See Debbie Allen Guest Star as Terrence Howard's Mother in Fight Night (TEASER)
There's little the venerated choreographer and actress can't do, and that includes playing the mother to Terrence Howard's Cadillac Richie in the unbelievable story of a real-life heist.
A monumental television icon is guest starring in a episode of Peacock's Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist: Debbie Allen.
The 74-year-old award-winning actress and dancer appears as the mother of Richard “Cadillac Richie” Wheeler (Terrence Howard), as seen in NBC Insider's exclusive sneak peek of Episode 7, which you can watch above.
In the penultimate episode, Allen’s Leola Wheeler comes in donning a white fur coat and jewels, eyeing an imposing portrait of Cadillac Richie's father, claiming the elder would “stay awake nights … plotting, planning, [and] dreaming” against Frank Moten (Samuel L. Jackson), an alleged member of the Black Mafia known as “The Black Godfather.”
It was Big Richie’s hope to one day see Moten have his just desserts.
"That day never came," Leola tells Cadillac Richie. "So, I had to stand by and watch that stripe-headed snake undermine your father, bring him down from a king to a middleman, just like what he doing to you."
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Leola then has some encouraging words for Cadillac Richie and turns the rising crime boss' head so he is looking out at the New York City skyline.
"I want that. I want all of that," demands his mother. "For you. For us. For Big Richie."
Who is Debbie Allen?
The part of the seemingly power-hungry woman belongs to the unparalleled TV legend and famed dancer Debbie Allen, whom many will recognize as Dr. Catherine Avery Fox from the hit series Grey’s Anatomy. Not only did Allen’s role on the show help her get an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, but she also received a nod for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series and has worked as an executive producer on the medical drama since 2015.
The famous Houston-born choreographer already holds five NAACP Image Awards, including for her starring role as dance instructor Lydia Grant in the syndicated series Fame (1982-1987). The real-life dancer reprised her role from the 1980 film of the same name, which helped Allen win a Golden Globe and her first of five total Emmy Awards.
It would only be the start, as Allen would go on to be nominated for 21 Emmys across her spectacular career in the performing arts, according to the Television Academy. Four of those were from the record-breaking 10 times she choreographed the Oscars, as detailed by Entertainment Weekly. Her work as a producer alongside Steven Spielberg on the 1997 film Amistad also added to her trophy case in the ’90s.
She’s no stranger to the NBCUniversal family, having directed and produced The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World — The Cosby Show star Phylicia Rashad is Allen’s real-life sister — and starred as the leading lady in In the House.
Some of Allen’s more recent successes include directing credits on shows such as Jane the Virgin, Scandal, Empire, and How to Get Away with Murder, per her IMDB profile.
When inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2022, an honor she accepted from her sister, Allen touched on the lasting impact of her career.
“It is just glorious because we are so privileged and so lucky to work in an industry, in a community where we can touch millions and millions of people around the world,” she said in her acceptance speech.
Allen continues to run the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles.
See her appearance in Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, now available to stream on Peacock.
