Alfre Woodard

Personal context

Summary

Alfre Woodard is an actor and producer known for work across film, television, and theater, including Cross Creek, Hill Street Blues, Miss Evers’ Boys, and Clemency. Her roles span varied genres and often include complex black women and characters shaped by family, community, and social institutions. Outside her acting career, she co-founded Artists for a New South Africa, which campaigned against apartheid and later supported HIV/AIDS programs, and she has repeatedly promoted recognition for black women in Hollywood through her Sistahs’ Soirée. She has also spoken about limited opportunities for black actors and served on the Academy’s actors branch executive committee.