In 1983, Hopkins joined the cast of NBC’s Gimme a Break!, portraying Adelaide "Addy" Wilson, the childhood friend of lead character Nell Harper played by Nell Carter. She remained a key cast member until the series concluded in 1987. Hopkins achieved further recognition in 1989 when she was cast as Rachel Baines-Crawford in the family sitcom Family Matters. Although she stepped away from being a series regular after four seasons, she returned for guest appearances through the show’s run until its finale in 1997. Hopkins left Family Matters to star in the ABC series Getting By, which aired from 1993 to 1994 and featured her in a lead role opposite Cindy Williams.
Hopkins built a steady resume in film and television throughout her career. She played Ruth “Ruthie” Raines, a time-travel specialist, in the science fiction film Trancers (1984) and reprised the role in its sequels, Trancers II (1991) and Trancers III (1992). Her later film appearances include portraying the mother of characters played by Richard T. Jones in The Wood (1999) and Romany Malco in The Love Guru (2008). Hopkins also took on a significant theatrical role in JD Lawrence’s stage production, The Clean Up Woman, in 2008.
From 2002 to 2006, Hopkins played one of the main characters in the UPN sitcom Half & Half, sharing the screen with Essence Atkins, Rachel True, and Valarie Pettiford. She also had recurring roles in television series such as The Hughleys and Any Day Now. Between 2010 and 2013, she joined the cast of the TBS sitcom Are We There Yet? starring Terry Crews and Essence Atkins. In 2014, Hopkins appeared as Martin Lawrence’s mother in the FX sitcom Partners. Two years later, she played the mother of Jerrika Hinton’s character in the 2016 ABC comedy pilot Toast, produced by ShondaLand.
Telma Hopkins has one son from her marriage to Donald B. Allen. She is also known for her dedication to charitable and community work. Hopkins has volunteered with organizations such as Caring for Babies with AIDS and Act on Arthritis, and she remains actively involved with the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). She frequently mentors youth and is a notable supporter of inspirational radio. Hopkins authorized the use of her remarks on The Jazz Joy and Roy radio show promos, noting, “I was raised by a grandmother who told me I could do whatever I wanted to do, as long as I was willing to work hard for it.”
Return to the previous page| Birth Date: | 28 Oct, 1948 |
| Age: | 71 yrs |
| Occupations: | Actor Musician Singer Television actor Film actor |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Louisville |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | Actress and singer |
| Net Worth 2021: | 3 million |
