70 Facts About Alfre Woodard

Alfre Woodard is a board member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Alfre Woodard received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in Cross Creek.

Alfre Woodard earned a BAFTA Award for Best Actress nomination for her role in Clemency.

Alfre Woodard gained prominence for her television role as Dr Roxanne Turner in the NBC medical drama St Elsewhere, for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1986, and for Guest Actress in 1988.

From 2005 to 2006, Alfre Woodard starred as Betty Applewhite in the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives.

Alfre Woodard is known for her work as a political activist and producer.

Alfre Woodard is a founder of Artists for a New South Africa, an organization devoted to advancing democracy and equality in that country.

Alfre Woodard is the youngest of three children and was a cheerleader in high school.

Alfre Woodard attended Bishop Kelley High School, a private Catholic school in Tulsa, graduating from there in 1970.

Alfre Woodard studied drama at Boston University, from which she graduated.

Alfre Woodard made her professional theater debut in 1974 on Washington, DC's Arena Stage.

The next year, Alfre Woodard made her film debut in Remember My Name, a thriller written and directed by Alan Rudolph.

In 1980, Alfre Woodard had a role in the ensemble comedy film Health directed by Robert Altman.

Alfre Woodard later appeared in the NBC miniseries The Sophisticated Gents, and had a regular role alongside Catherine Hicks and Tim Matheson in the short-lived comedy-drama Tucker's Witch.

Later in 1983, Alfre Woodard starred opposite Mary Steenburgen in the biography drama film Cross Creek directed by Martin Ritt.

Later in 1983, Alfre Woodard won her first Primetime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category for her three-episode arc as Doris Robson in the NBC critically acclaimed serial drama Hill Street Blues.

Alfre Woodard was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles in the films Words by Heart, Unnatural Causes, and A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story.

In 1986, Alfre Woodard starred opposite Farrah Fawcett in the drama film Extremities, which was based on the 1982 Off-Broadway play by William Mastrosimone.

Alfre Woodard played the role of Dr Roxanne Turner, a strong doctor and the love interest of the Denzel Washington character.

Alfre Woodard left the show after a single season and guest-starred in 1988.

Alfre Woodard was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1986, and for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 1988, for St Elsewhere.

In 1998, Alfre Woodard reprised the role for a sixth-season episode of Homicide: Life on the Street entitled "Mercy".

Alfre Woodard was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her guest performance in the show.

In 1987, Alfre Woodard played the role of South African activist Winnie Mandela in the HBO film Mandela.

Alfre Woodard spent several weeks watching news clips and listening to tapes of Winnie to match her accent.

Alfre Woodard did not win an Emmy, but received a CableACE Award and an NAACP Image Award in the Outstanding Lead Actress category for Mandela.

In 1991, Alfre Woodard starred in drama film Grand Canyon, directed by Lawrence Kasdan.

The next year, Alfre Woodard received major critical acclaim for her performance opposite Mary McDonnell in the drama film Passion Fish, written and directed by John Sayles.

Alfre Woodard was a promising contender for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress category, but did not receive a nomination.

In 1996, Alfre Woodard played Judge Miriam Shoat in the neo-noir crime film Primal Fear with Richard Gere and Edward Norton, as well as portraying Lily Sloane, Zefram Cochrane's assistant in the science fiction film Star Trek: First Contact.

In 1999, Alfre Woodard had roles in two films: Mumford, and The Wishing Tree as lead character.

Alfre Woodard was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance as a drug addict in the Holiday Heart.

On television, Alfre Woodard guest-starred in two episodes of The Practice in 2003, for which she won her fourth Primetime Emmy Award.

Alfre Woodard's character was introduced in the last episodes of the series' first season, and became the center of the second season's mystery.

Alfre Woodard left the series in the second-season finale episode.

Alfre Woodard was nominated for Primetime Emmys for her roles in the television films The Water Is Wide and Pictures of Hollis Woods.

Alfre Woodard starred as lead in the Tyler Perry's drama film The Family That Preys in 2008.

Alfre Woodard starred in two short-lived television series: NBC's My Own Worst Enemy, and CBS's Three Rivers.

Alfre Woodard guest-starred in Shonda Rhimes' dramas Grey's Anatomy in 2011 and Private Practice in 2012.

Also in 2012, Alfre Woodard appeared in the Lifetime television remake of the 1989 comedy-drama film Steel Magnolias as Ouiser, a role previously played by Shirley MacLaine.

Alfre Woodard received critical acclaim for her comedic performance, as well as Primetime Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations.

In 2013, Alfre Woodard made Emmy history with 17 nominations for 16 different roles.

In 2013, Alfre Woodard appeared in Steve McQueen's historical drama film 12 Years a Slave as Mistress Harriet Shaw, a formerly enslaved woman who has risen in the Southern caste system.

Alfre Woodard starred in the independent drama film Knucklehead as an abusive mother.

In 2014, Alfre Woodard played the role of the first female President of the United States in the NBC political drama series State of Affairs opposite Katherine Heigl.

In November 2014, Alfre Woodard was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

Alfre Woodard said in her acceptance speech that she believes it is her responsibility to use her fame to help others less fortunate.

Also in November 2014, Alfre Woodard narrated "Women in Politics", an episode of season 2 of Makers: Women Who Make America.

Alfre Woodard had a small role in Marvel's film Captain America: Civil War, playing Miriam Sharpe, the mother of an American citizen killed in the battle of Sokovia.

Alfre Woodard played the title character in Juanita, an independent drama based on Sheila Williams' book Dancing on the Edge of the Roof.

Additionally, Alfre Woodard appeared as Josephine Anwhistle in Netflix's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events, which premiered in 2017.

In 2019, Alfre Woodard voiced Sarabi in the CGI live action remake of The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau.

Also that year, Alfre Woodard played in a leading role in the prison drama film Clemency, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

Alfre Woodard was listed as a contender for a nomination in the 2020 Academy Award for Best Actress category, but did not receive a nomination.

Alfre Woodard received BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role nomination for her performance.

Also that year, Alfre Woodard began starring opposite Jason Momoa in the Apple TV+ original fantasy drama series See, a series set in a future in which the human race has lost the sense of sight.

In 2021, Alfre Woodard starred opposite Kevin Hart in the drama film Fatherhood directed by Paul Weitz.

Alfre Woodard appeared in the 2022 action thriller The Gray Man for Netflix, with a production budget of $200 million, making it the most expensive film made by Netflix.

Alfre Woodard executive produced and co-starred in the CBC Television period drama miniseries The Porter, which premiered in 2022 to positive reviews and became the most nominated show at the 11th Canadian Screen Awards.

Alfre Woodard received Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance in a Guest role in a Drama Series for The Porter.

Alfre Woodard next appeared in the 2024 film adaptation of 'Salem's Lot playing the role of Dr Cody, and set to star alongside Morgan Freeman in Hate To See You Go.

Alfre Woodard starred opposite Blair Underwood in the thriller film Viral.

Alfre Woodard has announced that she is producing an upcoming four-hour television miniseries about Fannie Lou Hamer, a voting rights activist and civil rights leader.

Alfre Woodard is an activist for a wide spectrum of causes.

Alfre Woodard is a founder and board member of Artists for a New South Africa, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating the African AIDS pandemic and to advancing democracy and equality in South Africa since 1989.

Alfre Woodard is a board member of the Democratic Party, and campaigned for Barack Obama in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.

Research into her father's genealogy revealed that her great-grandfather Alex Alfre Woodard was born into slavery in Houston County, Georgia, in the early 1840s.

Historians helped Alfre Woodard locate evidence that Alex was assessed a poll tax in 1867, indicating that he was registered to vote two years after the Civil War ended.

Alfre Woodard has received numerous accolades including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Alfre Woodard has been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Grammy Awards.