Leslie Uggams had a role on a TV show.
Empire is an American musical drama television series created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong which debuted on January 7 , 2015 on Fox . Leslie Uggams . Beginning her career as a child in the early 1950s , Uggams is recognized for portraying Kizzy Reynolds in the television miniseries Roots ( 1977 ) , earning Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for her performance . Later in her career , Uggams received renewed notice with appearances alongside Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool ( 2016 ) and in a recurring role on Empire .