Debbie Allen is an American film and television actress and director.

KNOWN FOR

Grey's Anatomy
2018
S.W.A.T.
2018
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2023
The Love Boat
1979
Great Performances
1990
The Tamron Hall Show
2020
Touched by an Angel
1996
Quantum Leap
1991
How to Get Away with Murder
2014
Jane the Virgin
2016
The Cosby Show
1988
Empire
2015

FILMOGRAPHY

All
Movies
TV
Acting
101
Directing
37
Writing
3
Producing
7
Art
1
Crew
7
2026
The Jennifer Hudson Show
as Self - Guest
2025
A Murder in Oakland: Beauty is Deadly
as Detective Foster
2025
Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television
as Self
2023
The Hidden Power of Purpose
as Narrator (voice)
2023
The Jennifer Hudson Show
as Self
2022
Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising
as Self
2022
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
as Myrtle (voice)
2022
JANET JACKSON.
as Self
2021
Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous
as Betty Samson
2021
Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts
as Self
2020
Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance
as Self
2020
Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker
as Herself
2020
The Tamron Hall Show
as Self - Guest
2020
Cardi Tries
as Self
2020
Grace and Frankie
as Dorothy
2019
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
as Self
2018
American Tap
as Self
2018
Grey's Anatomy
as Catherine Fox
2018
Raven's Home
as Great Aunt Maureen
2018
Black Hollywood: 'They've Gotta Have Us'
as Self
2018
S.W.A.T.
as Charice Harrelson
2016
Jane the Virgin
as Beverly Flores
2016
Dance Moms
as Self
2014
The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker
2013
A Star for Rose
as Rose
2012
Celebrity Ghost Stories
as Self
2012
So You Think You Can Dance
as Self - Guest Judge
2011
A Place for Us: West Side Story's Legacy
as Self
2011
Grey's Anatomy
as Catherine Avery
2009
Next Day Air
as Ms. Jackson
2009
Fame
as Ms. Angela Simms
2008
Bring Back... Fame
as Self
2008
Bring Back...
as Self - Lydia Grant
2007
Tournament of Dreams
as Rhonda Dillins
2007
Everybody Hates Chris
2007
So You Think You Can Dance
2006
Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story
as American Idol Auditionee in Sunglasses
2006
Everybody Hates Chris
as Mother
2005
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
as Anita (segment "West Side Story") (archive footage)
2005
Confessions of an Action Star
as Self
2004
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies
as Self
2004
All of Us
2003
The Division
as Wanda
2003
E! True Hollywood Story
2002
The 1st 13th Annual Fancy Anvil Awards Show Program Special: Live in Stereo
as Self (uncredited)
2002
It's Black Entertainment
as Self
2001
All About You
as Ruth
2001
The Old Settler
as Quilly McGrath
2001
The Painting
as Bertha Lee Gilmore
2000
Everything's Jake
as Debbie Allen
1999
Michael Jordan: An American Hero
as Deloris Jordan
1999
Intimate Portrait: Josephine Baker
as Herself
1997
Ships of Slaves: The Middle Passage
as Narrator
1997
Intimate Portrait
as Self
1997
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
as Lola (voice)
1996
C Bear and Jamal
1996
Touched by an Angel
as Valerie Hill
1995
Out-of-Sync
as Manicurist
1995
In the House
as Jackie Warren
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
as Precious (voice)
1994
Mona Must Die
as Betty
1994
Blank Check
as Yvonne
1992
Stompin' at the Savoy
as Estelle
1992
A Different World
as Debbie Allen (uncredited)
1991
Sunday in Paris
as Sunday Chase
1991
Sunday in Paris
1991
Quantum Leap
as Joanna Chapman
1991
A Different World
as Dr. Langhorne
1990
Spike & Co. Do It a-Cappella
as Self
1990
Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella
1990
Great Performances
as Self
1989
The Debbie Allen Special
as Self
1988
The Cosby Show
as Emma
1987
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
as Self
1987
Superstars and their Moms
as Self
1986
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling
as Michelle
1986
An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
1985
Night of 100 Stars II
as Self
1985
Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration
as Self
1985
Dancing in the Wings
as Debbie
1985
Motown Returns to the Apollo
1984
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
as Self - Performer
1984
Celebrity
as Regina Brown
1983
The Kids from Fame: From the Royal Albert Hall London
as Self
1983
Women of San Quentin
as Carol Freeman
1983
The Love Boat
as Reesa Marlowe
1982
Alice at the Palace
as Red Queen
1982
Fame
as Lydia Grant
1982
Battle of the Network Stars
1981
Ragtime
as Sarah
1980
Fame
as Lydia
1979
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
as Ola
1979
Ebony, Ivory and Jade
as Claire 'Ebony' Bryant
1979
The Love Boat
as Selena Moore
1979
Roots: The Next Generations
as Nan Branch Haley
1978
The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots
as Self
1977
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened
as Julie Sutton
1977
3 Girls 3
as Self
1976
Good Times
Broadway: The Next Generation
as Self
Splinter
as Mrs. James