Vanessa Williams
Born: 1963-05-12 in New York City, New York, USA
Known For: Acting
Biography
Vanessa Estelle Williams (sometimes professionally credited as Vanessa A. Williams) is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her roles as Maxine Joseph–Chadway in the Showtime drama series, Soul Food (2000–04), for which she received NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series, and as Rhonda Blair in the first season of the Fox prime time soap opera, Melrose Place (1992–93). She is also known as Nino Brown's feisty gun moll, Keisha in the 1991 crime drama film, New Jack City and as Anne-Marie McCoy in the first and fourth of the Candyman films. Though not related, she is sometimes confused with American actress, singer, and former Miss America 1984, Vanessa L. Williams. Both women were also, coincidentally, born in New York in the same year. In addition, Vanessa A. Williams starred in the television soap opera, Soul Food, while Vanessa L. Williams starred in the original film.
Filmography
2026
- Wild Rose as Joyce
2025
- Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies as Self - (archive footage)
2023
- Black Girl, Erupted as Cassandra Cole
- Cruel Encounters as Corynne
2022
- Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story as Lucille
- Mid-Century as Beverly Gordon
- Angie's Cure as Carla
2021
- American Horror Stories as Dr. Eleanor Berger
- Candyman as Anne-Marie McCoy
- A Luv Tale as Candice
- Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion as Eve Christmas
- A Rich Christmas as Aggie Maggy / Madison
2020
- Love on a Two Way Street as Gloria
2019
- One Fine Christmas as Susan
- I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones as Rebecca
2018
- 9-1-1 as Claudette Collins
- 40 and Single as Bertha Brown
- Thriller as Mrs. Walker
2014
- The Flash as Francine West
- Crossed the Line as Juice
- Men, Money & Gold Diggers as Sandra Winslow
2012
- Sugar Mommas as Lynn
- Raising Izzie as Tonya
2009
- Imagine That as Lori Strother
- Contradictions of the Heart as Lea
2008
- The Wendy Williams Show
- Flirting with Forty as Kristine
2007
- Phineas and Ferb as Flight Attendant (voice)
- Ice Spiders as Dr. April Sommers
2004
- Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me as Self (voice)
2003
- Cold Case as Crystal Stacy (2007)
- Black Listed as J.W.
2002
- Like Mike as Pharmacist
- Our America as Sandra Williams
2001
- Good Day Live as Self
2000
- Soul Food as Maxine Chadway
- Punks as Jennifer
- Playing with Fire as Riana Roberts
1999
- Total Recall 2070
- Incognito as Wilhelmina Hunter
1997
- Between Brothers as Rebecca
1996
- The Pretender as Denise Clements
- The Steve Harvey Show as Nina
- Malcolm & Eddie
- Buddies
- Mother as Donna
1995
1994
- Chicago Hope as Grace Carr
- Drop Squad as Mali
1993
1992
- Melrose Place as Rhonda
- Candyman as Anne-Marie McCoy
- The Jaleel White Special
1991
- New Jack City as Keisha
1990
- Law & Order as Vera
1984
- The Cosby Show as Jade