For as long as we have seen Jenifer Lewis on the big and small screen, she has always brought something that made her stand out among her colleagues: lots of sassiness and wit.

Mostly known for playing numerous mother roles in several projects ('Not Easily Broken,' 'The Cookout,' and 'The Brothers'), the Kinloch, Missouri native always makes one smile when she graces the scene.

With the release of 'The Princess and the Frog' on home video, many can see Lewis play Mama Odie opposite the voices of Anika Noni Rose, and in a rare film occurrence, Lewis gets to sing in the film.

Black Voices caught up with the former 'Dreamgirls' star as she celebrates the release of the 'Princess' DVD.

Doing animated films is old hat for you. Were you able to ad-lib anything for your character of Mama Odie?

Jenifer Lewis: Oh God, yes! They pretty much let you go free. Professionally you stick to the script, because you want to honor the writers, but you get in that booth and start creating. There's a joy in creating a character like Mama Odie because she's the fairy godmother here.

You get to sing, too. Most people haven't seen that on the big screen.

JL: It makes it even more intimate in your living rooms.

The film is historic for a lot of reasons. It's the first black princess, and hopefully it'll be remembered in the same stable as other Disney princesses. What does it mean for you to be in a film like this?

JL: It's an incredible experience. 'The Princess and the Frog' is an idea of the time it arrived. With (President) Obama, it's a time for change and hope. It's not a soundbite, that's how I feel. Time has arrived to have an African American princess who has a job, is actually working to get what she wants. She is the first American princess, also.

When you're in the booth you don't always have a chance to work with the entire cast necessarily. Did you get a chance to bond with Anika [Noni Rose] and the rest of the cast?

JL: Oh yeah, they put us together all the time! We've become a family. Most definitely, and that's been one of the biggest joys, getting to know the rest of this cast. You read the script and you know what the characters are doing. Sometimes they'll match up the voices, and they'll let you hear what's going on. The voice director is right in front of you. It takes a lot of creativity and a lot of imagination. That's what Disney gives you space for. You're not locked into commenting on that character predictably. It's not predictable. "What are you doing? What are you doing?" They have all of that to work with, and then the masterminds come in to edit it and pick the take that they want. It's a very magical experience, and to see it all put together is magical. I sat there watching it and went "WOW!"

How different is this character from others you've played in animation?

JL: Mama Odie was a human being. I played a spider woman once, then I was a turtle in 'Shark Tale,' I was a car in 'Cars,' but now I'm playing a human being, so that made a big difference. Gave me even more roads to go down, because human beings have choice.

You always bring a level of wit to your work. How do you balance doing film, TV, and theater?

JL: It's a love of the craft. I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world to have known at a very early age what I wanted to do with my life, to entertain people. I've been blessed with so many gifts and I'm trying to honor the gifts.

When you see someone like Mo'Nique, a black actress and comedienne who reinvents herself and wins an Oscar, that gives hope for a lot of actresses, especially black actresses because there's always the complaint that there's never enough roles for them.

JL: Of course there's not enough roles for them, but right now they're creating more, and a lot of actresses are starting to write their own material. I want to make one thing clear though: I see no distinction between African American actresses and Caucasian actresses and Asian actresses.... It's all individuals. The opportunities are out there, but this generation forgot the hard work that comes behind it. A lot of the younger actresses, we're watching them burn out too soon, and it's unfortunate. Whether it's Mo'Nique or Meryl Streep, it comes down to the hard work to pursue that dream, any creative dream.

A lot of times you get typecast playing someone's mother. What type of roles would you like to play?

JL: It's hard to say. Let me give it to you like this: I live in the moment. When it comes it comes. I didn't worry about it. You come into a twilight, but I think I've grown a lot, and have been so lucky, and it'll all come the way it's supposed to because I laid the foundation. I don't think any of us ever know what's next, but there's always a feeling of great happiness because I know it'll be a great role. I always tell kids that you gotta be in it to win it. It's when you're hardest hit that you musn't quit. You gotta be patient, do your homework, and go in there and do your best.

Is 'Cars 2' still in the works?

JL: It's in the works now as we speak. You'll have to ask the professionals, but at my end I think they've certainly begun with the formative stuff. They're getting it going!

What work are you most proud of?

JL: I guess that would be 'What's Love Got to Do With It?' I was very proud of my performance in that. Other than that maybe one of my one-woman shows.