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Margaret Avery is an American actress. She began her career appearing on stage and later had starring roles in films including Cool Breeze (1972), Which Way Is Up? (1977), Scott Joplin (1977) which earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination, and The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979). She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Shug Avery in the period drama film The Color Purple (1985).
Avery continued appearing in films like Blueberry Hill (1988), White Man's Burden (1995), Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008), Meet the Browns (2008), and Proud Mary (2018). From 2013 to 2019, Avery starred as Helen Patterson, lead character's mother, in the BET drama series Being Mary Jane.
Avery received an NAACP Image Award for her performance in the 1976 film Louis Armstrong - Chicago Style. In the 1977 film Which Way Is Up?, directed by Michael Schultz, Avery gave a comedic performance as Annie Mae, the wife of Richard Pryor's character. That same year, she played Belle Joplin, wife of the ragtime composer Scott Joplin, opposite Billy Dee Williams in the title role in film Scott Joplin, receiving an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture nomination. In 1979, she appeared in The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.
Avery made guest appearances on many television series during 1970s and 1980s including The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Kojak, Marcus Welby, M.D., Sanford and Son, , The Rookies, five appearances on Harry O, A.E.S. Hudson Street, T. J. Hooker, Murder, She Wrote, Miami Vice, , and The Cosby Show.
After The Color Purple and Oscar nomination, Avery did not work on film or television for two years. She said, "The fact that I didn’t work for a couple years after The Color Purple is not unique. It not only happens to White actors sometimes, but with Black actors, too, but more so for women of color. At the time, most women of color who were in the business were limited to Black film; whereas my counterpart like Danny Glover, went on to Lethal Weapon One, Two, and Three. He didn’t have to be limited to a Black film; he didn’t have to be married to a family, or related to somebody, like we women have to. I didn’t work for a couple years after The Color Purple. What saved me was the college lecture circuit. I kind of got a backlash for two reasons; one, no one would even think of me for a television role because they figured she’s too big to do TV now. That was the pattern."
From 2013 to 2019, Avery played the role of Helen Patterson in the BET drama series, Being Mary Jane. She played Taraji P. Henson' mother in the 2018 action film Proud Mary. She later guest-starred on Grey's Anatomy and Better Things.
Subsequent work
In 1988, Avery starred in the period drama film Blueberry Hill, and the following year appeared in action film Riverbend. In 1990, she appeared in The Return of Superfly, another blaxploitation film. In 1992, she starred in the ABC miniseries as Martha Scruse, mother of Katherine Jackson, who was played by Angela Bassett. In 1995, she co-starred opposite Harry Belafonte in the drama film White Man's Burden. The following years, she guest-starred on number of television series, including Walker, Texas Ranger, JAG, and Bones. In 2008, Avery played Mama Jenkins in Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, opposite Martin Lawrence and James Earl Jones, and Sarah Brown in Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, which also stars Angela Bassett.
Personal life
Avery lives in Los Angeles and remains active in show business. Continuing to act, she also works with at-risk teenagers and battered women of the greater Los Angeles area. She holds a master's in psychology degree from the Phillips Graduate University, and worked as a psychotherapist for the Los Angeles Unified School District. She was interviewed by Melody Trice on The Melody Trice Show about her activism. She is a spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America.
Filmography
Film
1972 Something Evil Irene Cool Breeze Lark Terror at Red Wolf Inn Edwina 1973 An Eye for an Eye Nurse Magnum Force Prostitute An Eye for an Eye Nurse Hell Up in Harlem Sister Jennifer 1976 Louis Armstrong - Chicago Style Alma Rae NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special 1977 Which Way Is Up? Annie Mae Scott Joplin Belle Joplin Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture 1979 Toby Millman 1980 Rosemary Heather LeLache 1985 Shug Avery Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 1988 Blueberry Hill Hattie Cale 1989 Riverbend Bell Coleman Single Women Married Men Grace Williams 1990 Heat Wave Roxie Turpin Francine 1993 Lightning in a Bottle Dr. Sierheed Night Trap Miss Sadie 1994 Doc Edford 1995 Olivia Dubois White Man's Burden Megan Thomas 1998 Love Kills Moon 2002 Waitin' to Live Pearline Loggins Second to Die Insurance agent 2007 Lord Help Us Dorinda Thomas Exodus Robbed Tourist 2008 Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Mama Jenkins Meet the Browns Sarah Brown 2009 Extrospection Anna 2018 Proud Mary Mina 2019 Grand-Daddy Day Care Millie 2022 We Are Gathered Here Today Estelle Wyatt Block Party Janice Sommers Also executive producer 2023 The Nana Project Gladys
Television
1973 The New Dick Van Dyke Show Pam Harris / Nurse Wilkinson Episode: "What Your Best Friend Doesn't Know" Ironside Bartender Episode: "The Last Payment" 1974 Kojak Lula Episode: "You Can't Tell a Hurt Man How to Holler" Marcus Welby, M.D. Julie Episode: "The 266 Days" 1975 Sanford and Son Denise Episode: "Strange Bedfellows" Ruth Van Galen Episode: "The Sentry" 1982 The Powers of Matthew Star April Episode: "Accused" 1983 Dottie 1985 Murder, She Wrote Dixie Episode: "Jessica Behind Bars" 1987 Rags to Riches Celia Richards (Cee Cee Smith) Miami Vice Sally Cordova Episode: "The Afternoon Plane" 1992 Martha Scruse The Cosby Show Leah Episode: "Clair's Reunion" Roc Helen Episode: "The Lady Killer" 1998 Wie stark muss eine Liebe sein Mary McMillian German TV movie 2005 JAG Indira Diamond Episode: "Unknown Soldier" Bones Ivy Gillespie Episode: "The Man in the Fallout Shelter" 2012 Single Ladies Josephine Episode: "Ex Factor" 2013–19 Being Mary Jane Helen Patterson Main role: 34 episodes 2017 The Librarians Eleanor Darnell Episode: "And the Silver Screen" 2019 Grey's Anatomy Lucille Reed Episode: "I Walk the Line" Better Things Esther Episode: "Easter" 2021 The Neighborhood Aunt Desiray Episode: "Welcome to the Family" 2024 A Man on the Inside Florence Joanne Whistbrook Recurring role: 4 Episodes 2025 The Rookie Ruth Harper Episode: "Mutiny and the Bounty"
External links
Categories: Actresses From San Diego, 20th-century African-american Women Singers, 20th-century American Women Singers, 20th-century American Singers, Musicians From San Diego, Point Loma High School Alumni, San Francisco State University Alumni, Living People, People From Mangum, Oklahoma, Actresses From Oklahoma, American Television Actresses, American Film Actresses, American Stage Actresses, 20th-century African-american Actresses, 20th-century American Actresses, 21st-century American Actresses, Singers From California, 21st-century African-american Actresses, 21st-century African-american Musicians, Year Of Birth Missing
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