Legendary actress Jenifer Lewis looked stunning as she accepted her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday.
The 65-year-old icon stayed cool in a flowy yellow chiffon pantsuit with butterfly sleeves and wide legs, which she accessorised with a chunky gold necklace, hoop earrings and assorted bangles on her arms.
The I Love That for You star styled her hair in natural curls and completed the look with a bright red lip.
Star: Jenifer Lewis, 65, received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in an emotional ceremony on Friday
Longtime friend Debbie Allen, 72, welcomed the Black-ish star in a moving speech, in which she described her friend as “dynamic and so amazing”.
“This moment is now a great moment for all of us to share with Jenifer. For her to join the ranks and for her name to leave an indelible mark on time, generations…so today, as we put her name in this marquee of greatness, we can only think of all that is yet to come,” gushed Grey’s Anatomy.
Debbie was stunning in a red and black long sleeve dress with bell cuffs. The acclaimed artist directed and acted on the sitcom A Different World for five years and hired Jenifer as dean on the hit series from 1990-1993.
Friends: The Black-ish star was greeted with speeches from friends Debbie Allen, 72, and composter Marc Shaiman, 62
Fellow singer: Brandy Norwood, 43, chose a mauve suit with a belted jacket and matching mauve fedora to support her friend, who was cutting the record In These Streets
The Boys is Mine singer enjoyed chatting with actress Vanessa Bayer, 40, who stars alongside Jenifer in the Showtime series I Love You For That
Improvised: Brandy joined Jenifer and singer Roz Ryan for an impromptu performance of their hit song In These Streets after Jenifer changed a line from the song to lead the crowd in a chant
She said the Dig a Little Deeper singer was someone she could call morning, noon and night and she would call back as she should and it was a blessing and a privilege and God bless the Hollywood Walk of Fame that he knows who should be on that walk?’
Upon accepting the honor, Jenifer responded to comments about why she hadn’t received the honor sooner, explaining, “What you don’t know is that I just wasn’t ready because I hadn’t done the actual work. The real work was backstage and behind the camera.’
The Think Like a Man actress fought back tears as she described one of her biggest challenges.
Tears: The Mother of Black Hollywood author fought back tears as she opened up about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and finding the strength to say, “I need help.”
New friends: SNL graduate Vanessa Bayer co-created the series I Love Your For That, in which Jenifer plays the founder of a home shopping channel
Flirty: The Will and Grace actress chose a flirty, ankle-length dress with a floral pattern for the occasion. She wore neutral chunky sandals with the dress and styled her bob in loose waves
“When I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I somehow found the strength and courage to say three of the most powerful words in the English language, I need help,” she recalls.
She encouraged her fans to learn more about the details by reading her book The Mother of Black Hollywood and by purchasing her upcoming tome, Walking in My Joy.
Jenifer shared that she was thrilled her star would be co-residing with Oscar winner Katharine Hepburn because the Bringing Up Baby star is not only a great actress but also a human rights advocate.
Still kicking: The guest of honor decided to show that she’s still kicking as she posed with her star on the red carpet
Iconic: The iconic actress has made more than 300 appearances in film and television
The Tuca and Birdie actress left the large audience that had gathered on Hollywood Boulevard with a message of hope.
“These are not dark times. these are times of awakening. We must be brave. We must be brave now, and we must be loud in that bravery. Mine is sitting at the piano screaming, with my seven chords I know…spoken words like “take your knee off my neck”, “Flint is not fixed”, “Get your ass out and vote” and of course, ” I don’t want anyone stepping on me on this street.”
Brandy Nordoff, 43, and Roz Ryan joined Jenifer to repeat vocals, which were carried over from her single In These Streets. The trio then wowed the crowd as all three raised their voices high in an impromptu rendition of the hit.
Backup no more: The quintessential artist, who began her show business career as a backup singer for Bette Midler, proved she still has guts by kicking her leg high in the air as she posed alongside her new star
Cheers: A large crowd gathered to watch the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, with fans lined up on either side of the red carpet to catch a glimpse of the star
The stage and screen star ended her comments by singing the classic Here’s To Life in front of the ecstatic crowd.
I Love You For That co-star Vanessa Bayer, 40, surrounded her as her star was unveiled. The Queens star chose a mauve pantsuit with a belted jacket and matching mauve fedora for the event. Vanessa emerged in a black, green and pink floral dress with a high waist and puff sleeves.
The quintessential artist, who began her show business career as a backup singer for Bette Midler, proved she still has guts by kicking her leg high in the air as she posed alongside her new star.