Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams

Known for
Acting
Born
March 18, 1963 (age 63)
Birthplace
Tarrytown, New York, USA

Biography

Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American singer, actress, producer, dancer, and model. She was the first Black woman to win Miss America in 1984, but resigned after nude photos of her were published in Penthouse magazine. Williams has since had a successful career in music and acting, selling millions of albums and earning critical acclaim.

Known For

Filmography

—
Women Like Us

Women Like Us

Movie

—
Baby of the Family

Baby of the Family

Movie · as Gloria

2026
The Claudia Winkleman Show poster

The Claudia Winkleman Show

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2024
Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field poster

Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field

Movie · as Self

2024
The Little Pageant That Could poster

The Little Pageant That Could

Movie · as Self (archive footage)

2024
Elsbeth poster

Elsbeth

TV · as Roslyn Bridwell · 1 ep

2023
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space poster

Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

2023
Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best poster

Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best

Movie · as Self

2023
Tripped Up poster

Tripped Up

Movie · as Patricia Chamberlain

2023
Velma poster

Velma

TV · as Dr. Perdue (voice) · 6 eps

2022
Los lunes a las 9 poster

Los lunes a las 9

Movie · as Self (Archive Footage)

2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show poster

The Jennifer Hudson Show

TV · 1 ep

2022
Sherri poster

Sherri

TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep

2021
Bad Hair poster

Bad Hair

Movie · as Zora

2021
Show of Titles poster

Show of Titles

Movie · as "Dear World" Performer

2021
Queen of the Universe poster

Queen of the Universe

TV · as Self - Judge · 14 eps

2021
Girls5eva poster

Girls5eva

TV · as Nance Trace · 3 eps

2021
Name That Tune poster

Name That Tune

TV · as Self - Contestant · 1 ep

2021
Blankety Blank poster

Blankety Blank

TV · as Self - Panellist · 1 ep

2020
Singleholic poster

Singleholic

Movie · as Jackie Chisolm

2020
Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side poster

Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side

Movie

2020
There She Is poster

There She Is

Movie

2020
Stars in the House poster

Stars in the House

TV · as Self, Self - Special Guest · 1 ep

2020
RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race poster

RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race

TV · as Vanquisha Da House - Contestant · 1 ep

2020
Calling All T.O.T.S. poster

Calling All T.O.T.S.

TV · as Captain Beakman (voice) · 10 eps

2020
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams poster

Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams

TV · as Self - Host · 1 ep

2019
Miss Virginia poster

Miss Virginia

Movie · as Sally Rae

2019
Batman: Hush poster

Batman: Hush

Movie · as Amanda Waller (voice)

2019
The Tamron Hall Show poster

The Tamron Hall Show

TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep

2019
A Black Lady Sketch Show poster

A Black Lady Sketch Show

TV · as Delilah · 1 ep

2019
American Style poster

American Style

TV · as Self · 4 eps

2019
T.O.T.S. poster

T.O.T.S.

TV · as Captain Beakman (voice) · 150 eps

2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show poster

The Kelly Clarkson Show

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2019
First Wives Club poster

First Wives Club

TV · as Nancy · 1 ep

2018
The Legend of Hallowaiian poster

The Legend of Hallowaiian

Movie · as Fire Goddess (voice)

2018
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay poster

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay

Movie · as Amanda Waller (voice)

2018
Celebrity Catchphrase poster

Celebrity Catchphrase

TV · as Self - Contestant · 1 ep

2017
The Man from Earth: Holocene poster

The Man from Earth: Holocene

Movie · as Carolyn

2017
Not Black Enough poster

Not Black Enough

Movie · as Self

2017
Daytime Divas poster

Daytime Divas

TV · as Maxine Robinson · 10 eps

2016
The Secret She Kept poster

The Secret She Kept

Movie · as Beverly

2016
VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night poster

VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night

Movie · as Self

2016
The $100,000 Pyramid poster

The $100,000 Pyramid

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2016
Match Game poster

Match Game

TV · as Self - Panelist · 1 ep

2015
Show Boat poster

Show Boat

Movie · as Julie LaVerne

2015
Difficult People poster

Difficult People

TV · as Trish · 1 ep

2014
The Trip to Bountiful poster

The Trip to Bountiful

Movie · as Jessie Mae Watts

2014
Broad City poster

Broad City

TV · as Elizabeth Carlton · 1 ep

2014
The Librarians poster

The Librarians

TV · as Cynthia Rockwell · 4 eps

2013
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor poster

Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor

Movie · as Janice

2013
He's Way More Famous Than You poster

He's Way More Famous Than You

Movie · as Vanessa Williams

2012
666 Park Avenue poster

666 Park Avenue

TV · as Olivia Doran · 13 eps

2012
The Mindy Project poster

The Mindy Project

TV · as Dr. Phillips · 1 ep

2012
Bethenny poster

Bethenny

TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep

2012
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars poster

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars

TV · as Self - Guest Judge · 1 ep

2012
Doc McStuffins poster

Doc McStuffins

TV · as Delilah the Nesting Doll (voice) · 1 ep

2011
A Mother's Love poster

A Mother's Love

Movie · as Rochelle Richardson

2011
The Jonathan Ross Show poster

The Jonathan Ross Show

TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep

2010
Who Do You Think You Are? poster

Who Do You Think You Are?

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2010
The Talk poster

The Talk

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2009
Hannah Montana: The Movie poster

Hannah Montana: The Movie

Movie · as Vita

2009
RuPaul's Drag Race poster

RuPaul's Drag Race

TV · as Self - Special Guest, Self - Guest Judge, Self - Judge (archive footage) · 1 ep

2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen poster

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

TV · as Self - Guest · 4 eps

2009
Modern Family poster

Modern Family

TV · as Rhonda · 1 ep

2009
The Good Wife poster

The Good Wife

TV · as Courtney Paige · 4 eps

2008
Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade poster

Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade

Movie · as Self

2008
The Wendy Williams Show poster

The Wendy Williams Show

TV · 1 ep

2007
And Then Came Love poster

And Then Came Love

Movie · as Julie

2007
Shear Genius poster

Shear Genius

TV · 1 ep

2007
Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies poster

Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies

TV · as Mama Mirabelle (voice) · 26 eps

2007
The Graham Norton Show poster

The Graham Norton Show

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2006
My Brother poster

My Brother

Movie · as L'Tisha Morton

2006
Rehearsing a Dream

Rehearsing a Dream

Movie · as Self

2006
Desperate Housewives: Les Secrets de la Série poster

Desperate Housewives: Les Secrets de la Série

Movie · as Renee Perry

2006
South Beach poster

South Beach

TV · as Elizabeth Bauer · 8 eps

2006
Ugly Betty poster

Ugly Betty

TV · as Wilhelmina Slater · 85 eps

2005
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards poster

Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards

Movie · as Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)

2005
Gift for the Living poster

Gift for the Living

Movie · as Narrator

2005
Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade poster

Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade

Movie · as Self

2005
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson poster

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2005
The Reichen Show poster

The Reichen Show

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2004
Johnson Family Vacation poster

Johnson Family Vacation

Movie · as Dorothy Johnson

2004
The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest poster

The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest

Movie · as Self

2004
Christmas in Washington poster

Christmas in Washington

Movie

2004
Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song? poster

Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?

Movie · as Self (archive footage)

2004
The Tony Danza Show

The Tony Danza Show

TV · as Self - Guest · 5 eps

2004
Desperate Housewives poster

Desperate Housewives

TV · as Renee Perry · 44 eps

2004
On Air with Ryan Seacrest poster

On Air with Ryan Seacrest

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2003
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives poster

Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

Movie

2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show poster

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

TV · as Self · 3 eps

2003
The Bachelorette poster

The Bachelorette

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live! poster

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

TV · as Self, Self - Guest · 1 ep

2002
Keep the Faith, Baby poster

Keep the Faith, Baby

Movie · as Hazel Scott

2002
It's Black Entertainment poster

It's Black Entertainment

Movie · as Self - Host

2002
Miss America poster

Miss America

Movie · as Self (archival footage)

2002
Boomtown poster

Boomtown

TV · as Detective Katherine Pierce · 6 eps

2001
WW3 poster

WW3

Movie · as M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)

2001
Santa, Baby! poster

Santa, Baby!

Movie · as Alicia (voice)

2001
Good Day Live poster

Good Day Live

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2001
The Proud Family poster

The Proud Family

TV · as Debra (voice) · 1 ep

2000
Shaft poster

Shaft

Movie · as Carmen Vasquez

2000
A Diva's Christmas Carol poster

A Diva's Christmas Carol

Movie · as Ebony Scrooge

2000
The Courage to Love poster

The Courage to Love

Movie · as Mother Henriette Delille

2000
Shaft: Still the Man

Shaft: Still the Man

Movie · as Self

2000
Don Quixote poster

Don Quixote

Movie · as Dulcinea / Aldonza

2000
Afrocentricity

Afrocentricity

Movie · as Self

2000
Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends

Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends

Movie · as Herself

1999
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland poster

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland

Movie · as Queen of Trash

1999
Futuresport poster

Futuresport

Movie · as Alexandra 'Alex' Torres

1999
Light It Up poster

Light It Up

Movie · as Audrey McDonald

1998
Dance with Me poster

Dance with Me

Movie · as Ruby Sinclair

1998
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia poster

Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia

Movie · as Self

1998
L.A. Doctors poster

L.A. Doctors

TV · as Leanne Barrows · 3 eps

1998
VH1 Divas poster

VH1 Divas

TV · 1 ep

1997
Hoodlum poster

Hoodlum

Movie · as Francine Hughes

1997
Soul Food poster

Soul Food

Movie · as Teri

1997
The View poster

The View

TV · as Self, Self - Guest · 6 eps

1997
The Odyssey poster

The Odyssey

TV · as Calypso · 2 eps

1997
Ally McBeal poster

Ally McBeal

TV · as Sheila Hunt · 1 ep

1996
Eraser poster

Eraser

Movie · as Lee

1996
Jungle Cubs poster

Jungle Cubs

TV · 1 ep

1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show poster

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep

1995
Bye Bye Birdie poster

Bye Bye Birdie

Movie · as Rose Alvarez

1995
Nothing Lasts Forever poster

Nothing Lasts Forever

Movie · as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter

1995
Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II poster

Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II

Movie · as Self

1995
MADtv poster

MADtv

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child poster

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

TV · as Beauty (voice) · 1 ep

1995
Nothing Lasts Forever poster

Nothing Lasts Forever

TV · as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter · 2 eps

1994
Score with Chicks poster

Score with Chicks

Movie

1993
David Foster's Christmas Album poster

David Foster's Christmas Album

Movie · as Self

1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine poster

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

TV · as Arandis · 1 ep

1993
Intimate Portrait poster

Intimate Portrait

TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep

1992
Stompin' at the Savoy poster

Stompin' at the Savoy

Movie · as Pauline

1992
The Jaleel White Special poster

The Jaleel White Special

Movie · as Self

1992
The Jacksons: An American Dream poster

The Jacksons: An American Dream

TV · as Suzanne de Passe · 2 eps

1991
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man poster

Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man

Movie · as Lulu Daniels

1991
Another You poster

Another You

Movie · as Gloria

1990
Seriously... Phil Collins poster

Seriously... Phil Collins

Movie · as Rachel - TV Executive

1990
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer poster

Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer

Movie · as Terri Knight

1990
The Kid Who Loved Christmas poster

The Kid Who Loved Christmas

Movie · as Lynette Parks

1990
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air poster

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

TV · as Danny Mitchell · 1 ep

1989
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal poster

Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal

Movie · as Valentine Hayward

1988
Under the Gun poster

Under the Gun

Movie · as Samantha Richards

1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark poster

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

TV · as Self - Guest · 4 eps

1988
American Experience poster

American Experience

TV · as Narrator (voice) · 1 ep

1987
The Pick-up Artist poster

The Pick-up Artist

Movie · as Rae, Girl with Dog

1985
Motown Returns to the Apollo poster

Motown Returns to the Apollo

Movie

1984
Partners in Crime poster

Partners in Crime

TV · 1 ep

1982
T. J. Hooker poster

T. J. Hooker

TV · as Officer Pat Williamson · 1 ep

1980
A Capitol Fourth poster

A Capitol Fourth

TV · as Self · 46 eps

1975
Saturday Night Live poster

Saturday Night Live

TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 2 eps

1965
Days of Our Lives poster

Days of Our Lives

TV · as Valerie Grant · 3 eps

1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson poster

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1956
Tony Awards poster

Tony Awards

TV · as Self - Performer · 1 ep

1954
Miss America

Miss America

TV · as Miss New York 1983 · 1 ep

1953
The Oscars poster

The Oscars

TV · as Self · 1 ep