Loretta Devine

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).

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. In 1976, she received a Master of Fine Arts in Theater from Brandeis University.

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. She received rave reviews in the 1995 Apollo revival of The Wiz as Glinda the Good Witch of the South. In May 2024, she starred in The Preacher’s Wife, a musical that began its run in Atlanta at The Alliance Theatre and is based on the previous films.

While rehearsing for Dreamgirls in 1981, Devine was cast in Jessie Maple's Will, the first independent feature-length film directed by an African-American woman. For her featured role in the low-budget film, Devine earned $500. Minor roles for Devine followed in films such as Little Nikita and Stanley & Iris. In 1995, she landed a major role as Gloria Matthews in Waiting to Exhale, opposite Whitney Houston, Gregory Hines, and Angela Bassett. The role earned her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, as did her next film, The Preacher's Wife, her second film with Houston and Hines. She later co-starred opposite Alfre Woodard in Down in the Delta (1998) and Funny Valentines (1999). She has a cameo performance in the film version of Dreamgirls.

Devine played roles as a repertory character in the play The Colored Museum with Vickilyn Reynolds. Devine and Reynolds both went on to play sisters in the short-lived TV series Sugar and Spice. During the period between the play and the series, Devine appeared in the first season of the TV series A Different World as Stevie Rallen, a dormitory director at the fictional Hillman College. From 2000 to 2004, Devine starred as high school teacher Marla Hendricks on the Fox drama series Boston Public. Devine won three more NAACP Image Awards for her work in the series. She also continued to work in film, playing prominent roles in Urban Legend, Urban Legends: Final Cut, and I Am Sam. Devine earned yet another Image Award nomination and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her work in the 2004 film Woman Thou Art Loosed. She also appeared in the 2005 film Crash. In 2007, she appeared in This Christmas, and in the next year had a series regular role on the ABC comedy-drama Eli Stone. Devine also was part of the ensemble casts of two Tyler Perry-directed films For Colored Girls and Madea's Big Happy Family. In 2008, she was featured prominently on George Michael's remake of the song "Feeling Good." She also appeared in First Sunday, Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Jumping the Broom. 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.