Vanessa Williams

Birthday:

03/18/1963

Place of birth:

Tarrytown, New York, USA:

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.



Credits

Tripped Up (2023)
Patricia Chamberlain
Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field (2023)
Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best (2023)
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space (2023)
Narrator (voice)
Bad Hair (2021)
Zora
Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side (2020)
Singleholic (2020)
Jackie Chisolm
Miss Virginia (2019)
Sally Rae
Batman: Hush (2019)
Amanda Waller (voice)
The Legend of Hallowaiian (2018)
Fire Goddess (voice)
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018)
Amanda Waller (voice)
The Man from Earth: Holocene (2017)
Carolyn
Not Black Enough (2017)
Self
The Secret She Kept (2016)
Beverly
Show Boat (2015)
Julie LaVerne
The Trip to Bountiful (2014)
Jessie Mae Watts
He's Way More Famous Than You (2013)
Vanessa Williams
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013)
Janice
A Mother's Love (2011)
Rochelle Richardson
Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
Vita
And Then Came Love (2007)
Julie
Rehearsing a Dream (2006)
My Brother (2006)
L'Tisha Morton
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards (2005)
Witch (segment "Into the Woods")
Christmas in Washington (2004)
The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest (2004)
Self
Johnson Family Vacation (2004)
Dorothy Johnson
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives (2003)
Keep the Faith, Baby (2002)
Hazel Scott
It's Black Entertainment (2002)
Self - Host
Santa, Baby! (2001)
Alicia (voice)
WW 3 (2001)
M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
A Diva's Christmas Carol (2000)
Ebony Scrooge
Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends (2000)
Herself
Afrocentricity (2000)
Self
Shaft (2000)
Carmen Vasquez
Don Quixote (2000)
Dulcinea / Aldonza
The Courage to Love (2000)
Mother Henriette Delille
Shaft: Still the Man (2000)
Self
Light It Up (1999)
Audrey McDonald
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999)
Queen of Trash
Futuresport (1999)
Alexandra 'Alex' Torres
Dance with Me (1998)
Ruby Sinclair
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia (1998)
Self
Soul Food (1997)
Teri
Hoodlum (1997)
Francine Hughes
Eraser (1996)
Lee Cullen
Bye Bye Birdie (1995)
Rose Alvarez
Nothing Lasts Forever (1995)
Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
Score with Chicks (1994)
Stompin' at the Savoy (1992)
Pauline
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991)
Lulu Daniels
Another You (1991)
Gloria
The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)
Lynette Parks
Seriously... Phil Collins (1990)
Rachel - TV Executive
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer (1990)
Terri Knight
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal (1989)
Valentine Hayward
Under the Gun (1988)
Samantha Richards
The Pick-up Artist (1987)
Rae, Girl with Dog
The Courage to Love (2000)
Executive Producer