Jenifer Lewis

How could we have a Root 100 list without including the incandescent Ms. Lewis? It would honestly feel blasphemous to exclude her. The “mother of Black Hollywood” has been running circles around the competition for decades. Her iconic role in Sister Act had us all in stitches back in the early 90s, and she has kept the laughs coming, most recently as the hilarious no-nonsense grandmother on Black-ish. Acting isn’t the only skill Lewis brings to the table. This year, she released her new book, Walking in My Joy, a wildly entertaining look at Lewis’ life through a collection of short stories. This, plus her recent induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, has made her a natural choice for the Root 100 list in 2022.