Loretta Devine, Achievements, Family And Education
Loretta Devine Award-winning actress, equally comfortable on stage and screen, has left an indelible mark on theater, film, and television.
Bio
- Loretta Devine was born on 21 August 1949 in Houston, Texas, United States.
- She has one child, James Lawrence Tyler.
- Her parents are Eunice O’Neal Devine and James Devine.
- She married Glenn Marshall in 2001.
- She pursued her education at the University of Houston, earning a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.
- She furthered her education by obtaining a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from Brandeis University.
- Loretta Devine has received numerous awards throughout her career.
Why Is Loretta Devine Important?
Career Journey
Devine initially gained national recognition as Lorrell, one of the original “Dreamgirls” in Michael Bennett’s renowned Broadway musical of the same name.
She then delivered a fiery performance as Lillian in Bob Fosse’s highly-praised stage production “Big Deal.”
Her subsequent work in George C. Wolfe’s “Colored Museum” and “Lady Day at Emerson Bar and Grill” solidified her reputation as a versatile and talented stage actress.
Her journey into film began with a touching portrayal of a single mother alongside Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, and Gregory Hines in “Waiting to Exhale” (1995),
earning Devine her first NAACP Image Award for ‘Best Supporting Actress.’
She also secured another NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actress in Penny Marshall’s “The Preacher’s Wife” (1996).
Notably, Devine received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in “Women Thou Art Loosed.”
She graced the screen in the Academy Award-winning film “Crash” and the hit movie “Dreamgirls.”
Her extensive filmography includes appearances in the successful;
- “Urban Legend” franchise,
- “I Am Sam” opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Sean Penn,
- “Kingdom Come,”
- “What Women Want,”
- “Punks,”
- “Hoodlums,”
- “Down in the Delta,
- and “Stanley and Iris.”
In more recent years, Devine featured in co-starring roles in “This Christmas” and “First Sunday.”
Both of which topped the box office charts. She lent her voice to the character “Delta” in Disney’s “Beverly Hills Chihuahua.”
Her acting prowess shone alongside Chris Rock in the Sony Screen Gems remake of “Death at a Funeral” and “Lottery Ticket” for Alcon/Warner Brothers.
Devine played “The Woman in Green” in Tyler Perry’s adaptation of Ntozake Shange’s “For Colored Girls.”
In 2011, she starred in two leading roles in the films “Jumping the Broom” with Paula Patton, Laz Alonso, and Angela Bassett and Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Big Happy Family.”
Both films achieved top spots at the box office.
Devine continued her successful streak with a lineup of independent films.
Including Robert Townsend’s “In The Hive,” which earned her a NAACP Image Award nomination for “Best Actress in a Motion Picture,”
“You’re Not You” alongside Hilary Swank, James Franco’s “The Sound and the Fury,” and the Kristen Wiig dramedy, “Welcome to Me.”
On the television front, Devine garnered critical acclaim and an Emmy award for her role as “Adele” in ABC’s hit medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Her extensive television credits encompass series roles on shows such as;
- “A Different World,
- ” the spin-off of “
- The Cosby Show,”
- Eddie Murphy’s stop-motion animated series
- “The PJs,” David E. Kelly’s “Boston Public,”
- ABC’s “Eli Stone,”
- and Lifetime’s “The Client List” alongside Jennifer Love-Hewitt.
More recently, she starred in NBC’s highly-praised sitcom “The Carmichael Show” and co-starred in the 3rd season of BET’s “Being Mary Jane” as the main antagonist, “Cece.”
Devine also continued to voice “Hallie the Hippo” on Disney Channel’s Peabody Award-Winning animated series, “Doc McStuffins.
And was set to star in the Netflix family series, “FAMILY REUNION,” featuring an all-black cast and crew.
Over a career spanning three decades, Devine has received numerous accolades for her contributions to both the big and small screen.
Her portrayal of Adele” in “Grey’s Anatomy” earned her a:
- Primetime Emmy Award,
- A Gracie Allen Award for “Outstanding Female Actor in a Featured Role,”
- A Critics’ Choice Television Awards nomination for “Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series,”
- As well as NAACP Image Awards and nominations.
In total, Devine has won nine NAACP Image Awards and received a record twenty-four nominations.
She has also received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the Pan African Film Festival and the NAACP Theatre Awards,
along with the Thespian Award from the LA Femme International Film Festival.
Education
Devine is an alumna of the University of Houston, where she earned her undergraduate degree and later pursued a Master of Fine Arts at Brandeis University.
Additionally, she was honored with a Doctorate of Humane Letters and a Distinguished Alumni Award from The University of Houston.
She currently resides in Los Angeles.
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