Everyone’s favorite Black Hollywood mama will be receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, July 15.
Jenifer Lewis will be honored with the 2726th star at the famous landmark. Her star will be in the Television category, which honestly she could have been listed in the Film category as well.
Jenifer’s star will be located next to one of her all-time favorite actresses, the legendary Katharine Hepburn at 6284 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, CA 90028.
Guest speakers in attendance will be world-renowned choreographer and actress Debbie Allen, and film composer Marc Shaiman.
Jenifer, who is originally from Missouri, is the youngest of seven children. Her career in show biz began after college when she moved to New York City, where she debuted on Broadway in a small role in Eubie, the musical based on the work of Eubie Blake.
The actress then accepted a position as a Harlette, a back-up singer for Bette Midler, which led to her first TV appearances on Midler’s HBO specials. She acquired her first screen role as a result, appearing as a singer in the Bette Midler vehicle Beaches.
In the meantime, Jenifer was developing her nightclub act, The Diva Is Dismissed, an autobiographical comedy and music show in New York City cabarets. She performed the show off-Broadway at the Public Theater.
She didn’t stop there. Jenifer went on to act in numerous movies and television shows. She has appeared in more than 400 episodic television shows, 68 movies, 40 animations, and four Broadway shows.
Some of her credits include Sister Act, The Temptations, Meet the Browns, What’s Love Got to Do with It, The Brothers, Not Easily Broken, The Preacher’s Wife, Poetic Justice, Different World, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and ABC’s Blackish, which she starred in as grandma Ruby Johnson for 8 seasons. She also had a recurring role as Veretta Childs (Toni’s mother) in the UPN sitcom Girlfriends. In most if these productions, Jenifer was playing the role of somebody’s mama.
In 2000, she began starring on the Lifetime television medical drama Strong Medicine, which ran for six-seasons. Lewis performed the theme song for the series as well.
Currently, Jenifer is starring in the new hit series, I Love That For You on Showtime.
Her autobiography, The Mother of Black Hollywood, became a chart-topping national best-seller in 2017, and her follow-up book, Walking in My Joy: In These Streets, is set for release next month on August 30th.
Jenifer won a few awards including the Satellite Awards and was nominated for many others.
The Walk of Fame ceremony will be streamed live, exclusively on walkoffame.com.
Congratulations, Jenifer!
