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.
Known For
Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field
Self
2024
The Little Pageant That Could
Self (archive footage)
2024
Elsbeth
Roslyn Bridwell · (1 episode)
2024
Tripped Up
Patricia Chamberlain
2023
Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best
Self
2023
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space
Narrator (voice)
2023
Velma
Dr. Perdue (voice) · (6 episodes)
2023
The Jennifer Hudson Show
(1 episode)
2022
Sherri
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2022
Queen of the Universe
Self - Judge · (14 episodes)
2021
Show of Titles
"Dear World" Performer
2021
Girls5eva
Nance Trace · (3 episodes)
2021
Bad Hair
Zora
2021
Name That Tune
Self - Contestant · (1 episode)
2021
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams
Self - Host · (1 episode)
2020
Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side
2020
There She Is
2020
Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Special Guest / Vanqueisha De House · (1 episode)
2020
Calling All T.O.T.S.
Captain Beakman (voice) · (10 episodes)
2020
Singleholic
Jackie Chisolm
2020
Stars in the House
Self · (1 episode)
2020
Stars in the House
Self - Special Guest · (1 episode)
2020
Miss Virginia
Sally Rae
2019
Tamron Hall
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
(1 episode)
2019
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Delilah · (1 episode)
2019
Batman: Hush
Amanda Waller (voice)
2019
T.O.T.S.
Captain Beakman (voice) · (150 episodes)
2019
American Style
Self · (4 episodes)
2019
The Legend of Hallowaiian
Fire Goddess (voice)
2018
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
Amanda Waller (voice)
2018
The Man from Earth: Holocene
Carolyn
2017
Daytime Divas
Maxine Robinson · (10 episodes)
2017
Not Black Enough
Self
2017
VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night
Self
2016
The Secret She Kept
Beverly
2016
The $100,000 Pyramid
Self · (1 episode)
2016
Match Game
Self - Panelist · (1 episode)
2016
Show Boat
Julie LaVerne
2015
Difficult People
Trish · (1 episode)
2015
The Librarians
Cynthia Rockwell · (4 episodes)
2014
The Trip to Bountiful
Jessie Mae Watts
2014
Broad City
Elizabeth Carlton · (1 episode)
2014
He's Way More Famous Than You
Vanessa Williams
2013
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor
Janice
2013
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2012
666 Park Avenue
Olivia Doran · (13 episodes)
2012
The Mindy Project
Dr. Phillips · (1 episode)
2012
Bethenny
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2012
The Jonathan Ross Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2011
A Mother's Love
Rochelle Richardson
2011
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self · (1 episode)
2010
Modern Family
Rhonda · (1 episode)
2009
The Good Wife
Courtney Paige · (4 episodes)
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
2009
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Vita
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Special Guest · (1 episode)
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
(1 episode)
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Judge (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2009
The Wendy Williams Show
(1 episode)
2008
Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies
Mama Mirabelle (voice) · (26 episodes)
2007
Shear Genius
(1 episode)
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (1 episode)
2007
And Then Came Love
Julie
2007
Ugly Betty
Willhelmina Slater · (85 episodes)
2006
Rehearsing a Dream
Self
2006
South Beach
Elizabeth Bauer · (8 episodes)
2006
My Brother
L'Tisha Morton
2006
The Reichen Show
Self · (1 episode)
2005
Gift for the Living
Narrator
2005
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)
2005
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Self · (1 episode)
2005
Christmas in Washington
2004
The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest
Self
2004
Desperate Housewives
Renee Perry · (46 episodes)
2004
The Tony Danza Show
Self - Guest · (5 episodes)
2004
Johnson Family Vacation
Dorothy Johnson
2004
Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?
Self (archive footage)
2004
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
Self · (1 episode)
2004
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self · (1 episode)
2003
The Bachelorette
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Boomtown
Detective Katherine Pierce · (6 episodes)
2002
Keep the Faith, Baby
Hazel Scott
2002
It's Black Entertainment
Self - Host
2002
Santa, Baby!
Alicia (voice)
2001
Good Day Live
Self · (1 episode)
2001
The Proud Family
Debra (voice) · (1 episode)
2001
WW3
M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
2001
A Diva's Christmas Carol
Ebony Scrooge
2000
Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends
Herself
2000
Afrocentricity
Self
2000
Shaft
Carmen Vasquez
2000
Don Quixote
Dulcinea / Aldonza
2000
The Courage to Love
Mother Henriette Delille
2000
Shaft: Still the Man
Self
2000
Light It Up
Audrey McDonald
1999
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
Queen of Trash
1999
Futuresport
Alexandra 'Alex' Torres
1999
L.A. Doctors
Leanne Barrows · (3 episodes)
1998
Dance with Me
Ruby Sinclair
1998
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia
Self
1998
VH1 Divas
(1 episode)
1998
LateLine
(1 episode)
1998
Soul Food
Teri
1997
Ally McBeal
Sheila Hunt · (1 episode)
1997
Hoodlum
Francine Hughes
1997
The View
Self · (5 episodes)
1997
The View
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1997
The View
(1 episode)
1997
The Odyssey
Calypso · (2 episodes)
1997
Jungle Cubs
(1 episode)
1996
Eraser
Lee Cullen
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1996
Bye Bye Birdie
Rose Alvarez
1995
Nothing Lasts Forever
Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter · (2 episodes)
1995
Nothing Lasts Forever
Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
1995
MADtv
Self · (1 episode)
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Beauty (voice) · (1 episode)
1995
Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II
Self
1995
Chicago Hope
(2 episodes)
1994
Score with Chicks
1994
Intimate Portrait
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Arandis · (1 episode)
1993
The Jacksons: An American Dream
Suzanne de Passe · (2 episodes)
1992
Stompin' at the Savoy
Pauline
1992
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
Lulu Daniels
1991
Another You
Gloria
1991
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
Lynette Parks
1990
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Danny Mitchell · (1 episode)
1990
Seriously... Phil Collins
Rachel - TV Executive
1990
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer
Terri Knight
1990
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal
Valentine Hayward
1989
American Experience
Narrator (voice) · (1 episode)
1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · (4 episodes)
1988
Under the Gun
Samantha Richards
1988
The Pick-up Artist
Rae, Girl with Dog
1987
Partners in Crime
(1 episode)
1984
T. J. Hooker
Officer Pat Williamson · (1 episode)
1982
A Capitol Fourth
Self · (44 episodes)
1980
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest · (2 episodes)
1975
Days of Our Lives
Valerie Grant · (3 episodes)
1965
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
1962
Tony Awards
Self - Performer · (1 episode)
1956
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953