Flashback Friday: 15 Memorable Black Movie Moms of the 90’s
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In the 90’s, we watched as some of our favorite actresses played hard-working, inspirational and sometimes feisty mothers. Today we take a look back at some of our favorite black movie moms of the 90’s. Now, not all these mothers were perfect—with some movie moms, we were inspired by their fortitude and with others we were turned off by their bad decision making. Either way, these complex characters were memorable—from Halle Berry as Khalia Richards in Losing Isaiah to Angela Basset as Reva in Boyz n the Hood.
Flashback Friday: 15 Memorable Black Movie Moms of the 90’s
Photo credit: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks – © 1994
1. Crooklyn (1994) – By the year 1994, filmmaker Spike Lee had enjoyed major success with his movies such as She’s Gotta Have it (1986) School Daze (1988) Do the Right Thing (1989) and Malcolm X (1992) to name a few. The director put aside tackling social issues and romance for a look at black family life in 1970’s Brooklyn with the 1994 film Crooklyn (which was loosely based on Lee’s own life growing up.) We all feel in love with Carolyn Carmichael played by Alfre Woodard. Carolyn did everything she could to hold her family together and she is certainly one of our favorite movie mamas!
photo credit: http://www.cinema.de
2. Menace II Society (1993) – In the early 90’s, we all witnessed the emergence of black cinema (Poetic Justice, Juice, House Party, Boyz n the Hood, The Inkwell.) Menace II Society directed by Detroit twins Allen and Albert Hughes was certainly apart of that wave. Who could forget Jada Pinkett Smith’s role as Ronnie? We watched as the then 22-year-old played a young mother to her son Anthony (Julian Roy Doster.)
3. Boyz n the Hood – Filmmaker John Singleton introduced the world to life in South Central L.A with the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood. Among his talented cast included Angela Bassett who played determined mom Reva. We watched as she made the difficult decision to drop her son Tre off to live with his father Furious.
Photo credit: © 20th Century Fox
4. Waiting to Exhale (1995) – According to The African American Experience, at the time, the book Waiting to Exhale was the second novel by an African American woman to be adapted into a major Hollywood motion picture. The first was Alice Walker’s The Color Purple in 1985. In Waiting to Exhale there were two memorable moms: Loretta Devine (who played Gloria, mother to Tarik) and Angela Bassett who played Bernadine, mother to two children, Onika and John)
Photo Credit: (c) Universal Pictures
5. Mo’ Betta Blues (1990) – This film was Spike Lee’s fourth joint. Blues tells the story of Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington) a young jazz musician who struggles with balancing his love for his career with his love for women. Who could forget the final scenes when Bleek and Indigo (played by Joie) finally get married? As well as the birth scene? Indigo is definitely one of our favorite movie mamas!
6. Poetic Justice (1993) – In the cult classic film Poetic Justice directed by John Singleton, actress Jenifer Lewis played Anne, the wise-cracking-no-nonsense mother to Tupac Shakur’s character Lucky. Anne was truly unforgettable.
7. Friday (1995) – Anna Maria Horsford played the unforgettable Betty—mother to unemployed Craig Jones (Ice Cube) in F. Gary Gray’s 1995 film Friday. Anna was memorable for her sass and comedic timing.
Photo Credit: © Copyright 1997 – Trimark Pictures, Inc
8. Eye’s Bayou (1997) – Set in Louisiana and directed by Kasi Lemmons’—the star-studded cast of Eve’s Bayou included actress Lynn Whitfield. Easily Whitfield’s character Roz Batiste, is most memorable. We watch as she tries to hold her family together while dealing with the ramifications of her womanizing husband.
9. Soul Food (1997) – Mother Joe played by Irma P. Hall needs no introduction. She is most memorable for giving the necessary wisdom and advice to her daughters. Who could forget the 1997 hit single by Boyz II Men ‘A Song for Mama’ that was inspired by her?
Photo credit: www.mr-movie.com
10. Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) – No list about black movie moms is complete without Sheryl Lee Ralph. The actress played Florence Watson the strong-willed mother to Rita (Lauryn Hill.)
11. Double Platinum (1999) – In the 1999 TV Movie, Double Platinum Diana Ross plays superstar singer and mother Olivia King. It was hard to watch as King neglected her infant daughter Kayla (Brandy) for her music career.
12. The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992) – Angela Bassett did an unforgettable job portraying Katherine Jackson—the matriarch of the famous Jackson family. We could never leave her off this list.
Photo credit: (c)Buena Vista Pictures
13. The Inkwell (1994) – This coming of age classic—directed by Mattie Rich—told the tale of awkward teen, Drew Tate played by Larenz Tate (pictured above, second to the right.) His mother Brenda Tate played by Suzzanne Douglas (pictured above, to the far left) worries that he just might be emotionally disturbed.
14. Losing Isaiah (1995) – Remember this film, which turns 20 this month?! Halle Berry played Khalia Richards a drug addict who ignites an ugly custody battle when she returns to get her son back from his adoptive mother after she abandoned him years ago.
15. How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)- A reluctant Stella played by Angela Bassett had to admit she was smitten! Stella is certainly one of our favorite movie moms because despite it all, she still found time to get her groove on.
