The "Mother of Black Hollywood," JENIFER LEWIS is "ready for her close-up" as part of this week's new episode of TV One's hit series UNCENSORED. The beloved diva of stage, screen, and television opens up about her rise to superstardom and the numerous challenges she faced along the way.
Born in Kinloch, Missouri to Dorothy Mae and Edward Lewis, Jenifer is the youngest of seven children. An energetic child, she joined the church choir at five and spent most of her time there. During her childhood, she grew up poor and was often depressed during the night. In high school, she became an activist. She graduated with honors, went on to college, and immediately began her career on Broadway. Years later, she would be diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Before seeking professional help, she would self-mediate with liquor and sex. Her passion for entertaining and the need to make her mom proud were the only things keeping her going. With more than 300 appearances in film and television, Jenifer is one of Hollywood’s most familiar faces and shows no signs of slowing down.
UNCENSORED delves into the lives of luminaries as they reveal secrets to their success, obstacles they faced and how they've navigated the perils of social media that helped - and sometimes haunted - their careers.
Watch a sneak peek below where Miss Lewis talks about her drive for stardom:
