Vanessa Williams
Born: 1963-03-18 in Tarrytown, New York, USA
Known For: Acting
Biography
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
2024
- Elsbeth as Roslyn Bridwell
- Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field as Self
- The Little Pageant That Could as Self (archive footage)
2023
- Velma as Dr. Perdue (voice)
- Tripped Up as Patricia Chamberlain
- Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space as Narrator (voice)
- Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best as Self
2022
- The Jennifer Hudson Show
- Sherri as Self - Guest
2021
- Girls5eva as Nance Trace
- Name That Tune as Self - Contestant
- Bad Hair as Zora
- Queen of the Universe as Self - Judge
- Show of Titles as "Dear World" Performer
2020
- Stars in the House as Self
- Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race as Vanquisha Da House - Contestant
- Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side
- Calling All T.O.T.S. as Captain Beakman (voice)
- Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams as Self - Host
- Singleholic as Jackie Chisolm
- There She Is
2019
- The Kelly Clarkson Show as Self
- Tamron Hall as Self - Guest
- T.O.T.S. as Captain Beakman (voice)
- A Black Lady Sketch Show as Delilah
- Miss Virginia as Sally Rae
- First Wives Club as Nancy
- Batman: Hush as Amanda Waller (voice)
- American Style as Self
2018
- Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay as Amanda Waller (voice)
- The Legend of Hallowaiian as Fire Goddess (voice)
2017
- The Man from Earth: Holocene as Carolyn
- Daytime Divas as Maxine Robinson
- Not Black Enough as Self
2016
- Match Game as Self - Panelist
- The $100,000 Pyramid as Self
- The Secret She Kept as Beverly
- VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night as Self
2015
- Difficult People as Trish
- Show Boat as Julie LaVerne
2014
- Broad City as Elizabeth Carlton
- The Librarians as Cynthia Rockwell
- The Trip to Bountiful as Jessie Mae Watts
2013
- Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor as Janice
- He's Way More Famous Than You as Vanessa Williams
2012
- The Mindy Project as Dr. Phillips
- RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as Self - Guest Judge
- 666 Park Avenue as Olivia Doran
- Bethenny as Self - Guest
2011
- The Jonathan Ross Show as Self - Guest
- A Mother's Love as Rochelle Richardson
2010
- Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
2009
- Modern Family as Rhonda
- The Good Wife as Courtney Paige
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Special Guest
- Hannah Montana: The Movie as Vita
2007
- The Graham Norton Show as Self
- And Then Came Love as Julie
- Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies as Mama Mirabelle (voice)
- Shear Genius
2006
- Ugly Betty as Wilhelmina Slater
- My Brother as L'Tisha Morton
- South Beach as Elizabeth Bauer
- Rehearsing a Dream as Self
2005
- The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as Self
- The Reichen Show as Self
- Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards as Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)
- Gift for the Living as Narrator
2004
- Desperate Housewives as Renee Perry
- The Tony Danza Show as Self - Guest
- On Air with Ryan Seacrest as Self
- Johnson Family Vacation as Dorothy Johnson
- The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest as Self
- Christmas in Washington
- Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song? as Self (archive footage)
2003
2002
- Boomtown as Detective Katherine Pierce
- Keep the Faith, Baby as Hazel Scott
- It's Black Entertainment as Self - Host
2001
- Good Day Live as Self
- The Proud Family as Debra (voice)
- Santa, Baby! as Alicia (voice)
- WW3 as M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
2000
- Shaft as Carmen Vasquez
- Afrocentricity as Self
- Don Quixote as Dulcinea / Aldonza
- A Diva's Christmas Carol as Ebony Scrooge
- The Courage to Love as Mother Henriette Delille
- Shaft: Still the Man as Self
- Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends as Herself
1999
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland as Queen of Trash
- Futuresport as Alexandra 'Alex' Torres
- Light It Up as Audrey McDonald
1998
- Dance with Me as Ruby Sinclair
- L.A. Doctors as Leanne Barrows
- LateLine
- Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia as Self
- VH1 Divas
1997
- The View as Self
- Ally McBeal as Sheila Hunt
- Soul Food as Teri
- The Odyssey as Calypso
- Hoodlum as Francine Hughes
1996
- Eraser as Lee Cullen
- The Rosie O'Donnell Show as Self - Guest
- Jungle Cubs
1995
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child as Beauty (voice)
- Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II as Self
- MADtv as Self
- Nothing Lasts Forever as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
- Bye Bye Birdie as Rose Alvarez
- Nothing Lasts Forever as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
1994
1993
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Arandis
- Intimate Portrait as Self (archive footage)
1992
- The Jacksons: An American Dream as Suzanne de Passe
- Stompin' at the Savoy as Pauline
1991
- Another You as Gloria
- Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man as Lulu Daniels
1990
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Danny Mitchell
- Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer as Terri Knight
- The Kid Who Loved Christmas as Lynette Parks
- Seriously... Phil Collins as Rachel - TV Executive
1989
- Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal as Valentine Hayward
1988
- American Experience as Narrator (voice)
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest
- Under the Gun as Samantha Richards
1987
- The Pick-up Artist as Rae, Girl with Dog
1984
1982
- T. J. Hooker as Officer Pat Williamson
1980
- A Capitol Fourth as Self
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self - Musical Guest
1965
- Days of Our Lives as Valerie Grant
1962
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Performer
1953
- The Oscars as Self