Debbie Allen: movies and TV shows
Debbie Allen has 152 credits in the archive: 80 films and 72 TV series, from 1971 to 2026. Highest rated: A Different World (10.0/10).
Career timeline
1971 – 2026 · busiest year: 2005 (11 credits)
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Full filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Rating | Age then |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | A Different World | TV | 10.0 | 76 | |
| 2025 | Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television | Self | TV | 2.1 | 75 |
| 2025 | A Murder in Oakland: Beauty is Deadly | Detective Foster | Film | 3.2 | 75 |
| 2024 | The Six Triple Eight | Film | 7.5 | 74 | |
| 2023 | The Hidden Power of Purpose | Narrator (voice) | Film | — | 73 |
| 2022 | The Jennifer Hudson Show | Self | TV | 5.6 | 72 |
| 2022 | The Jennifer Hudson Show | Self - Guest | TV | 5.6 | 72 |
| 2022 | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Myrtle (voice) | TV | 5.3 | 72 |
| 2022 | JANET JACKSON. | Self | TV | 7.5 | 72 |
| 2022 | A Jazzman's Blues | Film | 7.5 | 72 | |
| 2022 | Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising | Self | Film | 6.0 | 72 |
| 2022 | Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All! | Film | 5.7 | 72 | |
| 2021 | The Ms. Pat Show | TV | 7.9 | 71 | |
| 2021 | Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts | Self | TV | 3.2 | 71 |
| 2021 | Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous | Betty Samson | Film | — | 71 |
| 2020 | Cardi Tries | Self | TV | 9.5 | 70 |
| 2020 | Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square | Film | 5.8 | 70 | |
| 2020 | Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square | Film | 5.8 | 70 | |
| 2020 | Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square | Film | 5.8 | 70 | |
| 2020 | Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker | Herself | Film | 7.5 | 70 |
| 2020 | Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance | Self | Film | 5.2 | 70 |
| 2019 | Tamron Hall | Self - Guest | TV | 4.7 | 69 |
| 2019 | Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back | Self | Film | 5.0 | 69 |
| 2019 | Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back | Film | 5.0 | 69 | |
| 2018 | Black Hollywood: 'They've Gotta Have Us' | Self | TV | 6.3 | 68 |
| 2018 | American Tap | Self | Film | 6.0 | 68 |
| 2017 | S.W.A.T. | Charice Harrelson | TV | 8.0 | 67 |
| 2017 | Raven's Home | Great Aunt Maureen | TV | 7.7 | 67 |
| 2016 | Insecure | TV | 7.1 | 66 | |
| 2015 | Grace and Frankie | Dorothy | TV | 7.7 | 65 |
| 2015 | Empire | TV | 7.1 | 65 | |
| 2014 | How to Get Away with Murder | TV | 7.8 | 64 | |
| 2014 | Jane the Virgin | Beverly Flores | TV | 7.9 | 64 |
| 2014 | Jane the Virgin | TV | 7.9 | 64 | |
| 2014 | The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker | Film | — | 64 | |
| 2014 | The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker | Film | — | 64 | |
| 2014 | The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker | Film | — | 64 | |
| 2013 | Witches of East End | TV | 7.3 | 63 | |
| 2013 | A Star for Rose | Rose | Film | — | 63 |
| 2013 | A Star for Rose | Film | — | 63 | |
| 2012 | The Client List | TV | 6.6 | 62 | |
| 2011 | Dance Moms | Self | TV | 7.1 | 61 |
| 2011 | A Place for Us: West Side Story's Legacy | Self | Film | — | 61 |
| 2010 | Hellcats | TV | 7.5 | 60 | |
| 2009 | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Self | TV | 7.3 | 59 |
| 2009 | Fame | Ms. Angela Simms | Film | 5.7 | 59 |
| 2009 | Next Day Air | Ms. Jackson | Film | 5.1 | 59 |
| 2008 | Bring Back... Fame | Self | Film | — | 58 |
| 2007 | Tournament of Dreams | Rhonda Dillins | Film | 3.6 | 57 |
| 2006 | The Game | TV | 7.6 | 56 | |
| 2006 | Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story | American Idol Auditionee in Sunglasses | Film | 6.2 | 56 |
| 2006 | Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story | Film | 6.2 | 56 | |
| 2005 | Grey's Anatomy | Catherine Fox | TV | 8.2 | 55 |
| 2005 | Grey's Anatomy | Catherine Avery | TV | 8.2 | 55 |
| 2005 | Grey's Anatomy | TV | 8.2 | 55 | |
| 2005 | So You Think You Can Dance | TV | 6.8 | 55 | |
| 2005 | So You Think You Can Dance | Self - Guest Judge | TV | 6.8 | 55 |
| 2005 | Everybody Hates Chris | TV | 8.1 | 55 | |
| 2005 | Everybody Hates Chris | Mother | TV | 8.1 | 55 |
| 2005 | Everybody Hates Chris | TV | 8.1 | 55 | |
| 2005 | Bring Back... | Self - Lydia Grant | TV | 6.0 | 55 |
| 2005 | Confessions of an Action Star | Self | Film | 4.3 | 55 |
| 2005 | Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards | Anita (segment "West Side Story") (archive footage) | Film | 7.2 | 55 |
| 2004 | AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies | Self | Film | 8.3 | 54 |
| 2003 | That's So Raven | TV | 7.2 | 53 | |
| 2003 | All of Us | TV | 7.2 | 53 | |
| 2003 | All of Us | TV | 7.2 | 53 | |
| 2002 | The Twilight Zone | TV | 7.2 | 52 | |
| 2002 | It's Black Entertainment | Self | Film | 8.7 | 52 |
| 2002 | The 1st 13th Annual Fancy Anvil Awards Show Program Special: Live in Stereo | Self (uncredited) | Film | 10.0 | 52 |
| 2001 | The Division | Wanda | TV | 7.1 | 51 |
| 2001 | All About You | Ruth | Film | 9.0 | 51 |
| 2001 | The Old Settler | Quilly McGrath | Film | 3.8 | 51 |
| 2001 | The Old Settler | Film | 3.8 | 51 | |
| 2001 | The Painting | Bertha Lee Gilmore | Film | 7.3 | 51 |
| 2000 | Girlfriends | TV | 7.3 | 50 | |
| 2000 | Everything's Jake | Debbie Allen | Film | 7.0 | 50 |
| 1999 | The Parkers | TV | 8.0 | 49 | |
| 1999 | Michael Jordan: An American Hero | Deloris Jordan | Film | 6.1 | 49 |
| 1999 | Intimate Portrait: Josephine Baker | Herself | Film | 4.7 | 49 |
| 1998 | Mariah Carey: Butterfly World Tour - Live at Tokyo Dome | Film | 8.1 | 48 | |
| 1997 | Between Brothers | TV | 9.0 | 47 | |
| 1997 | Amistad | Film | 7.0 | 47 | |
| 1997 | The Middle Passage | Narrator | Film | — | 47 |
| 1997 | The Middle Passage | Film | — | 47 | |
| 1996 | The Jamie Foxx Show | TV | 6.7 | 46 | |
| 1996 | C Bear and Jamal | TV | 6.3 | 46 | |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story | TV | 8.2 | 46 | |
| 1995 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Precious (voice) | TV | 6.3 | 45 |
| 1995 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Lola (voice) | TV | 6.3 | 45 |
| 1995 | In the House | Jackie Warren | TV | 7.7 | 45 |
| 1995 | Forget Paris | Film | 6.3 | 45 | |
| 1995 | Out-of-Sync | Manicurist | Film | 4.5 | 45 |
| 1995 | Out-of-Sync | Film | 4.5 | 45 | |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel | Valerie Hill | TV | 7.2 | 44 |
| 1994 | Blank Check | Yvonne | Film | 6.0 | 44 |
| 1994 | Mona Must Die | Betty | Film | 4.0 | 44 |
| 1993 | Intimate Portrait | Self | TV | 4.5 | 43 |
| 1993 | The Sinbad Show | TV | 6.5 | 43 | |
| 1993 | Sinbad: Afros and Bellbottoms | Film | 5.3 | 43 | |
| 1992 | Stompin' at the Savoy | Estelle | Film | — | 42 |
| 1992 | Stompin' at the Savoy | Film | — | 42 | |
| 1991 | Sunday in Paris | TV | — | 41 | |
| 1991 | Sunday in Paris | Sunday Chase | Film | 6.0 | 41 |
| 1990 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | TV | 7.9 | 40 | |
| 1990 | Spike & Co. Do It a-Cappella | Self | Film | 10.0 | 40 |
| 1990 | Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella | Film | — | 40 | |
| 1990 | Polly: Comin' Home! | Film | 8.5 | 40 | |
| 1989 | Quantum Leap | Joanna Chapman | TV | 8.0 | 39 |
| 1989 | Quantum Leap | TV | 8.0 | 39 | |
| 1989 | Quantum Leap | TV | 8.0 | 39 | |
| 1989 | Polly | Film | 8.2 | 39 | |
| 1989 | The Debbie Allen Special | Self | Film | — | 39 |
| 1989 | The Debbie Allen Special | Film | — | 39 | |
| 1989 | The Debbie Allen Special | Film | — | 39 | |
| 1989 | The Debbie Allen Special | Film | — | 39 | |
| 1987 | A Different World | Dr. Langhorne | TV | 7.1 | 37 |
| 1987 | A Different World | Debbie Allen (uncredited) | TV | 7.1 | 37 |
| 1987 | A Different World | TV | 7.1 | 37 | |
| 1987 | A Different World | TV | 7.1 | 37 | |
| 1987 | The Bronx Zoo | TV | 6.5 | 37 | |
| 1987 | Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood | Self | Film | 6.0 | 37 |
| 1986 | Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling | Michelle | Film | 6.5 | 36 |
| 1985 | Night of 100 Stars II | Self | Film | 6.8 | 35 |
| 1985 | Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration | Self | Film | 7.5 | 35 |
| 1985 | Dancing in the Wings | Debbie | Film | 7.5 | 35 |
| 1985 | Dancing in the Wings | Film | 7.5 | 35 | |
| 1985 | Dancing in the Wings | Film | 7.5 | 35 | |
| 1985 | Dancing in the Wings | Film | 7.5 | 35 | |
| 1984 | The Cosby Show | Emma | TV | 7.0 | 34 |
| 1984 | Celebrity | Regina Brown | TV | 6.7 | 34 |
| 1984 | The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team | Self - Performer | Film | — | 34 |
| 1983 | Women of San Quentin | Carol Freeman | Film | 5.0 | 33 |
| 1983 | The Kids from Fame: From the Royal Albert Hall London | Self | Film | — | 33 |
| 1982 | Family Ties | TV | 7.2 | 32 | |
| 1982 | Fame | Lydia Grant | TV | 6.8 | 32 |
| 1982 | Fame | TV | 6.8 | 32 | |
| 1982 | Alice at the Palace | Red Queen | Film | 6.3 | 32 |
| 1981 | Ragtime | Sarah | Film | 7.0 | 31 |
| 1980 | Fame | Lydia | Film | 6.4 | 30 |
| 1979 | Roots: The Next Generations | Nan Branch Haley | TV | 7.5 | 29 |
| 1979 | The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh | Ola | Film | 5.6 | 29 |
| 1979 | Ebony, Ivory and Jade | Claire 'Ebony' Bryant | Film | 7.5 | 29 |
| 1978 | The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots | Self | Film | 10.0 | 28 |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Selena Moore | TV | 6.3 | 27 |
| 1977 | The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened | Julie Sutton | Film | 7.0 | 27 |
| 1977 | 3 Girls 3 | Self | TV | — | 27 |
| 1976 | Battle of the Network Stars | TV | 6.4 | 26 | |
| 1974 | Good Times | TV | 8.0 | 24 | |
| 1971 | Great Performances | Self | TV | 6.1 | 21 |
| Broadway: The Next Generation | Self | Film | — | — | |
| Splinter | Mrs. James | Film | — | — |