Dawnn Jewel LewisWho's who Among African Americans – Ashyia N. Henderson – Gale Group, 2000University of Miami Alumni Association. Annual Report. 2008-2009. University of Miami Alumni Association. 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2021 (born August 13, 1961) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Jaleesa Vinson–Taylor on the NBC television sitcom A Different World from the series beginning in 1987 until the end of its fifth season in 1992 (she also co-wrote the opening theme song for the series), as well as her many roles in other TV series and in film.
Lewis's other notable roles include portraying Robin Dumars on the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper for its first season (1992–93), as Cheryl Spade in the 1988 film I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, and as Captain Carol Freeman on the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks. Since then, Lewis has appeared in numerous TV series, including other sitcoms, and has also performed on stage.
Early life and education Dawnn Lewis was born on August 13, 1961,Your Birthday Card – Dawnn LewisHistorical Dictionary of African-American Television – Dawnn Lewis (1961–) – Kathleen Fearn-Banks, Anne Burford-JohnsonThe A to Z of African American Cinema – Lewis, Dawnn (1961–) – S. Torriano Berry, Venise T. Berry in Brooklyn, New York City, to Carl and Joyce Lewis, who are of African-American and Guyanese descent.Dawnn Lewis Biography (1961–) She began singing at the age of four and acting at eleven. At sixteen, Lewis graduated from the High School of Music & Art in New York City. In college, she majored in musical theatre with a minor in journalism, graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree, cum laude, from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, in 1982.
Career The Tap Dance Kid National Tour (1985–1986) From August 1, 1985, to July 6, 1986, Lewis performed in the chorus and as the character Dulcie in the National Tour of the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid under the name "Dawnn J. Lewis"."Dawnn Lewis: Touring" on the Internet Broadway Database
A Different World (1987–1992) Lewis appeared in the first five of six seasons of A Different World as Jaleesa Vinson (later Vinson–Taylor), from 1987 until 1992. Lewis co-wrote the theme song to A Different World, with Bill Cosby and Stu Gardner, and co-performed the song for the first season. Although her character was married to another of the main characters on the show, her character disappeared from the series without explanation, similar to the Chuck Cunningham character in Happy Days. Lewis appeared in a special week-long segment of A Different World called the Hillman College Reunion airing on Nick at Nite, along with Lisa Bonet, Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Darryl M. Bell, Cree Summer, and Sinbad. On her Super Password appearance in 1988, she was paired with Dallas star Ken Kercheval, not any of her co-stars.
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992–1993) In September 1992, Lewis began starring in ABC's Hangin' with Mr. Cooper alongside Mark Curry and Holly Robinson. Lewis appeared in 20 of the 22 episodes of the first season as Robin Dumars, Mark's childhood best friend and roommate. Lewis did not appear on the two shows concurrently – she left A Different World to star in Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. Lewis and Holly Robinson, along with R&B quartet En Vogue, performed the theme song for season one of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. Sometime before the end of season one, the show producers decided to scale back on the updated version of the 1970s ABC sitcom Three's Company concept. Lewis left the show after the conclusion of the first season due to the producers deciding to change the direction of the show, replacing her character with a mother and child; Mark's cousin Geneva Lee (portrayed by Saundra Quarterman) and her daughter Nicole (portrayed by Raven-Symoné).
Other work
Lewis provided additional voices in the video game, True Crime: New York City. She portrayed Deloris Van Cartier in Peter Schneider's Sister Act the Musical, which opened at the Pasadena Playhouse on October 24, 2006. Lewis has voiced Storm of the X-Men in three games, most recently Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2. She also voiced Granny Grim on The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, and voiced the female Shokan (Sheeva) in Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm. Lewis has also done voice work as LaBarbara Conrad, wife of Hermes Conrad, in the animated TV series Futurama, Detective Terri Lee on Spider-Man: The Animated Series, villainess Di Archer on Bruno the Kid, and voiced a number of characters on The Boondocks. Additionally, she voiced the character Sharona on King of the Hill.
Lewis co-starred in two Disney Channel Original Movies, The Poof Point as Marigold Ballord, and as Gail DeBarge in Let It Shine. In 2000, Lewis played Blabberwort the Troll in the five-episode NBC miniseries The 10th Kingdom.
2006–present
In 2006, Lewis starred as Melba Early in the film adaptation of Dreamgirls. Lewis released her debut CD, entitled Worth Waiting For, in 2006. She played Addaperle in The Wiz with New York City Center's Encores! In 2009, Lewis played Denise Fields on One Tree Hill. In 2010, Lewis played a minor recurring role as Lauren's mother in The Secret Life of the American Teenager. In 2012, she voiced Malora in Strange Frame. She also appeared as Dr. Knapp on Days of Our Lives in 2012–2013. In 2014 Lewis starred in The Divorce along with Vanessa Bell Calloway, Tatyana Ali & Freda Payne. In 2014, she started a recurring role that ran the final four seasons of Major Crimes as Patrice, a love interest and later wife of Lt. Provenza, whom he met during a case. In that same year, she also voiced Ruby's mother Helen Hanshaw in one episode of Sofia The First.
In March 2016, Lewis was cast in Disney Junior's animated series Doc McStuffins as the voice of Grandma McStuffins. In 2017 she provided the voice of Maybelle Mundy in the film Bunyan and Babe. In 2018 she began voicing Fannie Granger on DreamWorks's Spirit Riding Free and Dr. Jones in Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters, while in 2019 began voicing The Chief on Netflix's animated Carmen Sandiego. She voiced Attorney General's special agent Lenora Carter in The Simpsons episode "The Fat Blue Line" in 2019, and became the voice of Bernice Hibbert starting with "Uncut Femmes" in 2021.
From November 2019 to January 2022, she began portrayed Zelma, Tina Turner's mother, in the musical Tina on Broadway."Dawnn Lewis: Broadway" on the Internet Broadway Database
From August 2020 to December 2024, she starred as the voice of Captain Carol Freeman in the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks.
From 2021 to 2022, Lewis voiced Ms. Jackie Washington, the Neighborhood Council President of Hansberry Heights, in the animated series Karma's World.
In 2021, Lewis was among the first honorees to be inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Lewis is an honorary member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority.PHI BETA SORORITY, INC. CLOSES OUT 2022 GRAND BOULÈ IN PHILADELPHIA, LEAVING BEHIND AN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OVER $6.5 MILLION
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1988 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka Cheryl Spade 1992 Stompin' at the Savoy Ella Fitzgerald Television film Mouse Soup Bees Voice, short1993 A Cool Like That Christmas Jarvis Voice, television film 1994 Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad Minnie Television film 1996 The Cherokee Kid Mary "Stagecoach Mary", Love Gang Bruno the Kid: The Animated Movie Di Archer Voice, direct-to-video 1997 Bad Day on the Block Officer Sandy Tierra 1999 The Wood Woman In Cleaners 2001 Nicolas Unknown Role The Poof Point Marigold Ballard Television film 2002 Endgame: Ethics and Values in America Alison 2003 Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure Bessie / Female Judge Voice, direct-to-video A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 2005 The Venom Saga Detective Terri Lee Voice, direct-to-video 2006 The Adventures of Brer Rabbit Mom / Sister Mink Voice, direct-to-video Dreamgirls Melba Early 2007 The Last Sentinel Angel, Tallis' Rifle Voice Futurama: Bender's Big Score LaBarbara Conrad Voice, direct-to-video 2009 Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder LaBarbara Conrad / Women's Prison Warden 2010 Preacher's Kid Mya 2012 Strange Frame: Love & Sax Malora Voice Let It Shine Gail DeBarge Television film Jennifer Dr. Fox Short Dino Time Additional Voices 2013 Second Chances Maria Television film Monsters University Additional Voices Toy Story of Terror! Delivery Lady Voice, television film WHOA! Comedy Short Kate Sterling Short 2014 The Divorce Yolanda Massey Television film Mom and Dad Undergrads Diane 2015 Megachurch Murder Lucille Williams Inside Out Additional Voices Alone Together Katie Short 2017 Bunyan and Babe Maybelle Mundy Voice The Legend of Master Legend Tana Television film Cycle 2017 Robyn 2018 Revival! Cleo 2020 Be the Light Gladys Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal Chief Voice, short 2021 The Good, the Bart, and the Loki Ravonna Renslayer Voice, short Writing Around the Christmas Tree Sharon Samuels 2022 For Gunter's Eyes Only Additional Voices Short Minions: The Rise of Gru Additional Voices Welcome to the Club Ursula / Kaa Voice, short Blackjack Christmas Corrine Allen 2023 Rogue Not Quite One TIE Interceptor System Voice, short
Television