Pam Grier
Known for
Described by Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star, Pam Grier became an icon of 1970s blaxploitation. She reached fame with vigilante leading roles in 'Coffy' and 'Foxy Brown', after being seasoned in women-in-prison films like 'The Big Doll House'. Decades later, Tarantino reclaimed her with the title role of 'Jackie Brown', which renewed her prestige. On television she shone as Kit Porter in the series 'The L Word'. Her imposing presence and stage force opened the way for a type of heroine unprecedented in Hollywood.
Pam Grier
63 Movies
22 Series
Described by Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star, Pam Grier became an icon of 1970s blaxploitation. She reached fame with vigilante leading roles in 'Coffy' and 'Foxy Brown', after being seasoned in women-in-prison films like 'The Big Doll House'. Decades later, Tarantino reclaimed her with the title role of 'Jackie Brown', which renewed her prestige. On television she shone as Kit Porter in the series 'The L Word'. Her imposing presence and stage force opened the way for a type of heroine unprecedented in Hollywood.
Movies
Plays Louise Williams
Mars Attacks!
1996
Plays Jackie Brown
Jackie Brown
1997
Plays Hershe Las Palamas
Escape from L.A.
1996
Plays Delores 'Jacks' Jackson
Above the Law
1988
Plays Frances
Larry Crowne
2011
Plays Commander Helena Braddock
Ghosts of Mars
2001
Plays Detective Vera Cruz
Jawbreaker
1999
Plays Jane
The Man with the Iron Fists
2012
Plays Foxy Brown
Foxy Brown
1974
Plays Mamawi
The Arena
1974
Plays Flura Nash
The Adventures of Pluto Nash
2002
Plays Fourth Woman
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
1970
Plays Ms. Wardroe
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
1991
Plays Janice Wright
Just Wright
2010
Plays Majorie Washburn
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
2023
Plays Coffy
Coffy
1973
Plays Ms. Connors
Class of 1999
1990
Plays Carol
Holy Smoke
1999
Plays Det. Angela Wilson
In Too Deep
1999
Plays Ruth Butler
The Package
1989
Plays Phoebe
Posse
1993
Plays Grear
The Big Doll House
1971
Plays Susan Mendenhall
Fortress 2
2000
Plays Pearl
Bones
2001
Plays Dust Witch
Something Wicked This Way Comes
1983
Plays Olive
Poms
2019
Plays Tina
Snow Day
2000
Plays Alabama
Women in Cages
1971
Plays Charlotte
Fort Apache, the Bronx
1981
Plays Coralee
Bad Grandmas
2017
Plays Sargeant McLeish
The Allnighter
1987
Plays Lee Daniels
Black Mama, White Mama
1973
Plays Juniper
Mystery Cuddlers
2024
Plays Friday Foster
Friday Foster
1975
Plays James Womack
Mafia
2011
Plays Regine
Drum
1976
Plays Sheba Shayne
Sheba, Baby
1975
Plays Annabelle Lee
Fakin' Da Funk
1997
Plays Suzette Lermontant
Feast of All Saints
2001
Plays Lisa Fortier
Scream Blacula Scream
1973
Plays Blossom
The Big Bird Cage
1972
Plays Laurie Thompson
Original Gangstas
1996
Plays Mary Jones
Greased Lightning
1977
Plays Mona
Cool Breeze
1972
Plays George
3 A.M.
2001
Plays Mrs. Cooper
Back in the Day
2005
Plays Mama
Cinnamon
2023
Plays Detective Della Wilder
Wilder
2000
Plays Cara
On the Edge
1986
Plays Cathryn Bolan
Stand Alone
1985
TV Shows
Plays Kit Porter
The L Word
2004
Plays Constance
Bless This Mess
2019
Plays Athena
Them
2021
Plays Self - Panelist
Hollywood Squares
1998
Plays Suzanne Terry
Crime Story
1986
Plays Amanda Waller
Smallville
2001
Plays Benet Collins
Night Court
1984
Plays My'ria'h (voice)
Justice League
2001
Plays Cynthia Wilbur
The Love Boat
1977
Plays Grandma
This Is Us
2016
Plays Valerie Gordon
Miami Vice
1984
Plays Pam Grier
Martin
1992
Plays Janice
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
Plays Erica
The Wayans Bros.
1995
Plays Mother Springbok (voice)
The Wild Thornberrys
1998
Plays Francey
Roots: The Next Generations
1979
Plays Nightingale (voice)
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
Plays Neckbone (voice)
The Great North
2021
Plays Neema Sharone
Frank's Place
1987
Plays Grace Ballard
Pacific Station
1991
Plays Samantha
The Cosby Show
1984
Plays Evelyn (voice)
Bob's Burgers
2011
Plays Matilde
Monsters
1988
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Way Things Seem to Be
Full Filmography
Them
Athena · 8 episodes
2024
TV
Mystery Cuddlers
Juniper
2024
Film
As We Know It
Beverly Jones
2023
Film
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
Majorie Washburn
2023
Film
Cinnamon
Mama
2023
Film
The Great North
Neckbone (voice) · 1 episode
2021–
TV
Poms
Olive
2019
Film
Bless This Mess
Constance · 26 episodes
2019–
TV
Being Rose
Lily
2017
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Pam Grier and where are they from?
Pam Grier is 77 years old, born on May 26, 1949 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
What are the most famous roles of Pam Grier?
Pam Grier is best known for roles in Jackie Brown, Mars Attacks!, Escape from L.A..
How many movies has Pam Grier been in?
Over a 56-year career (since 1970), Pam Grier has appeared in 63 movies and 21 TV shows.
What was Pam Grier's first movie?
The career of Pam Grier began with Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970).
What is Pam Grier's most recent movie or series?
Pam Grier's most recent release is The Way Things Seem to Be, which premiered on March 29, 2026.
What TV shows has Pam Grier appeared in?
On television, Pam Grier has appeared in Smallville, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, This Is Us.
Pam Grier
1949-05-26 · Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
Pamela Suzette Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American actress. Described by director Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star, she achieved fame for her starring roles in a string of 1970s action, blaxploitation, and women in prison films for American International Pictures and New World Pictures. Her accolades include nominations for an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Satellite Award, and a Saturn Award.
Grier came to prominence with her titular roles in the films Coffy (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974); her other major films during this period included The Big Doll House (1971), Women in Cages (1971), The Big Bird Cage (1972), Black Mama, White Mama (1973), Scream Blacula Scream (1973), The Arena (1974), Sheba, Baby (1975), Bucktown (1975), and Friday Foster (1975). She portrayed the title character in Quentin Tarantino's crime film Jackie Brown (1997), and also appeared in Escape from L.A. (1996), Jawbreaker (1999), Holy Smoke!, (1999), Bones (2001), Just Wright (2010), Larry Crowne (2011), and Poms (2019).
On television, Grier portrayed Eleanor Winthrop in the Showtime comedy-drama series Linc's (1998–2000), Kate "Kit" Porter on the Showtime drama series The L Word (2004–2009), and Constance Terry in the ABC sitcom Bless This Mess (2019–2020). She received praise for her work in the animated series Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1999).