Alfre Woodard
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person
Alfre Woodard (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell;<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> born November 8, 1952) is an American actress. Known for portraying strong-willed and dignified roles on stage and screen, she has received various accolades, including four Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards as well as nominations for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and two Grammy Awards. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her as one of "The 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She is a board member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Woodard began her acting career in theater. After her breakthrough role in the Off-Broadway play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf (1977). She received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in Cross Creek (1983).<ref name=17for16>Template:Cite web</ref> She earned a BAFTA Award for Best Actress nomination for her role in Clemency (2019). Woodard's notable films include Grand Canyon (1991), Passion Fish (1992), Heart and Souls (1993), Crooklyn (1994), How to Make an American Quilt (1995), Primal Fear (1996), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Down in the Delta (1998), 12 Years a Slave (2013), and Juanita (2019). She voiced Sarabi in The Lion King (2019).
Woodard gained prominence for her television role as Dr. Roxanne Turner in the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere, for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1986, and for Guest Actress in 1988. She's received four Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles in the NBC drama series Hill Street Blues in 1984, the NBC series L.A. Law in 1987, the HBO film Miss Evers' Boys (1997), and The Practice in 2003. From 2005 to 2006, Woodard starred as Betty Applewhite in the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), she portrayed "Black" Mariah Stokes-Dillard in the Netflix series Luke Cage (2016–2018).
She is also known for her work as a political activist and producer. Woodard is a founder of Artists for a New South Africa, an organization devoted to advancing democracy and equality in that country.<ref name="tvg">Template:Cite web</ref>
Early life and education
Woodard was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Constance, a homemaker, and Marion H. Woodard, an entrepreneur and interior designer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She is the youngest of three children and was a cheerleader in high school.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Woodard attended Bishop Kelley High School, a private Catholic school in Tulsa, graduating from there in 1970. She studied drama at Boston University, from which she graduated.<ref name=tvg/> In 2004, she received an honorary doctoral degree in fine arts (DFA) from Boston University.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Career
1970s
Woodard made her professional theater debut in 1974 on Washington, DC's Arena Stage.<ref name="nytbio">Template:Cite web</ref> On off-Broadway, she performed in the play So Nice, They Named it Twice at The Public Theater in early 1976.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1976, she moved to Los Angeles. She later said, "When I came to L.A., people told me there were no film roles for black actors. I'm not a fool. I know that. But I was always confident that I knew my craft."<ref name="ppl"/> Her breakthrough role was in the Off-Broadway play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf in 1977.<ref name=tvg/> The next year, Woodard made her film debut in Remember My Name, a thriller written and directed by Alan Rudolph. In the same year, she had a leading role in The Trial of the Moke, a Great Performances television film co-starring Samuel L. Jackson.
1980s
In 1980, Woodard had a role in the ensemble comedy film Health directed by Robert Altman.<ref name=loneliness>Template:Cite book</ref> She later appeared in the NBC miniseries The Sophisticated Gents, and had a regular role alongside Catherine Hicks and Tim Matheson in the short-lived comedy-drama Tucker's Witch (1982–83). Later in 1983, Woodard starred opposite Mary Steenburgen in the biography drama film Cross Creek directed by Martin Ritt. For her performance in the film, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.<ref name="nytbio"/> Later in 1983, Woodard won her first Primetime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category for her three-episode arc as Doris Robson in the NBC critically acclaimed serial drama Hill Street Blues.<ref name=tvg/><ref name="emmys">Template:Cite web</ref> Her next television role was on the short-lived NBC sitcom Sara starring Geena Davis.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the next few years, Woodard received critical acclaim for her lead performances in a number of made-for-television films. She was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles in the films Words by Heart (1985), Unnatural Causes (1986), and A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story (1989).<ref name="emmys"/>
In 1986, Woodard starred opposite Farrah Fawcett in the drama film Extremities, which was based on the 1982 Off-Broadway play by William Mastrosimone. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as a woman dying of leukemia in the pilot episode of the NBC drama series L.A. Law.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> From 1985 to 1986, she also was a regular cast member of the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere. She played the role of Dr. Roxanne Turner, a strong doctor and the love interest of the Denzel Washington character. She left the show after a single season and guest-starred in 1988. Woodard was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1986, and for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 1988, for St. Elsewhere.<ref name="emmys"/> In 1998, Woodard reprised the role for a sixth-season episode of Homicide: Life on the Street entitled "Mercy". She also was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her guest performance in the show.<ref name="emmys"/>
In 1987, Woodard played the role of South African activist Winnie Mandela in the HBO film Mandela. She spent several weeks watching news clips and listening to tapes of Winnie to match her accent.<ref name="ppl">Template:Cite web</ref> She did not win an Emmy, but received a CableACE Award and an NAACP Image Award in the Outstanding Lead Actress category for Mandela.<ref name="nytbio"/> In the next years, she began starring in comedy films like Scrooged (1988) and Miss Firecracker (1989).
1990s
In 1991, Woodard starred in drama film Grand Canyon, directed by Lawrence Kasdan. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and earned $40,991,329 at the box office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The next year, Woodard received major critical acclaim for her performance opposite Mary McDonnell in the drama film Passion Fish, written and directed by John Sayles. The film depicts the struggles of a recently paralyzed daytime soap opera star, and how her outlook is influenced by her nurse, Chantelle, a recovering drug addict played by Woodard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Rolling StoneTemplate:'s Peter Travers described her performance as "superb".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She was a promising contender for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress category, but did not receive a nomination.<ref name="ake-three"/> However, she did receive her first Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In that same year, she had a comedic role in the fantasy film Heart and Souls opposite Robert Downey, Jr., for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Woodard starred opposite Danny Glover in the 1993 drama film Bopha! and had the leading role in 1994's semi-autobiographical film Crooklyn, written and directed by Spike Lee. Crooklyn received very positive reviews from critics.<ref name="ake-three">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the same period, Woodward also appeared in the films The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag (1992), Rich in Love (1993), and Blue Chips (1994). In 1995, she co-starred alongside Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Kate Nelligan, and Maya Angelou in the female ensemble drama film How to Make an American Quilt, for which the entire cast was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 1996, Woodard played Judge Miriam Shoat in the neo-noir crime film Primal Fear with Richard Gere and Edward Norton, as well as portraying Lily Sloane, Zefram Cochrane's assistant in the science fiction film Star Trek: First Contact. Her performance in the franchise film garnered wide critical acclaim. In 1998, she starred as an alcoholic single mother from Chicago forced to spend a summer with her uncle in Mississippi, in the critically acclaimed independent drama Down in the Delta directed by Maya Angelou, her How to Make an American Quilt co-star.<ref name="nytbio"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For her powerful performance in the film, Woodard was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. In 1999, Woodard had roles in two films: Mumford (alongside her Passion Fish co-star Mary McDonnell), and The Wishing Tree as lead character.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the 1990s, Woodard also continued her work in television, earning considerable acclaim for her performances.<ref name="nytbio"/> For The Piano Lesson (1995), a Hallmark Hall of Fame film, she won her first Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, as well as being nominated for another Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie.<ref name="emmys"/> In next year, she received a Primetime Emmy nomination for her performance as the Queen in the critically acclaimed Hallmark miniseries Gulliver's Travels, based on the classic Jonathan Swift novel. In 1997, she had the leading roles in both The Member of the Wedding (based on the novel by Carson McCullers) and Miss Evers' Boys on HBO. Her performance as the title character in the latter film, as a nurse who consoled many of the subjects of the notorious 1930s Tuskegee study of untreated Blacks with syphilis, earned widespread critical acclaim,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> sweeping all television awards in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie category, including Primetime Emmy (besting nominees Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren, Glenn Close, and Stockard Channing), Golden Globe, Satellite, NAACP, CableACE, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.<ref name="awards">Template:Cite web</ref>
2000s
In the 2000s, Woodard's film career showcased her versatility in a range of genres, including the ensemble comedy-drama What's Cooking? (2000), the romantic drama Love & Basketball (2000) as the lead character's mother, science fiction films K-PAX (2001), The Core (2003), and The Forgotten (2004), the biographical drama Radio (2003), comedies The Singing Detective (2003) and Beauty Shop (2005), the romantic drama Something New (2006), and the dance-musical Take the Lead (2006). Woodard also was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance as a drug addict in the Holiday Heart (2000). In addition, she performed voice work in a variety of feature and television documentaries,<ref name="nytbio" /> as well as a voice role in Walt Disney's Dinosaur. The film was a financial success, grossing over $349 million worldwide.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On television, Woodard guest-starred in two episodes of The Practice in 2003, for which she won her fourth Primetime Emmy Award.<ref name="emmys"/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2005, she joined the cast of the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives as Betty Applewhite, the new mystery housewife. Her character was introduced in the last episodes of the series' first season, and became the center of the second season's mystery. Series creator Marc Cherry noted: "There's nothing strategically black about her character. Her color is incidental."<ref>Mitchell, Sean (September 24, 2005). "With the Secrets Revealed, 'Housewives' Turns to New Mysteries". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2011.</ref> Woodard stated that she had never seen the show before being offered the role, leading the producers to send her fifteen episodes of the show, which she divided amongst various family members. After they compared storylines, Woodard recalled that she became "instantly hooked" on the series.<ref name="secret">Keck, William (September 29, 2005). "Alfre Woodard has a secret". USA Today. Retrieved October 18, 2011.</ref> As soon as Woodard accepted the role of Betty Applewhite, she reported experiencing heavy media attention.<ref>Rice, Lynette (September 2, 2005). "Desperate Housewives" Template:Webarchive. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 29, 2011.</ref> Woodard's portrayal of Betty was praised and resulted in a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2006.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, her mystery as a whole had mixed reviews. In a review of the second-season premiere, Michael Slezak of Entertainment Weekly thought that the Applewhite mystery would help reduce the show's chances of falling into a sophomore slump. He praised Woodard's acting as well as her character's storyline, opining, "there's something so inherently warm and maternal in Woodard's performance, such apple-pie wholesomeness, that it makes her touches of menace all the more chilling."<ref name="slezak">Slezak, Michael (September 24, 2005). "Knotty Problems" Template:Webarchive. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 29, 2011.</ref> However, as the season progressed, there were many complaints about Betty's lack of interaction with the other housewives.<ref>Goldblatt, Henry (October 21, 2005). TV Review – Desperate Housewives. Template:Webarchive Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 28, 2012.</ref> She left the series in the second-season finale episode.
Woodard was nominated for Primetime Emmys for her roles in the television films The Water Is Wide and Pictures of Hollis Woods (2007).<ref name="emmys"/> She starred as lead in the Tyler Perry's drama film The Family That Preys in 2008. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but her performance received acclaim.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Los Angeles Times critic Bob Baker said in his review: "The film takes off when Woodard's and Kathy Bates' characters go on a Thelma & Louise-style road trip.",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while The Washington PostTemplate:'s Neely Tucker wrote: "By far the best thing about the enterprise is Woodard. If she's not in this thing, I think it goes kaput.".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In next year, she appeared in the independent drama American Violet, playing the mother of a 24-year-old African-American woman wrongfully swept up in a drug raid.<ref name="nytbio"/> She also starred in two short-lived television series: NBC's My Own Worst Enemy (2008), and CBS's Three Rivers (2009).
2010s
From 2010 to 2011, Woodard starred as Lt. Tanya Rice in the TNT comedy-drama series Memphis Beat, winning a Gracie Allen Award for each of its two seasons. One critic said: "I originally tuned in for Jason Lee, who plays a police detective named Dwight who likes to croon the blues. But I was won over by Alfre Woodard, who plays Dwight's by-the-book boss."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Memphis Beat was canceled after two seasons.<ref name="Memphis Beat Cancelled">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010, she appeared in the third season of HBO's True Blood as Ruby Jean Reynolds.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> garnering another Primetime Emmy nomination in 2011 for her recurring role.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Woodard also guest-starred in Shonda Rhimes' dramas Grey's Anatomy in 2011 and Private Practice in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Also in 2012, Woodard appeared in the Lifetime television remake of the 1989 comedy-drama film Steel Magnolias as Ouiser, a role previously played by Shirley MacLaine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It drew 6.5 million viewers, making it the third most-viewed Lifetime Original film in the network's history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Woodard received critical acclaim for her comedic performance, as well as Primetime Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations.<ref name="emmys"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2013, Woodard made Emmy history with 17 nominations for 16 different roles.<ref name=17for16/> Also in 2013, she had a recurring role in the BBC America period drama Copper.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2013, Woodard appeared in Steve McQueen's historical drama film 12 Years a Slave as Mistress Harriet Shaw, a formerly enslaved woman who has risen in the Southern caste system. Though her appearance was brief, her performance was praised as powerful.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Along with the other cast members, she was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, in addition to her nomination for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her single-scene appearance. In 2013, she also appeared in Ava DuVernay's short film The Door, a part of Miu Miu's Women's Tales series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The following year, Woodard appeared in the horror-thriller Annabelle and the comedy-drama Mississippi Grind.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She also starred in the independent drama film Knucklehead as an abusive mother.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2014, Woodard played the role of the first female President of the United States in the NBC political drama series State of Affairs opposite Katherine Heigl.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> About her role, Woodard said, "It's fun to play the President, rather than to be the President. But what drew me was how smart the script was, and this world we hadn't seen before—this world most Americans didn't know existed before we went after Bin Laden. And that it was being done by people who knew the world. So we're not stepping too outside the boundaries; it's based in realism. And I love politics. I have worked in politics for several decades, so it was a chance to live in a world that was important to me."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The series premiered with generally negative reviews from critics, but most reviewers praised Woodard's performance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Amy Amatangelo of Boston Herald gave the premiere grade "C", stating that, "Alfre Woodard isn't given a lot to do as President Constance Payton in the premiere, but, unlike Heigl, she does have the gravitas for the role, and the show would be wise to use her more. The series sets up some interesting reveals in the hour's final moments. They potentially could make the show more interesting. But for now the state of affairs is rather mediocre."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The series was canceled after a single season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In November 2014, Woodard was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. She said in her acceptance speech that she believes it is her responsibility to use her fame to help others less fortunate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also in November 2014, Woodard narrated "Women in Politics", an episode of season 2 of Makers: Women Who Make America.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Woodard played a lead role in So B. It (2016), the film adaptation of Sarah Weeks' young adult novel, directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She had a small role in Marvel's film Captain America: Civil War (2016), playing Miriam Sharpe, the mother of an American citizen killed in the battle of Sokovia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Later that year, she played "Black" Mariah Stokes Dillard in the Netflix series Marvel's Luke Cage, marking her second portrayal of a character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Woodard played the title character in Juanita (2019), an independent drama based on Sheila Williams' book Dancing on the Edge of the Roof.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She also co-starred opposite Michelle Monaghan in Saint Judy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additionally, Woodard appeared as Josephine Anwhistle in Netflix's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events, which premiered in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, she took a recurring role in the Fox prime time soap opera Empire, playing Renee, Cookie Lyon's mother.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2019, Woodard voiced Sarabi in the CGI live action remake of The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Also that year, Woodard played in a leading role in the prison drama film Clemency, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. The film centers on a prison warden (Woodard) who confronts her own psychological demons as she develops an emotional connection to the death row inmate (played by Aldis Hodge) she is scheduled to execute.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For her performance, Woodard has received wide critical acclaim.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="auto1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was listed as a contender for a nomination in the 2020 Academy Award for Best Actress category,<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/> but did not receive a nomination. She received BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role nomination for her performance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also that year, Woodard began starring opposite Jason Momoa in the Apple TV+ original fantasy drama series See, a series set in a future in which the human race has lost the sense of sight.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2020s
In 2021, Woodard starred opposite Kevin Hart in the drama film Fatherhood directed by Paul Weitz.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film received mixed reviews from critics, but was a hit on Netflix. A week after its release, Netflix reported the film was on track to by watched by 61 million households through its first month of release.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She also appeared in the 2022 action thriller The Gray Man for Netflix, with a production budget of $200 million, making it the most expensive film made by Netflix.<ref name="auto2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also in 2022, she had a cameo role in the Kyra Sedgwick’s directorial debut, the romantic comedy film Space Oddity. Samantha Bergeson from IndieWire wrote in her review: "Alfre Woodard, too good for this film, graces us onscreen as a kind pediatrician who treats Alex because he acts like a little kid."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Woodard executive produced and co-starred in the CBC Television period drama miniseries The Porter, which premiered in 2022 to positive reviews and became the most nominated show at the 11th Canadian Screen Awards.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> Woodard received Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance in a Guest role in a Drama Series for The Porter.
Woodard next appeared in the 2024 film adaptation of 'Salem's Lot playing the role of Dr. Cody,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and set to star alongside Morgan Freeman in Hate To See You Go.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She starred opposite Blair Underwood in the thriller film Viral.<ref name="auto3">Template:Cite web</ref> Also that year, she starred in the epic film The Book of Clarence and the comedy film Summer Camp alongside Diane Keaton and Kathy Bates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2024, Woodard reprised her role as Lily Sloane from Star Trek: First Contact in the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks "Fissure Quest." Woodard played an alternate reality version of the character.
Woodard has announced that she is producing an upcoming four-hour television miniseries about Fannie Lou Hamer, a voting rights activist and civil rights leader.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The project was first announced in 2014, and in November 2020, ABC Signature ordered it to series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of 2023, the project still was not going to production.
Personal life
Woodard lives in Santa Monica, California, with her husband, writer Roderick Spencer, and their two children Mavis and Duncan. Woodard follows Christian Science.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her daughter, Mavis, served as Miss Golden Globe for the 2010 Golden Globe Awards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Woodard is an activist for a wide spectrum of causes. She is a founder and board member of Artists for a New South Africa, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating the African AIDS pandemic and to advancing democracy and equality in South Africa since 1989. The charity has raised more than $9 million and has provided healthcare to over 3,500 South African AIDS orphans.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Woodard is also a board member of the Democratic Party, and campaigned for Barack Obama in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She lends continuing support to the fight for LGBT rights and same sex marriage.<ref>(2012-5-9) LGBT Democratic National Convention</ref> In February 2009, she joined a group of American film directors and actors on a cultural trip to Iran at the invitation of the "House of Cinema" forum in Tehran.<ref>Iranians newspaper, Ashburn, Virginia, March 6, 2009.</ref>
On August 9, 2015, Woodard appeared on TLC's Who Do You Think You Are?. Research into her father's genealogy revealed that her great-grandfather Alex Woodard was born into slavery in Houston County, Georgia, in the early 1840s. At about age 14 or 15, Alex was separated from his family when his master relocated to Jackson Parish, Louisiana. Historians helped Woodard locate evidence that Alex was assessed a poll tax in 1867, indicating that he was registered to vote two years after the Civil War ended. By 1881, Alex had purchased Template:Convert of farmland in Jackson Parish. On April 15, 1898, Alex Woodard and his wife Elizabeth sold their 80 acres to her brother, Aaron Stell, as they had moved to Wharton County, Texas, by that time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Awards and nominations
Woodard has received numerous accolades including four Primetime Emmy Awards (tying the record for the most acting Emmys won by an African-American performer, along with Regina King), a Golden Globe Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. She also has been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Grammy Awards.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Template:Tooltip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Remember My Name | Rita | ||
| 1980 | Health | Sally Benbow | ||
| 1983 | Cross Creek | Beatrice "Geechee" | ||
| 1984 | Sweet Revenge | Vicki Teague | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 1984 | Killing Floor | Maddie Custer | ||
| 1986 | Extremities | Patricia | ||
| 1988 | Scrooged | Grace Cooley | ||
| 1989 | Miss Firecracker | Popeye Jackson | ||
| 1990 | Blue Bayou | Jessica Filley | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 1991 | Grand Canyon | Jane | ||
| Pretty Hattie's Baby | Hattie | Unreleased, also associate producer | <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | |
| 1992 | Template:Sortname | Attorney Ann Orkin | ||
| Passion Fish | Chantelle | |||
| 1993 | Rich in Love | Rhody Poole | ||
| Heart and Souls | Penny Washington | |||
| Bopha! | Rosie Mangena | |||
| 1994 | Blue Chips | Lavada McRae | ||
| Crooklyn | Carolyn Carmichael | |||
| Countdown to Freedom: 10 Days That Changed South Africa | Narrator | Documentary | ||
| 1995 | How to Make an American Quilt | Marianna | ||
| 1996 | Statistically Speaking | Middle aged woman | Short film | |
| Follow Me Home | Evey | Unreleased | ||
| Star Trek: First Contact | Lily Sloane | |||
| Primal Fear | Judge Miriam Shoat | |||
| A Step Toward Tomorrow | Dr. Sandlin | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| 1997 | Cadillac Desert | Narrator | ||
| Template:Sortname | Maisie | Voice | <ref name="btva2">Template:Cite web A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref> | |
| 1998 | Down in the Delta | Loretta Sinclair | Also executive producer | |
| 1999 | Funny Valentines | Joyce May | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| The Wishing Tree | Clara Collier | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| Different Moms | Narrator | Documentary | ||
| Mumford | Lily | |||
| 2000 | What's Cooking? | Audrey Williams | ||
| Lost Souls | Dr. Allen | Cameo | ||
| John Henry | Polly / Narrator | |||
| Love & Basketball | Camille Wright | |||
| Dinosaur | Plio | Voice | <ref name="btva2" /> | |
| 2001 | K-PAX | Claudia Villars | ||
| American Exile | Narrator | Documentary | <ref>Template:Cite book</ref> | |
| 2002 | Searching for Debra Winger | Herself | ||
| Baby of the Family | Rachel | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| Template:Sortname | Akela | Voice | <ref name="btva2" /> | |
| 2003 | Template:Sortname | Chief of Staff | ||
| Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property | Narrator | Documentary | ||
| Template:Sortname | Talma Stickley | |||
| Unchained Memories | Narrator | |||
| Radio | Principal Daniels | |||
| 2004 | Template:Sortname | Detective Anne Pope | ||
| All Our Sons: Fallen Heroes of 9/11 | Narrator | Documentary | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 2005 | Beauty Shop | Miss Josephine | ||
| 2006 | Something New | Joyce McQueen | ||
| Take the Lead | Principal Augustine James | |||
| King Leopold's Ghost | Ilanga | Voice | ||
| 2008 | American Violet | Alma Roberts | ||
| Template:Sortname | Alice Pratt | |||
| Road to Ingwavuma | Narrator | Documentary | ||
| AmericanEast | Angela Jensen | |||
| Reach for Me | Evelyn | |||
| 2010 | Have You Heard From Johannesburg | Narrator | Documentary | |
| 2013 | The Door | E | Short film | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Miracle Rising: South Africa | Narrator | Documentary | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 12 Years a Slave | Mistress Harriet Shaw | |||
| 2014 | The Hadza: Last of the First | Narrator | Documentary | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Annabelle | Evelyn | |||
| 2015 | Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band | Mary Lou Williams / Narrator | Documentary | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Mississippi Grind | Sam | |||
| Knucklehead | Sheila | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| 2016 | Captain America: Civil War | Miriam Sharpe | Cameo | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| So B. It | Bernadette | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| 2017 | Burning Sands | Professor Hughes | ||
| 2018 | Saint Judy | Judge Benton | ||
| 2019 | Clemency | Warden Bernadine Williams | Also executive producer | |
| Juanita | Juanita | |||
| The Lion King | Sarabi | Voice | <ref name="btva2" /> | |
| 2021 | Fatherhood | Marian | ||
| 2022 | The Gray Man | Margaret Cahill | <ref name="auto2"/> | |
| Space Oddity | Dr. Sue Olsen | <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | ||
| 2023 | The Book of Clarence | The Virgin Mary | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 2024 | Summer Camp | Mary | ||
| 'Salem's Lot | Dr. Cody | |||
| Template:TableTBA | Viral | Dr. Johnetta | Post-production | <ref name="auto3"/> |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | The Trial of the Moke | Lucy | Television film |
| 1979 | Freedom Road | Katie | |
| 1980 | The White Shadow | Sandra Wilcox | Episode: "Reunion: Part 1" |
| 1981 | Template:Sortname | Evelyn Evers | Miniseries |
| 1982 | For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf |
Woman who lost her stuff | American Playhouse production |
| The Ambush Murders | Kariha Ellsworth | Television film | |
| 1982–1983 | Tucker's Witch | Marcia Fulbright | 12 episodes |
| 1983 | Hill Street Blues | Doris Robson | 3 episodes |
| 1984 | The Killing Floor | Mattie Custer | American Playhouse production<ref>Template:Citation</ref> |
| 1985 | Sara | Rozalyn Dupree | 13 episodes |
| Words by Heart | Claudie Sills | Television film | |
| Go Tell It on the Mountain | Esther | American Playhouse production | |
| Faerie Tale Theatre | Princess Lovinia | Episode: "Puss in Boots" | |
| 1985–1988 | St. Elsewhere | Dr. Roxanne Turner | 16 episodes |
| 1986 | L.A. Law | Adrian Moore | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1986 | Unnatural Causes | Maude DeVictor | Television film |
| 1987 | Mandela | Winnie Mandela | |
| 1988 | The Child Saver | Andrea Crawford | |
| 1989 | A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story | Mary Thomas | |
| 1994 | Frasier | Edna | Voice, episode: "The Botched Language of Cranes" |
| Aliens for Breakfast | Mrs. Marks | Television film | |
| Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad | Harriet Tubman | ||
| 1995 | Template:Sortname | Berniece | |
| 1996 | Gulliver's Travels | Queen of Brobdingnag | Miniseries |
| 1997 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Wilnoome Bear | Voice, episode: "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" |
| Template:Sortname | Berenice Sadie Brown | Television film | |
| Miss Evers' Boys | Eunice Evers | ||
| 1998 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Dr. Roxanne Turner | Episode: "Mercy" |
| 2000 | Holiday Heart | Wanda | Television film |
| 2003 | Template:Sortname | Denise Freeman | 2 episodes |
| Static Shock | Jean Hawkins | Voice, episode: "Flashback"<ref name="btva2" /> | |
| Template:Sortname | Mrs. Whatsit | Television film | |
| 2005–2006 | Desperate Housewives | Betty Applewhite | 19 episodes |
| 2006 | The Water Is Wide | Mrs. Brown | Television film |
| 2007 | Pictures of Hollis Woods | Edna Reilly | |
| 2008 | My Own Worst Enemy | Mavis Heller | 9 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Three Rivers | Dr. Sophia Jordan | 12 episodes |
| 2010–2012 | True Blood | Ruby Jean Reynolds | 5 episodes |
| 2010 | Black Panther | Ramonda, Dondi Reese, Dora Milaje, Miss M'Buye | Voice, 5 episodes<ref name="btva2" /> |
| 2010–2011 | Memphis Beat | Lt. Tanya Rice | 20 episodes |
| 2011 | Grey's Anatomy | Justine Campbell | Episode: "Heart Shaped Box" |
| 2012 | Private Practice | Dee Bennett | Episode: "The Next Episode" |
| Steel Magnolias | Ouiser | Television film | |
| 2013 | Copper | Hattie Lemaster | 6 episodes |
| 2014–2015 | The Last Ship | Amy Granderson | 3 episodes |
| State of Affairs | President Constance Payton | 13 episodes | |
| 2016–2018 | Luke Cage | Mariah Stokes Dillard / Black Mariah<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 23 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | A Series of Unfortunate Events | Josephine Anwhistle | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Empire | Renee Holloway | 4 episodes |
| 2019–2021 | See | Paris | 16 episodes |
| 2020 | Make It Work! | Herself | Television special |
| 2022 | The Porter | Fay | Also executive producer |
| 2022 | Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom | narrator | aired on PBS |
| 2023 | Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur | Miriam "Mimi" Lafayette | Voice<ref name="btva2" /> |
| 2024 | Star Trek: Lower Decks | Alternate Lily Sloane | Voice, episode: "Fissure Quest" |
| 2025 | The Last Frontier | Jacqueline Bradford | Main role<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Template:Tooltip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Me and Bessie | Woman | Edison Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1981 | 2 by South | Precious Blood | Theatre at St. Clements, New York | |
| 2001 | Kindred | Dana Franklin | Audio Drama <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | |
| 2004 | Drowning Crow | Josephine Ark Trip | Biltmore Theatre, Broadway |
References
Bibliography
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- 1952 births
- Living people
- 20th-century African-American actresses
- 20th-century American actresses
- 21st-century African-American actresses
- 21st-century American actresses
- Actresses from Santa Monica, California
- Actresses from Tulsa, Oklahoma
- African-American Christians
- American Christian Scientists
- American film actresses
- American stage actresses
- American television actresses
- American voice actresses
- Audiobook narrators
- Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actress Golden Globe winners
- Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni
- Converts to Christian Science
- Best Supporting Female Independent Spirit Award winners
- Oklahoma Democrats
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Screen Actors Guild Award winners
- Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners
- Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners
- Canadian Screen Award winning actors
- Recipients of the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo