Loretta Devine was born on August 21, 1949 in Houston, Texas. She graduated from the University of Houston in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Drama and BrandeisUniversity in 1976 with a MFA in Theater. Devine is a member of The Epsilon Lambda Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She began her career on Broadway starring in Dreamgirls. Minor roles for Devine followed in films such as Little Nikita (1988) and Stanley & Iris (1990). She also appeared in the first season of the TV series A Different World. In 1995, she landed a high-profile role as Gloria Matthews in Waiting to Exhale, joined in the cast by Whitney Houston, Gregory Hines, and Angela Bassett, among others. The role earned her an NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actress, as did her next movie, The Preacher's Wife, her second movie with Houston and Hines. In 2000, Devine took on the role of impassioned high school teacher Marla Hendricks on the Fox TV drama 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 Academy Awards Best Picture winning film Crash. She also plays Rochelle's mother, Maxine on the sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris. In 2007, she appeared in This Christmas, co-starring Delroy Lindo, Mekhi Phifer, and Regina King. Devine also appeared in Grey's Anatomy as Adele Webber. She played Patti on Eli Stone, an ABC television series which began airing in 2008 an in 2009, Devine starred in the TV series Cold Case. Most recently she can be seen in Lottery Ticket (2010), For Colored Girls (2010), Death at a Funeral and Madea’s Big Happy Family (2011).
Movie | Lost & Found in Cleveland | Joy Morris | 2024-10-19 |
Movie | Bull Street | Mrs. Big-Gal | 2024-07-12 |
Movie | A Snowy Day in Oakland | Jeanette | 2023-03-17 |
Movie | Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age | Self | 2021-08-14 |
Movie | The Starling | Velma | 2021-09-17 |
Movie | Christmas Déjà Vu | Crystal | 2021-11-25 |
Movie | Christmas in Harmony | Mama | 2021-10-29 |
Movie | The Trap | Mama Jay | 2019-04-01 |
Movie | Postmarked | Hattie | 2019-11-08 |
Movie | A Sweet Christmas Romance | Loretta | 2019-11-10 |
Movie | Sierra Burgess Is a Loser | Ms. Thomson | 2018-09-07 |
Movie | Behind the Movement | Jo Ann Robinson | 2018-11-15 |
Movie | Jingle Belle | Emory Simons | 2018-11-25 |
Movie | Urban Legacy: The Story Behind Urban Legend | Self | 2018-11-20 |
Movie | Chapter & Verse | Miss Maddy | 2017-02-03 |
Movie | Naked | Carol | 2017-08-11 |
Movie | Norm of the North | Tamecia (voice) | 2016-01-14 |
Movie | Caged No More | Aggie | 2016-01-15 |
Movie | Brett Gelman's Dinner in America | Herself | 2016-07-01 |
Movie | Grandma's House | 2016-04-29 | |
Movie | No Regrets | Ms. Carey | 2016-09-24 |
Movie | Back to School Mom | Meghan Graham | 2015-02-14 |
Series | The Carmichael Show | Cynthia Carmichael | 2015-08-26 |
Movie | The Sound and the Fury | Dilsey | 2015-10-23 |
Movie | Comeback Dad | Malinda | 2014-06-21 |
Movie | Welcome to Me | Barb Vaughn | 2014-09-05 |
Movie | You're Not You | Marilyn | 2014-10-10 |
Movie | Khumba | Mama V (voice) | 2013-07-18 |
Movie | Saving Westbrook High | Doris | 2013-10-20 |
Movie | A Very Larry Christmas | Mrs. Claus | 2013-12-31 |
Series | Doc McStuffins | Nurse Hallie (voice) | 2012-03-23 |
Series | The Client List | Georgia Cummings | 2012-04-08 |
Movie | In the Hive | Mrs. Inez | 2012-12-14 |
Movie | Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 | Delta (voice) | 2011-02-01 |
Movie | Madea's Big Happy Family | Shirley | 2011-04-22 |
Movie | Politics of Love | Shirlee Gupta | 2011-08-26 |
Movie | Jumping the Broom | Mrs. Taylor | 2011-05-06 |
Movie | My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done | Miss Roberts | 2010-07-08 |
Movie | Death at a Funeral | Cynthia | 2010-04-15 |
Movie | For Colored Girls | Juanita / Green | 2010-11-05 |
Movie | Lottery Ticket | Grandma | 2010-08-20 |
Movie | Spring Breakdown | Dr. Marguerite | 2009-05-22 |
Movie | Beverly Hills Chihuahua | Delta (voice) | 2008-10-03 |
Movie | This Christmas | Shirley Ann "Ma'Dere" Whitfield | 2007-11-27 |
Movie | Dirty Laundry | Evelyn | 2006-07-15 |
Movie | Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story | Addie Collins | 2006-08-19 |
Movie | Dreamgirls | Jazz Singer | 2006-12-25 |
Movie | King's Ransom | Miss Gladys | 2005-04-22 |
Movie | Crash | Shaniqua Johnson | 2005-05-06 |
Movie | Woman Thou Art Loosed | Cassey Jordan | 2004-09-30 |
Series | Boston Legal | Unknown | 2004-10-03 |
Movie | Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs | 2002-02-14 | |
Series | Half & Half | Unknown | 2002-09-23 |
Movie | I Am Sam | Margaret Calgrove | 2001-12-28 |
Movie | Kingdom Come | Marguerite Slocumb | 2001-04-11 |
Movie | Punks | Health Counselor | 2000-01-24 |
Movie | Freedom Song | Evelyn Walker | 2000-02-27 |
Series | Strong Medicine | Unknown | 2000-07-23 |
Movie | What Women Want | Flo | 2000-12-15 |
Series | Girlfriends | Unknown | 2000-09-11 |
Series | The PJs | 1999-01-10 | |
Movie | Funny Valentines | Dearie B. | 1999-02-14 |
Movie | The Breaks | Floria | 1999-02-26 |
Movie | Love Kills | Sylvia Finkelstein | 1999-10-04 |
Movie | Introducing Dorothy Dandridge | Ruby Dandridge | 1999-08-21 |
Movie | Jackie's Back! | Snookie Tate (Jackie's Childhood Friend) | 1999-06-14 |
Movie | Urban Legend | Reese Wilson | 1998-09-25 |
Movie | Down in the Delta | Zenia | 1998-12-25 |
Movie | The Price of Kissing | Jackee | 1997-04-01 |
Series | Ally McBeal | Unknown | 1997-09-08 |
Movie | Don King: Only in America | Connie Harper | 1997-11-15 |
Movie | Clover | Everleen | 1997-09-10 |
Movie | Lover Girl | Leticia / 'Coco' | 1997-09-11 |
Series | Promised Land | Unknown | 1996-09-17 |
Series | Moesha | Unknown | 1996-01-23 |
Movie | Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault | Miss Mary | 1996-11-23 |
Movie | The Preacher's Wife | Beverly | 1996-12-13 |
Movie | Waiting to Exhale | Gloria | 1995-12-22 |
Series | Touched by an Angel | Unknown | 1994-09-21 |
Movie | Amos & Andrew | Ula | 1993-03-05 |
Movie | The American Clock | 1993-01-02 | |
Movie | Class Act | Blade's Mom | 1992-06-05 |
Series | Love & War | Unknown | 1992-09-21 |
Movie | Livin' Large! | Nadine Biggs | 1991-09-20 |
Movie | Caged Fear | Judy | 1991-05-17 |
Movie | Stanley & Iris | Bertha | 1990-02-09 |
Series | Cop Rock | Unknown | 1990-09-26 |
Movie | Parent Trap III | Thelma | 1989-04-09 |
Movie | Little Nikita | Verna McLaughlin | 1988-03-17 |
Movie | Sticky Fingers | Diane | 1988-05-06 |
Series | Murphy Brown | Unknown | 1988-11-14 |
Movie | Anna to the Infinite Power | Mrs. Benson | 1983-01-12 |
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