Vanessa Williams
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.
Acted in
Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field
2024
Tripped Up
2023
as Patricia Chamberlain
Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best
2023
as Self
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space
2023
as Narrator (voice)
Velma
2023
as Dr. Perdue (voice)
Queen of the Universe
2021
as Self - Judge
Girls5eva
2021
as Nance Trace
Bad Hair
2021
as Zora
Name That Tune
2021
as Self - Contestant
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams
2020
as Self - Host
Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side
2020
Calling All T.O.T.S.
2020
as Captain Beakman (voice)
Singleholic
2020
as Jackie Chisolm
Stars in the House
2020
as Self
Stars in the House
2020
as Self - Special Guest
Miss Virginia
2019
as Sally Rae
A Black Lady Sketch Show
2019
as Delilah
Batman: Hush
2019
as Amanda Waller (voice)
T.O.T.S.
2019
as Captain Beakman (voice)
American Style
2019
as Self
The Legend of Hallowaiian
2018
as Fire Goddess (voice)
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
2018
as Amanda Waller (voice)
The Man from Earth: Holocene
2017
as Carolyn
Daytime Divas
2017
as Maxine Robinson
Not Black Enough
2017
as Self
VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night
2016
as Self
The Secret She Kept
2016
as Beverly
Match Game
2016
as Self - Panelist
Show Boat
2015
as Julie LaVerne
The Librarians
2014
as Cynthia Rockwell
The Trip to Bountiful
2014
as Jessie Mae Watts
Broad City
2014
as Elizabeth Carlton
He's Way More Famous Than You
2013
as Vanessa Williams
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor
2013
as Janice
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
2012
as Self - Guest Judge
666 Park Avenue
2012
as Olivia Doran
The Mindy Project
2012
as Dr. Phillips
A Mother's Love
2011
as Rochelle Richardson
Who Do You Think You Are?
2010
as Self
Modern Family
2009
as Rhonda
The Good Wife
2009
as Courtney Paige
Hannah Montana: The Movie
2009
as Vita
RuPaul's Drag Race
2009
as Self - Special Guest
RuPaul's Drag Race
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
2009
as Self - Judge
RuPaul's Drag Race
2009
as Self - Judge (archive footage)
Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies
2007
as Mama Mirabelle (voice)
Shear Genius
2007
And Then Came Love
2007
as Julie
Ugly Betty
2006
as Willhelmina Slater
Rehearsing a Dream
2006
as Self
South Beach
2006
as Elizabeth Bauer
My Brother
2006
as L'Tisha Morton
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
2005
as Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)
Christmas in Washington
2004
The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest
2004
as Self
Desperate Housewives
2004
as Renee Perry
Johnson Family Vacation
2004
as Dorothy Johnson
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
The Bachelorette
2003
as Self
Boomtown
2002
as Detective Katherine Pierce
Keep the Faith, Baby
2002
as Hazel Scott
It's Black Entertainment
2002
as Self - Host
Santa, Baby!
2001
as Alicia (voice)
The Proud Family
2001
as Debra (voice)
WW 3
2001
as M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
A Diva's Christmas Carol
2000
as Ebony Scrooge
Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends
2000
as Herself
Afrocentricity
2000
as Self
Shaft
2000
as Carmen Vasquez
Don Quixote
2000
as Dulcinea / Aldonza
The Courage to Love
2000
as Mother Henriette Delille
Shaft: Still the Man
2000
as Self
Light It Up
1999
as Audrey McDonald
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
1999
as Queen of Trash
Futuresport
1999
as Alexandra 'Alex' Torres
L.A. Doctors
1998
as Dr. Leanne Barrows
Dance with Me
1998
as Ruby Sinclair
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia
1998
as Self
VH1 Divas
1998
LateLine
1998
Soul Food
1997
as Teri
Hoodlum
1997
as Francine Hughes
The Odyssey
1997
as Calypso
Jungle Cubs
1996
Eraser
1996
as Lee Cullen
Bye Bye Birdie
1995
as Rose Alvarez
Nothing Lasts Forever
1995
as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
Nothing Lasts Forever
1995
as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
MADtv
1995
as Self
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
as Beauty (voice)
Chicago Hope
1994
Score with Chicks
1994
Intimate Portrait
1993
as Self (archive footage)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993
as Arandis
The Jacksons: An American Dream
1992
as Suzanne de Passe
Stompin' at the Savoy
1992
as Pauline
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
1991
as Lulu Daniels
Another You
1991
as Gloria
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
1990
as Lynette Parks
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
as Danny Mitchell
Seriously... Phil Collins
1990
as Rachel - TV Executive
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer
1990
as Terri Knight
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal
1989
as Valentine Hayward
American Experience
1988
as Narrator (voice)
Under the Gun
1988
as Samantha Richards
The Pick-up Artist
1987
as Rae, Girl with Dog
Partners in Crime
1984
T. J. Hooker
1982
A Capitol Fourth
1980
as Self
Days of Our Lives
1965
as Valerie Grant
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Performer
The Oscars
1953
as Self