
Meet the Browns
2008 · Movie
as Vera
Who's Your Caddy?
2007 · Movie
as C-Note's Mom
Redrum
2007 · Movie
as Therapist
Cars
2006 · Movie
as Flo (voice)
Dirty Laundry
2006 · Movie
as Aunt Lettuce
Madea's Family Reunion
2006 · Movie
as Milay Jenay Lori
Geared-Up
2006 · Movie
Shark
2006 · TV Show
as Ellie Broussard
Day Break
2006 · TV Show
as Elizabeth Hopper
Earth to America
2005 · Movie
as Self
American Dad!
2005 · TV Show
as Lessie (voice)
The Boondocks
2005 · TV Show
as Boss Willona (voice), Geraldine (voice)
Dancing with the Stars
2005 · TV Show
as Self - Musical Guest
The Cookout
2004 · Movie
as Lady Em
Nora's Hair Salon
2004 · Movie
as Nora
Shark Tale
2004 · Movie
as Motown Turtle (voice)
Boston Legal
2004 · TV Show
as Judge Isabel Fisher
That's So Raven
2003 · TV Show
as Vivian
Juwanna Mann
2002 · Movie
as Aunt Ruby
Antwone Fisher
2002 · Movie
as Aunt Mary Williams (uncredited)
The Brothers
2001 · Movie
as Louise Smith
Dancing in September
2001 · Movie
as Judge Warner
Partners
2000 · Movie
as Detective Lancy
Little Richard
2000 · Movie
as Muh Penniman
Cast Away
2000 · Movie
as Becca Twig
Girlfriends
2000 · TV Show
as Veretta Childs
Bette
2000 · TV Show
Strong Medicine
2000 · TV Show
as Lana Hawkins
Mystery Men
1999 · Movie
as Lucille
Jackie's Back!
1999 · Movie
as Jackie Washington
Get Bruce!
1999 · Movie
as Self
Blast from the Past
1999 · Movie
as Dr. Aron
No image
Grown Ups
1999 · TV Show
as Kathy
The PJs
1999 · TV Show
as Bebe Ho (voice)
Time of Your Life
1999 · TV Show
The Mighty
1998 · Movie
as Mrs. Addison
An Unexpected Life
1998 · Movie
as Camille
Rituals
1998 · Movie
as Carmen
The Temptations
1998 · TV Show
as Mama Rose
The Chris Rock Show
1997 · TV Show
as Self
The Preacher's Wife
1996 · Movie
as Margueritte Coleman
Girl 6
1996 · Movie
as Boss #1 - Lil
The Jamie Foxx Show
1996 · TV Show
as Josie
Moesha
1996 · TV Show
as Mrs. Biggs
Promised Land
1996 · TV Show
as Queenie
The Daily Show
1996 · TV Show
Panther
1995 · Movie
as Rita
Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan
1995 · Movie
as Denice Cooper
Dead Presidents
1995 · Movie
as Mrs. Curtis
The Parent 'Hood
1995 · TV Show
No image
Courthouse
1995 · TV Show
as Rosetta Reide
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995 · TV Show
as Female Black Widow Spider (voice), Hazel (voice)
Deconstructing Sarah
1994 · Movie
as Betty
Shake, Rattle and Rock!
1994 · Movie
as Amanda
Corrina, Corrina
1994 · Movie
as Jevina
Renaissance Man
1994 · Movie
as Mrs. Coleman
Friends
1994 · TV Show
as Paula
New York Undercover
1994 · TV Show
Touched by an Angel
1994 · TV Show
as Queenie
Rebel Highway
1994 · TV Show
as Amanda Baldwin Cooper
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
1993 · Movie
as Vegas Backup Singer #1
Undercover Blues
1993 · Movie
as Cab Driver
What's Love Got to Do with It
1993 · Movie
as Zelma Bullock
Poetic Justice
1993 · Movie
as Annie
The Meteor Man
1993 · Movie
as Mrs. Williams
Living Single
1993 · TV Show
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993 · TV Show
as Mystique
Sister Act
1992 · Movie
as Michelle
Frozen Assets
1992 · Movie
as Jomisha
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
1992 · TV Show
as Georgia Rodman
Sunday in Paris
1991 · Movie
as Taylor Chase
Roc
1991 · TV Show
as Charlaine
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990 · TV Show
as Aunt Helen
In Living Color
1990 · TV Show
Dream On
1990 · TV Show
as Carolyn
Beaches
1988 · Movie
as Diva
A Different World
1987 · TV Show
as Susan Clayton, Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport
Bette Midler: Art or Bust
1984 · Movie
as Self - Harlette
No image
Bette Midler: No Frills
1983 · Movie
as Herself
No image
Women Like Us
· Movie
No image
Rhona Who Lives by the River
· TV Show
as Missy
