Alfre Woodard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alfre Woodard
Woodard at the 19th Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2013
Born	(1952-11-08) November 8, 1952 (age 72) Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Education	Boston University (BFA)
Occupation	Actress producer
Years active	1973–present
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Roderick Spencer ​ (m. 1983)​
Children	2
Awards	Full list

Alfre Woodard (born November 8, 1952) is an American actress. She is known for playing strong and graceful characters in plays, movies, and TV shows. She has won many awards, including four Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. She was also nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Grammy Awards. In 2020, The New York Times named her one of "The 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century." She is also a board member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group that gives out the Oscars.

Woodard started her acting journey in theater. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie Cross Creek (1983). She also received a BAFTA Award for Best Actress nomination for her part in Clemency (2019). Some of her well-known films include Grand Canyon (1991), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), 12 Years a Slave (2013), and Juanita (2019). She also provided the voice for Sarabi in the 2019 movie The Lion King.

On television, Woodard became very popular for her role as Dr. Roxanne Turner in the medical drama St. Elsewhere. She won Emmy Awards for her roles in Hill Street Blues (1984), L.A. Law (1987), the TV film Miss Evers' Boys (1997), and The Practice (2003). From 2005 to 2006, she played Betty Applewhite in the comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she played "Black" Mariah Stokes Dillard in the Netflix series Luke Cage (2016–2018).

Alfre Woodard is also known for her work as a political activist and producer. She helped start Artists for a New South Africa, an organization that works to support democracy and equality in South Africa.

Early Life and Education

Alfre Woodard was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on November 8, 1952. Her mother, Constance, was a homemaker, and her father, Marion H. Woodard, was a business owner and interior designer. She is the youngest of three children. In high school, she was a cheerleader.

Woodard went to Bishop Kelley High School, a private Catholic school in Tulsa, and graduated in 1970. She then studied drama at Boston University, where she earned her degree.

Career Highlights

Starting Out in the 1970s

Woodard began her professional acting career in theater in 1974 in Washington, D.C. She later moved to Los Angeles in 1976. She made her first movie appearance in the thriller Remember My Name (1978). That same year, she had a main role in The Trial of the Moke, a TV film.

Success in the 1980s

Woodard with her husband Roderick Spencer at the 1987 Emmy Awards.

In 1983, Woodard starred in the movie Cross Creek. Her performance earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Later that year, she won her first Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the TV drama Hill Street Blues.

She also gained praise for her roles in TV films like Words by Heart (1985) and A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story (1989). In 1986, she won another Emmy for her guest role in the pilot episode of L.A. Law. From 1985 to 1986, she was a regular cast member on the medical drama St. Elsewhere, playing Dr. Roxanne Turner.

In 1987, Woodard played South African activist Winnie Mandela in the HBO film Mandela. She prepared for the role by watching news clips and listening to tapes of Winnie Mandela to get her accent right. She also started appearing in comedy films like Scrooged (1988).

Notable Roles in the 1990s

In 1991, Woodard starred in the drama film Grand Canyon. The next year, she received great reviews for her role in Passion Fish, where she played a nurse named Chantelle. For this role, she was nominated for her first Golden Globe Award and won an Independent Spirit Award. She also had a funny role in the fantasy film Heart and Souls (1993).

Woodard played a leading role in Spike Lee's 1994 film Crooklyn, which received very positive reviews. In 1995, she was part of the cast of How to Make an American Quilt, and the entire cast was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 1996, she played Judge Miriam Shoat in Primal Fear and Lily Sloane in the science fiction film Star Trek: First Contact. Her performance in Star Trek was highly praised. In 1998, she starred in Down in the Delta, a film directed by Maya Angelou.

Woodard at Obama Rally during the Democratic National Convention in 2008

Her TV work in the 1990s also brought her many awards. For The Piano Lesson (1995), she won her first Screen Actors Guild Award. In 1997, she had leading roles in The Member of the Wedding and Miss Evers' Boys on HBO. Her role as nurse Eunice Evers in Miss Evers' Boys earned her widespread critical acclaim and she won an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award for it.

Versatility in the 2000s

In the 2000s, Woodard appeared in many different types of movies. These included the comedy-drama What's Cooking? (2000), the romantic drama Love & Basketball (2000), and science fiction films like K-PAX (2001) and The Forgotten (2004). She also lent her voice to the character Plio in Walt Disney's animated movie Dinosaur.

On television, Woodard won her fourth Primetime Emmy Award for her guest appearances in The Practice in 2003. In 2005, she joined the cast of Desperate Housewives as Betty Applewhite, a new mysterious character. Her acting in this role was praised, and she was nominated for another Emmy. She left the series after one season.

Woodard stumps for Barack Obama in New Philadelphia, Ohio in 2008

In 2008, Woodard starred in the drama film The Family That Preys, which received mixed reviews, but her performance was highly praised. She also appeared in the independent drama American Violet.

Busy Years in the 2010s

Woodard at the premiere of 12 Years a Slave at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival

From 2010 to 2011, Woodard played Lt. Tanya Rice in the TV series Memphis Beat. She also had a recurring role in HBO's True Blood (2010–2012), which earned her another Emmy nomination. In 2012, Woodard played Ouiser in the TV remake of Steel Magnolias, receiving praise and Emmy nominations for her funny performance. In 2013, she made Emmy history with 17 nominations for 16 different roles throughout her career.

In 2013, Woodard appeared in Steve McQueen's historical drama 12 Years a Slave. Even though her role was short, her performance was powerful and well-received. She was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award along with the rest of the cast. In 2014, she played the first female President of the United States in the NBC political drama State of Affairs.

In 2015, Woodard was cast in the film So B. It. In 2016, she had a small role in Marvel's movie Captain America: Civil War, playing Miriam Sharpe. Later that year, she played "Black" Mariah Dillard Stokes in the Netflix series Luke Cage, which was her second Marvel role.

Woodard in Johnson C. Smith University in 2012

In 2017, Woodard starred in the independent drama Juanita. She also appeared as Josephine Anwhistle in Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events. In 2018, she had a recurring role in the TV show Empire.

In 2019, Woodard voiced Sarabi in the CGI remake of The Lion King. She also starred in the prison drama film Clemency, for which she received wide critical acclaim and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role nomination. That same year, Woodard began starring alongside Jason Momoa in the Apple TV+ fantasy drama series See.

Recent Work in the 2020s

In 2021, Woodard starred with Kevin Hart in the drama film Fatherhood, which was a big hit on Netflix. She also appeared in the 2022 action thriller The Gray Man, one of Netflix's most expensive films.

Woodard was an executive producer and co-star in the TV miniseries The Porter, which premiered in 2022 and received positive reviews. She won a Canadian Screen Award for her performance in the show.

She is set to appear in upcoming films like 'Salem's Lot and Summer Camp. In 2024, Woodard returned to voice Lily Sloane in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks. She is also producing a TV miniseries about Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights leader.

Personal Life

Alfre Woodard lives in Santa Monica, California, with her husband, writer Roderick Spencer. They have two children, Mavis and Duncan. Woodard follows Christian Science. Her daughter, Mavis, was chosen as Miss Golden Globe for the 2010 Golden Globe Awards.

Woodard is an activist for many causes. She is a founder and board member of Artists for a New South Africa, a group that works to fight the AIDS pandemic in Africa and promote democracy and equality in South Africa. This charity has raised over $9 million and helped many South African children affected by AIDS. Woodard is also on the board of the Democratic Party and supported Barack Obama in his presidential campaigns. She also supports LGBT rights and same-sex marriage.

In 2015, Woodard appeared on the TV show Who Do You Think You Are? and learned about her family history. She discovered that her great-grandfather, Alex Woodard, was born into slavery in Georgia in the 1840s. He was separated from his family but later managed to buy 80 acres of farmland in Louisiana.

Awards and Nominations

Woodard has received many awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards (tying the record for the most acting Emmys won by an African-American performer), a Golden Globe Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. She has also been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Grammy Awards.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

See Also

In Spanish: Alfre Woodard para niños

Images for kids

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  Woodard at the 19th Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2013

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  Woodard with her husband Roderick Spencer at the 1987 Emmy Awards.

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  Woodard at Obama Rally during the Democratic National Convention in 2008

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  Woodard stumps for Barack Obama in New Philadelphia, Ohio in 2008

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  Woodard at the premiere of 12 Years a Slave at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival

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  Woodard in Johnson C. Smith University in 2012