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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
BLACK-ISH – “Black Like Us” – Dre and Bow are furious after Diane isn’t lit properly in her class photo. Diane doesn’t want to make it a big deal, but they decide to talk to the principal about the need for sensitivity toward all complexions. Meanwhile, Junior claims there is unspoken colorism within their own family, and things get heated on “black-ish,” TUESDAY, JAN. 15 (9:00-9:30 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network. (Ron Tom via Getty Images) JENIFER LEWIS, ANTHONY ANDERSON
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 Movie Moms We Love
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