Lynn Whitfield

With roots leading back to Louisiana southern aristocracy, lovely leading lady Lynn Whitfield was born in 1953, the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. Her dentist father was instrumental in developing Lynn's initial interest in acting as he was a prime figure in forming community theater in her native Baton Rouge. She is of African American and Native American descent, specifically Cherokee.

First garnering attention on the stage by studying and performing with the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C, she married one of the company's co-founders and pioneers of black theatre, playwright/director/actor Vantile Whitfieldin 1974. She eventually moved to New York and appeared off-Broadway in such shows as "The Great Macdaddy" and "Showdown" before earning acclaim in the 1977 Los Angeles production of the landmark black play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide...When the Rainbow Is Enuf" co-starring Alfre Woodard.Lynn eventually became a force to be reckoned with intelligent and principled roles on quality film and TV as well

Lynn's Hollywood career unfolded under a talent development program at Columbia Pictures in 1979. Appearing on such established TV shows as "Hill Street Blues" and in a 1982 PBS version of her "For Colored Girls..." stage hit, she made her film debut with Doctor Detroit (1983)and doled out a number of support roles in other popular films as well such as Silverado (1985), The Slugger's Wife (1985), Jaws: The Revenge (1987),and Dead Aim (1987).It was TV, however, that garnered her the most attention, working her way into top lead and co-star roles. The topical social dramas The George McKenna Story (1986) co-starringDenzel Washington, Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI (1986) oppositeHoward E. Rollins Jr.and Oprah Winfrey's historical miniseries The Women of Brewster Place (1989) were her early highlights. In addition, she found some steadier work on series TV playing classy professionals, including two for ABC (a doctor inHeartbeat (1988)and a news anchorwoman in Equal Justice (1990).)

The peak of her acclaimed career arguably came in the form of highly popular but deeply troubled Follies Bergere headliner-turned civil rights activist Josephine Baker. In the HBO biopic The Josephine Baker Story (1991), Lynn played the legendary entertainer with Emmy-winning gusto, a role that stretched her to the limits as she played the role from age 18 to 68. Earning an NAACP Image Award in 1992 for her role in the miniseries Stompin' at the Savoy (1992), she later appeared inPauly Shore's comedy In the Army Now (1994)and went back to series TV alongsideBill Cosbyin the short-lived The Cosby Mysteries (1994).

Lynn had an upsurge in the late 90s with roles in the films A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) withMartin Lawrenceand Gone Fishin' (1997)with "Silverado" co-starDanny Glover.She also earned excellent reviews for her supporting work in Eve's Bayou (1997),a role that drew on her Louisiana heritage. More quality TV came her way when she starred as Sophie in Sophie & the Moonhanger (1996), a mini-movie that focused on the relationship of the wife of a Klansman and her longtime black housekeeper. She kept up the momentum with an unsympathetic role in theOprah Winfrey miniseries The Wedding (1998),where she again had to cover a long life span, this time from 19 to 47.

Into the millennium, Lynn has continued to find prolific work both on film and TV. Big screen credits include a co-starring role as a party advisor in theChris Rock/Bernie Macpolitical comedyHead of State (2003),written and directed by Rock; star/writer/directorTyler Perry's romantic comedyMadea's Family Reunion (2006);the urban filmRedemption (2004)starringJamie Foxxthat chronicles the turbulent life of (now) imprisoned L.A. Crips gang founder Stan "Tookie" Williams; a featured part in an updated version ofClare Boothe Luce'sThe Women (2008)headed byMeg RyanandAnnette Bening;a co-starring role opposite singer/songwriterCiarain the family musical dramaMama I Want to Sing (2011);another co-star role opposite another musical artist, rapper/songwriter50 Cent,in the sports dramaAll Things Fall Apart (2011);a starring role as a woman who loses her police officer son and takes in a young paroleeCrawford Wilsonin the social dramaKing's Faith (2013);and theSean Astinaction comedyEspionage Tonight (2017).

On the TV front, Lynne has made guest appearances in such regular programs as "Boston Public," "Strong Medicine," a recurring role in "Without a Trace," "Shark," "Flash Forward," How to Get Away with Murder, "" Hit the Floor, "" Mistresses "and, more recently, as Lady Belle Greenleaf, the matriarch of a rich, unscrupulous Southern Baptist, mega-church family in the dramatic seriesGreenleaf (2016).

Divorced from Vantile Whitfield in the late 70s, Lynn later married British directorBrian Gibsonin 1990, by whom she has a daughter, Grace. They parted ways in 1992.