Acting · Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA · Born November 8, 1952
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.
TVThe Boroughs
2026
as Judy Daniels
TVThe Last Frontier
2025
as Jacqueline Bradford
MovieThe Inquisitor
2025
as Narration
TVNumber One on the Call Sheet
2025
as Self
MovieSalem's Lot
2024
as Dr. Cody
MovieSummer Camp
2024
as Mary
TVMonsieur Spade
2024
as Virginia Dell
MovieThe Book of Clarence
2024
as Mother Mary
MovieWeathering
2023
as Mum
MovieSpace Oddity
2023
as Dr. Olsen
TVMarvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
2023
as Mimi (voice)
TVThe Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
as Self - Guest
MovieThe Gray Man
2022
as Margaret Cahill
MovieMiss Alma Thomas: A Life in Color
2021
as Alma Thomas (voice)
MovieFatherhood
2021
as Marian
MovieDreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street
2021
as Mary Parrish (voice)
TVThe Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart
2020
as Self
TVStar Trek: Lower Decks
2020
as Lilly Sloane (voice)
The Making of Clemency
2020
as Herself
MovieClemency
2019
as Warden Bernadine Williams
TVSee
2019
as Paris
MovieThe Lion King
2019
as Sarabi (voice)
MovieNo Small Matter
2019
as Narrator (voice)
MovieThe Lion King: Can You Feel The Love Tonight with Robin Roberts
2019
MovieJuanita
2019
as Juanita
MovieSaint Judy
2018
as Judge Benton
MovieBurning Sands
2017
as Professor Hughes
TVA Series of Unfortunate Events
2017
as Aunt Josephine
MovieMaya Angelou: And Still I Rise
2016
as Self
TVMarvel's Luke Cage
2016
as Mariah Dillard
MovieSo B. It
2016
as Bernadette
MovieCaptain America: Civil War
2016
as Miriam
MovieMississippi Grind
2015
as Sam
MovieMary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band
2015
as Mary Lou Williams (voice)
MovieKnucklehead
2015
as Sheila
MovieA Path Appears
2015
as Self
TVEmpire
2015
as Renee
TVVariety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014
as Self
TVState of Affairs
2014
as President Constance Payton
MovieAnnabelle
2014
as Evelyn
MovieNelson Mandela Redrawn
2014
as Self
TVThe Last Ship
2014
as Amy Granderson
Movie12 Years a Slave
2013
as Mistress Shaw
The Door
2013
as E
MovieSteel Magnolias
2012
as Ouiser
TVWomen, War & Peace
2011
as Narrator (voice)
TVMemphis Beat
2010
as Lieutenant Tanya Rice
TVWho Do You Think You Are?
2010
as Self
MovieBlack Panther
2010
as Dondi Reece
TVBlack Panther
2010
as Dondi Reece (voice)
TVThree Rivers
2009
as Dr. Sophia Jordan
TVWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
MovieMedal of Honor
2008
as Narrator
TVMy Own Worst Enemy
2008
as Mavis Heller
MovieReach for Me
2008
as Evelyn
MovieTyler Perry's The Family That Preys
2008
as Alice Pratt
TVTrue Blood
2008
as Ruby Jean Reynolds
MovieAmerican Violet
2008
as Alma Roberts
MovieHenry Box Brown
2008
MoviePictures of Hollis Woods
2007
as Edna Reilly
TVPrivate Practice
2007
as Dee Bennett
MovieNefertiti and the Lost Dynasty
2007
as Self - Narrator
TVClass of 3000
2006
TVRachael Ray
2006
as Self - Guest
TVThe Megan Mullally Show
2006
as Self - Guest
MovieKing Leopold's Ghost
2006
as Ilanga (voice)
MovieTake the Lead
2006
as Augustine James
MovieThe Water Is Wide
2006
as Mrs. Brown
MovieSomething New
2006
as Joyce McQueen
MovieBeauty Shop
2005
as Ms. Josephine
TVGrey's Anatomy
2005
as Justine Campbell
TVDesperate Housewives
2004
as Betty Applewhite
MovieThe Forgotten
2004
as Det. Anne Pope
MovieRadio
2003
as Principal Daniels
MovieThe Singing Detective
2003
as Chief of Staff
MovieA Wrinkle in Time
2003
as Mrs. Whatsit
MovieThe Core
2003
as Stickley
MovieNat Turner: A Troublesome Property
2003
as Narrator
MovieUnchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
MovieThe Wild Thornberrys Movie
2002
as Akela (Cheetah Mother) (voice)
MovieSearching for Debra Winger
2002
as Self
MovieK-PAX
2001
as Claudia Villars
MovieThe Wild Thornberrys: The Origin of Donnie
2001
as Medicine Woman (voice)
MovieDisney's American Legends
2001
MovieHoliday Heart
2000
as Wanda Dean
MovieHalf Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks
2000
as Narrator
MovieLost Souls
2000
as Dr. Allen
TVStatic Shock
2000
as Jean Hawkins (voice)
MovieThe Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story
2000
as Mary Parrish (voice)
MovieJohn Henry
2000
as Polly / Narrator (voice)
MovieDinosaur
2000
as Plio (voice)
MovieLove & Basketball
2000
as Camille Wright
MovieWhat's Cooking?
2000
as Audrey Williams
MovieEleanor Roosevelt
2000
as Narrator (voice)
MovieMumford
1999
as Lily
MovieFunny Valentines
1999
as Joyce May
MovieThe Wishing Tree
1999
as Clara
MovieThe Underground Railroad
1999
MovieDown in the Delta
1998
as Loretta Sinclair
TVThe Wild Thornberrys
1998
as Medicine Woman (voice)
MovieSeven Candles For Kwanzaa
1997
as Narrator
MovieThe Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue
1997
as Maisie (voice)
TVCadillac Desert
1997
as Narrator (voice)
TVThe Practice
1997
as Denise Freeman
MovieFollow Me Home
1997
as Evey
MovieMiss Evers' Boys
1997
as Eunice Evers, R.N.
The Member of the Wedding
1997
as Berenice Sadie Brown
MovieStar Trek: First Contact
1996
as Lily Sloane
MovieA Step Toward Tomorrow
1996
as Dr. Sadlin
TVThe Daily Show
1996
as Self
MoviePrimal Fear
1996
as Shoat
MovieSpecial Report: Journey to Mars
1996
as Tamara O'Neil
TVGulliver's Travels
1996
as Queen of Brobdingnag
MovieHow to Make an American Quilt
1995
as Marianna
TVHappily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
as Winsome (voice)
MovieThe Piano Lesson
1995
as Berniece Charles
MovieCrooklyn
1994
as Carolyn Carmichael
MovieAliens for Breakfast
1994
as Mrs. Marks
MovieBlue Chips
1994
as Lavada McRae
MovieMalcolm X: Make It Plain
1994
as Narrator
MovieBopha!
1993
as Rosie Mangena
TVFrasier
1993
as Edna (voice)
MovieHeart and Souls
1993
as Penny Washington
TVHomicide: Life on the Street
1993
as Dr. Roxanne Turner
MoviePassion Fish
1992
as Chantelle
MovieRich in Love
1992
as Rhody Poole
MovieThe Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag
1992
as Ann
TVHBO First Look
1992
as Self
MovieGrand Canyon
1991
as Jane
MovieBlue Bayou
1990
as Jessica Filley
MovieA Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story
1989
as Mary Thomas
MovieMiss Firecracker
1989
as Popeye Jackson
MovieScrooged
1988
as Grace Cooley
TVAmerican Experience
1988
as Narrator (voice)
MovieThe Child Saver
1988
as Andrea Crawford
MovieMandela
1987
as Winnie Mandela
MovieUnnatural Causes
1986
as Maude DeVictor
MovieL.A. Law: Pilot
1986
as Adrianne Moore
TVL.A. Law
1986
as Adrianne Moore
MovieExtremities
1986
as Patricia
MoviePuss in Boots
1985
as Princess Lovinia
TVSara
1985
as Rozalyn Dupree
MovieWords by Heart
1985
as Claudie Sills
MovieBlack Hollywood
1984
as Self
MovieSweet Revenge
1984
as Vicki Teague
WonderWorks
1984
as Claudie Sills
MovieGo Tell It on the Mountain
1984
as Esther
MovieThe Killing Floor
1984
as Mattie
MovieCross Creek
1983
as Geechee
TVReading Rainbow
1983
as Self - Narrator (voice)
TVSt. Elsewhere
1982
as Roxanne Turner
TVTucker's Witch
1982
as Marcia Fulbright
TVFaerie Tale Theatre
1982
as Self - Guest
MoviePrecious Blood
1982
as Narrator
MovieFor Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf
1982
as Woman who lost her stuff
TVAmerican Playhouse
1982
as Woman who lost her stuff
MovieThe Ambush Murders
1982
as Karisha Ellsworth
TVThe Sophisticated Gents
1981
as Evelyn Evers
TVHill Street Blues
1981
MovieHealtH
1980
as Sally Benbow
TVPalmerstown, U.S.A.
1980
MovieFreedom Road
1979
as Katie
TVThe White Shadow
1978
as Sandra Wilcox
MovieThe Trial of the Moke
1978
as Lucy Smith
MovieRemember My Name
1978
as Rita
TVWhat Really Happened to the Class of '65?
1977
TVThe Oscars
1953
as Self
TVHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Mrs. Brown
Hate to See You Go
MoviePlaying for Your Heart: The Making of “Love & Basketball”
as Self
The Thing That Hurts
Pockets of Heaven
2034
