Margaret Avery

Born 1944 · American actress

Margaret Avery is an American actress. She began her career appearing on stage and later had starring roles in films including Cool Breeze (1972), Which Way Is Up? (1977), Scott Joplin (1977) which earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination, and The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979). She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Shug Avery in the period drama film The Color Purple (1985).

Margaret Avery, in order

1. 1972 Terror at Red Wolf Inn: acted · directed by Bud Townsend
2. 1973 Hell Up in Harlem: acted · directed by Larry Cohen
3. 1973 Magnum Force: acted · directed by Ted Post · critics 67%, audiences 78%
4. 1977 Which Way Is Up?: acted · directed by Michael Schultz
5. 1980 The Lathe of Heaven (TV movie): acted · directed by David Loxton and Fred Barzyk
6. 1983 For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story (TV movie): acted · directed by Michael Schultz
7. 1985 The Color Purple: acted · directed by Steven Spielberg · critics 73%, audiences 94% · streaming on YouTube (free)
8. 1988 Blueberry Hill: acted · directed by Strathford Hamilton
9. 1989 Riverbend: acted · directed by Sam Firstenberg
10. 1990 Heat Wave (TV movie): acted · directed by Kevin Hooks
11. 1990 The Return of Superfly: acted · directed by Sig Shore
12. 1995 JAG (TV series): acted · streaming on Prime Video, Paramount+
13. 1995 The Set-Up: acted · directed by Strathford Hamilton
14. 1995 White Man's Burden: acted · directed by Desmond Nakano · critics 24%, audiences 36%
15. 2002 Second to Die: acted · directed by Brad Marlowe
16. 2008 Meet the Browns: acted · directed by Tyler Perry
17. 2008 Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins: acted · directed by Malcolm D. Lee
18. 2018 Proud Mary: acted · directed by Babak Najafi
19. 2023 The Nana Project: acted · directed by Robin Givens