Vanessa Williams
Acting • Born 1963-03-18
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.
Filmography
151 credits
Shaft
Movie • 2000
Carmen Vasquez
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space
Movie • 2023
Narrator (voice)
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
Movie • 1991
Lulu Daniels
Hoodlum
Movie • 1997
Francine Hughes
A Diva's Christmas Carol
Movie • 2000
Ebony Scrooge
Eraser
Movie • 1996
Lee Cullen
And Then Came Love
Movie • 2007
Julie
Soul Food
Movie • 1997
Teri
Bye Bye Birdie
Movie • 1995
Rose Alvarez
My Brother
Movie • 2006
L'Tisha Morton
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
Movie • 1999
Queen of Trash
Futuresport
Movie • 1999
Alexandra 'Alex' Torres
Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field
Movie • 2024
Self
Dance with Me
Movie • 1998
Ruby Sinclair
The Pick-up Artist
Movie • 1987
Rae, Girl with Dog
Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best
Movie • 2023
Self
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Movie • 2009
Vita
Light It Up
Movie • 1999
Audrey McDonald
Johnson Family Vacation
Movie • 2004
Dorothy Johnson
The Courage to Love
Movie • 2000
Mother Henriette Delille
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
Movie • 2005
Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor
Movie • 2013
Janice
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal
Movie • 1989
Valentine Hayward
He's Way More Famous Than You
Movie • 2013
Vanessa Williams
Shaft: Still the Man
Movie • 2000
Self
WW3
Movie • 2001
M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
Don Quixote
Movie • 2000
Dulcinea / Aldonza
Nothing Lasts Forever
Movie • 1995
Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
Tripped Up
Movie • 2023
Patricia Chamberlain
Rehearsing a Dream
Movie • 2006
Self
A Mother's Love
Movie • 2011
Rochelle Richardson
The Trip to Bountiful
Movie • 2014
Jessie Mae Watts
Another You
Movie • 1991
Gloria
Under the Gun
Movie • 1988
Samantha Richards
Santa, Baby!
Movie • 2001
Alicia (voice)
Afrocentricity
Movie • 2000
Self
Seriously... Phil Collins
Movie • 1990
Rachel - TV Executive
The Secret She Kept
Movie • 2016
Beverly
The Man from Earth: Holocene
Movie • 2017
Carolyn
VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night
Movie • 2016
Self
Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends
Movie • 2000
Herself
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer
Movie • 1990
Terri Knight
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
Movie • 2003
Keep the Faith, Baby
Movie • 2002
Hazel Scott
Not Black Enough
Movie • 2017
Self
Singleholic
Movie • 2020
Jackie Chisolm
Show Boat
Movie • 2015
Julie LaVerne
Score with Chicks
Movie • 1994
Miss Virginia
Movie • 2019
Sally Rae
It's Black Entertainment
Movie • 2002
Self - Host
Batman: Hush
Movie • 2019
Amanda Waller (voice)
The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest
Movie • 2004
Self
Christmas in Washington
Movie • 2004
The Legend of Hallowaiian
Movie • 2018
Fire Goddess (voice)
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia
Movie • 1998
Self
Stompin' at the Savoy
Movie • 1992
Pauline
Bad Hair
Movie • 2021
Zora
Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side
Movie • 2020
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
Movie • 1990
Lynette Parks
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
Movie • 2018
Amanda Waller (voice)
Gift for the Living
Movie • 2005
Narrator
Show of Titles
Movie • 2021
"Dear World" Performer
There She Is
Movie • 2020
Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II
Movie • 1995
Self
The Little Pageant That Could
Movie • 2024
Self (archive footage)
Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
The Odyssey
Movie • 1997
Calypso
Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade
Movie • 2005
Self
Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade
Movie • 2008
Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
TV • 2003
Self
The Tony Danza Show
TV • 2004
Self - Guest
T. J. Hooker
TV • 1982
Officer Pat Williamson
Boomtown
TV • 2002
Detective Katherine Pierce
The Bachelorette
TV • 2003
Self
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
TV • 1990
Danny Mitchell
The View
TV • 1997
Self
L.A. Doctors
TV • 1998
Leanne Barrows
MADtv
TV • 1995
Self
South Beach
TV • 2006
Elizabeth Bauer
Ugly Betty
TV • 2006
Wilhelmina Slater
Shear Genius
TV • 2007
Tamron Hall
TV • 2019
Self - Guest
Jungle Cubs
TV • 1996
The Wendy Williams Show
TV • 2008
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
A Black Lady Sketch Show
TV • 2019
Delilah
Good Day Live
TV • 2001
Self
Partners in Crime
TV • 1984
666 Park Avenue
TV • 2012
Olivia Doran
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
TV • 2005
Self
RuPaul's Drag Race
TV • 2009
Self - Special Guest
Queen of the Universe
TV • 2021
Self - Judge
Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies
TV • 2007
Mama Mirabelle (voice)
The Mindy Project
TV • 2012
Dr. Phillips
Bethenny
TV • 2012
Self - Guest
American Style
TV • 2019
Self
Broad City
TV • 2014
Elizabeth Carlton
Desperate Housewives
TV • 2004
Renee Perry
Girls5eva
TV • 2021
Nance Trace
VH1 Divas
TV • 1998
The Librarians
TV • 2014
Cynthia Rockwell
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
TV • 1988
Self - Guest
Who Do You Think You Are?
TV • 2010
Self
The $100,000 Pyramid
TV • 2016
Self
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
TV • 2012
Self - Guest Judge
The Odyssey
TV • 1997
Calypso
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
The View
TV • 1997
Self - Guest
The Jennifer Hudson Show
TV • 2022
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
TV • 1995
Beauty (voice)
Nothing Lasts Forever
TV • 1995
Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
The Reichen Show
TV • 2005
Self
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
TV • 1996
Self - Guest
Name That Tune
TV • 2021
Self - Contestant
Days of Our Lives
TV • 1965
Valerie Grant
RuPaul's Drag Race
TV • 2009
The Proud Family
TV • 2001
Debra (voice)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV • 2009
Self - Guest
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Musical Guest
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
TV • 1993
Arandis
Velma
TV • 2023
Dr. Perdue (voice)
Stars in the House
TV • 2020
Self
Stars in the House
TV • 2020
Self - Special Guest
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
TV • 2004
Self
Intimate Portrait
TV • 1993
Self (archive footage)
Sherri
TV • 2022
Self - Guest
A Capitol Fourth
TV • 1980
Self
T.O.T.S.
TV • 2019
Captain Beakman (voice)
RuPaul's Drag Race
TV • 2009
Self - Guest Judge
American Experience
TV • 1988
Narrator (voice)
RuPaul's Drag Race
TV • 2009
Self - Judge (archive footage)
Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race
TV • 2020
Vanquisha Da House - Contestant
Match Game
TV • 2016
Self - Panelist
Modern Family
TV • 2009
Rhonda
The Good Wife
TV • 2009
Courtney Paige
Daytime Divas
TV • 2017
Maxine Robinson
The Jacksons: An American Dream
TV • 1992
Suzanne de Passe
Calling All T.O.T.S.
TV • 2020
Captain Beakman (voice)
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams
TV • 2020
Self - Host
The Graham Norton Show
TV • 2007
Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self
Elsbeth
TV • 2024
Roslyn Bridwell
The Kelly Clarkson Show
TV • 2019
Self
The Jonathan Ross Show
TV • 2011
Self - Guest
Ally McBeal
TV • 1997
Sheila Hunt
Difficult People
TV • 2015
Trish
First Wives Club
TV • 2019
Nancy
Celebrity Catchphrase
TV • 2018
Self - Contestant
Miss America
TV • 1954
Miss New York 1983
Doc McStuffins
TV • 2012
Delilah the Nesting Doll (voice)
The Claudia Winkleman Show
TV • 2026
Self