Portrait of Leslie Uggams

Leslie Uggams

Acting

Biography

Leslie Marian Uggams (born May 25, 1943) is an American actress and singer. Beginning her career as a child in the early 1950s, Uggams is recognized for portraying Kizzy Reynolds in the television miniseries Roots (1977), earning Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for her performance. She had earlier been highly acclaimed for the Broadway musical Hallelujah, Baby!, winning a Theatre World Award in 1967 and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1968. Later in her career, Uggams received renewed notice with appearances alongside Ryan Reynolds as Blind Al in Deadpool (2016) & Deadpool 2 (2018) and in a recurring role on Empire.

Born: May 25, 1943

Place of Birth: Harlem, New York City, New York, USA

Filmography

2024
2024
Fallout

as Betty Pearson

2023
American Fiction

as Agnes Ellison

2023
2023
Extrapolations

as Isabel Zucker

2023
My Dad the Bounty Hunter

as Grandma (voice)

2022
Nanny

as Kathleen

2022
The Ravine

as Joanna

2022
The Gilded Age

as Ernestine Brown

2021
Show of Titles

as "Hallelujah, Baby!" Performer

2021
The Bite

as Dr. Hester Boutella

2020
Blithe Spirit

as Madame Arcati

2020
Stars in the House

as Madame Arcati

2019
The Apollo

as Self

2018
2018
New Amsterdam

as Mamma Reynolds

2018
Deadpool 2

as Blind Al

2016
Deadpool

as Blind Al

2009
The Good Wife

as Suzanne Packer

2009
Toe to Toe

as Grandma

1999
1999
Family Guy

as Leslie Uggams (voice)

1994
Sugar Hill

as Doris Holly

1987
A Different World

as Dr. Eileen Redding

1984
The Cosby Show

as Kris Temple

1983
Reading Rainbow

as Self - Narrator (voice)

1982
1981
Sizzle

as Vonda

1980
Magnum, P.I.

as Alexis Carter

1979
Backstairs at the White House

as Lillian Rogers Parks

1977
The Love Boat

as Marion Blake

1977
The Love Boat

as Callie Reason

1977
Roots

as Kizzy Reynolds

1977
Roots

as Kizzy Reynolds Moore

1976
The Muppet Show

as Self - Special Guest Star

1975
Poor Pretty Eddie

as Elizabeth 'Liz' Wetherly

1974
Easter Is

as (voice)

1972
Black Girl

as Netta

1972
Skyjacked

as Lovejoy Wells

1966
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.

as Natasha Brimstone

1965
Hullabaloo

as Self

1965
Hullabaloo

as Self - Host

1964
The Hollywood Palace

as Self - Singer

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter / Nominee / Performer

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Host

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Performer

1950
What's My Line?

as Self - Mystery Guest