Loretta Devine Biography

Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949) is an American stage, film and television actress. She has appeared in such films as Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher's Wife, I Am Sam, Urban Legend, Crash, Woman Thou Art Loosed, For Colored Girls, This Christmas and Jumping the Broom.

She is currently part of the main cast of the Lifetime drama The Client List in the role of Georgia Cummings and as the voice of Hallie on the Disney Junior show Doc McStuffins.

Early life

Devine was born in Houston, Texas. Her mother, Eunice O'Neal (née Toliver), was a beautician, and her father, James Devine, worked as a laborer. She grew up in the Acres Homes area of Houston. She was very active on the pep squad, and performed in talent shows at George Washington Carver High School. Devine graduated from the University of Houston in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Drama and Brandeis University in 1976 with a MFA in Theater. Devine was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha the Epsilon Lambda Chapter.

Career

Devine appeared in the 1978 flop A Broadway Musical, which closed after one performance. She captured attention in Dreamgirls, a Broadway musical loosely based on the history of The Supremes, in which she originated the role of Lorrell Robinson (a fictional character based on Mary Wilson). It premiered on December 20, 1981 and ran for over 1500 performances; it eventually won six Tony awards. Minor roles for Devine followed in films such as Little Nikita and Stanley & Iris. She has a cameo performance in the film version of Dreamgirls. She was a repertory character in the play The Colored Museum with Vickilyn Reynolds. Devine and Reynolds both went on to play sisters in the short-lived TV series Sugar and Spice. During the period between the play and the series, Devine appeared in the first season of the TV series A Different World as Stevie Rallen, dormitory director at fictional Hillman College.

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 played Rochelle's mother, Maxine, who's always picking on her, on the sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris.

In 2007, she appeared in This Christmas, a Screen Gems production co-starring Delroy Lindo, Mekhi Phifer, and Regina King. in 2008, Devine joined the cast of the ABC series Eli Stone. While the series received positive reviews, it was cancelled in July 2009 after two seasons.

In 2009, Devine played the character of Jeanette in the rejected pilot for the David E. Kelley television series that was supposed to air on NBC, Legally Mad. Devine later that year made guest appearance on Cold Case.

Devine was part of the ensemble casts of two Tyler Perry-directed films For Colored Girls and Madea's Big Happy Family.

Devine also appeared in the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Richard Webber's wife, Adele, and in 2011 she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her performance. She was nominated for a second time for her performance in 2012.

In 2011, she had played the role of Aunt Honey on ABC Family's original comedy State of Georgia alongside Raven-Symoné and Majandra Delfino. The series was cancelled after one season.

In 2012, she played Hallie, a nurse, on Playhouse Disney's Doc McStuffins. Later that year she joined Lifetime series The Client List, playing the role of Georgia Cummings, the owner of the massage parlor where the lead character Riley Parks works.

Devine won Outstanding Female Actor in a Feature Role for Grey's Anatomy at the 2012 Gracie Allen Award. Devine was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater, the University of Houston, on April 27, 2013. This is the highest honor given by UHAA to a UH graduate.

Stage appearances

• Minister, Godsong, La MaMa E.T.C., New York City, 1978
• (Broadway debut) Dionne, Hair (revival), Biltmore Theatre, 1977
• Soloist, Langston Hughes, AMAS Repertory Theatre, 1977
• Title role, Karma, Richard Allen Center, New York City, 1977
• Gloria, Verandah, New Dramatists, 1977
• Soloists, Seasons Reasons, Henry Street Settlement Playhouse, New York City, 1977
• Yenta lady, A Broadway Musical, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1978
• Loretta, Miss Truth, Apollo Theatre, New York City, 1978
• Bones, Circle in the Square Theatre, New York City, 1978
• Ms. Dabney, Mahalia, Henry Street Settlement Playhouse, 1978
• Virtue, The Blacks, Richard Allen Center, New York City, 1978
• Young Mary, Comin' Uptown, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1979
• Jewel, Lion and the Jewel, Lincoln Center, New York City, 1980
• Precious, Dementos, City Center, New York City, 1980
• Lorell Robinson, Dreamgirls, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1981
• The Casting of Kevin Christian, Shepherd Street Art Gallery, 1983
• Mermaid, Gotta Getaway!, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1984
• Janeen Earl-Taylor, Long Time Since Yesterday, Henry Street Settlement Playhouse, New York City, 1985
• Lilly, Big Deal, Broadway Theater, New York City, 1986
• Lala, Wigs, and model, The Colored Museum, Public Theaters/Susan Stein Shiva Theater, New York City, 1986
• Delia, Spunk, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1990
• Billie Holiday, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA, then Little Theatre, Phoenix, AZ, 1991
• Holly Day, Rabbit Foot, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Los Angeles, 1991
• Charlesetta, East Texas Hot Links, The Met, Los Angeles, 1991
• Soloist, Rodgers, Hart, Hammerstein Tribute, Embassy Theatre, 1991
• Soloist, Big Moments on Broadway, Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington, DC, 1991
• Also appeared as Cissy, Woman from the Town and in A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Hot Mikado in 1990.

Filmography

• 2013: You're Not You
• 2013: Doc McStuffins
• 2012: In The Hive
• 2012: The Client List (TV series) Georgia (2012"present)
• 2012: Shake It Up (TV series) Judge Marsha (Episode: "Judge It Up")
• 2012: Norm of the Northand away
• 2012: RuPaul's Drag Race (TV Series) Guest Judge
• 2011: State of Georgia (TV series) Aunt Honey
• 2011: Madea's Big Happy Family Shirley
• 2011: Glee Sister Mary Constance
• 2011: Jumping the Broom Pamela Taylor
• 2010: Politics of Love Shirlee Gupta
• 2010: For Colored Girls Juanita Sims
• 2010: Lottery Ticket Grandma
• 2010: Party Down (TV series) Diane Ellison
• 2010: Death at a Funeral Cynthia
• 2010: Legally Mad (TV movie) Jeanette
• 2005: Grey's Anatomy (TV series) Adele Webber (2005"2013)
• 2009: Cold Case (TV series) Chandra Patterson '09
• 2009: My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done Miss Roberts
• 2008: Eli Stone (TV series) Patti Dellacroix (2008"2009)
• 2009: Spring Breakdown Dr. Marguerite
• 2008: Beverly Hills Chihuahua Delta (voice)
• 2008: First Sunday Sister Doris
• 1999: The PJs (TV series) Muriel Stubbs (1999"2008)
• 2006: Boston Legal (TV series) Annabelle Carruthers / Judge Victoria Thomson
• 2007: This Christmas Ma'Dere / Shirley Ann Whitfield
• 2007: Cougar Club Dolly
• 2006: Everybody Hates Chris (TV series) Maxine (2006"2007)
• 2006: Dreamgirls Jazz Singer
• 2006: Life Is Not a Fairy Tale The Fantasia Barrino Story (TV movie) Addie Collins
• 2006: Dirty Laundry Evelyn
• 2005: Girlfriends (TV series) Judge Jackson / Judge Vashti Jackson (2005"2006)
• 2005: Supernatural (TV series) Missouri Moseley
• 2004: Wild Card (TV series) M. Pearl McGuire (2004"2005)
• 2005: King's Ransom Miss Gladys
• 2004: Crash Shaniqua Johnson
• 2004: Woman Thou Art Loosed Cassey Jordan
• 2003: Half & Half (TV series) Erika
• 2003: The System (TV series) Mrs. Marsha Waters
• 2003: Zoe Busiek: Wild Card
• 2002: Book of Love
• 2002: Baby of the Family Delores
• 2001: I Am Sam Margaret Calgrove
• 2001: Kingdom Come Marguerite Slocumb
• 2000: What Women Want Flo the Doorwoman
• 2000: Urban Legends: Final Cut Reese Wilson
• 2000: Ally McBeal (TV series) Nora Mills
• 2000: Family Law (TV series) Gloria Rivers
• 2000: Best Actress (TV movie) Connie Travers
• 2000: Freedom Song (TV movie) Evelyn Walker
• 2000: Punks Health Counselor
• 1999: Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (TV movie) Ruby Dandridge
• 1999: Jackie's Back! (TV movie) Snookie Tate (Jackie's Childhood Friend)
• 1999: Clueless (TV series) Phyliss Holiday
• 1999: Moesha (TV series) Steph
• 1999: The Breaks Floria
• 1999: The PJs
• 1999: Funny Valentines (TV movie) Dearie B.
• 1999: Operation Splitsville Principal
• 1999: Lillie Michelle
• 1998: Urban Legend Reese Wilson
• 1998: Down in the Delta Zenia
• 1998: Love Kills Sylvia Finkelstein
• 1998: Alyson's Closet (short) Raul's Mother (voice)
• 1997: Don King: Only in America (TV movie) Connie Harper
• 1997: Lover Girl Leticia/'Coco'
• 1997: Clover (TV movie) Everleen
• 1997: Hoodlum Pigfoot Mary
• 1997: The Price of Kissing Jackee
• 1997: Touched by an Angel (TV series) Tonya Hawkins
• 1997: Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (TV series) Mother
• 1996: The Preacher's Wife Beverly
• 1996: Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault (TV movie) Miss Mary
• 1995: Waiting to Exhale Gloria Matthews
• 1995: Ned and Stacey (TV series) Mrs. Duncan
• 1995: Picket Fences (TV series) Marla Melrose
• 1994: The Hard Truth Nichols' secretary
• 1993: The American Clock (TV movie) Irene
• 1992: Roc (TV series) Cynthia (1992"1993)
• 1993: Amos & Andrew Ula
• 1992: Class Act Blade's Mom
• 1992: Caged Fear Judy
• 1991: Reasonable Doubts (TV series) Valerie Hall
• 1991: Livin' Large Nadine Biggs
• 1991: Great Performances (TV series) Janine
• 1990: Cop Rock (TV series) Juror
• 1990: Chris Brown Loretta Fontaine
• 1990: Murphy Brown (TV series) Nurse Hawking
• 1989: Stanley & Iris Bertha
• 1989: Heart and Soul (TV short) Tonia Harris
• 1989: Parent Trap III (TV movie) Thelma
• 1988: Amen (TV series) Lydia Cummings
• 1988: Sticky Fingers Diane
• 1987: A Different World Stevie Rallen (1987"1988)
• 1988: Little Nikita Verna McLaughlin
• 1988: The Murder of Mary Phagan (TV movie) Annie Maude Carter
• 1987: CBS Summer Playhouse (TV series) Cheryl
• 1983: Anna to the Infinite Power Ms. Benson (Schoolteacher)
• 1981: Will