Scroll To Top
Arts & Entertainment

Jenifer Lewis says the gays 'made her career' & 'paid her mortgage'

Jenifer Lewis says the gays 'made her career' & 'paid her mortgage'

Jenifer Lewis The Masked Singer Mama Odie Movies TV Shows
Leon Bennett/FilmMagic

The iconic actress is thanking the LGBTQ+ community for playing a huge part of her success.

rickycornish
Support The Advocate
LGBTQ+ stories are more important than ever. Join us in fighting for our future. Support our journalism.

That's our mother!

Jenifer Lewis is known as the "Mother of Black Hollywood" for so many incredible roles in films like What's Love Got to Do With It, Poetic Justice, The Preacher's Wife, and more.

Along with her notable characters, the star has dabbled into reality TV by competing on the current season of The Masked Singer.

"I had a blast. When I saw that young, vibrant, loud audience... honey, I gave everything I had! It didn't even I couldn't walk. I was having a ball," Lewis tells The Advocate.

Not only has the star been a competitor on reality TV, but fans of RuPaul's Drag Race will also remember her memorable stint as a guest judge on the premiere episode of All Stars 4.

"I had a blast over there. Ru said to me after the show, 'Thank you for being so sweet to my girls.' I had to be sweet. You know those are my babies. You guys made my career honey! Y'all paid my mortgage. You guys love me for one reason... I love you. It's as simple as that."

Her love for the LGBTQ+ community runs so deep that she's also well aware that the gays are obsessed with her cult classic film Jackie's Back!

"They all know every line to the movie. They have Jackie's Back parties! You're not a real gay person if you don't know Jackie's Back, so go watch it honey or they will come for you. Don't let them come for you!"

The Masked Singer airs Wednesday nights on FOX. To see the full interview with Jenifer Lewis, check out the video below.

Jenifer Lewis Says the Gays 'Made Her Career' & 'Paid Her Mortgage'youtu.be

o

rickycornish
30 Years of Out100Out / Advocate Magazine - Jonathan Groff & Wayne Brady

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

Ricky Cornish

Ricky Cornish is an on-air correspondent for Equal Pride, where he's breaking down the latest in pop culture for Out Magazine, Pride.com, Plus Magazine, The Advocate, and Out Traveler.

Based in Las Vegas, Ricky can be seen interviewing the biggest celebrities at red carpets and premiere events around the city.

To follow Ricky and see what's trending, you can follow him on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, andYouTube.

Ricky Cornish is an on-air correspondent for Equal Pride, where he's breaking down the latest in pop culture for Out Magazine, Pride.com, Plus Magazine, The Advocate, and Out Traveler.

Based in Las Vegas, Ricky can be seen interviewing the biggest celebrities at red carpets and premiere events around the city.

To follow Ricky and see what's trending, you can follow him on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, andYouTube.