VW
Vanessa Williams
Actor
Born March 18, 1963 (59 years)
An American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, and actress. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal involving nude photographs caused her to relinquish her title early. Williams rebounded by launching a career as an entertainer, earning Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award nominations.
Williams released her debut album The Right Stuff in 1988, which spawned the hits "The Right Stuff," a #1 on Hot Dance Songs, and "Dreamin'," a #1 on R&B and #8 on Billboard Hot 100. Her second studio album, The Comfort Zone, in 1991 topped the Billboard R&B Album Chart, and spawned the number-one hit, "Save the Best for Last."
In 1994 she debuted on Broadway in the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman. In 1995 she recorded the Oscar-winner for Best Original Song, "Colors of the Wind," from the Disney animated feature film Pocahontas. It went on to reach #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Williams's first major movie role was as the star of the feature film Eraser in 1996. She also starred in the movies Soul Food, Dance with Me, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Shaft and Johnson Family Vacation.
From 2006 to 2010 she played the role of self-absorbed diva and former supermodel Wilhelmina Slater in the ABC comedy series Ugly Betty. In 2009, Williams released her eighth studio album, The Real Thing. In 2010 she joined the ensemble cast of the series Desperate Housewives as spoiled rich woman Renee Perry.
Filmography
| 2022 | Singleholic · as Jackie Chisolm |
| 2021 | Kenan (TV Series) · as Tasha |
| 2021 | Girls5eva (TV Series) · as Nance Trace |
| 2020 | Bad Hair · as Zora |
| 2020 | Twenties (TV Series) · as Angela |
| 2020 | Calling All T.O.T.S. (TV Series) · as Captain Beakman (voice) |
| 2020 | Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 2019 | Batman: Hush · as Amanda Waller (voice) |
| 2019 | First Wives Club (TV Series) · as Nancy |
| 2019 | American Style (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 2019 | T.O.T.S. (TV Series) · as Captain Beakman (voice) |
| 2019 | Miss Virginia · as Sally Rae |
| 2018 | Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay · as Amanda Waller (voice) |
| 2018 | The Legend of Hallowaiian · as Fire Goddess (voice) |
| 2017 | The Man from Earth: Holocene · as Carolyn |
| 2017 | Daytime Divas (TV Series) · as Maxine Robinson |
| 2017 | Me, MYSELF & I (TV Series) · as Kelly Frasier |
| 2016 | Milo Murphy's Law (TV Series) · as Dr. Eileen Underwood |
| 2015 | Difficult People (TV Series) · as Trish |
| 2014 | When Marnie Was There · as Hisako |
| 2014 | The Trip to Bountiful · as Jessie Mae Watts |
| 2014 | Broad City (TV Series) · as Elizabeth Carlton |
| 2014 | The Librarians (2014) (TV Series) · as Cynthia Rockwell |
| 2013 | He's Way More Famous Than You · as Vanessa Williams |
| 2013 | Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor · as Janice |
| 2012 | Doc McStuffins (TV Series) · as Delilah |
| 2012 | The Mindy Project (TV Series) · as Dr. Phillips |
| 2012 | 666 Park Avenue (TV Series) · as Olivia Doran |
| 2012 | Delhi Safari · as Begum |
| 2011 | Tim Alexander's A Mother's Love · as Unknown |
| 2009 | RuPaul's Drag Race (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 2009 | Royal Pains (TV Series) · as Olympia Houston |
| 2009 | Modern Family (TV Series) · as Rhonda |
| 2009 | The Good Wife (TV Series) · as Courtney Paige |
| 2009 | Hannah Montana: The Movie · as Vita |
| 2008 | The Wendy Williams Show (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 2007 | And Then Came Love · as Julie |
| 2007 | Phineas and Ferb (TV Series) · as Flight Attendant |
| 2007 | Shear Genius (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 2007 | Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies (TV Series) · as Mama Mirabelle (voice) |
| 2006 | My Brother · as L'Tisha Morton |
| 2006 | Ugly Betty (TV Series) · as Willhelmina Slater |
| 2004 | Johnson Family Vacation · as Dorothy Johnson |
| 2004 | The Tony Danza Show (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 2004 | Desperate Housewives (TV Series) · as Renee Perry |
| 2004 | Christmas in Washington · as Unknown |
| 2002 | Keep the Faith, Baby · as Hazel Scott |
| 2002 | Boomtown (TV Series) · as Detective Katherine Pierce |
| 2001 | Santa, Baby! · as Alicia (voice) |
| 2001 | WW 3 · as M.J. Blake |
| 2001 | The Proud Family (TV Series) · as Debra |
| 2000 | A Diva's Christmas Carol · as Ebony Scrooge |
| 2000 | The Courage to Love · as Mother Henriette Delille |
| 2000 | Don Quixote · as Dulcinea / Aldonza |
| 2000 | Shaft · as Carmen Vasquez |
| 1999 | The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland · as Queen of Trash |
| 1999 | Light It Up · as Audrey McDonald |
| 1998 | Futuresport · as Alexandra 'Alex' Torres |
| 1998 | L. A. Doctors (TV Series) · as Dr. Leanne Barrows |
| 1998 | Dance with Me · as Ruby Sinclair |
| 1997 | Hoodlum · as Francine Hughes (as Vanessa L. Williams) |
| 1997 | Soul Food · as Teri |
| 1997 | The Odyssey (1997) (TV Series) · as Calypso |
| 1997 | Ally McBeal (TV Series) · as Sheila Hunt |
| 1996 | Eraser · as Lee Cullen |
| 1996 | Jungle Cubs (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1995 | Bye Bye Birdie · as Rose Alvarez |
| 1995 | Nothing Lasts Forever · as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter |
| 1995 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (TV Series) · as Beauty (voice) |
| 1995 | Nothing Lasts Forever (TV Series) · as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter |
| 1994 | Chicago Hope (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1993 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) · as Arandis |
| 1992 | Stompin' at the Savoy · as Pauline |
| 1992 | The Jacksons: An American Dream (TV Series) · as Suzanne de Passe |
| 1991 | Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man · as Lulu Daniels |
| 1991 | Another You · as Gloria |
| 1990 | Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer · as Terri Knight |
| 1990 | The Kid Who Loved Christmas · as Lynette Parks |
| 1990 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV Series) · as Danny Mitchell |
| 1989 | Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal · as Valentine Hayward |
| 1988 | Under the Gun · as Samantha Richards |
| 1988 | Vanessa Williams: Dreamin' · as Vanessa Williams |
| 1987 | The Pick-up Artist · as Rae, Girl with Dog |
| 1986 | The Redd Foxx Show (TV Series) · as Jessica |
| 1984 | Partners in Crime (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1982 | T.J. Hooker (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Pearl |
| 1976 | Live from Lincoln Center (TV Series) · as Graduates |
| 1965 | Days of Our Lives (TV Series) · as Valerie Grant |
| 1921 | Miss America Pageant (TV Series) · as Unknown |