A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Loretta Devine | |
|---|---|
 Devine in 2010 | |
| Born | August 21, 1949 |
| Education | University of Houston (BA) Brandeis University (MFA) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Spouse |
Glenn Marshall Tyler
(m. 1967) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Full list |
Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949) is an American actress. She is known for numerous roles across stage and screen. Her most high profile roles include Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, the long-suffering Gloria Matthews in the film Waiting to Exhale, and her recurring role as Adele Webber on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2011.
Early life
Loretta Devine was born in Houston, Texas, on August 21, 1949.[1] She grew up in the Acres Homes area of Houston, where her mother was a single mother to six children.[2] She was very active on the pep squad, and performed in talent shows at George Washington Carver High School.[3]
In 1971, Devine graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Drama.[3] In 1976, she received a Master of Fine Arts in Theater from Brandeis University.[4]
Career
Stage work
Devine has worked extensively on Broadway. Her Broadway debut was in 1978 in a musical called A Broadway Musical, which closed after 14 previews and only one performance on December 21, 1978. She captured attention in her second Broadway show, called Comin' Uptown, which featured Gregory Hines.[5]
She rose to stardom in Dreamgirls, a smash 1983 Broadway musical loosely based on the history of The Supremes, in which she originated the role of Lorrell Robinson (a fictional character based on Mary Wilson). The story of Dreamgirls was created during workshops that were carried out in six-week workshops over the period of three years, which Devine, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Jennifer Holliday developed via improv.[5] She also received raves in the 1995 Apollo revival of The Wiz as Glinda the Good Witch of the South.[citation needed]
Film
While rehearsing for Dreamgirls with a little girl in 1981, Devine was cast in Jessie Maple's Will, the first independent feature-length film directed by an African-American woman.[6] For her featured role in the low-budget film, Devine earned $500.[6]
Minor roles for Devine followed in films such as Little Nikita and Stanley & Iris.
In 1995, she landed a major role as Gloria Matthews in Waiting to Exhale, opposite Whitney Houston, Gregory Hines, and Angela Bassett. The role earned her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, as did her next film, The Preacher's Wife, her second film with Houston and Hines. She later co-starred opposite Alfre Woodard in Down in the Delta (1998) and Funny Valentines (1999).
She has a cameo performance in the film version of Dreamgirls.
Television and continued film successes
Devine played roles as a repertory character in the play The Colored Museum with Vickilyn Reynolds. Devine and Reynolds both went on to play sisters in the short-lived TV series Sugar and Spice. During the period between the play and the series, Devine appeared in the first season of the TV series A Different World as Stevie Rallen, a dormitory director at the fictional Hillman College.
From 2000 to 2004, Devine starred as high school teacher Marla Hendricks on the Fox drama series Boston Public. Devine won three more Image Awards for her work in the series. She also continued to work in film, playing prominent roles in Urban Legend, Urban Legends: Final Cut, and I Am Sam. Devine earned yet another Image Award nomination and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her work in the 2004 film Woman Thou Art Loosed. She also appeared in the 2005 film Crash. In 2007, she appeared in This Christmas, and in the next year had a series regular role on the ABC comedy-drama Eli Stone. Devine also was part of the ensemble casts of two Tyler Perry-directed films For Colored Girls and Madea's Big Happy Family. In 2008, she was featured prominently on George Michael's remake of "Feeling Good." She also appeared in First Sunday, Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Jumping the Broom.[5]
Devine had a recurring role in the Shonda Rhimes drama series Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Richard Webber's first wife, Adele.[7] In 2011 she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her performance. She was nominated for a second time for her performance in 2012.[8] Devine also won Gracie Allen Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Feature Role for Grey's Anatomy in 2012.[9]
In 2011, she also starred on the short-lived ABC Family comedy State of Georgia. In 2012, she was part of Being Mary Jane cast. She also voiced the character Hallie, on the Disney Junior series Doc McStuffins. Later that year she began starring in the Lifetime series The Client List, playing the role of Georgia Cummings, the owner of the massage parlor where the lead character Riley Parks works. The series was canceled after two seasons.[10] Devine also played Cynthia Carmichael on the NBC sitcom The Carmichael Show.[11][12] Devine starred on the Netflix series, Family Reunion, with Richard Roundtree and Tia Mowry-Hardrict.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Will | Will's Wife | |
| 1983 | Anna to the Infinite Power | Ms. Everett Benson | |
| 1988 | Little Nikita | Verna McLaughlin | |
| Sticky Fingers | Diane Cooley | ||
| 1990 | Stanley & Iris | Bertha Simmons | |
| 1991 | Caged Fear | Judy | |
| Livin' Large | Nadine Biggs | ||
| 1992 | Class Act | Ms. Brown | |
| 1993 | Amos & Andrew | Ula | |
| 1994 | The Hard Truth | Rose Maxwell | |
| 1995 | Waiting to Exhale | Gloria Matthews | |
| 1996 | The Preacher's Wife | Beverly | |
| 1997 | The Price of Kissing | Jackee Blaine | |
| Hoodlum | Pigfoot Mary | ||
| Lover Girl | Leticia | ||
| 1998 | Love Kills | Sylvia Finkelstein | |
| Down in the Delta | Zenia | ||
| Urban Legend | Reese Wilson | ||
| Operation Splitsville | Principal | ||
| Alyson's Closet | Raul's Mother (voice) | Short | |
| 1999 | Funny Valentines | Dearie B. | |
| The Breaks | Floria | ||
| Lillie | Michelle | ||
| 2000 | Punks | Aretha Stone | |
| Urban Legends: Final Cut | Reese Wilson | ||
| What Women Want | Florence "Flo" Glover | ||
| 2001 | Kingdom Come | Marguerite Slocumb | |
| I Am Sam | Margaret Calgrove | ||
| 2002 | Book of Love | Mary Baker | |
| Baby of the Family | Delores Evans | ||
| 2004 | Woman Thou Art Loosed | Cassey Jordan | |
| Crash | Shaniqua Johnson | ||
| 2005 | King's Ransom | Miss Gladys | |
| 2006 | Dirty Laundry | Evelyn | |
| Dreamgirls | Gladys Brooks | ||
| 2007 | Cougar Club | Dolly | |
| This Christmas | Shirley Ann "Ma'Dere" Whitfield | ||
| 2008 | First Sunday | Sister Doris | |
| Beverly Hills Chihuahua | Delta (voice) | ||
| 2009 | Spring Breakdown | Dr. Marguerite Tyson | |
| My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? | Miss Willheima Roberts | ||
| 2010 | Death at a Funeral | Cynthia | |
| Lottery Ticket | Grandma Dorothy Carson | ||
| For Colored Girls | Juanita Sims/Green | ||
| Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 | Delta (voice) | Video | |
| 2011 | Madea's Big Happy Family | Shirley | |
| Jumping the Broom | Pamela Taylor | ||
| Politics of Love | Shirlee Gupta | ||
| 2012 | In the Hive | Mrs. Inez | |
| 2013 | The Get Away | Ms. Crawford | Short |
| Khumba | Mama Veronica aka Mama V (voice) | ||
| A Very Larry Christmas | Mrs. Claus | ||
| 2014 | Comeback Dad | Malinda | |
| Welcome to Me | Barb Vaughn | ||
| The Sound and the Fury | Dilsey | ||
| You're Not You | Marilyn Jo | ||
| 2015 | Back to School Mom | Meghan Graham | |
| 1440 and Counting | Mrs. Nickel | Short | |
| For the Love of Ruth | Naomi | ||
| 2016 | Norm of the North | Tamecia (voice) | |
| Caged No More | Aggie James | ||
| Grandma's House | Grandma Margie | ||
| 36 Hour Layover | Mrs. Carey | ||
| 2017 | My Other Home | Mabel Marbury | |
| Naked | Carol | ||
| Violets | Marcy | Short | |
| 2018 | Sierra Burgess Is a Loser | Ms. April Thomson | |
| 2019 | The Trap | Mama Jay | |
| First Day Back | Superintendent Lola Greene | Short | |
| Postmarked | Hattie | Short | |
| 2020 | The Last Starship | Dorothy | Short |
| Spell | Eloise | ||
| Always and Forever | Elda | ||
| The McHenry Trial - Don't Judge a Kid by Their Hoodie | Doris McHenry | Short | |
| 2021 | Queen Bees | Sally Heart | |
| The Starling | Velma | ||
| 2022 | Mack & Rita | Sharon | |
| Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules | Irene | ||
| 2023 | A Snowy Day in Oakland | Jeanette | |
| TBA | Lost & Found in Cleveland | TBA | Completed |