Pamela Suzette Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American actress. Described by Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star, she achieved fame for her starring roles in a string of 1970s action, blaxploitation, and women in prison films for American International Pictures and New World Pictures. Her accolades include nominations for an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Satellite Award, and a Saturn Award.
Grier came to prominence with her titular roles in the films Coffy (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974); her other major films during this period included The Big Doll House (1971), Women in Cages (1971), The Big Bird Cage (1972), Black Mama, White Mama (1973), Scream Blacula Scream (1973), The Arena (1974), Sheba, Baby (1975), Bucktown (1975), and Friday Foster (1975). She portrayed the title character in Quentin Tarantino's crime film Jackie Brown (1997), and also appeared in Escape from L.A. (1996), Jawbreaker (1999), Holy Smoke!, (1999), Bones (2001), Just Wright (2010), Larry Crowne (2011), and Poms (2019).
On television, Grier portrayed Eleanor Winthrop in the Showtime comedy-drama series Linc's (1998–2000), Kate "Kit" Porter on the Showtime drama series The L Word (2004–2009), and Constance Terry in the ABC sitcom Bless This Mess (2019–2020). She received praise for her work in the animated series Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1999).
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Known For
Mystery Cuddlers
Juniper
2024
As We Know It
Beverly Jones
2023
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
Majorie Washburn
2023
Cinnamon
Mama
2023
Sherri
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self · (1 episode)
2022
Them
Athena · (8 episodes)
2021
How It Feels to Be Free
Self (archival footage)
2021
The Great North
Neckbone (voice) · (1 episode)
2021
Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend
Self (archive footage)
2021
Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies
Self
2020
Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness
Self
2020
A Christmas Wish
Mary
2019
QT8: The First Eight
Self (archive footage)
2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
(1 episode)
2019
Poms
Olive
2019
Bless This Mess
Constance · (26 episodes)
2019
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
Self (archive footage)
2019
Being Rose
Lily
2017
Bad Grandmas
Coralee
2017
Do I Look Like a Lady? (Comedians and Singers)
Self (archive footage)
2016
This Is Us
Grandma · (2 episodes)
2016
Kings of Cult
(archive footage)
2015
Cleveland Abduction
Carla
2015
Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
Self (archive footage)
2013
Quentin Tarantino: 20 Years of Filmmaking
Self
2013
The Man with the Iron Fists
Jane
2012
Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day
Detective Barrick
2012
Corman's World
Self - Actress
2011
Larry Crowne
Frances
2011
Mafia
James Womack
2011
Celebrity Nude Revue: The Saucy 70's Volume 1
2010
Machete Maidens Unleashed!
Self
2010
Just Wright
Janice Wright
2010
The Invited
Zelda
2010
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Self · (1 episode)
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2009
Ladies of the House
Birdie
2008
Bad Girls Behind Bars
Alabama (archive footage)
2005
Back in the Day
Mrs. Cooper
2005
The L Word
Kit Porter · (71 episodes)
2004
Sex at 24 Frames Per Second
Self (archive footage)
2003
A Decade Under the Influence
Self
2003
First to Die
Claire Washburn
2003
Jackie Brown: How It Went Down
Self
2002
The Adventures of Pluto Nash
Flura Nash
2002
BaadAsssss Cinema
Self
2002
Love the Hard Way
Linda Fox
2002
Justice League
My'ria'h (voice) · (2 episodes)
2001
Feast of All Saints
Suzette Lermontant
2001
Bones
Pearl
2001
Smallville
Amanda Waller · (3 episodes)
2001
Ghosts of Mars
Commander Helena Braddock
2001
3 A.M.
George
2001
It Conquered Hollywood! The Story of American International Pictures
Self
2001
Wilder
Detective Della Wilder
2000
Fortress 2
Susan Mendenhall
2000
Snow Day
Tina
2000
No Tomorrow
Diane
1999
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Assistant US Attorney Claudia Williams · (2 episodes)
1999
Hayley Wagner, Star
Sam
1999
Holy Smoke
Carol
1999
In Too Deep
Det. Angela Wilson
1999
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1999
Jawbreaker
Detective Vera Cruz
1999
Family Blessings
Mrs. Quincy
1998
Pete Rock: Soul Survivor
Pam Grier
1998
All Saints: The Video
Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
1998
Hollywood Squares
(5 episodes)
1998
The Wild Thornberrys
Mother Springbok (voice) · (1 episode)
1998
Linc's
Eleanor Braithwaite Winthrop · (37 episodes)
1998
Paul Robeson: Speak of Me as I Am
Narrator (voice)
1998
Jackie Brown
Jackie Brown
1997
The View
Self · (1 episode)
1997
Fakin' Da Funk
Annabelle Lee
1997
Strip Search
Janette
1997
Afro Promo
Self (archive footage)
1997
Mars Attacks!
Louise Williams
1996
E! True Hollywood Story
(1 episode)
1996
Escape from L.A.
Hershe Las Palamas
1996
The Daily Show
Self · (1 episode)
1996
Original Gangstas
Laurie Thompson
1996
Sinbad: Son of a Preacher Man
Self
1996
Badass Supermama
(archive footage)
1996
MADtv
Self - Guest Host · (1 episode)
1995
Serial Killer
Capt. Maggie Davis
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Nightingale (voice) · (1 episode)
1995
The Wayans Bros.
Erica · (1 episode)
1995
Intimate Portrait
Self · (1 episode)
1993
The Sinbad Show
(1 episode)
1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1993
Posse
Phoebe
1993
A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story
Linda Holman
1992
Martin
(1 episode)
1992
Pacific Station
Grace Ballard · (1 episode)
1991
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
Ms. Wardroe
1991
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Janice · (1 episode)
1990
Class of 1999
Ms. Connors
1990
The Package
Ruth Butler
1989
Above the Law
Delores 'Jacks' Jackson
1988
Frank's Place
Neema Sharone · (1 episode)
1987
The Allnighter
Sgt. McLeesh
1987
Crime Story
Suzanne Terry · (4 episodes)
1986
On the Edge
Cara
1986
The Vindicator
Hunter
1986
Miami Vice: The Prodigal Son
Valerie Gordon
1985
Stand Alone
Cathryn Bolan
1985
Badge of the Assassin
Alexandra 'Alie' Horn
1985
The Cosby Show
Samantha · (1 episode)
1984
Miami Vice
(0 episode)
1984
Miami Vice
Valerie Gordon · (3 episodes)
1984
Night Court
Benet Collins · (2 episodes)
1984
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Dust Witch
1983
Tough Enough
Myra
1983
Fort Apache, the Bronx
Charlotte
1981
Knots Landing
Lieutenant Guthrie · (2 episodes)
1979
Roots: The Next Generations
Francey · (7 episodes)
1979
The Love Boat
Cynthia Wilbur · (2 episodes)
1977
Greased Lightning
Mary Jones
1977
Twilight of Love
Sandra
1977
Drum
Regine
1976
Friday Foster
Friday Foster
1975
Bucktown
Aretha
1975
Sheba, Baby
Sheba Shayne
1975
Foxy Brown
Foxy Brown
1974
The Arena
Mamawi
1974
Scream Blacula Scream
Lisa Fortier
1973
Coffy
Coffy
1973
Black Mama, White Mama
Lee Daniels
1973
Hit Man
Gozelda
1972
The Big Bird Cage
Blossom
1972
The Twilight People
Ayesa, the Panther Woman
1972
Cool Breeze
Mona
1972
Women in Cages
Alabama
1971
The Big Doll House
Grear
1971
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Fourth Woman
1970
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
1962