Alfre Ette Woodard (born November 8, 1952) is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award and Grammy Award, 12 times for Emmy Awards (winning four), and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss Firecracker, Grand Canyon, Passion Fish, Primal Fear, Star Trek: First Contact, Miss Evers' Boys, K-PAX, Radio, Take the Lead and The Family That Preys.
Known For
The Inquisitor
Self
2025
Salem's Lot
Dr. Cody
2024
The Gray Man
Margaret Cahill
2022
Miss Alma Thomas: A Life in Color
Alma Thomas (voice)
2021
Fatherhood
Marian
2021
Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street
Mary Parrish (voice)
2021
The Making of Clemency
Herself
2020
Clemency
Warden Bernadine Williams
2019
No Small Matter
Narrator (voice)
2019
The Lion King: Can You Feel The Love Tonight with Robin Roberts
2019
Juanita
Juanita
2019
Saint Judy
Judge Benton
2019
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self (archive footage)
2014
My Own Worst Enemy
Mavis Heller · (9 episodes)
2008
Nefertiti and the Lost Dynasty
Self - Narrator
2007
Class of 3000
(1 episode)
2006
Something New
Joyce McQueen
2006
Desperate Housewives
Betty Applewhite · (25 episodes)
2004
Searching for Debra Winger
Self
2002
Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks
Narrator
2000
Static Shock
Jean Hawkins (voice) · (1 episode)
2000
The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story
Mary Parrish (voice)
2000
Eleanor Roosevelt
Narrator (voice)
2000
The Underground Railroad
1999
The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue
Maisie (voice)
1997
The Practice
Denise Freeman · (2 episodes)
1997
Special Report: Journey to Mars
Tamara O'Neil
1996
Aliens for Breakfast
Mrs. Marks
1994
Malcolm X: Make It Plain
Narrator
1994
Frasier
Edna (voice) · (1 episode)
1993
Heart and Souls
Penny Washington
1993
Homicide: Life on the Street
(1 episode)
1993
Blue Bayou
Jessica Filley
1990
The Child Saver
Andrea Crawford
1988
L.A. Law: Pilot
Adrianne Moore
1986
L.A. Law
Adrianne Moore · (1 episode)
1986
Black Hollywood
Self
1984
Precious Blood
Narrator
1982
Hate to See You Go
Playing for Your Heart: The Making of “Love & Basketball”
Herself
Number One on the Call Sheet
Self · (1 episode)
2025
Summer Camp
Mary
2024
Monsieur Spade
Virginia Dell · (1 episode)
2024
The Book of Clarence
Mother Mary
2024
Weathering
Mum
2023
Space Oddity
Dr. Olsen
2023
Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Mimi (voice) · (40 episodes)
2023
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Lilly Sloane (voice) · (1 episode)
2020
See
Paris · (16 episodes)
2019
The Lion King
Sarabi (voice)
2019
Burning Sands
Professor Hughes
2017
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Aunt Josephine · (3 episodes)
2017
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
Self
2016
Marvel's Luke Cage
Mariah Dillard · (26 episodes)
2016
So B. It
Bernadette
2016
Captain America: Civil War
Miriam
2016
Mississippi Grind
Sam
2015
Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band
Mary Lou Williams (voice)
2015
Knucklehead
Sheila
2015
A Path Appears
Self
2015
Empire
Renee · (1 episode)
2015
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self · (1 episode)
2014
State of Affairs
President Constance Payton · (13 episodes)
2014
Annabelle
Evelyn
2014
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
Self
2014
The Last Ship
Amy Granderson · (1 episode)
2014
12 Years a Slave
Mistress Shaw
2013
The Door
E
2013
Steel Magnolias
Ouiser
2012
Women, War & Peace
Narrator (voice) · (1 episode)
2011
Memphis Beat
Lieutenant Tanya Rice · (20 episodes)
2010
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self · (1 episode)
2010
Black Panther
Dondi Reece
2010
Black Panther
Dondi Reece (voice) · (6 episodes)
2010
Three Rivers
Dr. Sophia Jordan · (13 episodes)
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2009
Medal of Honor
Narrator
2008
Reach for Me
Evelyn
2008
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys
Alice Pratt
2008
True Blood
Ruby Jean Reynolds · (5 episodes)
2008
American Violet
Alma Roberts
2008
Henry Box Brown
2008
Pictures of Hollis Woods
Edna Reilly
2007
Private Practice
Dee Bennett · (1 episode)
2007
Rachael Ray
Self · (1 episode)
2006
The Megan Mullally Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2006
King Leopold's Ghost
Ilanga (voice)
2006
Take the Lead
Augustine James
2006
The Water Is Wide
Mrs. Brown
2006
Beauty Shop
Ms. Josephine
2005
Grey's Anatomy
Justine Campbell · (1 episode)
2005
The Forgotten
Det. Anne Pope
2004
Radio
Principal Daniels
2003
The Singing Detective
Chief of Staff
2003
A Wrinkle in Time
Mrs. Whatsit
2003
The Core
Stickley
2003
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property
Narrator
2003
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
The Wild Thornberrys Movie
Akela (Cheetah Mother) (voice)
2002
K-PAX
Claudia Villars
2001
The Wild Thornberrys: The Origin of Donnie
Medicine Woman (voice)
2001
Disney's American Legends
2001
Holiday Heart
Wanda Dean
2000
Lost Souls
Dr. Allen
2000
John Henry
Polly / Narrator (voice)
2000
Dinosaur
Plio (voice)
2000
Love & Basketball
Camille Wright
2000
What's Cooking?
Audrey Williams
2000
Mumford
Lily
1999
Funny Valentines
Joyce May
1999
The Wishing Tree
Clara
1999
Down in the Delta
Loretta Sinclair
1998
The Wild Thornberrys
Medicine Woman (voice) · (2 episodes)
1998
Cadillac Desert: Water and the Transformation of Nature
Narrator (voice)
1997
Follow Me Home
Evey
1997
Miss Evers' Boys
Eunice Evers, R.N.
1997
The Member of the Wedding
Berenice Sadie Brown
1997
Star Trek: First Contact
Lily Sloane
1996
A Step Toward Tomorrow
Dr. Sadlin
1996
The Daily Show
Self · (1 episode)
1996
Primal Fear
Shoat
1996
Gulliver's Travels
Queen of Brobdingnag · (2 episodes)
1996
How to Make an American Quilt
Marianna
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Winsome (voice) · (1 episode)
1995
The Piano Lesson
Berniece Charles
1995
Crooklyn
Carolyn Carmichael
1994
Blue Chips
Lavada McRae
1994
Bopha!
Rosie Mangena
1993
Passion Fish
Chantelle
1992
Rich in Love
Rhody Poole
1992
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag
Ann
1992
HBO First Look
Self · (1 episode)
1992
Grand Canyon
Jane
1991
A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story
Mary Thomas
1989
Miss Firecracker
Popeye Jackson
1989
Scrooged
Grace Cooley
1988
American Experience
Narrator (voice) · (2 episodes)
1988
Mandela
Winnie Mandela
1987
Unnatural Causes
Maude DeVictor
1986
Extremities
Patricia
1986
Puss in Boots
Princess Lovinia
1985
Sara
Rozalyn Dupree · (13 episodes)
1985
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Esther
1985
Words by Heart
Claudie Sills
1985
Sweet Revenge
Vicki Teague
1984
WonderWorks
(14 episodes)
1984
The Killing Floor
Mattie
1984
Cross Creek
Geechee
1983
Reading Rainbow
Herself - Narrator (voice) · (1 episode)
1983
Tucker's Witch
Marcia Fulbright · (12 episodes)
1982
Faerie Tale Theatre
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1982
Faerie Tale Theatre
Princess Lovinia · (1 episode)
1982
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf
Woman who lost her stuff
1982
The Ambush Murders
Karisha Ellsworth
1982
The Sophisticated Gents
Evelyn Evers · (3 episodes)
1981
Hill Street Blues
(3 episodes)
1981
HealtH
Sally Benbow
1980
Palmerstown, U.S.A.
(1 episode)
1980
Freedom Road
Katie
1979
The White Shadow
Sandra Wilcox · (1 episode)
1978
The Trial of the Moke
Lucy Smith
1978
Remember My Name
Rita
1978
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?
(1 episode)
1977
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Mrs. Brown · (1 episode)
1951
The Last Frontier
Bradford · (1 episode)
The Boroughs
Judy · (1 episode)