Lynn Whitfield

Lynn Whitfield (née Smith; born February 15, 1953) is an American actress. She began her acting career in television and theatre before progressing to supporting roles in film. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her breakout performance as Josephine Baker in the HBO biographical film The Josephine Baker Story (1991).

Lynn Whitfield
Whitfield in 1999
Born	Lynn Smith February 15, 1953[1] Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
Alma mater	Howard University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1981–present
Spouse(s)	Vantile Whitfield ​ ​ (m. 1974⁠–⁠1978)​ Brian Gibson ​ (m. 1990⁠–⁠1992)​
Children	1

In the 1990s, Whitfield played leading roles in a number of made-for-television movies and had several starring roles in theatrical films, including A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996), Gone Fishin' (1997), Eve's Bayou (1997), Stepmom (1998), Head of State (2003), Madea's Family Reunion (2006), and The Women (2008). Whitfield also starred in a number of movies in the 2000s and 2010s. From 2016 to 2020, she starred as Lady Mae Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network dramatic series Greenleaf, for which she won critical acclaim and garnered two NAACP Image Awards and a Gracie Award. Whitfield has won a total of seven NAACP Image Awards.

Early life

Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the daughter of Valeria Jean (née Butler), a former president of the Louisiana Housing Authority, and Dr. Valerian Smith, who was also a composer.[2] She is the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. Both parents were instrumental in developing Whitfield's initial interest in acting, as they were actively involved in the Baton Rouge art scene. Her love of movies was shared by her maternal grandmother, Estelle DuVall Butler, who exposed her to them. By age five, Whitfield decided she wanted to be in them.

Career

1970s

Following graduation, she first garnered attention on the stage by performing with the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C. She married playwright/director/actor Vantile Whitfield, one of the company's co-founders and a pioneer of black theatre, in 1974. She eventually moved to New York and appeared off-Broadway in such shows as The Great Macdaddy and Showdown Time before earning international acclaim touring the United States, Australia and London's West End in the 1977 production of the landmark play "for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf" alongside Alfre Woodard.[3]

1980s

Whitfield made her professional screen debut in 1981 as Jill Thomas in the critically acclaimed NBC serial drama Hill Street Blues. In 1983, she appeared in the comedy film Doctor Detroit (1983), playing the supporting role of Thelma Cleland. She later co-starred in the films The Slugger's Wife, Silverado, and Jaws: The Revenge. She also starred in the television films The George McKenna Story opposite Denzel Washington and Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI as the title character and in the ABC miniseries The Women of Brewster Place alongside Oprah Winfrey and Cicely Tyson).[3] She also was a regular cast member in the short-lived 1988 ABC female-driven medical drama series HeartBeat alongside Kate Mulgrew, Laura Johnson, and Gail Strickland.[2]

1990s

Whitfield in 1996

Whitfield achieved wide recognition in the title role of The Josephine Baker Story (1991), portraying the American who became a Folies Bergère star, a French Resistance fighter during World War II, and a civil rights activist. The HBO biopic required her to age from 18 to 68.[4] After a highly publicized casting call, Whitfield was chosen over hundreds of women.[5] In the movie, she appeared nude on-screen.[6] In his review, Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly said: "Whitfield is exceptionally good as the legendary singer-dancer who came to prominence in the ’20s for her throaty singing and her notorious "banana dance"—a wiggly little number executed while wearing nothing except a skirt of real bananas."[7] The New York Times added that Whitfield "powerfully captures her [Baker's] passionate determination.[8]" Whitfield won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her role, and said this gave her "the greatest sense of accomplishment and realization of my vision. It absolutely called upon everything I thought I could do at that point."[9] She also received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film nomination and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special.

After her breakthrough as Josephine Baker, Whitfield had the recurring role in the ABC legal drama Equal Justice, appearing opposite Joe Morton. She continued her career, starring in the made-for-television movies A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story (1991); Stompin' at the Savoy (1992) with Vanessa L. Williams, Jasmine Guy, and Vanessa Bell Calloway; Taking the Heat (1993) with Tony Goldwyn; State of Emergency (1994) with Joe Mantegna; Sophie and the Moonhanger (1996); The Wedding (1998), as Halle Berry's mother; The Color of Courage (1998) alongside Linda Hamilton; and Deep in My Heart (1999) opposite Anne Bancroft. She also had a regular role on the short-lived NBC detective series The Cosby Mysteries from 1994 to 1995 and later guest-starred on Martin and Touched by an Angel.

In 1996, Whitfield was cast as the female lead opposite Martin Lawrence in the dark romantic comedy film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate.[10][11] At the time of filming, Lawrence was 12 years younger than Whitfield, who was then 42. The film grossed over $35 million against a budget of $8 million.[12] In 1997, she co-starred opposite Danny Glover and Rosanna Arquette in the comedy film Gone Fishin', appeared in the supporting role in the Canadian drama The Planet of Junior Brown, and played the mother of Jurnee Smollett's title character in the critically acclaimed independent drama Eve's Bayou.[13] In 1998, Whitfield had supporting role of an oncologist in the comedy-drama film Stepmom.[14][15]

2000s—present

Whitfield on the set of Curveball, in 2014

In the 2000s, Whitfield had many supporting roles on television and in films. She co-starred in the Chris Rock comedy film Head of State (2003) and Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion (2006). Whitfield also appeared in The Women (2008), The Rebound (2009), and Mama, I Want to Sing (2011) and had many roles in low-profile B-movies. She also starred as Dorothea Garibaldi in the Disney Channel films The Cheetah Girls and The Cheetah Girls 2.

On television, Whitfield had recurring roles on Boston Public and Without a Trace in the 2000s. From 2014 to 2015, she appeared in the ABC legal drama How to Get Away with Murder as villainous Mary Walker.[16] She also had a recurring role on Hit the Floor[17] and appeared as the abusive mother of April (Rochelle Aytes) on Mistresses.[18]

In 2015, Whitfield was cast as the main villain in Greenleaf, the Oprah Winfrey Network original scripted drama series about the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch. Whitfield played the leading role of Lady Mae Greenleaf, the imperious minister's wife and the power- and money-hungry matriarch of the family.[19][20] The series also starred Keith David, Merle Dandridge, Kim Hawthorne, and Oprah Winfrey. Whitfield received positive reviews from critics for her performance.[21][22] One critic stated: "Whitfield has the imperious aura of a grand soap opera diva in the tradition of Joan Collins."[23] She won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019 and 2020 as well as the Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Series in 2017.[24] The series ended in 2020 after five seasons and 60 episodes. Whitfield later was cast in a leading role in Greenleaf's planned spinoff.[25]

In 2018, Whitfield co-starred opposite Sanaa Lathan in the romantic comedy film Nappily Ever After, which was released on Netflix.[26] She guest-starred as Shaunette Renée Wilson's mother, a famous Nigerian surgeon, on the Fox medical drama The Resident in 2019. In 2020, she was cast in the upcoming comedy film Vacation Friends.[27]

Personal life

Whitfield speaking at a rally for Jon Ossoff's Senate campaign in 2020

Whitfield has been married twice. Her first husband, from 1974 to 1978, was Vantile Whitfield.[28] From 1990 to 1992, she was married to director Brian Gibson, with whom she had a daughter, Grace.[29][30]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1983	Doctor Detroit	Thelma Cleland
1985	The Slugger's Wife	Tina Alvarado
1985	Silverado	Rae Johnson
1987	Dead Aim	Sheila Freeman
1987	Jaws: The Revenge	Louisa
1991	The Josephine Baker Story	Josephine Baker
1994	In the Army Now	Sgt. Ladd
1996	A Thin Line Between Love and Hate	Brandi Web
1997	Gone Fishin'	Angie
1997	The Planet of Junior Brown	Mrs. Brown
1997	Eve's Bayou	Roz Batiste
1998	Stepmom	Dr. P. Sweikert
2000	A Time for Dancing	Linda Derricks
2003	Head of State	Debra Lassiter
2006	Madea's Family Reunion	Victoria Breaux
2006	Confessions	Dr. Page
2008	Kings of the Evening	Gracie
2008	The Women	Glenda Hill
2011	Mama, I Want to Sing!	Lillian Winter
2011	The Rebound	Laura Whitfield
2011	All Things Fall Apart	Bee
2012	Battlefield America	Ms. Lynn Parker
2012	Redemption of a Dog	Francine
2012	Training to Be A Superhero	MiMi Jakes	Short film
2013	Lonely Boy	Dr. Christine Nolan
2013	24 Hour Love	Cynthia
2013	King's Faith	Vanessa
2013	Act Like You Love Me	Harriett Lofton
2013	Someone to Love	Sophia Brent
2013	The Last Letter	Lorraine
2014	Blood Lines	Vivian
2014	30 Days in Atlanta	Clara the Immigration Lawyer
2014	Take the Spotlight	Lynn Watson
2014	Lap Dance	Momma Pearl
2015	Curve Ball	Dr. Layne
2015	The North Star	Miss Grace
2016	Prayer Never Fails	Loral Hess
2017	Espionage Tonight	Sydney Greenstreet
2017	Solace	Irene
2018	Nappily Ever After	Paulette Jones
TBA	Vacation Friends		Post-production

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1981	Hill Street Blues	Jill Thomas	3 episodes
1982	American Playhouse	Woman in the bath	"For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf"
1983	Matt Houston	Val	Episode: "The Centerfold Murders"
1983–85	This Is the Life	Norma	2 episodes
1985	Cagney & Lacey	Eleanor Taggart	Episode: "Who Says It's Fair" (Parts 1 & 2)
1985	Miami Vice	Odette Ribaud	Episode: "Bought and Paid For"
1985	The Fall Guy	Jeanne	Episode: "Escape Claus"
1986	Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI	Johnnie Mae Gibson	Movie
1986	The George McKenna Story	Bobbie Maxwell	Movie
1986	The New Mike Hammer	Della Marvel	Episode: "Harlem Nocturne"
1986	Tall Tales & Legends	Pollie Ann	Episode: "John Henry"
1988	St. Elsewhere	Annie Callan	Episode: "Curtains"
1988	HeartBeat	Dr. Cory Banks	Series regular, 18 episodes
1989	The Women of Brewster Place	Lucielia "Ciel" Turner	Miniseries
1990	Matlock	Angela Page	Episode: "The Informer" (Parts 1 & 2)
1991	The Trials of Rosie O'Neill		Episode: "Domestic Silence"
1991	Equal Justice	Maggie Mayfield	5 episodes
1991	The Josephine Baker Story	Josephine Baker
1991	A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story	Natala	Movie
1992	Stompin' at the Savoy	Esther	Movie
1993	Taking the Heat	Carolyn Hunter	Movie
1994	State of Emergency	Dehlia Johnson	Movie
1994	Thicker Than Blood: The Larry McLinden Story	Bobbie Mallory	Movie
1994–95	The Cosby Mysteries	Barbara Lorenz	Series regular, 20 episodes
1996	Sophie & the Moonhanger	Sophie	Movie
1997	Martin	Ellen	Episode: "Goin' Overboard" (Parts 1 & 2)
1997	Touched by an Angel	Dr. Serena Hall	Episode: "Amazing Grace" (Parts 1 & 2)
1998	The Wedding	Corinne Coles	Movie
1999	The Color of Courage	Minnie McGhee	Movie
1999	Deep in My Heart	Corinne Burrell	Movie
1999	Dangerous Evidence: The Lori Jackson Story	Lori Jackson	Movie
1999	Love Songs	Jean Simpson	Movie
2001	A Girl Thing	Nia Morgan	Movie
2001	Boston Public	Louanna Harper	3 episodes
2002–06	Without a Trace	Paula Van Doren	6 episodes
2003	The Cheetah Girls	Dorothea Garibaldi	Movie
2004	Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story	Barbara Becnel	Movie
2004	Strong Medicine	Dr. Marshall	Episode: "Race for a Cure"
2006	The Cheetah Girls 2	Dorothea Garibaldi	Movie
2006	Shark	Anita Astin	Episode: "Pilot"
2011	FlashForward	Anastasia Markham	Episode: "White to Play"
2012	Somebody's Child	Constance	Movie
2012	Prodigy Bully	Angela Washington	Movie
2012	Are We There Yet?	Pamela "Pam" Washington	2 episodes
2013	The Dempsey Sisters	Olivia Norman	Movie
2014	Hit the Floor	Vanessa Howard	Episode: "Shattered Glass"
2014	For the Love of Lockwood	Madame Mabry	Movie
2014	My Other Mother	Mary Jo	Movie
2014–15	How to Get Away with Murder	Mary Walker	3 episodes
2015	Fear Files	Madame Mabry	Movie
2015	Chasing Life	Karen Callahan	2 episodes
2015-16	Mistresses	Marjorie	4 episodes
2016–20	Greenleaf	Lady Mae Greenleaf	Series regular
2019	The Resident	Josephine Okeke	Episode: "Queens"

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
1991	Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special	The Josephine Baker Story	Won
1992	Golden Globe Awards	Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV	The Josephine Baker Story	Nominated
1992	CableACE Award	Actress in a Movie or Miniseries	The Josephine Baker Story	Nominated
1993	NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie	The Josephine Baker Story	Won
1998		Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture	Eve's Bayou	Nominated
1998		Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series	Touched by an Angel	Won
1999		Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series	The Wedding	Nominated
2000		Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie/Miniseries/Dramatic Special	Dangerous Evidence: The Lori Jackson Story	Nominated
2000		Outstanding Performance in a Youth or Children's Series/Special	The Planet of Junior Brown	Won
1999	Online Film & Television Association	Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries	The Color of Courage	Nominated
2000	Black Reel Awards	Network/Cable - Best Actress	Love Songs	Nominated
2004		Television: Best Supporting Actress	The Cheetah Girls	Nominated
2005		Best Actress, Network/Cable Television	Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story	Won
2005	Women Film Critics Circle Awards	Acting and Activism Award	Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story	Won
2005	NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special	Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story	Won
2016		Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series	Greenleaf	Nominated
2017	Gracie Awards	Actress in a Supporting Role - Drama		Won
2017	Los Angeles Film Festival	Best Ensemble Cast	Solace	Won
2018	NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series	Greenleaf	Nominated
2019				Won
2018	Black Reel Award	Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series	Greenleaf	Nominated
2019				Nominated
2020	NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series	Greenleaf	Won

References

1. Whitfield, Lynn (May 29, 2013). "Sasha talks with Lynn Whitfield" (Interview). Interviewed by Sasha. KISS 104 on YouTube. Retrieved July 24, 2020. So, when's your birthday?" "February 15. Birth date stated at 02:45 in video.
2. "Lynn Whitfield Biography (1953?-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
3. "Lynn Whitfield Facts, information, pictures - Encyclopedia.com articles about Lynn Whitfield". Retrieved 22 June 2016.
4. "What Becomes a Legend Most? : Lynn Whitfield became Josephine Baker, Budapest became Paris and Harlem as HBO raced to complete the first movie about the storied entertainer's life". latimes. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
5. "HBO's 'Josephine Baker': The Naked Truth". latimes. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
6. "Lynn Whitfield Shimmies into the Skin of Sultry Josephine Baker". Retrieved 24 June 2015.
7. "The Josephine Baker Story - EW.com". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
8. O'Connor, John J. (1991-03-15). "TV Weekend; With Josephine Baker Through a Long Life (Published 1991)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
9. "2 Emmys For James Earl Jones; 'L.A. Law', 'Cheers' Win Again". philly-archives. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
10. Brian Lowry. "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate". Variety. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
11. Martin Lawrence. "A Thin Line Between Love & Hate - EW.com". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
12. "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) - Box Office Mojo". Retrieved 24 June 2015.
13. "Eve's Bayou". 1 June 1996. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
14. "Stepmom". 25 December 1998. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
15. "'Stepmom' (PG-13)". Retrieved 24 June 2015.
16. Joyce Eng (14 November 2014). "How to Get Away with Murder Postmortem: Boss Breaks Down Annalise's Motives and Killer Theories". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
17. Tambay A. Obenson (6 February 2015). "TV Casting News Roundup: New Roles for Rutina Wesley, Lyn - Shadow and Act". Shadow and Act. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
18. starrymag. "Rochelle Aytes – Mistresses". Starry Constellation Magazine. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
19. Denise Petski. "Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge & Desiree Ross Join 'Greenleaf' - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
20. Tambay A. Obenson (24 August 2015). "Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge and Desiree Ross Cast in - Shadow and Act". Shadow and Act. Archived from the original on 26 August 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
21. "5 Reasons to Watch Oprah Winfrey's New Series 'Greenleaf'". ABC News. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
22. "'Greenleaf' Review: OWN Church Drama Delivers Juicy Moments - and Oprah Winfrey". 21 June 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
23. Ryan, Maureen (17 June 2016). "TV Review: 'Greenleaf'". Retrieved 18 June 2016.
24. 2017 Gracies Gala Winners
25. https://shadowandact.com/greenleaf-spinoff-details-revealed-e28095-heres-what-to-expect
26. N'Duka, Amanda (August 21, 2017). "Lynn Whitfield Joins Sanaa Lathan In 'Nappily Ever After'". Deadline. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
27. https://deadline.com/2020/09/vacation-friends-greenleaf-lynn-whitfield-john-cena-hulu-comedy-1234585312/
28. Shinhoster Lamb, Yvonne (2005-01-23). "Arts Administrator, Playwright Vantile Whitfield Dies". Washington Post. Washington, DC. His marriages to Barbara Cobb, Barbara Grant Thomas and Lynn Whitfield, the actress and a former student, ended in divorce.
29. "Lynn Whitfield Shimmies into the Skin of Sultry Josephine Baker".
30. "Lynn Whitfield's Daughter, Grace Gibson, Covers Adeles' "Rumor Has It/Set Fire To The Rain"".

External links

• Lynn Whitfield at IMDb