• Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • The State Of R&B
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood

13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen

2019 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood honoree Jenifer Lewis has certainly earned her title as "The Mother of Black Hollywood." Which character was your favorite?
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
By Rachaell Davis · Updated December 6, 2020
There’s no one who can love you, support you or stay on your case when you’re being stubborn quite like your mom. Over the course of her 40-year career in Hollywood, actress, activist and songstress Jenifer Lewis has flawlessly portrayed just about every type of Black mom there is on screen.
From the no-nonsense mother in films like Poetic Justice and What’s Love Got To Do With It, to the wise mom who knows best in films like The Cookout and The Preacher’s Wife, to the sometimes-meddling mom on television shows like Girlfriends and Black-ish, Lewis has truly earned her title as “The Mother of Black Hollywood.” As we prepare to honor her at our 2019 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards, here’s a look back at every time we saw a little of the moms we all know and love in Jenifer Lewis on screen. Which character was your favorite?
01
As Annie in ‘Poetic Justice’
As the mother of Tupac Shakur’s character Lucky, Annie was a no-nonsense woman who stayed on her sons case and didn’t let him avoid his responsibilities as a single father.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
02
As Margueritte in ‘The Preacher’s Wife’
As the mother of Whitney Houston’s character Julia, her intuition was spot on about the connection between Julia and Denzel Washington’s character, Dudley.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
03
As Marguerite in ‘The Preacher’s Wife’
As the mother of Whitney Houston’s character Julia, her intuition was spot on about the connection between Julia and Denzel Washington’s character, Dudley.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
04
As Mrs. Curtis in ‘Dead Presidents’
Mrs. Curtis was a proud but concerned mom who initially expressed disappointment in her son’s decision to join the Marine Corps after graduating from high school instead of going to college like his older brother.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
05
As Zelma Bullock in ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’
Zelma was rightfully skeptical of local neighborhood musician, Ike Turner, wanting to bring her young daughter, Anna Mae, into his band, but ultimately allowed her to join after being charmed by Ike and intrigued by the idea of Anna Mae being able to add an elevated stream of income to their household.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
06
As Mary Clark in ‘Not Easily Broken’
As the boisterous mother of Taraji P. Henson’s character Clarice, mama Clark had trouble not letting her own trust issues with men affect how her daughter functioned as a wife in her marriage.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
07
As Loretta in ‘Think Like A Man’ & ‘Think Like A Man Too’
Loretta’s dependency on her son as the man in her life was the biggest contributor his “mama’s boy” tendencies that almost cost him his relationship with his girlfriend before things ultimately worked out for the best on all fronts.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
08
As Louise Smith in ‘The Brothers’
Who can forget the hilarious confrontation between Louise Smith and her ex-husband’s new young wife at a family gathering that only ended when her son (played by Morris Chestnut) and daughter (played by Tatyana Ali) intervened.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
09
As Ruby Johnson on ‘Black-ish’
As the unfiltered, sometimes-meddling mother of Dre, Ruby Johnson doesn’t hold her tongue for anyone and ultimately always wants the best for her son and his family.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
10
As Aunt Helen in ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’
So many of us grew up with that one cool aunt who was more like a big sister or second mother and Aunt Helen was exactly that for Will Smith’s character.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
11
As Catherine in ‘Baggage Claim’
As the mother of Paula Patton’s character Montana, Catherine stayed on her daughter’s case about finding a husband as the family prepared for her younger sister’s upcoming wedding.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
12
As Lady Emma Anderson in ‘The Cookout’
Lady Em’s assessment of her son’s materialistic girlfriend proved to be spot on when he ultimately left her for his first true love who he grew up with before making it big as a professional basketball player.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
13
As Vera Brown in ‘Meet The Browns’
Jenifer Lewis was hilarious as the mother of Angela Bassett’s character, Brenda.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
14
As Veretta Childs on ‘Girlfriends’
Lewis appeared on multiple episodes across multiple seasons as the outspoken mother of Jill-Marie Jones character, Toni Childs.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
JEAN BAPTISTE LACROIX
15
As Mary Clark in ‘Not Easily Broken’
As the boisterous mother of Taraji P. Henson’s character Clarice, mama Clark had trouble not letting her own trust issues with men affect how her daughter functioned in her marriage.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
16
As Annie in ‘Poetic Justice’
As the mother of Tupac Shakur’s character Lucky, Annie was a no-nonsense woman who refused to allow her son to avoid his responsibilities as a single father without staying on his case.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
Lester Cohen/Wire Image
17
As Lady Emma Anderson in ‘The Cookout’
Lady Em’s assessment of her son’s materialistic girlfriend proved to be spot on when he ultimately left her for his first true love who he grew up with before making it big as a professional basketball player.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
18
As Loretta in ‘Think Like A Man’ & ‘Think Like A Man Too’
Loretta’s dependency on her son as the man in her life was the biggest contributor his “mama’s boy” tendencies that almost cost him his relationship with his girlfriend before things ultimately worked out for the best on all fronts.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
19
As Zelma Bullock in ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’
Zelma was rightfully skeptical of local neighborhood musician Ike Turner wanting to bring her young daughter Anna Mae into his band, but ultimately allowed her to join after being charmed by Ike and intrigued by the idea of Anna Mae being able to add an elevated stream of income to their household.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
ABC Medianet
20
As Catherine in ‘Baggage Claim’
As the mother of Paula Patton’s character Montana, Catherine stayed on her daughter’s case about finding a man to settle down with as the family prepared for her younger sister’s upcoming wedding.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
21
As Louise Smith in ‘The Brothers’
Who can forget the hilarious confrontation between Louise Smith and her ex-husband’s new young wife at a family gathering that only ended when her son (played by Morris Chestnut) and daughter (played by Tatyana Ali) intervened.
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
David Livingston
22
13 Times Jenifer Lewis Was The Black Mom We All Grew Up With On Screen
TOPICS:  black women in hollywood Jenifer Lewis
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now