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African-American Biopics
Who can forget Angela Bassett as Tina Turner or Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles? Do you remember who played Billie Holiday? Or who Beyoncé performed as in the film Cadillac Records? More recent African-American biopics include the Lifetime original movie Betty & Coretta (2013), starring Angela Bassett as Coretta Scott King and Mary J. Blige as Betty Shabazz, and The Butler (2013), starring Forest Whitaker and based on the life of Eugene Allen.
View our photos of African-American biopics to compare these famous figures to the actors and actresses who have portrayed them.
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Featured African-American Biopics
Browse full biographies—and view photos and video—of the African-American figures whose inspirational lives are the focus of recent biopics, as well as of their silver-screen mimics.
See all African-American Biopics (39)
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Angela Bassett
- In these groups:
- African-American Biopics
- Vampires
- Famous Harlem Residents
Angela Bassett
Actress / 1958 -
Angela Bassett is an Academy Award- and Emmy Award-nominated actress known for roles in What's Love Got to Do With It, Waiting to Exhale, Malcolm X and The Rosa Parks Story.
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Coretta Scott King
- In these groups:
- African-American Biopics
- Famous Taureans
- Famous Black Activists
Coretta Scott King
Civil Rights Activist, Women's Rights Activist, Anti-War Activist, Writer / 1927 - 2006
Coretta Scott King was an American civil rights activist and the wife of 1960s civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
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Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Singer / 1971 -
"Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" Mary J. Blige has influenced a generation of artists with hits like "Real Love" and "Be Without You." She has also been seen on screen, including as Betty Shabazz in the TV movie Betty & Coretta.
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Betty Shabazz
- In these groups:
- Famous Lookalikes
- African-American Biopics
- Famous Academics
Betty Shabazz
Educator, Civil Rights Activist, Nurse / 1934 - 1997
Betty Shabazz is best known as the wife of African-American nationalist leader Malcolm X, who was assassinated in New York City in 1965.
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Forest Whitaker
- In these groups:
- African-American Biopics
- Best Actor Oscar Winners
- Oscar-Winning Portrayals
Forest Whitaker
Film Actor, Filmmaker / 1961 -
Actor, producer and director Forest Whitaker won an Academy Award for his portrayal of dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. He’s also known for films like Bird, Ghost Dog and The Butler.
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Eugene Allen
- In these groups:
- African-American Biopics
- Famous Cancerians
- Famous People Named Eugène
Eugene Allen
1919 - 2010
Eugene Allen was a distinguished butler for the White House who served under eight presidents, including Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
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