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.
Cruel Encounters
Corynne
2023
Black Girl, Erupted
Cassandra Cole
2023
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
Lucille
2022
Angie's Cure
Carla
2022
Mid-Century
Beverly Gordon
2022
Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion
Eve Christmas
2021
A Rich Christmas
Aggie Maggy / Madison
2021
Candyman
Anne-Marie McCoy
2021
American Horror Stories
Dr. Eleanor Berger · (1 episode)
2021
A Luv Tale
Candice · (6 episodes)
2021
Love on a Two Way Street
Gloria
2020
I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones
Rebecca
2019
One Fine Christmas
Susan
2019
40 and Single
Bertha Brown · (6 episodes)
2018
Thriller
Mrs. Walker
2018
9-1-1
Claudette Collins · (4 episodes)
2018
The Flash
Francine West · (6 episodes)
2014
Men, Money & Gold Diggers
Sandra Winslow
2014
Crossed the Line
Juice
2014
Raising Izzie
Tonya
2013
Sugar Mommas
Lynn
2012
Imagine That
Lori Strother
2009
Contradictions of the Heart
Lea
2009
Flirting with Forty
Kristine
2008
The Wendy Williams Show
(1 episode)
2008
Phineas and Ferb
Flight Attendant (voice) · (1 episode)
2007
Ice Spiders
Dr. April Sommers
2007
Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me
Self (voice)
2004
Cold Case
Crystal Stacy (2007) · (1 episode)
2003
Black Listed
J.W.
2003
Our America
Sandra Williams
2002
Like Mike
Pharmacist
2002
Good Day Live
Self · (1 episode)
2001
Soul Food
Maxine Chadway · (74 episodes)
2000
Punks
Jennifer
2000
Playing with Fire
Riana Roberts
2000
Incognito
Wilhelmina Hunter
1999
Total Recall 2070
(1 episode)
1999
Between Brothers
(1 episode)
1997
Mother
Donna
1996
The Pretender
Denise Clements · (1 episode)
1996
Malcolm & Eddie
(1 episode)
1996
The Steve Harvey Show
Nina · (1 episode)
1996
Buddies
(1 episode)
1996
Murder One
(0 episode)
1995
Murder One
Lila Marquette · (23 episodes)
1995
Drop Squad
Mali
1994
Chicago Hope
(4 episodes)
1994
Living Single
(1 episode)
1993
Candyman
Anne-Marie McCoy
1992
Melrose Place
Rhonda · (32 episodes)
1992
The Jaleel White Special
1992
New Jack City
Keisha
1991
Law & Order
Vera · (1 episode)
1990
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
(1 episode)
1988
The Cosby Show
Jade · (2 episodes)
1984
The Cosby Show
Cheryl · (2 episodes)
1984