Whitfield was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the daughter of Jean (née Butler), a former president of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, and Dr. Valerian Smith, who was also a composer who wrote the musicals, The Supper and The Wake. Her mother is a founding member of the Baton Rouge chapter of The Links Incorporated and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Whitfield is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.[2] She is the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. Both parents were instrumental in developing Whitfield's initial interest in acting, as they were actively involved in the Baton Rouge art scene. Her love of movies was shared by her maternal grandmother, Estelle Devall Butler, who exposed her to them. By age five, Whitfield decided she wanted to be in them.[citation needed]
Career
1970s
Following graduation, she first garnered attention on the stage by performing with the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C. She married playwright/director/actor Vantile Whitfield, one of the company's co-founders and a pioneer of black theatre, in 1974. She eventually moved to New York and appeared off-Broadway in such shows as The Great Macdaddy and Showdown Time before earning international acclaim touring the United States, Australia and London's West End in the 1977 production of the landmark play "for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf" alongside Alfre Woodard.[3]
In 1996, Whitfield was cast as the female lead opposite Martin Lawrence in the dark romantic comedy film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate.[10][11] At the time of filming, Lawrence was 12 years younger than Whitfield, who was then 42. The film grossed over $35 million against a budget of $8 million.[12] In 1997, she co-starred opposite Danny Glover and Rosanna Arquette in the comedy film Gone Fishin', appeared in the supporting role in the Canadian drama The Planet of Junior Brown, and played the mother of Jurnee Smollett's title character in the critically acclaimed independent drama Eve's Bayou.[13] In 1998, Whitfield had supporting role of an oncologist in the comedy-drama film Stepmom.[14][15]
In 2015, Whitfield was cast as the main villain in Greenleaf, the Oprah Winfrey Network original scripted drama series about the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch. Whitfield played the leading role of Lady Mae Greenleaf, the imperious minister's wife and the power- and money-hungry matriarch of the family.[19][20] The series also starred Keith David, Merle Dandridge, Kim Hawthorne, and Oprah Winfrey. Whitfield received positive reviews from critics for her performance.[21][22] One critic stated: "Whitfield has the imperious aura of a grand soap opera diva in the tradition of Joan Collins."[23] She won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019 and 2020 as well as the Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Series in 2017.[24] The series ended in 2020 after five seasons and 60 episodes. Whitfield later was cast in a leading role in Greenleaf's planned spinoff.[25]
In 2018, Whitfield co-starred opposite Sanaa Lathan in the romantic comedy film Nappily Ever After, which was released on Netflix.[26] She guest-starred as Shaunette Renée Wilson's mother, a famous Nigerian surgeon, on the Fox medical drama The Resident in 2019. In 2021, she co-starred in the comedy film Vacation Friends.[27] In 2023, she appeared opposite Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman in the action comedy film, The Retirement Plan.[28] Also in 2023, she was cast as Alicia, an intimidating, fearless and powerful matriarch, in the Showtime crime drama series, The Chi during its sixth season.[29] She was promoted to series regular for a seven season.[30] In 2024, Whitfield starred in the road drama film, Albany Road directed and written by Christine Swanson.[31]
Personal life
Whitfield speaking at a rally for Jon Ossoff's Senate campaign in 2020
Whitfield has been married twice. Her first husband, from 1974 to 1978, was Vantile Whitfield.[32] From 1990 to 1992, she was married to director Brian Gibson, with whom she had a daughter, Grace.[6][33]
^Whitfield, Lynn (May 29, 2013). "Sasha talks with Lynn Whitfield" (Interview). Interviewed by Sasha. KISS 104 on YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved July 24, 2020. So, when's your birthday?" "February 15. Birth date stated at 02:45 in video.
^Shinhoster Lamb, Yvonne (2005-01-23). "Arts Administrator, Playwright Vantile Whitfield Dies". Washington Post. Washington, DC. His marriages to Barbara Cobb, Barbara Grant Thomas and Lynn Whitfield, the actress and a former student, ended in divorce.
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