Lynn Whitfield
Birth Name:
Lynn Butler-Smith
Birth Place:
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
Profession
Actress, Producer
Fast Facts
- Received the 2013 Pan African Film Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award
- Graduated from Howard University with a degree in fine arts
- Is the mother of actress Grace Gibson
- Became interested in acting at a young age after watching movies with her grandmother
- Started out acting in off-Broadway productions
- Quote: "It is good to be your brother's keeper․ It's good to come outside of our own safety zone sometimes and make an effort to do something else to be more altruistic to really try and do something for somebody else․"
- Quote: "[On picking roles] "I think dimensions are so important to characters․ If I can add to the story, layering the story—laying the character—looks like I can score in it․ Do something that will be memorable․""
Awards
- 1991Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special:Winner
- 1992CableACE - Actress in a Movie or Miniseries:Nominated
- 1992Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:Nominated
- 1993Image Award - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie:Winner
- 1994Image Award - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie:Winner
- 1998Image Award - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1998Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:Winner
- 1999Image Award - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series:Nominated
- 1999OFTA Television Award - Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries:Nominated
- 2000Black Reel - Network/Cable - Best Actress:Nominated
- 2000Image Award - Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie/Miniseries/Dramatic Special:Nominated
- 2000Image Award - Outstanding Performance in a Youth or Children's Series/Special:Winner
- 2004BET Comedy Award - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Box Office Movie:Nominated
- 2004Black Reel - Television: Best Supporting Actress:Nominated
- 2004Image Award - Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program:Nominated
- 2004Vision Award - Best Dramatic Performance:Nominated
- 2005Black Reel - Best Actress, Network/Cable Television:Winner
- 2005Image Award - Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:Winner
- 2005Acting and Activism AwardWinner
- 2006Black Movie Award - Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:Nominated
- 2013Black Reel - Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Performance, Female:Nominated
- 2017Gracie - Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Series:Winner
- 2017Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 2018Black Reel - Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series:Nominated
- 2018Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 2019Black Reel - Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series:Nominated
- 2019Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:Winner
- 2020Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:Winner
- 2021Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 2024Black Reel - Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 2025Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2025Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:Winner