Born in Tulsa, OK; educated at Boston University. Versatile black character actress who pushed the art of dead-pan to new heights as the hotel manager in Robert Altman's droll satire, H.E.A.L.T.H. (1979). Eventually Woodard would create a rich gallery of characterizations which, whether poverty-stricken or upper class, educated or not, never lost a certain instinctual savvy and realistic viewpoint. She copped her first Oscar nomination for one of her best-known roles, Geechee in CROSS CREEK (1983), and was hilarious as Popeye Jackson in MISS FIRECRACKER (1989). While film roles were few and far between during much of the 1980s, she devoted her energy to theater and the small screen, playing Denzel WashingtonÕs obstetrician girlfriend on "St. Elsewhere" and winning two Emmys for guest spots on "Hill Street Blues" and the pilot episode of "L.A. Law". The 1990s witnessed an upswing in Woodard's feature film work; playing firm but sympathetic servants or employees who eventually befriend their superiors on several occasions, she shone as the nurse-turned-confidante who refuses to take any guff from her paralyzed patient in John Sayles' PASSION FISH (1992). Woodard has productively acted opposite Danny Glover on several occasions -- they were paired romantically in Lawrence Kasden's saga of yuppie angst, GRAND CANYON (1991) and again as Nelson and Winnie Mandela in MANDELA (1987), a made-for-TV biography. Other notable credits include SCROOGED (1988), THE GUN IN BETTY LOU'S HANDBAG (1992), BOPHA! (1993), BLUE CHIPS and CROOKLYN (both 1994), HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT (1995), PRIMAL FEAR and STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT (both 1996), SECRETS (1997), MUMFORD (1999), LOVE & BASKETBALL (2000), K-PAX (2001), SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER and BABY IN THE FAMILY (both 2002), THE SINGING DETECTIVE, THE CORE and RADIO (all 2003). THE FORGOTTEN (2004), BEAUTY SHOP (2005), SOMETHING NEW and TAKE THE LEAD (both 2006), and TEMPTING HYENAS and BURY ME STANDING (both scheduled for 2008). Woodard appeared in the recurring role of Betty Applewhite in 20 episodes of the TV series "Desperate Housewives" (2005-2006).  Nominated for Supporting Actress 1983: CROSS CREEK 1 nomination