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 ed the ensemble cast of the series Desperate Housewives as spoiled rich woman Renee Perry.
Filmography
all 146
TV Shows 79
Movies 67
self 55
Voice 12
Narrator 1
Producer 1
Elsbeth (2024)
Tripped Up (2023)
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space (2023)
Velma (2023)
Sherri (2022)
Queen of the Universe (2021)
Show of Titles (2021)
Girls5eva (2021)
Name That Tune (2021)
Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race (2020)
Calling All T.O.T.S. (2020)
Singleholic (2020)
Stars in the House (2020)
Miss Virginia (2019)
Tamron Hall (2019)
Batman: Hush (2019)
T.O.T.S. (2019)
The Legend of Hallowaiian (2018)
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018)
Daytime Divas (2017)
The Secret She Kept (2016)
Match Game (2016)
Show Boat (2015)
The Librarians (2014)
The Trip to Bountiful (2014)
Broad City (2014)
He's Way More Famous Than You (2013)
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2012)
666 Park Avenue (2012)
The Mindy Project (2012)
Bethenny (2012)
The Jonathan Ross Show (2011)
A Mother's Love (2011)
A Poem Is... (2011)
Modern Family (2009)
The Good Wife (2009)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009)
RuPaul's Drag Race (2009)
Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies (2007)
Ugly Betty (2006)
South Beach (2006)
My Brother (2006)
Gift for the Living (2005)
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards (2005)
Desperate Housewives (2004)
The Tony Danza Show (2004)
Johnson Family Vacation (2004)
Boomtown (2002)
Keep the Faith, Baby (2002)
It's Black Entertainment (2002)
Santa, Baby! (2001)
The Proud Family (2001)
WW3 (2001)
A Diva's Christmas Carol (2000)
Shaft (2000)
Don Quixote (2000)
The Courage to Love (2000)
Light It Up (1999)
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999)
Futuresport (1999)
I'll Make Me a World (1999)
L.A. Doctors (1998)
Dance with Me (1998)
Ally McBeal (1997)
Hoodlum (1997)
The View (1997)
The Odyssey (1997)
Eraser (1996)
The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996)
Bye Bye Birdie (1995)
Nothing Lasts Forever (1995)
Nothing Lasts Forever (1995)
MADtv (1995)
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995)
Intimate Portrait (1993)
The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992)
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991)
Another You (1991)
The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
Seriously... Phil Collins (1990)
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal (1989)
American Experience (1988)
LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988)
Under the Gun (1988)
The Pick-up Artist (1987)
T. J. Hooker (1982)
Saturday Night Live (1975)
Days of Our Lives (1965)
Tony Awards (1956)
The Oscars (1953)
Someone You Love: The HPV Epidemic
Don Quixote
Information
Known For
Acting
Gender
Female
Birthday
1963-03-18 (62 years old)
Birth Name
Vanessa Lynn Williams
Birth Place
The Bronx, United States
Religion
Catholicism
Height
168-centimeter
Net Worth
$28 Million
Relationships
Rick Fox (1999 - 2004), Ramon Hervey II (1987 - 1997)
Spouse
Jim Skrip
Children
Sasha Fox, Jillian Hervey
Father
Milton Augustine Williams
Siblings
Chris Williams
Citizenships
United States
Residences
Chappaqua · Millwood, United States
Also Known As
Vanessa L. William, Vanessa Lynn Williams, ونسا ویلیامز
Awards
Theatre World Award, Mary Pickford Award, star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
Last updated:
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Vanessa Williams - Filmography
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