Claim: Leslie Uggams had a role on a TV show.

Leslie Marian Uggams -LRB- born May 25 , 1943 -RRB- is an American actress and singer . Beginning her career as a child in the early 1950s , Uggams is recognized for portraying Kizzy Reynolds in the television miniseries Roots -LRB- 1977 -RRB- , earning Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for her performance . She had earlier been highly acclaimed for the Broadway musical Hallelujah , Baby ! , winning a Theatre World Award in 1967 and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1968 . Later in her career , Uggams received renewed notice with appearances alongside Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool -LRB- 2016 -RRB- and in a recurring role on Empire .