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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| 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 well-known for her roles in movies and TV shows. Margaret Avery started her career on stage. Later, she became famous for her parts in films like Cool Breeze (1972) and Which Way Is Up? (1977).
She was even nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in Scott Joplin (1977). Her most famous role was Shug Avery in the movie The Color Purple (1985). For this role, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Margaret Avery has continued to act in many films. These include Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008) and Proud Mary (2018). From 2013 to 2019, she played Helen Patterson in the TV series Being Mary Jane.
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About Margaret Avery's Early Life and Education
Margaret Avery grew up in San Diego, California. She went to Point Loma High School in the city. In 1965, she earned a degree in education from San Francisco State University.
While she was working as an elementary school teacher in Oakland, California, she also started singing and acting. She took lessons from Judy Davis, a vocal coach for famous singers like Frank Sinatra. She also studied at the American Conservatory Theater. In 1968, she moved to Los Angeles to become a full-time actress. She worked as a substitute teacher while pursuing her acting dreams.
Margaret Avery's Acting Career
Starting Her Early Roles
Margaret Avery appeared in many plays, including Revolution. In 1972, she won an award for her acting in the play Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?. That same year, she was in a TV movie called Something Evil, directed by Steven Spielberg.
She made her first movie appearance in Cool Breeze (1972). She also received an NAACP Image Award for her role in the 1976 film Louis Armstrong - Chicago Style. In 1977, she played Annie Mae in the comedy film Which Way Is Up?, alongside Richard Pryor. She also played Belle Joplin in Scott Joplin that year.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Margaret Avery made guest appearances on many popular TV shows. These included Kojak, Sanford and Son, Murder, She Wrote, and The Cosby Show.
Her Big Role in The Color Purple
In 1985, Margaret Avery took on the role of Shug Avery in The Color Purple. This movie was directed by Steven Spielberg. Her performance in this film, which was based on Alice Walker's famous novel, earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination.
Margaret Avery was the last person to be cast in the movie. She shared that her agent was told she wasn't right for the role at first. But she wrote a note to the casting director, Ruben Cannon, who knew her work. She was able to record her audition, and Steven Spielberg saw it. Alice Walker, the author of the book, was very impressed by her audition.
After The Color Purple and her Oscar nomination, Margaret Avery didn't work in film or TV for two years. She explained that this can happen to actors, especially women of color. People sometimes thought she was "too big" for TV roles after her Oscar nomination. She found work by giving lectures at colleges.
Other Movies and TV Shows
In 1988, Margaret Avery starred in the movie Blueberry Hill. The next year, she was in the action film Riverbend. In 1992, she played Martha Scruse in the TV miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. Martha Scruse was the mother of Katherine Jackson, who was played by Angela Bassett.
In 1995, she acted alongside Harry Belafonte in the film White Man's Burden. She also made guest appearances on TV shows like Walker, Texas Ranger and Bones. In 2008, she played Mama Jenkins in Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins and Sarah Brown in Meet the Browns.
From 2013 to 2019, Margaret Avery had a main role as Helen Patterson in the BET drama series Being Mary Jane. In 2018, she played Taraji P. Henson's mother in the action film Proud Mary. She has also appeared in recent TV shows like Grey's Anatomy and Better Things.
Margaret Avery's Personal Life
Margaret Avery lives in Los Angeles and continues to be active in show business. Besides acting, she also helps teenagers who are at risk and women who have faced difficult situations in the Los Angeles area.
She has a master's degree in psychology from Phillips Graduate University. She used to work as a psychotherapist for the Los Angeles Unified School District. She is also a spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America, which helps people with lupus.
Images for kids
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Avery in 1986
See also
In Spanish: Margaret Avery para niños
