Jenifer Jeanette Lewis (born January 25, 1957) is an American actress, comedian and activist. She began her career appearing in Broadway musicals and worked as a back-up singer for Bette Midler before appearing in films "Beaches" (1988) and "Sister Act" (1992). Lewis is known for playing roles of mothers in the films "What's Love Got to Do With It" (1993), "Poetic Justice" (1993), "The Preacher's Wife" (1996), "The Brothers" (2001), "The Cookout" (2004), "Think Like a Man" and in the sequel "Think Like a Man Too" (2014), "Baggage Claim" (2013), and "The Wedding Ringer" (2015), as well as in The Temptations TV miniseries (1998).