Loretta Devine was born on August 21, 1949 in Houston, Texas. She graduated from the University of Houston in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Drama and BrandeisUniversity in 1976 with a MFA in Theater. Devine is a member of The Epsilon Lambda Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She began her career on Broadway starring in Dreamgirls. Minor roles for Devine followed in films such as Little Nikita (1988) and Stanley & Iris (1990). She also appeared in the first season of the TV series A Different World. In 1995, she landed a high-profile role as Gloria Matthews in Waiting to Exhale, joined in the cast by Whitney Houston, Gregory Hines, and Angela Bassett, among others. The role earned her an NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actress, as did her next movie, The Preacher's Wife, her second movie with Houston and Hines. In 2000, Devine took on the role of impassioned high school teacher Marla Hendricks on the Fox TV drama Boston Public. Devine won three more Image Awards for her work in the series. She also continued to work in film, playing prominent roles in Urban Legend, Urban Legends: Final Cut, and I Am Sam. Devine earned yet another Image Award nomination and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her work in the 2004 film Woman Thou Art Loosed. She also appeared in the 2005 Academy Awards Best Picture winning film Crash. She also plays Rochelle's mother, Maxine on the sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris. In 2007, she appeared in This Christmas, co-starring Delroy Lindo, Mekhi Phifer, and Regina King. Devine also appeared in Grey's Anatomy as Adele Webber. She played Patti on Eli Stone, an ABC television series which began airing in 2008 an in 2009, Devine starred in the TV series Cold Case. Most recently she can be seen in Lottery Ticket (2010), For Colored Girls (2010), Death at a Funeral and Madea’s Big Happy Family (2011).
Series | Legally Mad | Jeanette Harris | 2025 |
Movie | Bull Street | Mrs. Big-Gal | 2025 |
Movie | A Snowy Day in Oakland | Jeanette | 2023-03-17 |
Series | Young Love | Gigi Young (voice) | 2023-09-21 |
Movie | Mack & Rita | Sharon | 2022-08-12 |
Movie | All I Didn't Want for Christmas | Lorraine | 2022-12-07 |
Movie | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules | Irene (voice) | 2022-12-02 |
Movie | Queen Bees | Sally | 2021-06-11 |
Movie | Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age | Self | 2021-08-14 |
Movie | The Starling | Velma | 2021-09-17 |
Series | Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem | Angela | 2021-09-06 |
Movie | Christmas Déjà Vu | Crystal | 2021-11-25 |
Movie | Christmas in Harmony | Mama | 2021-10-29 |
Movie | Spell | Eloise | 2020-10-30 |
Movie | Always and Forever | Elda | 2020-11-20 |
Movie | Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror | Self | 2019-02-07 |
Movie | A Family Reunion Christmas | Amelia 'M'Dear' McKellan | 2019-12-09 |
Movie | The Trap | Mama Jay | 2019-04-01 |
Series | Family Reunion | M'Dear | 2019-07-10 |
Movie | A Sweet Christmas Romance | Loretta | 2019-11-10 |
Movie | Behind the Movement | Jo Ann Robinson | 2018-11-15 |
Movie | Sierra Burgess Is a Loser | Ms. Thomson | 2018-09-07 |
Movie | Urban Legacy: The Story Behind Urban Legend | Self | 2018-11-20 |
Movie | The Doc McStuffins Christmas Special | Hallie | 2018-12-02 |
Movie | Jingle Belle | Emory Simons | 2018-11-25 |
Movie | Chapter & Verse | Miss Maddy | 2017-02-03 |
Movie | Naked | Carol | 2017-08-11 |
Movie | Norm of the North | Tamecia (voice) | 2016-01-14 |
Movie | Brett Gelman's Dinner in America | Herself | 2016-07-01 |
Movie | Caged No More | Aggie | 2016-01-15 |
Movie | Grandma's House | 2016-04-29 | |
Movie | No Regrets | Ms Carey | 2016-09-24 |
Movie | Back to School Mom | Meghan Graham | 2015-02-14 |
Movie | The Sound and the Fury | Dilsey | 2015-10-23 |
Series | The Carmichael Show | Cynthia Carmichael | 2015-08-26 |
Movie | Doc Mcstuffins: A Little Cuddle Goes A Long Way | Hallie | 2014-03-17 |
Movie | Comeback Dad | Malinda | 2014-06-21 |
Movie | You're Not You | Marilyn | 2014-10-10 |
Movie | Welcome to Me | Barb Vaughn | 2014-09-05 |
Movie | Khumba | Mama V (voice) | 2013-07-18 |
Movie | Saving Westbrook High | Doris | 2013-10-20 |
Movie | A Very Larry Christmas | Mrs. Claus | 2013-12-31 |
Movie | In the Hive | Mrs. Inez | 2012-12-14 |
Series | Doc McStuffins | Nurse Hallie (voice) | 2012-03-23 |
Series | The Client List | Georgia Cummings | 2012-04-08 |
Movie | Politics of Love | Shirlee Gupta | 2011-08-26 |
Movie | Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 | Delta (voice) | 2011-02-01 |
Movie | Madea's Big Happy Family | Shirley | 2011-04-22 |
Series | State of Georgia | Honey Dupree | 2011-06-29 |
Movie | Jumping the Broom | Mrs. Taylor | 2011-05-06 |
Movie | Lottery Ticket | Grandma | 2010-08-20 |
Movie | For Colored Girls | Juanita / Green | 2010-11-05 |
Movie | Death at a Funeral | Cynthia | 2010-04-15 |
Movie | Spring Breakdown | Dr. Marguerite | 2009-05-22 |
Movie | My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done | Miss Roberts | 2009-12-11 |
Series | Eli Stone | Patti Dellacroix | 2008-01-31 |
Movie | First Sunday | Sister Doris | 2008-01-11 |
Movie | Beverly Hills Chihuahua | Delta (voice) | 2008-10-03 |
Movie | This Christmas | Shirley Ann "Ma'Dere" Whitfield | 2007-11-27 |
Movie | Cougar Club | Dolly | 2007-01-01 |
Movie | Dirty Laundry | Evelyn | 2006-07-15 |
Movie | Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story | Addie Collins | 2006-08-19 |
Movie | Dreamgirls | Jazz Singer | 2006-12-25 |
Movie | King's Ransom | Miss Gladys | 2005-04-22 |
Movie | Crash | Shaniqua Johnson | 2005-05-06 |
Movie | Woman Thou Art Loosed | Cassey Jordan | 2004-09-30 |
Series | Wild Card | M. Pearl McGuire | 2003-08-02 |
Movie | Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs | 2002-02-14 | |
Movie | Kingdom Come | Marguerite Slocumb | 2001-04-11 |
Movie | I Am Sam | Margaret Calgrove | 2001-12-28 |
Movie | Punks | Health Counselor | 2000-01-24 |
Movie | What Women Want | Flo | 2000-12-15 |
Movie | Freedom Song | Evelyn Walker | 2000-02-27 |
Series | Boston Public | Marla Hendricks | 2000-10-23 |
Movie | Urban Legends: Final Cut | Reese | 2000-09-22 |
Movie | Best Actress | Connie Travers | 2000-03-18 |
Movie | Funny Valentines | Dearie B. | 1999-02-14 |
Series | The PJs | Muriel Stubbs | 1999-01-10 |
Movie | Love Kills | Sylvia Finkelstein | 1999-10-04 |
Movie | Introducing Dorothy Dandridge | Ruby Dandridge | 1999-08-21 |
Movie | Jackie's Back! | Snookie Tate (Jackie's Childhood Friend) | 1999-06-14 |
Movie | The Breaks | Floria | 1999-02-26 |
Movie | Urban Legend | Reese Wilson | 1998-09-25 |
Movie | Down in the Delta | Zenia | 1998-12-25 |
Movie | The Price of Kissing | Jackee | 1997-04-01 |
Movie | Clover | Everleen | 1997-09-10 |
Movie | Hoodlum | Pigfoot Mary | 1997-08-27 |
Movie | Don King: Only in America | Connie Harper | 1997-11-15 |
Movie | Lover Girl | Leticia / 'Coco' | 1997-09-11 |
Movie | Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault | Miss Mary | 1996-11-23 |
Movie | The Preacher's Wife | Beverly | 1996-12-13 |
Movie | Waiting to Exhale | Gloria | 1995-12-22 |
Movie | The American Clock | 1993-01-02 | |
Movie | Amos & Andrew | Ula | 1993-03-05 |
Movie | Class Act | Blade's Mom | 1992-06-05 |
Movie | The Colored Museum | Janine | 1991-02-01 |
Movie | Caged Fear | Judy | 1991-05-17 |
Movie | Livin' Large! | Nadine Biggs | 1991-09-20 |
Series | Sugar and Spice | 1990-03-30 | |
Movie | Stanley & Iris | Bertha | 1990-02-09 |
Movie | Parent Trap III | Thelma | 1989-04-09 |
Movie | Sticky Fingers | Diane | 1988-05-06 |
Movie | Little Nikita | Verna McLaughlin | 1988-03-17 |
Series | A Different World | Stevie Rallen | 1987-09-24 |
Movie | Anna to the Infinite Power | Mrs. Benson | 1983-01-12 |