Dawnn Lewis
Encyclopedia
Dawnn Lewis is an American
actress and singer, perhaps best known for her roles on sitcoms such as A Different World and in the first season of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
.
. 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
.
In Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Lewis appeared in the first of the five seasons as "Robin Dumars" (1992). She didn't appear on the two shows concurrently - she left A Different World to star in Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. She and Holly Robinson Peete, along with R&B quartet En Vogue
, performed the theme song for Season 1 of Mr. Cooper.
Since then, she has appeared in numerous TV series (including Futurama
as LaBarbara), sitcoms, and has done voice-over
work. In 2000 Lewis played Blabberwort the Troll in the miniseries The 10th Kingdom
.
Lewis portrayed Deloris Van Cartier in Peter Schneider's Sister Act the Musical
, which opened at the Pasadena Playhouse
on October 24, 2006. She has voiced Storm in three games, most recently Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2. She can currently be seen as Melba Early in the film adaptation of Dreamgirls
. She also voiced Granny Grim on The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, and voiced the female Shokan (Sheeva) in Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
.
Lewis is also playing a minor role as Lauren's mom in The Secret Life of An American Teenager.
In 2009, she played a role as Dennis Fields on One Tree Hill
She most recently played Addaperle in The Wiz
with New York City Center
Encores!
, New York
, the daughter of Joyce and Carl Lewis. She was briefly married to former NBA player Johnny Newman
. They are now divorced because of irreconcilable differences.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and singer, perhaps best known for her roles on sitcoms such as A Different World and in the first season of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from 1992 to 1997, starring Mark Curry and Holly Robinson. The show took place in Curry's hometown of Oakland, California. Hangin' with Mr. Cooper was produced by Jeff Franklin Productions, in association with...
.
Career
She co-wrote the theme song to A Different World. In A Different World, Lewis appeared for the first five of the six season run as "Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor" (1987–1992). Although her character was married to one of the main characters on A Different World, her character disappeared from "A Different World" without explanation, like Chuck Cunningham of Happy DaysHappy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
. Lewis appeared in a special week long segment of A Different World called the Hillman College Reunion airing on Nick At Nite
Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite is the nighttime Cable network that broadcasts over the channel space of Nickelodeon on Sundays from 8.p.m.-7.am., Monday through Fridays from 9 p.m.-7 a.m. and Saturdays from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. . Though it shares channel space with Nickelodeon, A.C. Nielsen Co...
, along with Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet , also known as Lilakoi Moon, is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Denise Huxtable Kendall on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and originally starring in its spinoff A Different World.-Early life:Bonet was born in San Francisco, California...
, Jasmine Guy
Jasmine Guy
Jasmine Guy is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her starring role as Whitley Gilbert in the television sitcom A Different World.-Biography:...
, Kadeem Hardison
Kadeem Hardison
Kadeem Hardison is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Dwayne Wayne on A Different World, a spin-off of the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.-Childhood:...
, Darryl M. Bell
Darryl M. Bell
Darryl M. Bell is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as college student Ron Johnson, Jr. on the NBC sitcom A Different World...
, Cree Summer
Cree Summer
Cree Summer Francks , best known as Cree Summer, is a Canadian actress, musician and voice actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Winifred "Freddie" Brooks on the NBC sitcom A Different World...
, and Sinbad
Sinbad (entertainer)
David Adkins better known by his professional name of Sinbad, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He became well known in the 1990s from being featured on his own HBO specials, appearing on several television series, and starring in the films Necessary Roughness, Houseguest, First Kid,...
.
In Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from 1992 to 1997, starring Mark Curry and Holly Robinson. The show took place in Curry's hometown of Oakland, California. Hangin' with Mr. Cooper was produced by Jeff Franklin Productions, in association with...
Lewis appeared in the first of the five seasons as "Robin Dumars" (1992). She didn't appear on the two shows concurrently - she left A Different World to star in Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. She and Holly Robinson Peete, along with R&B quartet En Vogue
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music...
, performed the theme song for Season 1 of Mr. Cooper.
Since then, she has appeared in numerous TV series (including Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
as LaBarbara), sitcoms, and has done voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
work. In 2000 Lewis played Blabberwort the Troll in the miniseries The 10th Kingdom
The 10th Kingdom
The 10th Kingdom is an American epic fantasy miniseries written by Simon Moore and produced by Britain's Carnival Films, Germany's Babelsberg Film und Fernsehen, and the USA's Hallmark Entertainment...
.
Lewis portrayed Deloris Van Cartier in Peter Schneider's Sister Act the Musical
Sister Act the Musical
Sister Act is a musical written by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner with additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane, with lyrics by Glenn Slater and music by Alan Menken. It is based on the hit 1992 film comedy of the same name...
, which opened at the Pasadena Playhouse
Pasadena Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engagements each year.-History:...
on October 24, 2006. She has voiced Storm in three games, most recently Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2. She can currently be seen as Melba Early in the film adaptation of Dreamgirls
Dreamgirls (film)
Dreamgirls is a 2006 musical drama film, directed by Bill Condon and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures. The film debuted in three special road show engagements beginning December 15, 2006 before its nationwide release on December 25, 2006...
. She also voiced Granny Grim on The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, and voiced the female Shokan (Sheeva) in Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, also known as Mortal Kombat: The Animated Series, is a cartoon series based on the popular Mortal Kombat video game series...
.
Lewis is also playing a minor role as Lauren's mom in The Secret Life of An American Teenager.
In 2009, she played a role as Dennis Fields on One Tree Hill
Current
In 2006, Lewis released her debut CD entitled Worth Waiting For.She most recently played Addaperle in The Wiz
The Wiz
The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of African American culture. It opened on October 21, 1974 at the Morris A...
with New York City Center
New York City Center
New York City Center is a 2,750-seat Moorish Revival theater located at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan, New York City. It is one block south of Carnegie Hall...
Encores!
Encores!
Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert is a program that has been presented by New York City Center since 1994. Encores! is dedicated to performing the full score of musicals that rarely are heard in New York City...
Personal
Lewis was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the daughter of Joyce and Carl Lewis. She was briefly married to former NBA player Johnny Newman
Johnny Newman
John Sylvester Newman, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6' 7" and guard/forward, Newman starred at the University of Richmond, before going on to play in the National Basketball Association...
. They are now divorced because of irreconcilable differences.
External links
- "Different World" Star Dawnn Lewis to Get Into the Habit for Sister Act The Musical Playbill, URL accessed 2006-09-24