Alfre Woodard
An actress whose profound empathy and commanding presence transform every role, from a grieving mother to a steely president, into a masterclass in humanity.
Born 1952 (age 74)·American actress·Birthday: November 8·Baby Boomers
Biography
Alfre Woodard carries a stillness that commands the room, a quality that has made her one of the most formidable and respected actors of her generation. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she studied acting in Boston before landing her first Broadway role. Woodard never sought stardom; she sought truth. Her breakthrough as the fierce, loving Geechee in 'Cross Creek' announced an actor of deep emotional reserves. She can be regal and wounded in the same glance, as seen in her Oscar-nominated turn in 'Cross Creek' or her Emmy-winning performance as a mother whose son is killed by police in 'The Killing Floor.' Whether playing a no-nonsense nurse on 'St. Elsewhere,' a sharp-witted detective in 'True Blood,' or President Constance Payton in 'State of Affairs,' Woodard invests each character with a lived-in dignity and fierce intelligence. Off-screen, she is a dedicated activist, co-founding Artists for a New South Africa and advocating tirelessly for social justice.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Alfre was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alfre Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Alfre's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won four Primetime Emmy Awards for roles in 'Hill Street Blues,' 'L.A. Law,' 'The Practice,' and 'Miss Evers' Boys.'
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in 'Cross Creek' (1983).
- Portrayed the iconic role of Mariah Dillard in the Netflix series 'Luke Cage,' bringing complexity to a Harlem power broker.
- Founded the production company Sugar Foot Productions to develop projects highlighting diverse stories.
Did You Know?
She is a cousin of actress and comedian Kristen Johnston.
Woodard provided the voice for the superhero Miriam in the animated film 'The Incredibles' (2004).
She was a student at Boston University's School of Fine Arts on a drama scholarship.
She and her husband, writer Roderick Spencer, have been married since 1983 and have two children.
“You have to tell the truth as you see it. That's your job as an actor.”
