Loretta Devine

Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949) is an American actress. She is known for numerous roles across stage and screen. Her most high profile roles include Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, Amelia "M'Dear" McKellan in the Netflix series, Family Reunion (2022), Gloria Matthews in the film Waiting to Exhale (1995), and her recurring role as Adele Webber on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

Devine also played Juanita Sims in the film adaptation of For Colored Girls (2010). She is also known for her roles as Stevie Rallen on NBC's A Different World during its first season and for her portrayal Marla Hendricks on the television series Boston Public (2000–2004).

Early life Loretta Devine was born in Houston, Texas, on August 21, 1949 to James Devine and Eunice (Toliver). She grew up in the Acres Homes area of Houston, where her mother was a single mother to six children. She was very active on the pep squad, and performed in talent shows at George Washington Carver High School.

In 1971, Devine graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Drama.

Career Stage work Devine has worked extensively on Broadway. Her Broadway debut was in the 1977 revival of Hair, which played 43 performances at the Biltmore Theatre. The following year, Devine appeared in a musical called A Broadway Musical, which closed after 14 previews and only one performance on December 21, 1978. She captured attention in her third Broadway show, called Comin' Uptown, a Harlem-set musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol, featuring Gregory Hines.

She rose to stardom in Dreamgirls, a smash 1981 Broadway musical loosely based on the history of The Supremes, in which she originated the role of Lorrell Robinson, a fictional character based on Mary Wilson. The story of Dreamgirls was created during 6-week-long workshops that occurred across a three year period, wherein Devine, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Jennifer Holliday improvised their characters. For her featured role in the low-budget film, Devine earned $500.

Devine had a recurring role in the Shonda Rhimes drama series Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Richard Webber's first wife, Adele. In 2011 she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her performance. She was nominated for a second time for her performance in 2012. Devine also won Gracie Allen Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Feature Role for Grey's Anatomy in 2012.

In 2011, she also starred on the short-lived ABC Family comedy State of Georgia. In 2012, she was part of Being Mary Jane cast. She also voiced the character Hallie on the Disney Junior series Doc McStuffins. Later that year she began starring in the Lifetime series The Client List, playing the role of Georgia Cummings, the owner of the massage parlor where the lead character Riley Parks works. The series was canceled after two seasons. Devine also played Cynthia Carmichael on the NBC sitcom The Carmichael Show. Devine starred on the Netflix series, Family Reunion, with Richard Roundtree and Tia Mowry-Hardrict.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1981 Will Will's Wife 1983 Anna to the Infinite Power Ms. Everett Benson 1988 Little Nikita Verna McLaughlin Sticky Fingers Diane Cooley 1990 Stanley & Iris Bertha Simmons 1991 Caged Fear Judy Livin' Large Nadine Biggs 1992 Class Act Ms. Brown 1993 Amos & Andrew Ula 1994 The Hard Truth Rose Maxwell 1995 Waiting to Exhale Gloria Matthews 1996 The Preacher's Wife Beverly 1997 The Price of Kissing Jackee Blaine Hoodlum Pigfoot Mary Lover Girl Leticia 1998 Love Kills Sylvia Finkelstein Down in the Delta Zenia Urban Legend Reese Wilson Operation Splitsville Principal Alyson's Closet Raul's Mother (voice) Short 1999 Funny Valentines Dearie B. The Breaks Floria Lillie Michelle 2000 Punks Aretha Stone Urban Legends: Final Cut Reese Wilson What Women Want Florence "Flo" Glover 2001 Kingdom Come Marguerite Slocumb I Am Sam Margaret Calgrove 2002 Book of Love Mary Baker Baby of the Family Delores Evans 2004 Woman Thou Art Loosed Cassey Jordan Crash Shaniqua Johnson 2005 King's Ransom Miss Gladys 2006 Dirty Laundry Evelyn Dreamgirls Gladys Brooks 2007 Cougar Club Dolly This Christmas Shirley Ann "Ma'Dere" Whitfield 2008 First Sunday Sister Doris Beverly Hills Chihuahua Delta (voice) 2009 Spring Breakdown Dr. Marguerite Tyson My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? Miss Willheima Roberts 2010 Death at a Funeral Cynthia Lottery Ticket Grandma Dorothy Carson For Colored Girls Juanita Sims/Green Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 Delta (voice) Video 2011 Madea's Big Happy Family Shirley Jumping the Broom Pamela Taylor Politics of Love Shirlee Gupta 2012 In the Hive Mrs. Inez 2013 The Get Away Ms. Crawford Short Khumba Mama V (voice) A Very Larry Christmas Mrs. Claus 2014 Comeback Dad Malinda Welcome to Me Barb Vaughn The Sound and the Fury Dilsey You're Not You Marilyn Jo 2015 Back to School Mom Meghan Graham 1440 and Counting Mrs. Nickel Short For the Love of Ruth Naomi 2016 Norm of the North Tamecia (voice) Caged No More Aggie James Grandma’s House Grandma Margie 36 Hour Layover Mrs. Carey 2017 My Other Home Mabel Marbury Naked Carol Violets Marcy Short 2018 Sierra Burgess Is a Loser Ms. April Thomson 2019 The Trap Mama Jay First Day Back Superintendent Lola Greene Short Postmarked Hattie Short 2020 The Last Starship Dorothy Short Spell Eloise Always and Forever Elda The McHenry Trial - Don't Judge a Kid by Their Hoodie Doris McHenry Short 2021 Queen Bees Sally Heart The Starling Velma 2022 Mack & Rita Sharon Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules Irene 2023 A Snowy Day in Oakland Jeanette 2024 Bull Street Mrs. Big-Gal Rock the Boat 2 - Lost & Found in Cleveland Joy Morris

Television Year Title Role Notes 1986 The Core of the Apple Herself Episode: "Manhattan Afrodreams" 1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Cheryl Episode: "Sirens" A Different World Stevie Rallen Main cast (season 1) 1988 The Murder of Mary Phagan Annie Maude Carter 2 episodes Amen Lydia Cummings Episode: "Court of Love" 1989 Parent Trap III Thelma Pardrige TV movie Heart and Soul Tonia Harris TV movie 1990 Murphy Brown Nurse Diana Hawking Episode: "The Bitch's Back" Sugar and Spice Loretta Fontaine Main cast Cop Rock Juror Devine Episode: "Marital Blitz" & "No Noose Is Good Noose" 1991 Great Performances Janine Wills Episode: "The Colored Museum" Reasonable Doubts Valerie Hall Episode: "Hard Bargains" 1992 Love & War Donna Episode: "For John" 1992–93 Roc Cynthia Raine Recurring cast (season 2) 1993 Out All Night Crystal Episode: "The Way We Were" Family Album June Episode: "Salon, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehn, Goodbye" The American Clock Irene Mack Shaw TV movie 1995 Picket Fences Marla Melrose Episode: "Close Encounters" Ned and Stacey Mrs. Sally Duncan Episode: "Reality Check" 1996 Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault Miss Mary Johnson TV movie 1997 Touched by an Angel Tonya Hawkins Episode: "Amazing Grace: Part 1" Promised Land Tonya Hawkins Episode: "Amazing Grace: Part 2" Mother (voice) Episode: "The Golden Goose" Clover Everleen Moore TV movie Don King: Only in America Connie Harper TV movie 1998 E! Behind the Scenes Herself Episode: "Urban Legend" 1999 Moesha Gwen "Stephanie" "Steph" Watkins Episode: "It Takes Two" Clueless Phyllis Holiday Episode: "Graduation" Jackie's Back Snookie Tate TV movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge Ruby Dandridge TV movie 1999–2001 The PJs (voice) Main cast 2000 Family Law Gloria Rivers Episode: "Playing God" Ally McBeal Nora Mills Episode: "I Will Survive" Freedom Song Evelyn Walker TV movie Best Actress Connie Travers TV movie 2001 Intimate Portrait Herself Episode: "Lela Rochon" Hollywood Squares Herself/Panelist Recurring guest 2000–04 Boston Public Marla Hendricks Main cast 2003 Pyramid Herself/Celebrity Contestant Episode: "Nov 4, 2003" Half & Half Erika Duke Episode: "The Big Phat Mouth Episode: Part 1 & 2" 2004–05 Wild Card M. Pearl McGuire Main cast (season 2) 2005 Supernatural Missouri Moseley Episode: "Home" 2005–06 Girlfriends Judge Vashti Jackson Episode: "Trial and Errors" & "...Ain't Nothing Over There" 2005–13 Grey's Anatomy Adele Webber Recurring cast (season 2-4 & 7-8), guest (season 5-6 & 9)2006 Boston Legal Annabelle Carruthers Episode: "The Nutcrackers" Life Is Not a Fairy Tale Addie Collins TV movie 2006–07 Everybody Hates Chris Maxine Guest (season 1), Recurring cast (season 2) 2007 Boston Legal Judge Victoria Thomson Episode: "Oral Contracts" 2008–09 Eli Stone Patti Dellacroix Main cast 2009 Cold Case Chandra Patterson '09 Episode: "Soul" 2010 Party Down Diane Ellison Episode: "James Ellison Funeral" 2011 Glee Sister Mary Constance Episode: "Original Song" State of Georgia Honey Dupree Main cast 2012 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself Episode: "Snatch Game" Shake It Up Judge Marsha Elliott Episode: "Judge It Up" The Game Grandma Donna Mack Episode: "There's No Place Like Home" The Cleveland Show Shirley (voice) Episode: "Mama Drama" 2012–13 The Client List Georgia Cummings-Clemens Main cast 2012–20 Doc McStuffins Hallie (voice) Main cast 2013 Teachers Doris TV movie 2014 Psych Melba Birdson Episode: "1967: A Psych Odyssey" Sullivan & Son Rose Episode: "Hank Goes Black" Turbo Fast Lydia Episode: "Zoo Lander/Balloonatics" 2014–15 Sirens Rosemary St. Claire Recurring cast (season 1), guest (season 2) 2015 Being Mary Jane CeCe Robinson Recurring cast (season 3) 2015–17 The Carmichael Show Cynthia Carmichael Main cast 2016 Hollywood Game Night Herself/Celebrity Player Episode: "Sealed with a Kesha" Nubbin & Friends Mrs. Sandy Johnson Episode: "The Letter "A"" 2017 The Lost Souls Cafe Geneva TV movie Supernatural Missouri Moseley Episode: "Patience" 2018 Behind the Movement Jo Ann Robinson TV movie Jingle Belle Emory Simons TV movie Dear White People Sorbet Episode: "Volume 2: Chapter VII" Living Biblically Estelle Williams Episode: "Never Let Loyalty Love You" Love Is Rose Marie Recurring cast 2019 A Black Lady Sketch Show Pastor Rosetta Daniels Episode: "Your Boss Knows You Don't Have Eyebrows" Black-ish Lynette Mae Recurring cast (season 6) A Sweet Christmas Romance Mrs. Rose TV movie A Family Reunion Christmas Amelia 'M'Dear' McKellan TV movie 2019–22 Family Reunion Amelia 'M'Dear' McKellan Main cast 2020 Cherish the Day Herself Episode: "Catharsis" Game On: A Comedy Crossover Event Amelia 'M'Dear' McKellan Connecting Dayleen Recurring cast 2020–22 P-Valley Earnestine Sayles Main cast (season 1), recurring cast (season 2)2021 Teenage Euthanasia God (voice) Episode: "First Date with the Second Coming" Christmas in Harmony Mama TV movie Christmas Déjà Vu Crystal TV movie 2021–23 The Loud House Gayle McBride (voice) Recurring cast (season 5-6), guest (season 7) 2022 Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem Angela Main cast (season 2) Eureka! Wanda (voice) Recurring cast RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race Herself/Fabulosity Episode: "I'm Coming Out: First Time in Drag!" All I Didn't Want for Christmas Lorraine Harris TV movie 2023 Days of Our Lives Angela 2 episodes Doc McStuffins: The Doc and Bella Are In! Nurse Hallie Hippo (voice) Recurring cast God-ly Clotho Episode: "King of the Castle P1" Young Love Gigi Young (voice) Recurring cast Kingdom Business Darlene Recurring cast (season 2) 2024 Everybody Still Hates Chris Maxine (voice) Episode: "Everybody Still Hates Cheat Codes" Doctor Odyssey Jill Manafort Episode: "Quackers" Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted by Love Miss Mimi TV movie 2026 The Ms. Pat Show Carol 2 episodes

Music videos Year Song Artist 2004 "What If" Ruben Studdard

Video game Year Title Role 2015 King's Quest Muriel Hobblepot

Theater Year Musical Role Location 1977Hair Dionne Samuel J. Friedman TheatreLangston Hughes Soloist AMAS Repertory Theatre Karma - Richard Allen Center Verandah Gloria New Dramatists Seasons Reasons Soloists Henry Street Settlement Playhouse 1978 Godsong Minister La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club A Broadway Musical Yenta Lady Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Miss Truth Loretta Apollo Theatre Bones - Circle in the Square Theatre The Wiz Glinda the Good Witch of the South Henry Street Settlement Playhouse The Blacks Virtue Richard Allen Center 1979 Comin' Uptown Young Mary Winter Garden Theatre 1980 Lion and the Jewel Jewel Lincoln Center Dementos Precious New York City Center 1981 Dreamgirls Lorell Robinson Imperial Theatre 1983 The Casting of Kevin Christian - Shepherd Street Art Gallery 1984 Gotta Getaway! Mermaid Radio City Music Hall 1985 Long Time Since Yesterday Janeen Earl-Taylor Henry Street Settlement Playhouse 1986 Big Deal Lilly Broadway Theatre The Colored Museum Lala, Wigs, and Model Public Theaters/Susan Stein Shiva Theater 1990 Spunk Delia Mark Taper Forum Woman from the Town Cissy - A Midsummer Night's Dream Cissy - The Hot Mikado Cissy - 1991 Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill Billie Holiday Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA, then Little Theatre, Phoenix, AZ, 1991 Rabbit Foot Holly Day Los Angeles Theatre Center East Texas Hot Links Charlesetta The Met Rodgers, Hart, Hammerstein Tribute Soloist Embassy Theatre Big Moments on Broadway Soloist Kennedy Center Opera House 1995 The Wiz Glinda the Good Witch of the South Apollo Revival

Awards and nominations Year Awards Category Title Outcome 1995 Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Resident Musical Hot Mikado 1996 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Waiting to Exhale 1997 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture The Preacher's Wife 2001 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Boston Public NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Freedom Song 2002 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Kingdom Come 2003 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Boston Public 2003 Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actress – Television Series Drama Boston Public 2004 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Boston Public 2004 Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actress – Television Series Drama Boston Public 2005 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Woman Thou Art Loosed 2005 Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Female Woman Thou Art Loosed 2007 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Life Is Not a Fairy Tale 2008 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture This Christmas 2009 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Eli Stone 2011 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Grey's Anatomy 2012 Gracie Allen Awards Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role Grey's Anatomy 2012 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Grey's Anatomy 2012 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Grey's Anatomy 2012 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series Grey's Anatomy 2013 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture In the Hive Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Grey's Anatomy Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special Doc McStuffins 2022 Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Performance Family Reunion