Jenifer Lewis is best known for her sassy portrayal of
Lana Hawkins on Lifetime Television's six-year hit series
Strong Medicine. She has performed on Broadway in
Eubie,
Comin' Uptown,
Rock and Roll, the First 5000 Years and
Hairspray. Lewis starred on stage as
Dolly Levi in the 5th Avenue Theatre's hugely successful production of
Hello, Dolly!, and also starred with
Meryl Streep in New York's Shakespeare in the Park's production of
Mother Courage and Her Children. She received two NAACP Image Award Nominations for
What's Love Got to Do with It and
The Preacher's Wife, with
Denzel Washington.
Lewis has appeared in more than 60 films, including Antwone Fisher, Corrina, Corrina, Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns and Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, Renaissance Man, Sister Act, Sister Act 2, Dead Presidents, Blast from the Past, The Brothers, Mystery Men, Beaches, Not Easily Broken, Poetic Justice, Girl 6, Jackie's Back!, and Cast Away.
Her numerous television credits include starring roles in The Temptations, Friends, Murphy Brown, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, That's So Raven, Shark, The Little Richard Story, Girlfriends and Boston Legal. Lewis' distinctive voice is heard in animated films, including Shark Tale, The Proud Family, The PJs and Cars. Lewis resides in Los Angeles with her adopted daughter Charmaine and is a relentless supporter of finding cures for breast cancer and HIV/AIDS.
