Margaret Avery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Avery
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Avery in 1986
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| Born |
Mangum, Oklahoma, U.S.
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| Alma mater |
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| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Robert Gordon Hunt
(m. 1974; div. 1980) |
| Children | 1 |
Margaret Avery is an American actress and singer. She is most famous for her role as the singer Shug Avery in the movie The Color Purple (1985). This role earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, one of the highest honors in filmmaking.
Avery began her career in theater before starring in movies. Some of her early films include Cool Breeze (1972) and Which Way Is Up? (1977). She also received an NAACP Image Award nomination for the film Scott Joplin (1977).
More recently, she has appeared in movies like Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008) and Proud Mary (2018). From 2013 to 2019, she played Helen Patterson, the main character's mother, in the TV series Being Mary Jane.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Margaret Avery grew up in San Diego, California, and went to Point Loma High School. In 1965, she graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in education.
Before becoming a full-time actress, she worked as an elementary school teacher in Oakland, California. At the same time, she started singing and acting. She took lessons from Judy Davis, a vocal coach who also taught famous singers like Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand.
In 1968, Avery moved to Los Angeles to focus on her acting career. She continued to work as a substitute teacher while looking for acting jobs.
Acting Career
First Roles on Stage and Screen
Avery started her career acting in plays. In 1972, she won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for her role in the play Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?. That same year, she appeared in a TV movie called Something Evil, which was directed by the famous Steven Spielberg.
Her first major movie role was in the 1972 crime film Cool Breeze. The next year, she had a small part in Magnum Force, a movie starring Clint Eastwood. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she appeared as a guest star on many popular TV shows, including Kojak, Sanford and Son, Murder, She Wrote, and The Cosby Show.
In 1977, she starred alongside comedian Richard Pryor in the comedy Which Way Is Up?. She also played Belle Joplin, the wife of composer Scott Joplin, in the movie Scott Joplin.
Breakthrough Role in 'The Color Purple'
In 1985, Avery landed her most famous role as the blues singer Shug Avery in The Color Purple. The movie was based on the popular book by Alice Walker and was directed by Steven Spielberg. Her amazing performance earned her a nomination for an Academy Award.
Getting the part wasn't easy. Avery said that at first, the movie's creators were looking for a singer, not an actress. She had to convince the casting director to let her audition by sending in a tape of her performance. The book's author, Alice Walker, saw the tape and knew right away that Avery was perfect for the role.
After her Oscar nomination, Avery found it hard to get new roles for a couple of years. She explained that in those days, it was often more difficult for women of color to find a variety of roles compared to their male co-stars. To support herself, she began speaking at colleges across the country.
Later Work
Avery continued to act in movies and on television. In 1992, she played the grandmother of the Jackson family in the TV miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. She also appeared in the 2008 comedies Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins and Meet the Browns.
From 2013 to 2019, she had a main role as the mother of the lead character in the TV show Being Mary Jane. In 2018, she acted alongside Taraji P. Henson in the action movie Proud Mary. She has also made guest appearances on recent shows like Grey's Anatomy and Better Things.
Personal Life and Activism
Margaret Avery lives in Los Angeles and is still active in the entertainment industry. Besides acting, she dedicates her time to helping at-risk teenagers and women in need in her community.
She earned a master's degree in psychology from Phillips Graduate University and has worked as a therapist. Avery is also a spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America, helping to raise awareness about the disease.
See also
In Spanish: Margaret Avery para niños
