Vanessa Bell Calloway
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- March 20, 1957 (age 69)
- Birthplace
- Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Biography
Vanessa Bell Calloway is an American actress and dancer. She is known for her film roles as Princess Imani Izzi in the 1988 comedy Coming to America, as well as for her roles in What's Love Got to Do with It, The Inkwell, Crimson Tide, and Daylight. She is a nine-time NAACP Image Award nominee. She began her acting career in the ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children in 1985. After moving to Los Angeles in 1986, she began appearing in episodes of prime time shows such as The Colbys, Falcon Crest, 227, China Beach, A Different World, and L.A. Law. She made her film debut on Number One with a Bullet (1987), before supporting role of Eddie Murphy's character's arranged wife in the 1988 comedy Coming to America. In 1990, she co-starred alongside Joe Morton in the ABC drama series, Equal Justice. During the 1990s, she had a number of supporting roles in films, including What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) opposite Angela Bassett, The Inkwell (1994), and Crimson Tide (1995) as Denzel Washington's character wife. She also voiced main role in the 1992 animated comedy, Bébé's Kids. She had a number of leading and supporting roles in made for television movies. In 1995, she co-starred opposite James Earl Jones and Joe Morton in the short-lived CBS prime time soap opera, Under One Roof, the first drama series that featured African-American lead characters. For her role on the series, Calloway was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. She had leading roles on the short-lived NBC sitcom Rhythm & Blues (1992–93), and starred alongside Larry Hagman as his girlfriend in the CBS drama Orleans (1997). In the 2000s, she had recurring roles on Boston Public and The District. She co-starred in films including The Brothers, All About You, Dawg, Biker Boyz, Love Don't Cost a Thing, and Cheaper by the Dozen. She has guest starred on The Division, Strong Medicine, The Closer, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dexter, Rizzoli & Isles, Castle, and Grey's Anatomy. From 2010 to 2011, she had the recurring role in the TNT medical drama, Hawthorne. In 2011, she began appearing in the Showtime comedy-drama, Shameless. In 2016, she was cast as lead character in the Bounce TV first prime time soap opera, Saints & Sinners. Also in 2016, she co-starred as president Obama's future mother-in-law, Marian Shields Robinson, and in the comedy-drama film Southside with You. In 2018, she appeared in the Christian drama film Unbroken: Path to Redemption and the crime thriller Dragged Across Concrete. In 2019, she played abolitionist Harriet Tubman's mother in the biographical drama film Harriet. She reprised her role as Imani Izzi in the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
One of Them Days
Movie · as Mama Ruth
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Movie · as Idella Landy
Queens of Christmas
Movie · as Julia Mason
The Vince Staples Show
TV · as Anita · 7 eps
Black Girl, Erupted
Movie · as Dr. Rebecca Francis
Under the Boardwalk
Movie · as Val (voice)
Starkeisha
Movie · as The Voice
The Devil You Know
Movie · as Della Cowans
Mosquito
Movie · as Eve
Sherri
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Carl Weber's The Black Hamptons
TV · as Carolyn Britton · 12 eps
Wicked City
TV · as Tabitha · 6 eps
Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day
Movie · as Ella
A Holiday Chance
Movie · as Sheryl
Coming 2 America
Movie · as Imani Izzi
Baby
Movie · as Jackie
Kenan
TV · as Bobbi · 2 eps
Grand Crew
TV · as Brenda · 1 ep
Dragged Across Concrete
Movie · as Jennifer Johns
Harriet
Movie · as Rit Ross
American Skin
Movie · as Bernice
A Black Lady Sketch Show
TV · as Kiley's Mother · 1 ep
Unbelievable
TV · as Sarah · 1 ep
Black Monday
TV · as Ruth · 2 eps
Love, Once and Always
Movie · as Isabel
Unbroken: Path to Redemption
Movie · as Lila Burkholder
Thriller
Movie · as Mrs. Jackson
Throwback Holiday
Movie · as Mildred Anderson
Her Only Choice
Movie · as Dr. Bailey
The Conners
TV · as Carrie Langham · 1 ep
The Preacher's Son
Movie · as Elena
Message From a Mistress
Movie · as Heather
Southside with You
Movie · as Marian Robinson
The Bounce Back
Movie · as Ellen
Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story
Movie · as Josephine
Saints & Sinners
TV · as Lady Ella Johnson · 48 eps
This Is Us
TV · as Edie, Edie (uncredited) · 7 eps
Divas!
Movie · as Wendy
To Hell and Back
Movie
The Divorce
Movie · as Eva
Holla 2
Movie · as Marion
Between Sisters
Movie · as Lillian
A Beautiful Soul
Movie · as Guardian Angel
The Obama Effect
Movie · as Molly Thomas
The Last Fall
Movie · as Marie Bishop
The Undershepherd
Movie · as Deaconess Carter
Go On
TV · as Joyce · 2 eps
Let's Stay Together
TV · 1 ep
Shameless
TV · as Carol Fisher · 20 eps
Harry's Law
TV · as Jude Campbell · 2 eps
Ringer
TV · as Royce Wiegler · 1 ep
Rizzoli & Isles
TV · as Assistant District Attorney · 3 eps
Good Hair
Movie · as Self
Castle
TV · as Beryl Wickfield · 1 ep
Lakeview Terrace
Movie · as Aunt Dorrie
Stompin'
Movie · as Mrs. Jackson
Dexter
TV · as Crisis Counselor · 1 ep
Black in the 80s
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Grey's Anatomy
TV · as Lucinda Gamble · 2 eps
The Closer
TV · as Lynn Talmadge · 1 ep
Love Don't Co$t a Thing
Movie · as Vivian Johnson
Biker Boyz
Movie · as Anita
Cheaper by the Dozen
Movie · as Diana Philips
Joan of Arcadia
TV · as Corey Phillips · 1 ep
Cold Case
TV · as Geraldine Watkins (1970) · 1 ep
10-8: Officers on Duty
TV · as Gina Barnes · 3 eps
NCIS
TV · as Sally Hammond · 1 ep
The Red Sneakers
Movie · as Berniece
Dawg
Movie · as Christine Hodges
CSI: Miami
TV · as Tonya Washington · 1 ep
All About You
Movie · as Donna Taylor
The Brothers
Movie · as Dr. Thelma Woolridge
One on One
TV · as Michelle McCall · 1 ep
The Division
TV · as Dana · 1 ep
Love Song
Movie · as Evelyne Livingston
A Private Affair
Movie · as Nikka
Boston Public
TV · as Mrs. Michelle Ronning · 3 eps
The District
TV · as Gwen Hendrix · 4 eps
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
TV · as Judge Himmel · 1 ep
Strong Medicine
TV · as Melanie Rhodes · 1 ep
The Parkers
TV · 1 ep
Archibald the Rainbow Painter
Movie · as Diana
Prey
TV · 1 ep
The Temptations
TV · as Johnnie Mae Matthews · 2 eps
The View
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Orleans
TV · as Rosalee Clark · 8 eps
Daylight
Movie · as Grace Calloway
The Cherokee Kid
Movie · as Abby Holsopple
America's Dream
Movie · as Miss Williams (segment "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black")
Malcolm & Eddie
TV · 1 ep
Moesha
TV · as Dr. Woods · 1 ep
Crimson Tide
Movie · as Julia Hunter
Under One Roof
TV · as Maggie Langston · 6 eps
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
TV · as Princess Katusha (voice) · 1 ep
The Inkwell
Movie · as Francis Phillips
Touched by an Angel
TV · as Debra Willis · 1 ep
What's Love Got to Do with It
Movie · as Jackie
The Sinbad Show
TV · 1 ep
Where I Live
TV · 1 ep
Diagnosis: Murder
TV · as Mrs. Calender · 1 ep
Bebe's Kids
Movie · as Jamika (voice)
Memphis
Movie · as Martha Kinship
Why Colors?
Movie
Stompin' at the Savoy
Movie · as Dorothy
Rhythm & Blues
TV · as Colette Hawkins · 13 eps
The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage
TV · 1 ep
Polly: Comin' Home!
Movie · as Nancy Dodds
Dream On
TV · as Jeanette · 2 eps
Max Monroe: Loose Cannon
TV · as Velma Jones · 1 ep
Polly
Movie · as Nancy
Death Spa
Movie · as Marci Hewitt
The Return of Desperado
Movie · as Molly Pickett
Coming to America
Movie · as Imani Izzi
China Beach
TV · 1 ep
Number One with a Bullet
Movie · as Woman
A Different World
TV · as Lily Connors, Danielle Vinson · 1 ep
L.A. Law
TV · as Robyn Edwards · 1 ep
227
TV · 1 ep
The Colbys
TV · 1 ep
Simon & Simon
TV · 1 ep
Falcon Crest
TV · as Nurse · 1 ep
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV · as Nancy · 1 ep