Suzzanne Douglas (born April 12, 1957) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as matriarch Jerri Peterson on the WB sitcom The Parent 'Hood, starring Robert Townsend which ran from 1995-1999. Douglas has starred in several motion pictures, among them Tap, where she co-starred with Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis, Jr, How Stella Got Her Groove Back with Angela Bassett and Regina King, Jason's Lyric with Forest Whitakker, The Inkwell with Jada Pinkett Smith, as well as the Disney/ABC version of Sounder with Carl Lumbley.