Alfre Ette Woodard (born November 8, 1952) is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award and Grammy Award, 12 times for Emmy Awards (winning four), and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss Firecracker, Grand Canyon, Passion Fish, Primal Fear, Star Trek: First Contact, Miss Evers' Boys, K-PAX, Radio, Take the Lead and The Family That Preys.
Known For
Crooklyn
(1994)
Carolyn Carmichael
The Lion King
(2019)
Sarabi (voice)
Captain America: Civil War
(2016)
Miriam Sharpe
The Gray Man
(2022)
Margaret Cahill
Star Trek: First Contact
(1996)
Lily Sloane
Dinosaur
(2000)
Plio (voice)
Annabelle
(2014)
Evelyn
The Core
(2003)
Stickley
Beauty Shop
(2005)
Ms. Josephine
12 Years a Slave
(2013)
Mistress Shaw
Primal Fear
(1996)
Shoat
The Book of Clarence
(2024)
Mother Mary
K-PAX
(2001)
Claudia Villars
Scrooged
(1988)
Grace Cooley
Something New
(2006)
Joyce McQueen
Radio
(2003)
Principal Daniels
Full Filmography
Acting
The Trial of the Moke
(1978)
Lucy Smith
Remember My Name
(1978)
Rita
Freedom Road
(1979)
Katie
HealtH
(1980)
Sally Benbow
Precious Blood
(1982)
Narrator
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf
(1982)
Woman who lost her stuff
The Ambush Murders
(1982)
Karisha Ellsworth
Cross Creek
(1983)
Geechee
Sweet Revenge
(1984)
Vicki Teague
The Killing Floor
(1984)
Mattie
Black Hollywood
(1984)
Self
Puss in Boots
(1985)
Princess Lovinia
Go Tell It on the Mountain
(1985)
Esther
Words by Heart
(1985)
Claudie Sills
Extremities
(1986)
Patricia
L.A. Law: Pilot
(1986)
Adrianne Moore
Unnatural Causes
(1986)
Maude DeVictor
Mandela
(1987)
Winnie Mandela
Scrooged
(1988)
Grace Cooley
The Child Saver
(1988)
Andrea Crawford
Miss Firecracker
(1989)
Popeye Jackson
A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story
(1989)
Mary Thomas
Blue Bayou
(1990)
Jessica Filley
Grand Canyon
(1991)
Jane
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag
(1992)
Ann
Passion Fish
(1992)
Chantelle
Rich in Love
(1992)
Rhody Poole
Bopha!
(1993)
Rosie Mangena
Heart and Souls
(1993)
Penny Washington
Blue Chips
(1994)
Lavada McRae
Crooklyn
(1994)
Carolyn Carmichael
Aliens for Breakfast
(1994)
Mrs. Marks
Malcolm X: Make It Plain
(1994)
Narrator
The Piano Lesson
(1995)
Berniece Charles
How to Make an American Quilt
(1995)
Marianna
Special Report: Journey to Mars
(1996)
Tamara O'Neil
A Step Toward Tomorrow
(1996)
Dr. Sadlin
Star Trek: First Contact
(1996)
Lily Sloane
Primal Fear
(1996)
Shoat
The Member of the Wedding
(1997)
Berenice Sadie Brown
Miss Evers' Boys
(1997)
Eunice Evers, R.N.
Cadillac Desert: Water and the Transformation of Nature
(1997)
Narrator
The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue
(1997)
Maisie (voice)
Follow Me Home
(1997)
Evey
Down in the Delta
(1998)
Loretta Sinclair
Funny Valentines
(1999)
Joyce May
The Underground Railroad
(1999)
Mumford
(1999)
Lily
The Wishing Tree
(1999)
Clara
Lost Souls
(2000)
Dr. Allen
Holiday Heart
(2000)
Wanda Dean
Love & Basketball
(2000)
Camille Wright
Eleanor Roosevelt
(2000)
Narrator (voice)
Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks
(2000)
Narrator
Dinosaur
(2000)
Plio (voice)
The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story
(2000)
Mary Parrish (voice)
John Henry
(2000)
Polly / Narrator (voice)
What's Cooking?
(2000)
Audrey Williams
Disney's American Legends
(2001)
K-PAX
(2001)
Claudia Villars
The Wild Thornberrys: The Origin of Donnie
(2001)
Medicine Woman (voice)
The Wild Thornberrys Movie
(2002)
Akela (Cheetah Mother) (voice)
Searching for Debra Winger
(2002)
Self
A Wrinkle in Time
(2003)
Mrs. Whatsit
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property
(2003)
Narrator
The Singing Detective
(2003)
Chief of Staff
Radio
(2003)
Principal Daniels
The Core
(2003)
Stickley
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
(2003)
The Forgotten
(2004)
Det. Anne Pope
Beauty Shop
(2005)
Ms. Josephine
The Water Is Wide
(2006)
Mrs. Brown
Something New
(2006)
Joyce McQueen
Take the Lead
(2006)
Augustine James
King Leopold's Ghost
(2006)
Ilanga (voice)
Pictures of Hollis Woods
(2007)
Edna Reilly
Nefertiti and the Lost Dynasty
(2007)
Self - Narrator
American Violet
(2008)
Alma Roberts
Medal of Honor
(2008)
Narrator
Reach for Me
(2008)
Evelyn
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys
(2008)
Alice Evans
Henry Box Brown
(2008)
Black Panther
(2010)
Dondi Reece
Steel Magnolias
(2012)
Ouiser
The Door
(2013)
E
12 Years a Slave
(2013)
Mistress Shaw
Annabelle
(2014)
Evelyn
And the Oscar Goes To...
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
(2014)
Self
Knucklehead
(2015)
Sheila
Mississippi Grind
(2015)
Sam
A Path Appears
(2015)
Self
Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band
(2015)
Mary Lou Williams (voice)
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
(2016)
Herself
Captain America: Civil War
(2016)
Miriam Sharpe
So B. It
(2016)
Bernadette
Burning Sands
(2017)
Professor Hughes
The Lion King
(2019)
Sarabi (voice)
No Small Matter
(2019)
Narrator (voice)
The Lion King: Can You Feel The Love Tonight with Robin Roberts
(2019)
Juanita
(2019)
Juanita
Saint Judy
(2019)
Judge Benton
Clemency
(2019)
Warden Bernadine Williams
The Making of Clemency
(2020)
Herself
Fatherhood
(2021)
Marian
Miss Alma Thomas: A Life in Color
(2021)
Alma Thomas (voice)
Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street
(2021)
Mary Parrish (voice)
The Gray Man
(2022)
Margaret Cahill
Space Oddity
(2023)
Dr. Olsen
Weathering
(2023)
Mum
The Book of Clarence
(2024)
Mother Mary
Salem's Lot
(2024)
Dr. Cody
Summer Camp
(2024)
Mary
Production