Jenifer Lewis
A powerhouse performer whose commanding voice and scene-stealing presence made her the quintessential 'Mother of Black Hollywood' for a generation.
Born 1957 (age 69)·American actress·Birthday: January 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Jenifer Lewis didn't just enter a room; she took possession of it. With a Broadway-trained voice that could shake the rafters and a comedic timing forged in nightclubs, she built a four-decade career on sheer, undeniable force of personality. After early work on Broadway and as a backup singer, she exploded onto screens in the late '80s and '90s, often playing the wisecracking, no-nonsense matriarch in films like 'What's Love Got to Do With It' and 'The Preacher's Wife.' Lewis brought depth and volcanic energy to what could have been stock roles, making them memorable and beloved. Her work extends beyond the 'mother' archetype, encompassing voice acting, a one-woman show, and candid advocacy about mental health. She became an institution, a trusted presence whose name in the credits promises a shot of unadulterated verve.
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.
Jenifer was born in 1957, 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 Jenifer Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Jenifer's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
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
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
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
1973Could drive
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
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played a defining role as Tina Turner's mother in the acclaimed biopic 'What's Love Got to Do With It' (1993).
- Starred as Flo in the hit ABC sitcom 'black-ish' and its spin-offs, earning an NAACP Image Award.
- Performed in original Broadway productions such as 'Eubie!' and 'Comin' Uptown' early in her career.
- Published a bestselling memoir, 'The Mother of Black Hollywood,' in 2017, detailing her life and struggles with bipolar disorder.
Did You Know?
She performed as one of Bette Midler's Harlettes, the singer's backup group.
Lewis provided the voice for the beloved character Mama Odie in Disney's animated film 'The Princess and the Frog.'
She is an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness, having lived with bipolar disorder for years before her diagnosis.
Lewis graduated from Webster University with a BFA in Theatre Arts.
“I don't play roles. I invest in them.”
