Vanessa Williams
Vanessa Williams
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.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
148
Gender
Female
Birthday
1963-03-18 (62 years old)
Place of Birth
Tarrytown, New York, USA
Acting

2024

Elsbeth as Roslyn Bridwell

2024

The Little Pageant That Could as Self (archive footage)

2023

Velma as Dr. Perdue (voice)

2023

Tripped Up as Patricia Chamberlain

2023

Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space as Narrator (voice)

2022

Sherri as Self - Guest

2022

The Jennifer Hudson Show as Not available

2021

Girls5eva as Nance Trace

2021

Name That Tune as Self - Contestant

2021

Queen of the Universe as Self - Judge

2021

Bad Hair as Zora

2021

Show of Titles as "Dear World" Performer

2020

Stars in the House as Self

2020

Stars in the House as Self - Special Guest

2020

Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Special Guest / Vanqueisha De House

2020

Calling All T.O.T.S. as Captain Beakman (voice)

2020

There She Is as Not available

2020

Singleholic as Jackie Chisolm

2019

The Kelly Clarkson Show as Not available

2019

T.O.T.S. as Captain Beakman (voice)

2019

Tamron Hall as Self - Guest

2019

A Black Lady Sketch Show as Delilah

2019

American Style as Self

2019

Batman: Hush as Amanda Waller (voice)

2019

Miss Virginia as Sally Rae

2018

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay as Amanda Waller (voice)

2018

The Legend of Hallowaiian as Fire Goddess (voice)

2017

Daytime Divas as Maxine Robinson

2017

Not Black Enough as Self

2016

Match Game as Self - Panelist

2016

The Secret She Kept as Beverly

2015

Difficult People as Trish

2015

Show Boat as Julie LaVerne

2014

Broad City as Elizabeth Carlton

2014

The Librarians as Cynthia Rockwell

2014

The Trip to Bountiful as Jessie Mae Watts

2013

He's Way More Famous Than You as Vanessa Williams

2012

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as Self - Guest Judge

2012

The Mindy Project as Dr. Phillips

2012

666 Park Avenue as Olivia Doran

2012

Bethenny as Self - Guest

2011

The Jonathan Ross Show as Self - Guest

2011

A Mother's Love as Rochelle Richardson

2009

The Good Wife as Courtney Paige

2009

Modern Family as Rhonda

2009

RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Special Guest

2009

RuPaul's Drag Race as Not available

2009

RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Guest Judge

2009

RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Judge (archive footage)

2008

The Wendy Williams Show as Not available

2007

Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies as Mama Mirabelle (voice)

2007

Shear Genius as Not available

2007

And Then Came Love as Julie

2006

Ugly Betty as Willhelmina Slater

2006

South Beach as Elizabeth Bauer

2006

My Brother as L'Tisha Morton

2006

Rehearsing a Dream as Self

2005

The Reichen Show as Self

2005

Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards as Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)

2005

Gift for the Living as Narrator

2004

Desperate Housewives as Renee Perry

2004

The Tony Danza Show as Self - Guest

2004

Johnson Family Vacation as Dorothy Johnson

2004

Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song? as Self (archive footage)

2004

Christmas in Washington as Not available

2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self

2003

The Bachelorette as Self

2002

Boomtown as Detective Katherine Pierce

2002

It's Black Entertainment as Self - Host

2002

Keep the Faith, Baby as Hazel Scott

2001

Good Day Live as Self

2001

The Proud Family as Debra (voice)

2001

WW3 as M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)

2001

Santa, Baby! as Alicia (voice)

2000

Shaft as Carmen Vasquez

2000

Don Quixote as Dulcinea / Aldonza

2000

The Courage to Love as Mother Henriette Delille

2000

A Diva's Christmas Carol as Ebony Scrooge

2000

Afrocentricity as Self

1999

Light It Up as Audrey McDonald

1999

Futuresport as Alexandra 'Alex' Torres

1998

LateLine as Not available

1998

L.A. Doctors as Leanne Barrows

1998

VH1 Divas as Not available

1998

Dance with Me as Ruby Sinclair

1997

The View as Self

1997

The View as Self - Guest

1997

The View as Not available

1997

The Odyssey as Calypso

1997

Ally McBeal as Sheila Hunt

1997

Hoodlum as Francine Hughes

1997

Soul Food as Teri

1996

Jungle Cubs as Not available

1996

The Rosie O'Donnell Show as Self - Guest

1996

Eraser as Lee Cullen

1995

MADtv as Self

1995

Nothing Lasts Forever as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter

1995

Bye Bye Birdie as Rose Alvarez

1995

Nothing Lasts Forever as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter

1994

Chicago Hope as Not available

1994

Score with Chicks as Not available

1993

Intimate Portrait as Self (archive footage)

1992

The Jacksons: An American Dream as Suzanne de Passe

1992

Stompin' at the Savoy as Pauline

1991

Another You as Gloria

1990

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Danny Mitchell

1990

The Kid Who Loved Christmas as Lynette Parks

1990

Seriously... Phil Collins as Rachel - TV Executive

1989

Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal as Valentine Hayward

1988

LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest

1988

American Experience as Narrator (voice)

1988

Under the Gun as Samantha Richards

1987

The Pick-up Artist as Rae, Girl with Dog

1984

Partners in Crime as Not available

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

1956

Tony Awards as Self - Performer

1953

The Oscars as Self
Crew

2000

The Courage to Love Executive Producer