Leslie Uggams

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.

Known For

Family Guy

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Good Wife

The Mike Douglas Show

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

New Amsterdam

Tony Awards

All Movies (35)

• Deadpool & Wolverine2024 · as Blind Al
• American Fiction2023 · as Agnes Ellison
• Dotty and Soul2023 · as Dotty
• Nanny2022 · as Kathleen
• The Ravine2022 · as Joanna
• Show of Titles2021 · as "Hallelujah, Baby!" Performer
• Blithe Spirit2020 · as Madame Arcati
• The Apollo2019 · as Self
• Once Upon a Deadpool2018 · as Blind Al
• Deadpool 22018 · as Blind Al
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks2017 · as Sadie
• Deadpool2016 · as Blind Al
• Just the Three of Us2014
• Toe to Toe2009 · as Grandma
• Words and Music by Jerry Herman2007 · as Self
• Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There2003 · as Self
• Remembering Roots2002 · as Self
• Live from Broadway: Hello, Dolly!1995
• Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl1994 · as Self
• Sugar Hill1994 · as Doris Holly
• The Ice Capades with Jason Bateman and Alyssa Milano1989
• Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC1988 · as Self
• Christmas at Radio City Music Hall1986 · as Self - Special Guest
• Night of 100 Stars II1985 · as Self
• Sizzle1981 · as Vonda
• A Special Sesame Street Christmas1978 · as Self
• Julie Andrews: One Step Into Spring1978
• Poor Pretty Eddie1975 · as Elizabeth 'Liz' Wetherly
• Easter Is1974 · as (voice)
• Black Girl1972 · as Netta
• Skyjacked1972 · as Lovejoy Wells
• S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin1972 · as Self
• King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis1970 · as Self (archive footage)
• Swing Out, Sweet Land1970 · as Saloon Singer
• Two Weeks in Another Town1962 · as Chanteuse

All TV Shows (48)

• Fallout2024 · as Betty Pearson
• Extrapolations2023 · as Isabel Zucker
• My Dad the Bounty Hunter2023 · as Grandma (voice)
• The Gilded Age2022 · as Ernestine Brown
• The Bite2021 · as Dr. Hester Boutella
• Stars in the House2020 · as Madame Arcati
• New Amsterdam2018 · as Mamma Reynolds
• Empire2015 · as Leah Walker
• The Good Wife2009 · as Suzanne Packer
• Nurse Jackie2009 · as Vivian
• The Early Show1999 · as Self
• Family Guy1999 · as Leslie Uggams (voice)
• A Different World1987 · as Dr. Eileen Redding
• The Cosby Show1984 · as Kris Temple
• Reading Rainbow1983 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
• Hotel1982
• Magnum, P.I.1980 · as Alexis Carter
• Backstairs at the White House1979 · as Lillian Rogers Parks
• CBS News Sunday Morning1979 · as Self
• The Love Boat1977 · as Marion Blake
• The Love Boat1977 · as Callie Reason
• Roots1977 · as Kizzy Reynolds
• Roots1977 · as Kizzy Reynolds Moore
• The Muppet Show1976 · as Self - Special Guest Star
• The American Film Institute Salute to ...1973 · as Self
• The Bobby Darin Show1973
• The Flip Wilson Show1970 · as Self
• The Leslie Uggams Show1969
• The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour1969 · as Self
• The Mod Squad1968
• That's Life1968
• The Carol Burnett Show1967 · as Self
• The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.1966 · as Natasha Brimstone
• The Dean Martin Show1965
• Hullabaloo1965 · as Self
• Hullabaloo1965 · as Self - Host
• The Hollywood Palace1964 · as Self - Singer
• The Danny Kaye Show1963 · as Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
• Startime1959 · as Self
• Tonight Starring Jack Paar1957 · as Self
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Host
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter / Nominee / Performer
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Performer
• What's My Line?1950 · as Self - Mystery Guest
• The Ed Sullivan Show1948 · as Self