Acting · Yonkers, New York, USA · Born January 11, 1971
Mary Jane Blige (/blaɪʒ/; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist. She started her career as a backing singer on Uptown Records in 1989. She has released 13 studio albums, eight of which have achieved multi-platinum worldwide sales. Blige has sold over 80 million records, has won nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards and has also received three Golden Globe Award nominations, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its second original song "Mighty River" for Mudbound; she also received a nomination for the Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song, becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year. In 1992, Blige released her first album, What's the 411?. Her 1994 album My Life is among Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,[4] and Time magazine's All-Time 100 Albums. She received a Legends Award at the World Music Awards in 2006, and the Voice of Music Award from ASCAP in 2007. As of 2018, Blige has sold 80 million records worldwide. Billboard ranked Blige as the most successful female R&B/Hip-Hop artist of the past 25 years. In 2017, Billboard magazine named her 2006 song "Be Without You" as the most successful R&B/Hip-Hop song of all time, as it spent an unparalleled 15 weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and over 75 weeks on the chart. In 2011, VH1 ranked Blige as the 80th greatest artist of all time. ln 2012, VH1 ranked Blige at number 9 in "The 100 Greatest Women in Music" list.
TVSean Combs: The Reckoning
2025
as Self (archive footage)
MovieMary J. Blige: For My Fans
2025
as Self
MovieWham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped
2024
as Self
Movie2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2024
as Self
TVFat Joe Talks
2024
as Self - Guest
TVIn Vogue: The 90s
2024
as Self
MovieRob Peace
2024
as Jackie Peace
MovieTMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy
2024
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThriller 40
2023
as Self
MovieCarole King and her Songs at the BBC
2023
as Self (archive footage)
TVThe Wine Down with Mary J. Blige
2023
as Self - Host
MovieTHE SHOW: California Love
2022
as Self
Movie2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2022
as Self
TVImpact x Nightline
2022
MovieBehind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL
2022
as Self (archive footage)
TVSherri
2022
as Self - Guest
TVLost Ollie
2022
as Rosy (voice)
MovieGeorge Michael: Freedom Uncut
2022
as Self
TVThe Crew Has It
2022
MovieYou're Watching Video Music Box
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Movie2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2021
as Self
MovieRespect
2021
as Dinah Washington
MovieMary J. Blige's My Life
2021
as Self
MovieBiggie: I Got a Story to Tell
2021
as Self (archive footage)
MoviePink Skies Ahead
2020
as Doctor Monroe
MovieThe Violent Heart
2020
as Nina
TVPower Book II: Ghost
2020
as Monet Stewart Tejada
MovieBody Cam
2020
as Renee Lomito-Smith
MovieTrolls World Tour
2020
as Queen Essence (voice)
TVTamron Hall
2019
as Self - Guest
TVThe Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self
TVThe Umbrella Academy
2019
as Cha-Cha
MovieQuincy
2018
as Self
TVThe Shop
2018
as Self
MovieSherlock Gnomes
2018
as Irene (voice)
MovieThe Box
2018
as Evil Commander
MovieGrammy's Greatest Stories: A 60th Anniversary Special
2017
as Self
MovieMudbound
2017
as Florence Jackson
MovieGeorge Michael: Freedom
2017
as Self
MovieCan't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story
2017
as Self
MovieTaylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour - Live
2015
as Self - Musical Guest
MovieThe Wiz Live!
2015
as Evillene
MovieThe Making of the Wiz Live!
2015
as Self
TVThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
TVClose Up with The Hollywood Reporter
2015
as Self
TVScream: The TV Series
2015
as Sherry Elliot
MovieMary J. Blige: Live at Made in America
2015
as Self
MovieQueens of Soul at the BBC
2015
as Self (archive footage)
TVLip Sync Battle
2015
as Self
TVEmpire
2015
as Angie
TVVariety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014
as Self
TVHow to Get Away with Murder
2014
as Rolanda
TVblack-ish
2014
as Mirabelle
MovieDisney Parks Christmas Day Parade
2013
as Self
MovieMichael Bublé’s 3rd Annual Christmas Special
2013
as Self
MovieBlack Nativity
2013
as Platinum Fro
MovieBetty and Coretta
2013
as Dr. Betty Shabazz
TVRod Stewart: Merry Christmas, Baby
2012
as Self
MovieRock of Ages
2012
as Justice
MovieYo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
2012
as Self
MovieBe Inspired: The Life of Heavy D
2012
as Self
MovieVH1 Divas Celebrates Soul
2011
as Self
MovieBeats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
2011
as Self
MovieTeenage Paparazzo
2010
as Self (uncredited)
TVJustin Lee Collins: Good Times
2010
as Self
The Marriage Ref
2010
as Self - Panelist
Hope for Haiti Now
2010
as Self
TVThe Jay Leno Show
2009
as Self
MovieI Can Do Bad All By Myself
2009
as Tanya
TVWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
TVAlan Carr: Chatty Man
2009
as Self
TVLate Night with Jimmy Fallon
2009
as Self
MovieWe Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial
2009
as Self
Mary J. Blige: VH1 Storytellers
2008
as Self
MovieSoul Divas
2007
as Self
MovieClassic Albums: Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
2007
as Self
MovieGeorge Michael - Twenty Five
2006
as Self
TV30 Rock
2006
as Mary J. Blige
TVGhost Whisperer
2005
as Jackie Boyd
TVThe Tyra Banks Show
2005
as Self
MovieAn Intimate Evening with Mary J. Blige - Live from the House of Blues
2005
as Self
TVSoul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
2005
as Self
TVVH1 Storytellers
2005
TVMiley's New Year's Eve Party
2004
as Self - Musical Guest
MovieJAY-Z: Fade to Black
2004
as Self
MovieGenius. A Night for Ray Charles
2004
as Self
MovieMary J. Blige - Live in Los Angeles
2004
TVAnd You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop
2004
as Self
TVEntourage
2004
as Mary J. Blige
MovieAnd You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop
2004
as Self
MovieHappy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me
2004
as Self (voice)
MovieMichael Jackson: The One
2004
as Self
TVExtreme Makeover: Home Edition
2003
as Self
MovieMichael Jackson: Number Ones
2003
as Self (archive footage)
MovieSting: Inside - The Songs of Sacred Love
2003
as Self - Special Guest Vocalist
TVThe Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
TVAmerica's Next Top Model
2003
as Self - Guest
TVJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self - Guest
TVAmerican Idol
2002
as Self - Guest
MovieDMX: Angel
2001
as Guardian Angel
MovieJay-Z: MTV Unplugged
2001
as Self
TVFriday Night with Jonathan Ross
2001
as Self - Guest
MTV 20: Jams
2001
MoviePrison Song
2001
as Mom
MovieVH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin
2001
as Self
MovieAll Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live!
2001
as Self
MovieElton John: One Night Only, The Greatest Hits
2000
as Self - Guest Appearance
TVStrong Medicine
2000
as Simone Fellows
MovieGangstresses
2000
as Mary J. Blige
MovieEric Clapton & Friends in Concert
1999
as Self - Guest star
MovieVH1 Divas Live 2: An Honors Concert for VH1's Save the Music
1999
as Self - Performer
MovieSongs & Visions
1997
as Self
TVThe View
1997
as Self
TVClassic Albums
1997
as Self
TVThe Chris Rock Show
1997
as Self
TVThe Jamie Foxx Show
1996
as Ola Mae
TVThe Daily Show
1996
as Self
TVMoesha
1996
as Mary J. Blige
TVNew York Undercover
1994
TVAll That
1994
as Self
TVIntimate Portrait
1993
as Self
TVLate Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self - Musical Guest
Out All Night
1992
as Self
TVThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
as Self
TVThe Word
1990
TVIn Living Color
1990
TVMTV Unplugged
1989
as Self
TVYo! MTV Raps
1988
as Self
TVMTV Video Music Awards
1984
as Self
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Musical Guest
TVPeople's Choice Awards
1975
as Self - Performer
TVAmerican Music Awards
1974
as Self - Musical Guest
TVOne Life to Live
1968
TVTop of the Pops
1964
as Self
TVThe Grammys
1959
as Self
TVToday
1952
as Self
