Dawnn Lewis
Dr. Dawnn Lewis is a multitalented and award-winning performer, producer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur whose career spans television, film, stage, music, and animation.
She is the President & CEO of Morning Jewel Inc., a multi-platform production company specializing in film, TV, animation, music/publishing, and experiential events, as well as the Founder & CEO of The A New Day Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides financial and programmatic support to underserved youth and grassroots community-based organizations.
Dawnn is currently filming the upcoming Netflix series NEMESIS (set for Fall 2025), and was this year nominated for her second NAACP Image Award for Best Voice Actor for her role as Captain Carol Freeman in the hit Paramount+ animated series “Star Trek: Lower Decks”—a role that also earned her the Women’s Image Award for Best Female Voice Actor in 2021.
Her recent credits include joining the cast of “Young Rock” (Season 3), voicing leading roles in “Karma’s World” on Netflix (created by Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), and “Futurama” (as LaBarbara). She starred in the BET+ holiday film BLACK JACK CHRISTMAS, directed by Victoria Rowell.
A celebrated voice actress, Dawnn has voiced Bernice Hibbert and others on “The Simpsons” since 2014, including Disney crossover shorts LOKI and LISA JOINS THE CLUB! Her voice work also includes “HouseBroken”, “Duncanville”, SING 2, MINIONS 3, WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SAN DIEGO?, “Apple & Onion”, “Sophia the First”, “Doc McStuffins”, “Curious George”, and the Academy Award-winning films INSIDE OUT and MONSTERS UNIVERSITY.
On stage, Dawnn originated the role of Zelma Bullock (Tina Turner’s mother) in the Broadway hit TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL (2019–2022), which received 12 Tony nominations.
Her extensive TV and film credits include “This Is Us”, “Major Crimes”, “iZombie”, “Veronica Mars”, “The Boys”, “911”, “A Different World” (for which she also co-wrote the iconic theme song and received 3 BMI TV Music Awards), “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper”, DREAMGIRLS, I’M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA, ANY DAY NOW, THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER, and ONE TREE HILL.
Through her label Morning Jewel Music, she released her acclaimed solo album WORTH WAITING FOR, with the title track featured in the Disney film THE POOF POINT, in which she also starred. Her music has appeared in soundtracks for Disney, ABC, NBC, HBO, and WIGS Films. She’s recorded or written with a who’s who of music legends including Quincy Jones, Grover Washington Jr., Vanessa Williams, Patrice Rushen, Everette Harp, Nancy Wilson, Take 6, and more.
In addition to her artistic work, Dr. Lewis has served on the National Advisory Board of the National Center for Civil & Human Rights, the SAG-AFTRA National Board of Directors, and currently serves as a Trustee for the SAG Pension Plan. She also chairs the SAG-AFTRA Singers Committee, continuing her lifelong advocacy for artists and communities alike. In recognition of her 40+ years of service to communities across the U.S. and abroad, Dr. Lewis received an Honorary Doctorate in the Humanities in 2019.
Lewis is a Grammy Award and Trumpet Award winner, and ASCAP Award recipient, and was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2021.