
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 | The Starling | 2020 | |
Movie | Behind the Movement | Jo Ann Robinson | 2018-11-15 |
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 | 36 Hour Layover | Ms Carey | 2016-09-24 |
Movie | Back to School Mom | Meghan Graham | 2015-02-14 |
Movie | The Sound and the Fury | Dilsey | 2015-10-23 |
Series | The Carmichael Show | Cynthia Carmichael | 2015-08-26 |
Movie | You're Not You | 2014-10-10 | |
Movie | Welcome to Me | Barb Vaughn | 2014-09-05 |
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 |
Movie | In the Hive | Mrs. Inez | 2012-12-14 |
Series | The Client List | Georgia Cummings | 2012-04-08 |
Movie | Politics of Love | Shirlee Gupta | 2011-08-26 |
Movie | Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 | Delta (voice) | 2011-02-01 |
Movie | Madea's Big Happy Family | Shirley | 2011-04-22 |
Movie | Jumping the Broom | Mrs. Taylor | 2011-05-06 |
Movie | Death at a Funeral | Cynthia | 2010-04-15 |
Movie | Lottery Ticket | Grandma | 2010-08-20 |
Movie | For Colored Girls | Juanita / Green | 2010-11-05 |
Movie | My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done | Miss Roberts | 2009-09-06 |
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 | 2004-09-10 |
Movie | Woman Thou Art Loosed | Cassey Jordan | 2004-09-30 |
Series | Boston Legal | Unknown | 2004-10-03 |
Series | Half & Half | Unknown | 2002-09-23 |
Movie | Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs | 2002-02-14 | |
Movie | I Am Sam | Margaret Calgrove | 2001-12-28 |
Movie | Kingdom Come | Marguerite Slocumb | 2001-04-11 |
Movie | Freedom Song | Evelyn Walker | 2000-02-27 |
Series | Strong Medicine | Unknown | 2000-07-23 |
Series | Boston Public | Marla Hendricks | 2000-10-23 |
Movie | What Women Want | Flo the Doorwoman | 2000-12-15 |
Series | Girlfriends | Unknown | 2000-09-11 |
Series | The PJs | 1999-01-10 | |
Movie | Funny Valentines | Dearie B. | 1999-02-14 |
Movie | Jackie's Back! | Snookie Tate (Jackie's Childhood Friend) | 1999-06-14 |
Movie | Love Kills | Sylvia Finkelstein | 1999-10-04 |
Movie | Introducing Dorothy Dandridge | Ruby Dandridge | 1999-08-21 |
Movie | Down in the Delta | Zenia | 1998-12-25 |
Movie | The Price of Kissing | Jackee | 1997-04-01 |
Movie | Clover | Everleen | 1997-09-10 |
Series | Ally McBeal | Unknown | 1997-09-08 |
Movie | Lover Girl | Leticia / 'Coco' | 1997-09-11 |
Series | Moesha | Unknown | 1996-01-23 |
Series | Promised Land | Unknown | 1996-09-17 |
Movie | The Preacher's Wife | Beverly | 1996-12-13 |
Movie | Waiting to Exhale | Gloria 'Glo' Matthews | 1995-12-22 |
Series | Touched by an Angel | Unknown | 1994-09-21 |
Movie | The American Clock | 1993-01-02 | |
Movie | Amos & Andrew | Ula | 1993-03-05 |
Series | Love & War | Unknown | 1992-09-21 |
Movie | Class Act | Blade's Mom | 1992-06-05 |
Movie | Caged Fear | Judy | 1991-01-01 |
Movie | Livin' Large! | Nadine Biggs | 1991-09-20 |
Movie | Stanley & Iris | Bertha | 1990-02-09 |
Series | Cop Rock | Unknown | 1990-09-26 |
Movie | Sticky Fingers | Diane | 1988-05-06 |
Series | Murphy Brown | Unknown | 1988-11-14 |
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