Alfre Woodard

Jonathan Frakes calls her his "godmother". The two became friends as young actors in the 1970s.

Jonathan Frakes calls her his "godmother". The two became friends as young actors in the 1970s.

Played Dr. Roxanne Turner in "St. Elsewhere" and years later in an episode of "Homicide: Life on the Street" . Tom Fontana was a writer for the first, and an executive producer for the second.

Played Dr. Roxanne Turner in "St. Elsewhere" (1982) and years later in an episode of "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993). Tom Fontana was a writer for the first, and an executive producer for the second.

Gave birth to her first child at age 36, a daughter Mavis Spencer on September 29, 1989. Child's father is her husband, Roderick Spencer.

Was member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 1990 and 1998.

For her revelatory performance in writer-director John Sayles' Passion Fish she was the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's second pick (i.e. runner-up) for their best supporting actress prize in 1992.

For her revelatory performance in writer-director John Sayles' Passion Fish (1992) she was the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's second pick (i.e. runner-up) for their best supporting actress prize in 1992.

Gave birth to her second child at age 41, a son Duncan Spencer on November 12, 1993. Child's father is her husband, Roderick Spencer.

Was in consideration for the part of Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction but Uma Thurman, who went on to receive a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, was cast instead.

Among the Star Trek toys released for the movie Star Trek: First Contact , an action figure was made of Alfre in the likeness of her character Lili in the film.

She was so impressed with the script of the independent film Follow Me Home that she offered to play the role of Evey without pay; much to the delight and awe of filmmaker Peter Bratt.

She was so impressed with the script of the independent film Follow Me Home (1996) that she offered to play the role of Evey without pay; much to the delight and awe of filmmaker Peter Bratt.

Among the Star Trek toys released for the film Star Trek: First Contact (1996), an action figure was made of Alfre in the likeness of her character in the film, Lily Sloane.

As of September 13, 2003, she now holds the record of being the most honored African American actress in Primetime Emmy history. Until her win (as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for "The Practice" ), she was tied with Cicely Tyson at three Primetime Emmys apiece. She won her first Primetime Emmy in 1984 as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for a three-episode guest stint on "Hill Street Blues" , as the mother of a young boy accidentally killed by a police officer. Her second Primetime Emmy came in 1986 as Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series (a category which has since been split into male and female equivalents) for the "Pilot" episode of "L.A. Law" playing a woman dying of leukemia who claims to have been a victim of gang rape. In 1997, she won her third Primetime Emmy for Miss Evers' Boys (TV) against stiff competition from the likes of Meryl Streep, Glenn Close and Stockard Channing.

As of September 13, 2003, she now holds the record of being the most honored African American actress in Primetime Emmy history. Until her win (as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for "The Practice" (1997)), she was tied with Cicely Tyson at three Primetime Emmys apiece. She won her first Primetime Emmy in 1984 as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for a three-episode guest stint on "Hill Street Blues" (1981), as the mother of a young boy accidentally killed by a police officer. Her second Primetime Emmy came in 1986 as Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series (a category which has since been split into male and female equivalents) for the "Pilot" episode of "L.A. Law" (1986) playing a woman dying of leukemia who claims to have been a victim of gang rape. In 1997, she won her third Primetime Emmy for Miss Evers' Boys (1997) (TV) against stiff competition from the likes of Meryl Streep, Glenn Close and Stockard Channing.

She and Felicity Huffman are the only two cast members of "Desperate Housewives" to have Oscar nominations.

She and Felicity Huffman are the only two cast members of "Desperate Housewives" (2004) to have Oscar nominations.