18
Vanessa Williams
Born · March 18, 1963 (61 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Tarrytown, New York, USA
Bio
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.
Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field
0.0
2024
Tripped Up
Patricia Chamberlain
5.0
2023
Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best
Self
2.0
2023
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space
Narrator (voice)
5.0
2023
Velma
Dr. Perdue (voice) · (6 episodes)
3.5
2023
The Jennifer Hudson Show
(1 episode)
6.4
2022
Sherri
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
4.2
2022
Queen of the Universe
Self - Judge · (14 episodes)
4.5
2021
Girls5eva
Nance Trace · (3 episodes)
6.0
2021
Bad Hair
Zora
5.9
2021
Name That Tune
Self - Contestant · (1 episode)
6.3
2021
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams
Self - Host · (1 episode)
0.0
2020
Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side
0.0
2020
Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Special Guest / Vanqueisha De House · (1 episode)
5.9
2020
Calling All T.O.T.S.
Captain Beakman (voice) · (10 episodes)
7.0
2020
Singleholic
Jackie Chisolm
2.0
2020
Stars in the House
Self · (1 episode)
0.0
2020
Stars in the House
Self - Special Guest · (1 episode)
0.0
2020
Miss Virginia
Sally Rae
8.2
2019
Tamron Hall
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
5.1
2019
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Delilah · (1 episode)
7.4
2019
Batman: Hush
Amanda Waller (voice)
7.2
2019
T.O.T.S.
Captain Beakman (voice) · (150 episodes)
6.3
2019
American Style
Self · (4 episodes)
1.0
2019
The Legend of Hallowaiian
Fire Goddess (voice)
8.1
2018
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
Amanda Waller (voice)
7.1
2018
The Man from Earth: Holocene
Carolyn
5.5
2017
Daytime Divas
Maxine Robinson · (10 episodes)
3.7
2017
Not Black Enough
Self
7.7
2017
VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night
Self
0.0
2016
The Secret She Kept
Beverly
6.8
2016
The $100,000 Pyramid
Self · (1 episode)
7.3
2016
Match Game
Self - Panelist · (1 episode)
6.0
2016
Show Boat
Julie LaVerne
0.0
2015
The Librarians
Cynthia Rockwell · (4 episodes)
7.3
2014
The Trip to Bountiful
Jessie Mae Watts
5.9
2014
Broad City
Elizabeth Carlton · (1 episode)
7.2
2014
He's Way More Famous Than You
Vanessa Williams
4.0
2013
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor
Janice
6.6
2013
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
7.4
2012
666 Park Avenue
Olivia Doran · (13 episodes)
6.1
2012
The Mindy Project
Dr. Phillips · (1 episode)
6.3
2012
Bethenny
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
0.0
2012
A Mother's Love
Rochelle Richardson
0.0
2011
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self · (1 episode)
6.6
2010
Modern Family
Rhonda · (1 episode)
7.9
2009
The Good Wife
Courtney Paige · (4 episodes)
7.6
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
5.0
2009
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Vita
6.6
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Special Guest · (1 episode)
7.5
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
(1 episode)
7.5
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
7.5
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Judge (archive footage) · (1 episode)
7.5
2009
The Wendy Williams Show
(1 episode)
6.6
2008
Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies
Mama Mirabelle (voice) · (26 episodes)
8.0
2007
Shear Genius
(1 episode)
5.0
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (1 episode)
7.2
2007
And Then Came Love
Julie
5.9
2007
Ugly Betty
Willhelmina Slater · (44 episodes)
6.3
2006
Rehearsing a Dream
Self
0.0
2006
South Beach
Elizabeth Bauer · (8 episodes)
5.7
2006
My Brother
L'Tisha Morton
4.7
2006
The Reichen Show
Self · (1 episode)
4.8
2005
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)
7.2
2005
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Self · (1 episode)
6.8
2005
Christmas in Washington
2.0
2004
The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest
Self
0.0
2004
Desperate Housewives
Renee Perry · (46 episodes)
7.9
2004
The Tony Danza Show
Self - Guest · (5 episodes)
6.1
2004
Johnson Family Vacation
Dorothy Johnson
5.5
2004
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
Self · (1 episode)
9.5
2004
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · (1 episode)
5.8
2003
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
5.9
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self · (1 episode)
5.5
2003
The Bachelorette
Self · (1 episode)
4.2
2003
Boomtown
Detective Katherine Pierce · (6 episodes)
6.5
2002
Keep the Faith, Baby
Hazel Scott
5.8
2002
It's Black Entertainment
Self - Host
8.0
2002
Santa, Baby!
Alicia (voice)
4.3
2001
Good Day Live
Self · (1 episode)
3.0
2001
The Proud Family
Debra (voice) · (1 episode)
7.8
2001
WW3
M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
5.6
2001
A Diva's Christmas Carol
Ebony Scrooge
6.1
2000
Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends
Herself
10.0
2000
Afrocentricity
Self
0.0
2000
Shaft
Carmen Vasquez
6.0
2000
Don Quixote
Dulcinea / Aldonza
6.1
2000
The Courage to Love
Mother Henriette Delille
6.4
2000
Shaft: Still the Man
Self
6.0
2000
Light It Up
Audrey McDonald
6.6
1999
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
Queen of Trash
6.3
1999
Futuresport
Alexandra 'Alex' Torres
4.3
1999
L.A. Doctors
Dr. Leanne Barrows · (3 episodes)
7.0
1998
Dance with Me
Ruby Sinclair
6.9
1998
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia
Self
0.0
1998
VH1 Divas
(1 episode)
7.5
1998
LateLine
(1 episode)
0.0
1998
Soul Food
Teri
6.3
1997
Hoodlum
Francine Hughes
6.4
1997
The View
Self · (5 episodes)
4.4
1997
The View
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
4.4
1997
The Odyssey
Calypso · (2 episodes)
7.2
1997
Jungle Cubs
(1 episode)
6.1
1996
Eraser
Lee Cullen
6.1
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
3.5
1996
Bye Bye Birdie
Rose Alvarez
5.9
1995
Nothing Lasts Forever
Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter · (2 episodes)
0.0
1995
Nothing Lasts Forever
Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
6.0
1995
MADtv
Self · (1 episode)
6.9
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Beauty (voice) · (1 episode)
6.0
1995
Chicago Hope
(2 episodes)
7.2
1994
Score with Chicks
0.0
1994
Intimate Portrait
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
4.5
1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Arandis · (1 episode)
7.9
1993
The Jacksons: An American Dream
Suzanne de Passe · (2 episodes)
6.6
1992
Stompin' at the Savoy
Pauline
0.0
1992
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
Lulu Daniels
6.3
1991
Another You
Gloria
5.4
1991
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
Lynette Parks
6.6
1990
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Danny Mitchell · (1 episode)
7.9
1990
Seriously... Phil Collins
Rachel - TV Executive
0.0
1990
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer
Terri Knight
7.3
1990
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal
Valentine Hayward
5.1
1989
American Experience
Narrator (voice) · (1 episode)
7.5
1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · (4 episodes)
5.2
1988
Under the Gun
Samantha Richards
5.5
1988
The Pick-up Artist
Rae, Girl with Dog
5.6
1987
Partners in Crime
(1 episode)
6.2
1984
T. J. Hooker
(1 episode)
6.3
1982
A Capitol Fourth
Self · (44 episodes)
0.0
1980
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest · (2 episodes)
6.9
1975
Days of Our Lives
Valerie Grant · (3 episodes)
6.0
1965
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
7.4
1962
Tony Awards
Self - Performer · (1 episode)
5.0
1956
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
7.0
1953