Alfre Ette Woodard was born on November 8, 1952 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is Academy Awardan American actress. She is Academy Award Nominee and has won four Emmy Awards, three SAG Awards and one Golden Globe Award.

Woodard has made numerous guest appearances in television series and motion pictures. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1983 film Cross Creek.

She also appeared as Lily Sloane, Zefram Cochrane's assistant in Star Trek: First Contact.

Her television credits include Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere, Puss in Boots, L.A. Law, and Homicide: Life on the Street, Words by Heart, St. Elsewhere, Unnatural Causes, a second for St. Elsewhere, A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story, The Piano Lesson, Gulliver's Travels, Homicide: Life on the Street, and The Water Is Wide.

From 2005 to 2006, Woodard starred in the ABC series Desperate Housewives.

She married writer Roderick Spencer.

Filmography

• Bury Me Standing (2008)
• Tempting Hyenas (2008)
• Pictures of Hollis Woods (2007)
• "Desperate Housewives" (20 episodes, 2005-2006)
• Take the Lead (2006)
• The Water Is Wide (2006)
• Something New (2006)
• "Inconceivable" (2 episodes, 2005)
• Beauty Shop (2005)
• The Forgotten (2004)
• Radio (2003)
• "Static Shock" (1 episode, 2003)
• A Wrinkle in Time (2003) (TV)
• The Core (2003)
• "The Practice" (2 episodes, 2003)
• The Singing Detective (2003)
• The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002) (voice) 
• Baby of the Family (2002)
• K-PAX (2001)
• Holiday Heart (2000) (TV)
• Lost Souls (2000) 
• Dinosaur (2000) (voice)
• Love & Basketball (2000)
• What's Cooking? (2000)
• John Henry (2000) (voice)
• Mumford (1999)
• Funny Valentines (1999) (TV)
• The Wishing Tree (1999)
• Secrets (1998)
• Down in the Delta (1998)
• "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1 episode, 1998)
• Miss Evers' Boys (1997) (TV) 
• The Member of the Wedding (1997) (TV)
• "Adventures from the Book of Virtues" (1 episode, 1997)
• The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue (1997)
• Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
• A Step Toward Tomorrow (1996)
• Primal Fear (1996)
• Special Report: Journey to Mars (1996)
• Gulliver's Travels (1996)
• Follow Me Home (1996)
• The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True (1995)
• How to Make an American Quilt (1995)
• The Piano Lesson (1995)
• "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" (1995)
• Statistically Speaking (1995)
• "Frasier" (1 episode, 1994)
• Crooklyn (1994)
• Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad (1994)
• Blue Chips (1994)
• Aliens for Breakfast (1994)
• Bopha! (1993)
• Heart and Souls (1993)
• Rich in Love (1993)
• Passion Fish (1992)
• The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag (1992)
• Grand Canyon (1991)
• Pretty Hattie's Baby (1991)
• Blue Bayou (1990)
• A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story (1989)
• Miss Firecracker (1989)
• Scrooged (1988)
• "St. Elsewhere" (11 episodes, 1985-1988)
• The Child Saver (1988)
• Mandela (1987)
• Unnatural Causes (1986)
• "L.A. Law" (1 episode, 1986)
• Extremities (1986)
• "Faerie Tale Theatre" (1 episode, 1985)
• "Sara" (1985)
• Go Tell It on the Mountain (1985)
• The Killing Floor (1985)
• Words by Heart (1985)
• Sweet Revenge (1984)
• "Hill Street Blues" (3 episodes, 1983)
• Cross Creek (1983)
• "Tucker's Witch" (1982)
• For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf (1982)
• The Ambush Murders (1982)
• Precious Blood (1982)
• The Sophisticated Gents (1981)
• "Enos" (1 episode, 1981)
• "The White Shadow" (1 episode, 1980)
• HealtH (1980)
• Freedom Road (1979)
• Remember My Name (1978)
• The Trial of the Moke (1978)

Awards

• Screen Actors Guild Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series "Desperate Housewives" 2006
• Emmy Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series "The Practice" 2003
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture "Love & Basketball" 2001
• The Actor Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries "Miss Evers' Boys" 1998
• CableACE Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries "Miss Evers' Boys" 1997
• Golden Globe Best Actress in a Miniseries or Made-for-Television Movie "Miss Evers' Boys" 1997
• Golden Satellite Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television "Miss Evers' Boys" 1997
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special "Miss Evers' Boys" 1997
• Emmy Outstanding Leading Actress in a Miniseries or Special "Miss Evers' Boys" 1996 - 97
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special "The Piano Lesson" 1996
• The Actor Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries "The Piano Lesson" 1995
• Women in Film Crystal Award 1995
• Independent Spirit Best Supporting Actress "Passion Fish" 1992
• CableACE Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries "Mandela" 1989
• Emmy Outstanding Guest Performance in a Drama Series "L.A. Law" 1986 - 87
• Emmy Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series "Hill Street Blues" 1983 - 84