Alfre Woodard acts.
Alfre Woodard . She also starred as Dr. Roxanne Turner in the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere , for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1986 , and for Guest Actress in 1988 . She also drew critical praise for her performances in the independent dramas Passion Fish ( 1992 ) , for which she won an Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress , as well as Down in the Delta ( 1998 ) . From 2005 to 2006 , Woodard starred as Betty Applewhite in the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives , and later starred in several short-lived series .