Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, model, producer and dancer. She gained recognition as the first Black woman to win the

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 18 and 28. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is judged on competition segments with scoring percentages: ''Priva ...

title when she was crowned

Miss America 1984 Miss America 1984, the 57th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 17, 1983, on NBC Network. Miss America 1983, Debra Maffett ( Miss California 1982) crowned her successor, Miss New York 19 ...

. She would later resign her title amid a media controversy surrounding nude photographs published in ''

Penthouse Penthouse most often refers to: *Penthouse apartment, a special apartment on the top floor of a building * ''Penthouse'' (magazine), a British-founded men's magazine *Mechanical penthouse, a floor, typically located directly under a flat-roof, tha ...

'' magazine. 32 years later, Williams was offered a public apology during the

Miss America 2016 Miss America 2016 was the 89th Miss America pageant, held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 13, 2015. Kira Kazantsev of New York crowned Betty Cantrell of Georgia as her successor at the end of the event. Accordi ...

pageant for the events. Williams rebounded from the scandal with a successful career as a singer and actress. In 1988, she released her debut studio album '' The Right Stuff'', whose title single saw moderate success as well as " Dreamin', which peaked at number 8 on the

Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), ...

in the United States in 1989. With her second and third studio albums, '' The Comfort Zone'' (1991) and '' The Sweetest Days'' (1994), she saw continued commercial success and received multiple

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

nominations, including her number-one single and

signature song A signature (; from , "to sign") is a depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. Signatures are often, but not always, handwritten or styliz ...

, "

Save the Best for Last "Save the Best for Last" is a song by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams, released in January 1992 as the third single from her second studio album, '' The Comfort Zone'' (1991). The song was written by Phil Galdston, Wendy Waldman, an ...

", which she performed live at the 1993 Grammy Awards ceremonies. Her later studio albums include ''

Everlasting Love "Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden, originally a 1967 hit for Robert Knight and since covered numerous times. The most successful version in the UK was performed by Love Affair and the highest-charting version ...

'' (2005), '' The Real Thing'' (2009), and ''

Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: * one who survives Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 KKnD series#Armies, ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Foundation'', a fictional ...

'' (2024). As an actress, Williams enjoyed success on stage and screen. She made her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

debut in 1994 with '' Kiss of the Spider Woman''. In 2002, she starred as The Witch in the revival of

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

's ''

Into the Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1986 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...

'' that earned her a nomination for the

Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actresses for quality leading roles in a m ...

at the

56th Tony Awards The 56th Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall on June 2, 2002 and broadcast by CBS. "The First Ten" awards ceremony was telecast on PBS television. The event was co-hosted by Bernadette Peters and Gregory Hines. With he ...

. She starred in the revival of

Horton Foote Albert Horton Foote Jr. (March 14, 1916March 4, 2009) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He received Academy Awards for ''To Kill a Mockingbird'', which was adapted from the 1960 novel of the same name by Harper Lee, and the film, '' ...

's ''

The Trip to Bountiful ''The Trip to Bountiful'' is a 1985 American road drama film directed by Peter Masterson and starring Geraldine Page, John Heard, Carlin Glynn, Richard Bradford and Rebecca De Mornay. It was adapted by Horton Foote from his 1953 play. Th ...

'' in 2013, and the ensemble political farce '' POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive'' in 2022. She is also known for her appearances in television with her best known roles being

Wilhelmina Slater Wilhelmina Vivian Slater (born Wanda Slater) is a fictional character in the American dramedy series ''Ugly Betty''. She is played by Vanessa Williams, who received a supporting actress award at the 2007 and 2008 NAACP Image Awards, a Best TV Vi ...

on ''

Ugly Betty ''Ugly Betty'' is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from September 28, 2006, to April 14, 2010. It is based on the Colombian telenovela ''Yo soy Betty, la fea' ...

'' (2006–2010) for which she was nominated three times for the

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Prime time, or peak time, is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television shows. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...

; and

Renee Perry Renee Perry is a fictional character created by television producer and screenwriter Marc Cherry for the ABC television series ''Desperate Housewives''. She is portrayed by Vanessa Williams, and is the second African-American housewife to be a m ...

on ''

Desperate Housewives ''Desperate Housewives'' is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Marc Cherry, and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 3, 2004, until May 13, 2012, for a tota ...

'' (2010–2012). Since 2024, she has been starring in the musical '' The Devil Wears Prada'' at the

Dominion Theatre The Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre and former cinema on Tottenham Court Road, close to St Giles Circus and Centre Point, in the London Borough of Camden. Planned as primarily a musical theatre, it opened in 1929, but the following ye ...

, London.

Early life and education

Vanessa Lynn Williams was born in

Tarrytown, New York Tarrytown is a administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in the administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of Greenburgh, New York, Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County, New York (state), New York, Unit ...

with a birth announcement that read: "Here she is: Miss America". She was raised in

Millwood, New York Millwood is a hamlet and census-designated place located in the town of New Castle, New York, United States in Westchester County. It was originally settled as Sarlesville. The area now known as Millwood appears on 19th century maps as Merritt' ...

. A paternal great-great-grandfather was William Fields, an African-American legislator in the

Tennessee House of Representatives The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee. Constitutional requirements According to the state constitution of 1870, this body is to consis ...

. Williams is also of English, Welsh, Irish, Finnish, Italian, and Portuguese descent. Her mother Helen Tinch (1939–2024) met her father Milton Augustine Williams Jr. (1934–2006) while both were

music education Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as primary education, elementary or secondary education, secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a rese ...

students at Fredonia State Teachers College in the late 1950s. They became elementary school music teachers in separate districts after marriage. Milton also served as the assistant principal of his school for an extended period of time. Williams was raised Catholic, the religion of her father. Her mother, who had been raised Baptist, converted to Catholicism when she married. Williams was baptized at Our Lady of Grace Church in

the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

. Her mother played the organ at St. Theresa's Church in

Briarcliff Manor Briarcliff Manor () is a suburban village in Westchester County, New York, north of New York City. It is on of land on the east bank of the Hudson River, geographically shared by the towns of Mount Pleasant and Ossining. Briarcliff Manor inc ...

for weddings and at Mass, and Williams used to assist her mother by turning the pages of sheet music. Williams and her younger brother Chris Williams, who later became an actor, grew up in

Westchester County Westchester County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The county is the seventh most populous cou ...

, a predominantly white middle to upper-class suburb of New York City. Williams believes she may have been the first African-American student to go from the first grade to the 12th grade in the

Chappaqua Central School District The Chappaqua Central School District is a K-12 public school district in Westchester County, New York. It includes the village of Chappaqua, New York and the census-designated place of Millwood. The district has much of New Castle Town and ...

. She attended Robert E. Bell Middle School, as did her children years later. Williams revealed that the shop and home economics teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Fink, were still there when her children attended. A child of music teachers, Williams grew up in a musical household, studying classical and jazz dance, French horn, piano, and violin. She was offered the Presidential Scholarship for Drama to attend

Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The institution was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools. In 1912, it became the Carnegie Institu ...

during the college application period, one of 12 students to receive it, but decided instead to attend

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

on a different scholarship. In 1981, Williams joined Syracuse's College of Visual and Performing Arts, Department of Drama as a musical theater major. She stayed at Syracuse through her second year until she was crowned

in September 1983. In May 2008, Syracuse granted Williams a

Bachelor of Fine Arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students pursuing a professional education in the visual arts, Fine art, or performing arts. In some instances, it is also called a Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA). Background ...

degree. According to ''Syracuse News'', "Williams earned the remaining credits for her degree through industry experience and her substantial performances on stage and screen." Williams delivered the 2008 convocation address, telling Syracuse seniors to "treasure this moment. These days are irreplaceable and are the beginning of the rest of your life."

Name misattribution

Williams is most often publicly recognized simply as "Vanessa Williams." There is occasional confusion with the similarly named actress Vanessa E. Williams. It has been reported that Vanessa L. became aware of Vanessa E. in the 1980s when the

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

registrar told her that another, similarly aged student with the same name and from the same state had applied.Hobson, Louis B. (August 16, 1998), , Canoe.ca When Williams appeared as Miss America in a

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the American-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States ...

, Vanessa E. accidentally received her check for the appearance, which she returned. In the area of acting, the two ran into name conflict when

Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...

rules prohibited duplicate stage naming. Vanessa E. had registered the name "Vanessa Williams" first, so as a compromise, Williams was occasionally credited as "Vanessa L. Williams" in acting credits. To compound the confusion, both actresses starred in versions of the drama ''

Soul Food Soul food is the ethnic cuisine of African Americans. Originating in the Southern United States, American South from the cuisines of Slavery in the United States, enslaved Africans transported from Africa through the Atlantic slave trade, sou ...

'', Williams in the film version, and Vanessa E. in its TV series adaptation. The Screen Actors Guild eventually took the issue to

arbitration Arbitration is a formal method of dispute resolution involving a third party neutral who makes a binding decision. The third party neutral (the 'arbitrator', 'arbiter' or 'arbitral tribunal') renders the decision in the form of an 'arbitrati ...

, and decided both actresses could use the professional name "Vanessa Williams".

Miss America

Williams was the first

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

recipient of the

title when she was crowned Miss America 1984 on September 17, 1983. Several weeks before the end of her reign, a scandal arose when ''

'' magazine bought and published unauthorized nude photographs of her. The photographer Tom Chiapel told
very different story on the subject though in an interview
even going as far as saying that Vanessa signed a release on the pictures and even enjoyed the making of them suggesting posing with another woman. Surprisingly she also posed nude for another photographer a little over a month after Tom Chiapel according t

Unless said by Williams herself, we may never know the full truth on this story. Even though her mother fought her on the subject, Williams relinquished her title and was succeeded by the first runner-up:

Miss New Jersey The Miss New Jersey competition is an annual pageant held to select the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss America pageant. Two Miss New Jersey winners have gone on to hold the title of Miss America: Bette Cooper who won i ...

1983,

Suzette Charles Suzette Charles (born Suzette DeGaetano) is an American singer, songwriter, performer and actress. Early life Suzette DeGaetano “Charles” was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is an only child to her American mother who was a school tea ...

. Thirty-two years later in September 2015, when Williams served as head judge for the

pageant, former Miss America CEO Sam Haskell made a public apology to her for the events of 1984.

Career

Music

Williams first received public recognition for her musical abilities when she won the preliminary talent portion of the Miss America pageant with her rendition of "

Happy Days Are Here Again "Happy Days Are Here Again" is a 1929 song with music by Milton Ager and lyrics by Jack Yellen. It was originally published by Ager, Yellen, and Bornstein. The song is a standard that has been interpreted by various artists. It appeared in t ...

" (Williams would later be crowned Miss America 1984). Four years later in 1988, Williams released her debut album, '' The Right Stuff''. The first single, " The Right Stuff", found success on the

R&B chart The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

, while the second single, " He's Got the Look", found similar success on the same chart. The third single, " Dreamin'", was a pop hit, becoming Williams' first top 10 hit on the 1989 ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at No. 8, and her first number one single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album reached gold status in the U.S. and earned her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist and three

nominations, including one for

Best New Artist The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1960 (except in 1967) "for a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that ar ...

at the

31st Grammy Awards The 31st Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 22, 1989, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. This also the first Grammy Awards Ceremony with a separate rap section. Album ...

. Her 1991 second album '' The Comfort Zone'' became the biggest success in her music career. The lead single " Running Back to You" reached top twenty on the Hot 100, and the top position of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart on October 5, 1991. Other singles included " The Comfort Zone" (#2 R&B), " Just for Tonight" (#26 Pop), a cover of

The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American soul group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of the brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, ...

' "

Work to Do "Work to Do" is a 1972 funk song by the Isley Brothers, released on their T-Neck imprint. The song, written and produced by the group, was issued on their 1972 album, '' Brother, Brother, Brother'', and charted at #51 pop and #11 R&B upon its i ...

" (#3 R&B), and the club-only hit "Freedom Dance (Get Free!)". The most successful single from the album, as well as her biggest hit to date, is "

". It reached No. 1 in the United States, where it remained for five weeks, as well as No. 1 in Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada, and was in the top 5 in Japan, on the

Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are ...

and the UK Singles Chart. The album sold 2.2 million copies in the U.S. at its time of release and has since been certified triple platinum in the United States by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

, gold in Canada by the

CRIA A ''cria'' (pronounced ) is a juvenile llama, alpaca, vicuña, or guanaco. Etymology The term comes from the Spanish word , meaning "baby". Its false cognate in English, ''crya'' (pronounced ), was coined by British sailors who explored Chil ...

, and platinum in the United Kingdom by the BPI. Williams performed the song live at the

1993 Grammy Awards The 35th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1993 and recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. The nominations were announced on January 7, 1993. The evening's host was the American stand-up comedian Garry Shand ...

. ''The Comfort Zone'' earned Williams five Grammy Award nominations. '' The Sweetest Days'', her third album, was released in 1994 to highly favorable reviews. The album saw Williams branch out and sample other styles of music that included

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

, and

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

-themed recordings such as "Betcha Never" and "You Can't Run", both written and produced by

Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...

. Other singles from the album included the adult-contemporary and dance hit " The Way That You Love" and the

title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...

. The album was certified platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA and earned her two Grammy Award nominations. Other releases include two Christmas albums, '' Star Bright'' in 1996, and '' Silver & Gold'' in 2004, as well as ''

Next NeXT, Inc. (later NeXT Computer, Inc. and NeXT Software, Inc.) was an American technology company headquartered in Redwood City, California that specialized in computer workstations for higher education and business markets, and later develope ...

'' in 1997, ''

'' in 2005, and '' The Real Thing'' in 2009, along with '' Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years'', a greatest hits compilation released in 1998, and a number of other compilations released over the years. Chart performances from subsequent albums, motion picture and television soundtracks have included the songs " Love Is", which was a duet with

Brian McKnight Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Sr. (born Brian Kelly McKnight; June 5, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, actor, record producer, radio personality, and multi-instrumentalist. An Contemporary R&B, R&B performer, he is recognized for his strong ...

, the

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...

- and

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-winning "

Colors of the Wind "Colors of the Wind" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz for Walt Disney Pictures' 33rd animated feature film, '' Pocahontas'' (1995). The film's theme song, "Colors of the Wind" was originally recorded by ...

", " Where Do We Go from Here?", and "

Oh How the Years Go By "Oh How the Years Go By" is a song written by Simon Climie and Will Jennings. It was originally included on Climie's debut solo album ''Soul Inspiration'' in 1992 and released as a single in 1993, but failed to chart. Cover versions John Miles ...

". In 1996, Williams performed the

national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...

Super Bowl XXX Super Bowl XXX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion fo ...

. In April 2018, she announced she was working on a new studio album due in the fall that would incorporate her R&B,

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

, &

influences. On April 26, 2024, Williams released a new single, "

Legs (Keep Dancing) "Legs (Keep Dancing)" is a song by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams, released as the first single from her ninth studio album ''Survivor (Vanessa Williams album), Survivor''. It was released on April 26, 2024, and was her first studio ...

", the first from her ninth studio album, ''

'', which was released on August 23, 2024. Williams launched her own record label, Mellian Music, for the release. On May 13, 2024, the digital single "Legs (Keep Dancing)" debuted on the US

Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...

(''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'') chart in the Number 3 position. The single's success marks Williams' first hit on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart. In July 2024, Williams released the single "Bop!", a collaboration with

Trixie Mattel Brian Michael Firkus (born August 23, 1989), better known by the stage name Trixie Mattel, is an American drag queen, television personality, makeup entrepreneur, DJ and singer-songwriter originally from Silver Cliff, Wisconsin, Silver Cliff, Ma ...

and

Lion Babe Lion Babe is an American R&B duo from New York City, consisting of singer Jillian Hervey and record producer Lucas Goodman. Following their meeting through a mutual friend, the pair released the single "Treat Me Like Fire" in 2012, which raise ...

. Vanessa Williams has surpassed 250 million total streams on

Spotify Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...

across all credits. She averages nearly 190K daily listeners on the platform.

Television and film

Williams has had a successful career in television. Her first television appearance was on a 1984 episode of ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Wilford Lloyd Baumes that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1977, to May 24, 1986. In addition, three TV movies aired before the regular series pre ...

'' followed by guest appearances in a number of popular shows. In 1995, Williams starred as Rose Alvarez in a television adaptation of the 1960 Broadway musical ''

Bye Bye Birdie ''Bye Bye Birdie'' is a stage musical with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams, based upon a book by Michael Stewart. Originally titled ''Let's Go Steady'', ''Bye Bye Birdie'' is set in 1958. The play's book was influenced by El ...

'' and portrayed the nymph Calypso in the 1997

Hallmark Entertainment Halcyon Studios, LLC, formerly known as Sonar Entertainment, RHI Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, Qintex Entertainment, HRI Group and Robert Halmi Inc., was an American entertainment company specializing in the production and distribution ...

miniseries ''

The Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...

.'' In 2000, Williams starred in the Lifetime film about the life of

Henriette DeLille Henriette Díaz DeLille, SSF (March 11, 1813 – November 17, 1862) was a Louisiana Creole of color and Catholic religious sister from New Orleans. She founded the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1836 and served as their first Mother Superior. ...

, ''

The Courage to Love ''The Courage to Love'' is a 2000 television history film starring Vanessa L. Williams, who was also the producer. The premiere was held on 24 January 2000 on Lifetime. The film also stars Vanessa's children: Jillian Hervey, Melanie Hervey, D ...

'' and in 2003, Williams read the narrative of Tempie Herndon Durham from the WPA slave narratives in the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

documentary '' Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives''. In 2006, Williams received considerable media attention for her comic/villainess role as former model/magazine creative director turned editor-in-chief

in the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

comedy series ''

''. Her performance on the series resulted in a nomination for the

at the

59th Primetime Emmy Awards The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 16, 2007, honoring the best in U.S. prime time television programming at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was televised live on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ED ...

with additional nominations in

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

and

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

. Williams next joined the cast of ''

'' for its seventh season, where she portrayed

, an old college "frenemy" of

Lynette Scavo Lynette Scavo is a fictional character from the American comedy drama television series ''Desperate Housewives'', which aired on ABC from 2004 to 2012. Developed by series creator Marc Cherry, Lynette was portrayed by Felicity Huffman. Lynette ...

(

Felicity Huffman Felicity Kendall Huffman (born December 9, 1962) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Lynette Scavo in the ABC comedy-drama ''Desperate Housewives'' and her role as Sabrina "Bree" Osbourne, a transgender woman, in the film ''Trans ...

). In 2016, she joined the cast of '' The Librarians'', as recurring villainess General Cynthia Rockwell. She starred as Maxine Robinson in the

VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...

television series ''

Daytime Divas ''Daytime Divas'' is an American satirical comedy-drama television series developed by Amy and Wendy Engelberg for VH1. It is based on the 2011 book ''Satan's Sisters'' by former co-host of '' The View'' Star Jones. The show stars Vanessa Willi ...

'' during its one season in 2017. Williams has appeared in a number of feature films. She received an

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. The award has also been called Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture. Out of 12 films which featured African-Americans in le ...

for her portrayal of Teri Joseph for the 1997 feature film ''Soul Food''. In 2007, she starred in the independent film ''

My Brother My Brother may refer to: * ''My Brother'' (book), a biography of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan * ''My Brother'' (2004 film), a Korean film starring Won Bin * ''My Brother'' (2006 film), a film starring Vanessa L. Williams and Tatu ...

'', for which she won Best Actress honors at the

Harlem International Film Festival The Harlem International Film Festival (Hi) is an annual five-day film festival in Harlem, New York. The first festival took place in 2005. Michael Franti's ''I Know I'm Not Alone'' was named Best International Documentary at the festival that y ...

, the African-American Women in Cinema Film Festival, and at the Santa Barbara African Heritage Film Festival. She also notably co-starred with

Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...

in the 1996 film ''

Eraser An eraser (also known as a rubber in some Commonwealth countries, including South Africa from which the material first used got its name) is an article of stationery that is used for removing marks from paper or skin (e.g. parchment or vellu ...

'', Samuel L. Jackson in the 2000 soft reboot of ''

Shaft Shaft may refer to: Rotating machine elements * Shaft (mechanical engineering), a rotating machine element used to transmit power * Line shaft, a power transmission system * Drive shaft, a shaft for transferring torque * Axle, a shaft around whi ...

'', the characters from ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational television, educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Worksh ...

'' in the 1999 film ''

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland ''The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland'' (or simply ''Elmo in Grouchland'') is a 1999 American musical adventure comedy film directed by Gary Halvorson (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay written by Mitchell Kriegman and Joe ...

'', as the Queen of Trash, and with

Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Cyrus ( , born Destiny Hope Cyrus, November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and director. Regarded as a contemporary pop icon, Cyrus has been recognized for her evolving artistry and image reinventions. She is ...

in the 2009 film '' Hannah Montana: The Movie.''

Theatre

Williams began her career on stage in the 1985 production, ''One Man Band,'' as one of "the women". She followed it in 1989 as Laura in

Ron Milner Ronald Milner (May 29, 1938 – July 9, 2004) was an American playwright. His play ''Checkmates'', starring Paul Winfield and Denzel Washington, ran on Broadway in 1988. Milner also taught creative writing at the University of Southern California ...

's ''Checkmates.'' In 1994, she broadened her ascendant music career into a theatrical role when she replaced

Chita Rivera Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero (January 23, 1933 – January 30, 2024), known professionally as Chita Rivera, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Rivera received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awa ...

as Aurora in the Broadway production of '' Kiss of the Spider Woman''. In 1998, she portrayed Della Green in the revival of '' St. Louis Woman,'' and Carmen Jones in the 2002

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

Special Performance of ''

Carmen Jones ''Carmen Jones'' is a 1943 Broadway musical with music by Georges Bizet (orchestrated for Broadway by Robert Russell Bennett) and lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II which was performed at The Broadway Theatre. Conceptually, it is Bizet's ...

.'' In the same year, she was also featured in the

Tony Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony the Tiger, cartoon mascot for Frosted Flakes cereal * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * ...

and

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...

-winning revival production of

's ''

'', for which she was nominated for a

at the 56th Tony Awards and a

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical was an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award w ...

for her performance as the Witch. This production included songs revised for her. In 2010, Vanessa starred in a new Broadway musical revue entitled ''

Sondheim on Sondheim ''Sondheim on Sondheim'' is a musical revue consisting of music and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim for his many shows. It is conceived and directed by James Lapine. The revue had a limited run on Broadway in 2010. Background The revue is ...

'', a look at Stephen Sondheim through his music, film and videotaped interviews. ''Sondheim'' ran from March 19 to June 13 at

Studio 54 Studio 54 is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater and former nightclub at 254 West 54th Street (Manhattan), 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Opened as the Gallo Opera House in 1927, it served ...

in New York City. In 2013, she starred as Jessie Mae Watts in the

play ''

'', which was later turned into a 2014 television film. In 2014, she starred in the Broadway musical, '' After Midnight'' and in 2015, she appeared in a

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

production of ''

Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 Show Boat (novel), novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the per ...

'' as Julie La Verne. Williams starred as Margaret in '' POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive'' on Broadway, with performances that began on April 14, 2022, at the Shubert Theatre.Wi In February, 2024 Williams was cast to play the role of

Miranda Priestly Miranda Priestly (born Miriam Princhek; October 25, 1949) is a character in Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel '' The Devil Wears Prada'', portrayed by Meryl Streep in the 2006 film adaptation of the novel. She is the powerful New York City–bas ...

, in a stage production of the ''Devil Wears Prada'' at the

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

's West End.

Additional roles

Williams served as the host of the 1994 ''Essence'' Awards, co-host of ''

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

Salutes the Jazz Masters:

Verve Records Verve Records is an active American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Ca ...

at 50'', host of the 1998

NAACP Image Awards The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...

, host of the 2002 documentary, ''It's Black Entertainment,'' host of The 6th Annual

TV Land Awards The TV Land Awards was an American television awards ceremony that generally commemorated shows now off the air, rather than in current production as with the Emmys. Created by Executive Producer Michael Levitt, the awards were hosted and broadca ...

in 2007, host of the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2009, and host of the documentary ''Dreams Come True: A Celebration of

Disney Animation The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

'' in 2009. Williams is a spokesmodel for

Proactiv Solution Proactiv is an American brand of skin-care products developed by two American dermatologists, Katie Rodan and Kathy A. Fields, and launched in 1995 by Guthy-Renker, a California-based direct marketing company, that was endorsed by famous cele ...

, and was the first African-American spokesmodel for

L'Oréal L'Oréal S.A. () is a French multinational personal care corporation registered in Paris

cosmetics in the 1990s. In 2018, Williams returned as a spokesmodel for L'Oréal as part of their "Age Perfect" campaign alongside fellow ambassadors

Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (; born Ilyena Lydia Vasilievna Mironov; 26 July 1945) is an English actor. With a career spanning over six decades of Helen Mirren on screen and stage, screen and stage, List of awards and nominations received by Helen Mirre ...

Julianne Moore Julie Anne Smith (born December 3, 1960), known professionally as Julianne Moore, is an American actress and children's author. Prolific in film since the early 1990s, she is known for her portrayals of emotionally troubled women in independent ...

, and

Jane Fonda Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress and activist. Recognized as a film icon, Jane Fonda filmography, Fonda's work spans several genres and over six decades of film and television. She is the recipient of List of a ...

. In 2000, she appeared on ''

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (WWTBAM) is an international television game show franchise of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (British game show), British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, cu ...

'' as a contestant, and again in August 2009, as a celebrity guest during the show's tenth anniversary prime-time special editions, winning $50,000 for her charity. In a commercial that began running during

Super Bowl XLVI Super Bowl XLVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...

in 2012, Williams voiced the new character Ms. Brown, a brown M&M. In 2020, Williams was the winner of

season 1 Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to: ...

, episode 2 of ''

RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race ''RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race'' (often abbreviated as RSCDR) is an American reality competition series that premiered April 24, 2020 on VH1. A spin-off of the television series, celebrities competing for their chosen charity, mentored by ...

'', and donated her prize of $20,000 to the LGBTQ charity

The Trevor Project The Trevor Project is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1998. Focused on suicide prevention efforts for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, they offer a toll-free telephone number where con ...

Fashion

In March 2016, Williams launched her own clothing line, ''V. by Vanessa Williams'', for

EVINE Live ShopHQ (formerly ValueVision, ShopNBC, Evine Live, and Evine) was an American cable, satellite and broadcast home shopping television network and multi-channel video retailer owned by iMedia Brands Inc., whose assets were acquired by IV Media on ...

Personal life

Williams and her mother Helen co-authored a memoir titled ''You Have No Idea'', published in April 2012. In the book, Williams discusses her childhood, rise to fame, and personal struggles, including life with

type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetes (T1D), formerly known as juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body's immune system destroys pancreatic cells (beta cells). In healthy persons, beta cells produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone require ...

and the fact that she was sexually molested by a woman when she was ten years old. She spoke candidly about having an

abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...

while she was in high school. Williams is a practicing

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, something she spoke about on the

ABC News ABC News most commonly refers to: * ABC News (Australia), a national news service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation * ABC News (United States), a news-gathering and broadcasting division of the American Broadcasting Company ABC News may a ...

program ''Focus on Faith'' with Fr. Edward L. Beck. Williams has been married three times. She married Ramon Hervey II at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in 1987 just a few years after giving up her Miss America crown and gave birth to her first child at that time. Hervey was a public relations specialist who was hired to resuscitate her career after her resignation. They had three children, Melanie,

Jillian Jillian is both a feminine given name and a surname. A spelling variant of Gillian, it originates as a feminine form of the given name Julian (given name), Julian, Julio (given name), Julio, Julius (name), Julius, and Julien (given name), Julien. ...

, and Devin. They divorced in 1997. She married

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

basketball player

Rick Fox Ulrich Alexander Fox (born July 24, 1969) is a Bahamian-Canadian actor and former basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association for the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, and played college basketball for the North Caro ...

in 1999. They had one daughter, Sasha Gabriella Fox. They divorced in 2004. In 2015, she married Jim Skrip, a businessman from

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, after receiving a Church

annulment Annulment is a legal procedure within secular and religious legal systems for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning alm ...

of her first marriage. The couple quietly divorced in 2021. Her daughter, Jillian Hervey, is an American singer, dancer, and member of the group

. Williams is a grandmother. In 2013, she was in an episode of ''Who Do You Think You Are?'' to learn about her background. According to the DNA test results, she is 23% Ghanaian, 17% British, 15% Cameroonian, 12% Finnish, 11% Southern-European, 7% Togolese, 6% Beninese, 5% Senegalese and 4% Portuguese.

Activism

Williams is involved with a number of humanitarian causes. in 2011 participated in the

human rights campaign The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for L ...

New Yorkers for Marriage Equality. She currently sits on the board of The Sheen Center for Thought and Culture a creative arts space run by the Catholic Archdiocese. She is partnered with '' Dress For Success,'' an organization that provides professional attire for low-income women seeking employment. Williams is also involved with The San Miquel Academy of Newburgh, a school for boys at risk.

Honors and awards

Williams is the recipient of many awards and nominations including eleven

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

nominations for hits such as "The Right Stuff", "Save the Best for Last", and "Colors of the Wind". In addition, she has earned three

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...

nominations, a Tony Award nomination, seven NAACP Image Awards, and four

Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...

. She received a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

on March 19, 2007. In December 2017, Vanessa L. Williams participated at COAF Gala fundraising event, delivering a special performance of her Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning song "Colors of the Wind" and paid tribute to

Patricia Field Patricia Field (born February 12, 1942) is an American costume designer, stylist, and fashion designer working in New York City. Early life Field was born in New York City to an Armenian father and a Greek mother, who emigrated from Plomari, L ...

, with whom she worked on the set of the TV series ''Ugly Betty''.

Discography

;Studio albums * '' The Right Stuff'' (1988) * '' The Comfort Zone'' (1991) * '' The Sweetest Days'' (1994) * '' Star Bright'' (1996) * ''

'' (1997) * '' Silver & Gold'' (2004) * ''

'' (2005) * '' The Real Thing'' (2009) * ''

'' (2024)

Filmography

Film

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes , - , 1987 , '' The Pick-up Artist'' , Rae , , - , 1988 , ''Under the Gun'' , Samantha Richards , , - , 1989 , ''Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal'' , Valentine Hayward , rowspan="4" , Television film , - , rowspan=3, 1990 , '' Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer'' , Terri Knight , - , ''Seriously...

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...

'' , Rachel , - , ''The Kid Who Loved Christmas'' , Lynette Parks , - , rowspan=2, 1991 , ''

Another You ''Another You'' is a 1991 American comedy film directed by Maurice Phillips and produced and written by Ziggy Steinberg. It stars Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder, Mercedes Ruehl, Vanessa Williams and Kevin Pollak. It was released in the United State ...

'' , Gloria , , - , ''

Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man ''Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man'' is a 1991 American neo-Western biker film starring Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson, with a supporting cast including Chelsea Field, Tom Sizemore, Daniel Baldwin, Giancarlo Esposito, and Vanessa Williams ...

'' , Lulu Daniels , , - , 1992 , ''Stompin' at the Savoy'' , Pauline , rowspan="3" , Television film , - , rowspan=2, 1995 , ''Nothing Lasts Forever'' , Dr. Kathy "Kat" Hunter , - , ''

'' , Rose Alvarez , - , 1996 , ''

'' , Dr. Lee Cullen , , - , rowspan=2, 1997 , ''

'' , Teri Joseph , , - , ''

Hoodlum A hoodlum is a thug, usually in a group of misfits who are associated with crime or theft. Early use The earliest reference to the word "hoodlum" was in the December 14, 1866, ''San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin'' after the Hoodlum Band was ...

'' , Francine Hughes , , - , rowspan=2, 1998 , '' Dance with Me'' , Ruby Sinclair , , - , ''

Futuresport ''Futuresport'' is a 1998 American television film, made-for-television sports film directed by Ernest Dickerson, starring Dean Cain, Vanessa L. Williams, Vanessa Williams, and Wesley Snipes. It originally aired on American Broadcasting Company ...

'' , Alejandra 'Alex' Torres , Television film , - , rowspan=2, 1999 , ''

'' , Queen of Trash , , - , '' Light It Up'' , Detective Audrey McDonald , , - , rowspan=4, 2000 , ''

'' , Mother

, rowspan="2" , Television film , - , ''

Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...

'' ,

Dulcinea del Toboso Dulcinea del Toboso is a fictional character who is unseen in Miguel de Cervantes' novel ''Don Quixote''. Don Quixote believes he must have a lady, under his personal view that chivalry requires it. As he does not have one, he invents her, makin ...

/Aldonza Lorenzo , - , ''

'' , Carmen Vasquez , , - , ''

A Diva's Christmas Carol ''A Diva's Christmas Carol'' is a 2000 American Christmas musical comedy television film written and directed by Richard Schenkman and starring Vanessa L. Williams, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, Brian McNamara and Kathy Griffin. The film is bas ...

'' , Ebony Scrooge , rowspan="2" , Television film , - , rowspan=2, 2001 , ''WW3'' , M.J. Blake , - , ''Santa, Baby!'' , Alicia , Voice, television film , - , 2002 , ''Keep the Faith, Baby'' ,

Hazel Scott Hazel Dorothy Scott (June 11, 1920 – October 2, 1981) was a Trinidadian jazz and classical pianist and singer. An outspoken critic of racial discrimination and segregation, she used her influence to improve the representation of Black America ...

, Television film , - , rowspan=2, 2004 , ''

Johnson Family Vacation ''Johnson Family Vacation'' is a 2004 American road comedy film directed by Christopher Erskin in his directorial debut. It stars Cedric the Entertainer, Vanessa Williams, Bow Wow, Gabby Soleil, Shannon Elizabeth, Solange Knowles, and Steve Har ...

'' , Dorothy Johnson , , - , ''Beck and Call'' , Zoe , rowspan="2" , Short film , - , rowspan=2, 2006 , ''Rehearsing a Dream'' , Herself , - , ''

'' , L'Tisha Morton , , - , 2007 , '' And Then Came Love'' , Julie Davidson , Also executive producer , - , 2009 , '' Hannah Montana: The Movie'' , Vita , , - , 2011 , ''

Delhi Safari ''Delhi Safari'' (also known as ''Jungle Safari'') is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language computer-animated musical comedy film written and directed by Nikkhil Advani. The film traces the journey of five animals from Mumbai to Delhi as they struggle agai ...

'' , Beggum , Voice , - , rowspan=2, 2013 , '' He's Way More Famous Than You'' , Herself , , - , '' Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor'' , Janice , , - , rowspan=2, 2014 , ''

'' , Jessie Mae Watts , Television film , - , '' When Marnie Was There'' , Hisako , Voice , - , 2017 , '' The Man from Earth: Holocene'' , Carolyn , , - , rowspan=3, 2018 , '' Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay'' ,

Amanda Waller Amanda Belle Waller (née Blake), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character featured in some American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in '' Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len We ...

, rowspan="2" , Voice , - , '' The Legend of Hallowaiian'' , Fire Goddess , - , ''False Profits'' , Suzanne , Television film , - , rowspan=2, 2019 , '' Batman: Hush'' , Amanda Waller , Voice , - , ''

Miss Virginia The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represente ...

'' , Sally Ray , , - , 2020 , '' Bad Hair'' , Zora Choice , , - , 2023 , ''Tripped Up'' , Patty ,

Television

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes , - , 1979 , ''

Live from Lincoln Center ''Live from Lincoln Center'' was a seventeen-time Emmy Award-winning series that broadcast notable performances from the Lincoln Center in New York City on PBS starting 1976. The program aired between six and nine times per season. Episodes of '' ...

'' , Graduates/Off Stage Voices , Episode: "New York City Opera: Street Scene" , - , rowspan=2, 1984 , '' Partners in Crime'' , Roselle Robins , Episode: "Celebrity" , - , ''

'' , Miss America , Episode: "Ace's Valet/Mother Comes First/Hit or Miss America" , - , rowspan=4, 1986 , ''

He's the Mayor ''He's the Mayor'' is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from January 10 to March 21, 1986. It stars Kevin Hooks as a 25-year-old man who is elected mayor of his hometown. Cast and characters *Kevin Hooks as Mayor Carl Burke *Al Fann as Alv ...

'' , Herself , Episode: "An Officer and the Mayor" , - , ''

The Redd Foxx Show ''The Redd Foxx Show'' is an American television sitcom that premiered January 18, 1986, on ABC. The show was cancelled after 3 months, partly due to low ratings in its Saturday-night timeslot (the eighth episode aired in a Friday-night slot). Al ...

'' , Jessica , Episode: "The Prodigal Son" , - , ''

T.J. Hooker ''T. J. Hooker'' is an American police drama television program starring William Shatner in the title role as a 15-year veteran police sergeant. The series premiered as a mid-season replacement on March 13, 1982, on ABC and ran on the network u ...

'' , Officer Pat Williamson , Episode: "Partners in Death" , - , ''The Love Boat'' , Pearl , Episode: "My Stepmother, Myself/Almost Roommates/Cornerback Sneak" , - , rowspan="2" , 1992 , '' The Jacksons: An American Dream'' ,

Suzanne de Passe Suzanna Celeste de Passe (born July 19, 1946, 1947 or 1948) is an American businesswoman, television, music and film producer. De Passe serves as the co-chairwoman of de Passe Jones Entertainment Group. Biography Early life and education De Pas ...

, Episode: "Part I & II" , - , ''

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz that aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart ...

'' , Danny Mitchell , Episode: "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way Home from the Forum" , - , 1992–1998 , ''Saturday Night Live'' , Herself , 2 episodes , - , 1994 , ''

Great Performances ''Great Performances'' is a television anthology series dedicated to the performing arts; the banner has been used to televise plays, musicals, opera, ballet, concerts, as well as occasional documentaries. It is produced by the PBS member statio ...

'' , Herself/Host , Episode: "

Salutes the Jazz Masters:

at 50" , - , 1995 , , Beauty , Voice, episode: "Beauty and the Beast" , - , 1996 , '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' , Arandis , Episode: " Let He Who Is Without Sin..." , - , 1997 , ''

'' , Calypso , Episode: "Part I & II" , - , rowspan=2, 1999 , ''I'll Make Me a World'' , Herself/Narrator , , - , ''

L.A. Doctors ''L.A. Doctors'' is an American medical drama television series set in a Los Angeles primary care practice. It ran on CBS from September 21, 1998 to May 10, 1999. It replaced ''Brooklyn South'' after its cancellation in May 1998. Premise Four Lo ...

'' , Dr. Leanne Barrows , Recurring role , - , 2000 , ''

'' , Herself , Episode: "Dancing on Sesame Street" , - , rowspan="2" , 2002 , ''

Ally McBeal ''Ally McBeal'' is an American legal comedy-drama television series created by David E. Kelley that originally aired on Fox from September 8, 1997, to May 20, 2002. It revolves around Calista Flockhart in the title role as a lawyer working ...

'' , Sheila Hunt , Episode: "Another One Bites the Dust" , - , ''

The Proud Family ''The Proud Family'' is an American animated sitcom created by Bruce W. Smith that aired on Disney Channel for two seasons from September 15, 2001, to August 19, 2005. The series centers on the life of the titular family, including the show’s ...

'' , Debra Williams , Voice, episode: "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thingy, Baby" , - , 2003 , ''

Boomtown A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although t ...

'' , Detective Katherine Pierce , Recurring role (6 episodes) , - , 2004 , ''

Mad TV ''Mad TV'' (stylized as ''MADtv'') is an American sketch comedy television series created by David Salzman, Fax Bahr, and Adam Small. Loosely based on the humor magazine '' Mad'', ''Mad TVs pre-taped satirical sketches were primarily parodie ...

'' , Herself , Episode: "Episode #9.20" , - , 2006 , ''

South Beach South Beach, also nicknamed colloquially as SoBe, is a Neighborhoods of Miami Beach, Florida, neighborhood in Miami Beach, Florida. It is located east of Miami between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The area encompasses Miami Beach south ...

'' , Elizabeth Bauer , Main cast (8 episodes) , - , 2006–2010 , ''

'' ,

, Main cast (85 episodes) , - , 2007 , ''

Shear Genius ''Shear Genius'' is an American reality television series on the Bravo network that focuses on hair styling. The show ran for three seasons, from April 2007 to April 2010. It was hosted by actress Jaclyn Smith in seasons one and two and by Brazili ...

'' , Herself/Celebrity Judge , 2 episodes , - , 2007–2008 , ''

Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies ''Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies'' is an animated educational wildlife children's television series. The live action footage comes from the BBC Natural History Unit archives, as well as the National Geographic Society. The series originally aired ...

'' , Mama Mirabelle , Voice, main role (33 episodes) , - , 2010 , '' The A-List: New York'' , Herself , Episode: "To the Sky" , - , 2010–2012 , ''

'' ,

, Main role (46 episodes) , - , 2011–2023 , ''

RuPaul's Drag Race ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the Drag Race (franchise), ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder (company), World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, ...

'' , Herself/Guest Judge , 2 episodes , - 2012 született feleségek 46 rész Reneé Perry , rowspan="2" , 2012 , ''Kitchen Cousins'' , Herself , Episode: "Vanessa Williams Kitchen Surprise" , - , ''

Phineas and Ferb ''Phineas and Ferb'' is an American animated series, animated Musical film, musical-television comedy, comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. The series originally aired on t ...

'' , Flight Attendant , Voice, episode: "Where's Perry? Part I" , - , 2012–2013 , ''

666 Park Avenue ''666 Park Avenue'' is an American supernatural drama television series that aired on ABC from September 30, 2012, to July 13, 2013. The series was developed and produced by David Wilcox, and was loosely based upon the novel of the same name by ...

'' , Olivia Doran , Main role (13 episodes) , - , 2014 , '' The Haunting Of...'' , Herself , Episode: "Vanessa Williams" , - , rowspan=4, 2015 , ''

The Mindy Project ''The Mindy Project'' is an American romantic comedy television series created by and starring Mindy Kaling that began airing on Fox in September 2012 and finished its six-season run on Hulu in November 2017. The series was co-produced by Unive ...

'' , Dr. Philips , Episode: "Danny Castellano Is My Nutritionist" , - , ''

Royal Pains ''Royal Pains'' is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on the USA Network from 2009 to 2016. The series is based in part on contemporary concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies and follows Hank Lawson, ...

'' , Olympia Houston , 2 episodes , - , ''

The Good Wife ''The Good Wife'' is an American legal political drama television series that aired on CBS from September 22, 2009, to May 8, 2016. It focuses on Alicia Florrick, the wife of the Cook County State's Attorney, who returns to her career in law ...

'' , Courtney Paige , 4 episodes , - , ''

'' , Julie La Verne , Episode: "

Kern Kern or KERN may refer to: People * Kern (surname), includes a list of people with the name * Kern (soldier), a light infantry unit in Medieval Irish armies Places * Kern, Alaska, a ghost town in Alaska * Kern, Austria, see Sankt Marienkir ...

and

Hammerstein Hammerstein is a municipality on the river Rhine in the district of Neuwied in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. Near the village, is the Hammerstein castle. The ancient German noble family Hammerstein, which have sponsored the Hammerstein Ball ...

's ''

''" , - , 2016 , ''

Broad City ''Broad City'' is an American television sitcom created by and starring Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. It was developed from their independent web series of the same name, which was produced between 2009 and 2011. The sitcom, like the web serie ...

'' , Elizabeth Carlton , Episode: "Game Over" , - , 2016–2017 , '' The Librarians'' , General Cynthia Rockwell , 4 episodes , - , 2016–2018 , ''

Milo Murphy's Law ''Milo Murphy's Law'' is an American animated comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. The series premiered on October 3, 2016, on Disney XD. It revolves around the title charact ...

'' , Dr. Eileen Underwood , Voice, 4 episodes , - , rowspan=3, 2017 , ''

'' , Maxine Robinson , Main role (10 episodes) , - , ''

Difficult People ''Difficult People'' is an American comedy television series created by Julie Klausner. Klausner stars alongside Billy Eichner as two struggling and jaded comedians living in New York City; the duo seemingly hate everyone but each other. The ...

'' , Trish , Episode: "Strike Rat" , - , ''

Modern Family ''Modern Family'' is an American television sitcom, created by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, that aired on ABC for 11 seasons from September 23, 2009, to April 8, 2020. The series follows the lives of three diverse but interrelated fa ...

'' , Rhonda , Episode: "The Long Goodbye" , - , rowspan="2" , 2018 , '' RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars'' , Herself/Guest Judge , Episode: " Divas Lip Sync Live" , - , '' Me, Myself & I'' , Kelly Frasier , 3 episodes , - , rowspan="3" , 2019 , ''

Project Runway All Stars ''Project Runway All Stars'' is an American reality television series, and a spin-off of ''Project Runway'', featuring returning designers competing for grand prizes. Angela Lindvall and Carolyn Murphy have each hosted one season before Alyssa M ...

'' , Herself/Guest Judge , Episode: "Penneys From Heaven" , - , ''

Doc McStuffins ''Doc McStuffins'' is an animated children's television series created by Chris Nee and produced by Brown Bag Films. It aired for five seasons on Disney Jr. from March 23, 2012, to April 18, 2020. The series centers on a girl who fixes toys, w ...

'' , Delilah , Voice, episode: "Adventures in Baby Land" , - , '' First Wives Club'' , Nancy , Episode: "Something Blue" , - , 2019–2022 , ''

T.O.T.S. ''T.O.T.S.'', also known as ''Tiny Ones Transport Service'', is an American animated children's television series created by Travis Braun. The series debuted on Disney Junior on June 14, 2019. It focuses on Pip and his friend Freddy who tend ba ...

'' , , Voice, main role (64 episodes) , - , 2020 , ''

'' , Herself/Vanqueisha De House , Contestant (

) , - , 2020–2021 , '' Twenties'' , Angela , 3 episodes , - , rowspan="2" , 2021 , ''

Kenan Kenan (also spelled Qenan, Kaynan, Caynam or Cainan) (; ; ) is an Antediluvian patriarch first mentioned in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. The '' Sefer ha-Yashar'' describes Cainan, the possessor of great astrological wisdom, which h ...

'' , Tasha Noble , Episode: "Hair Show" , - , '' Marvel's Wastelanders: Star-Lord'' ,

Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne (comics), John Byrne, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''The Uncanny ...

, Voice, main role (10 episodes) , - , 2021–2024 , ''

Girls5eva ''Girls5eva'' is an American musical comedy television series created by Meredith Scardino that premiered on May 6, 2021, on Peacock. It follows four women who were part of a girl group named Girls5eva, which was briefly popular around the year ...

'' , Nance Trace , 3 episodes , - , 2021–2023 , '' Queen of the Universe'' , Herself/Judge , Main role (14 episodes) , - , rowspan=2, 2022 , ''

Carpool Karaoke Carpool Karaoke was a recurring segment on '' The Late Late Show with James Corden'', in which host James Corden invites famous musical guests to sing along to their songs with him while traveling in a car driven by Corden on a planned route usu ...

'' , Herself , Episode: "

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

Chelsea Clinton Chelsea Victoria Clinton (born February 27, 1980) is an American writer. She is the only child of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Senator. Clinton was born in Little Rock, Ar ...

Amber Ruffin Amber Mildred Ruffin (born January 9, 1979) is an American comedian, writer and actress. She hosted her own late-night talk show titled '' The Amber Ruffin Show'' on Peacock. She has been a writer for ''Late Night with Seth Meyers'' since 2014. ...

" , - , ''

A Black Lady Sketch Show ''A Black Lady Sketch Show'' is an American sketch comedy television series created by Robin Thede for HBO. The show consists of comedy sketches performed by a main cast of Black women, consisting of producer and creator Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, ...

'' , Delilah , Episode: "It’s a New Day, Africa America!" , - , rowspan=3, 2023 , ''

American Experience ''American Experience'' is a television program airing on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, about important or interesting events and people in American his ...

'' , Herself/Narrator , Episode: "

Zora Neale Hurston Zora Neale Hurston (January 7, 1891 – January 28, 1960) was an American writer, anthropologist, folklorist, and documentary filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-20th-century American South and published research on Hoodoo ...

: Claiming a Space" , - , ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' , rowspan="2" , Herself , Episode: "Grand Finale" , - , ''Great Performances'' , Episode: "Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best" , - , rowspan=2, 2024 , '' Velma'' , Dr. Perdue (voice) , 6 episodes , - , ''

Elsbeth Elsbeth is a feminine given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name *Elsbeth Juda (born 1911), British photographer * Elsbeth Lange 1928 - 2009, German palynologist and archaeologist * Elsbeth Levy Bothe (born 192 ...

'' , Rosalyn Bridwell , Episode: "Diamonds are for Elsbeth"

Theater

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" , - ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Venue , - , 1985 , ''One Man Band'' , The Women , South Street Theatre,

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

, - , 1988 , ''Checkmates'' , Laura McClellan-Williams , Westwood Playhouse , - , 1994 , ''The Jazz Masters, Live from Carnegie Hall'' , Host/Performer ,

, - , 1994 , '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' , Spider Woman/Aurora Replacement ,

Broadhurst Theatre The Broadhurst Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 235 West 44th Street (Manhattan), 44th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1917, the thea ...

debut , - , 1998 , '' St. Louis Woman'' , Della Green , rowspan="2" ,

New York City Center New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama, and the New York City Center 55th Street Theater) is a performing arts center at 131 West 55th Street (Manhattan), 55th Street between Sixth Avenue, Six ...

, Off-Broadway , - , 2001 , ''Broadway Bash'' , Performer , - , rowspan="3" , 2002 , rowspan="2" , ''

'' , rowspan="2" , The Witch ,

Ahmanson Theatre The Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that compose the Los Angeles Music Center. Shows at this theater are produced by Center Theatre Group. History The theatre was built as a result of a donation from Howard F. Ahmanson Sr, the ...

, - ,

, Broadway , - , ''

'' , Carmen Jones ,

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

, - , 2004 , ''Silver & Gold'' , Herself/Performer ,

Palace Theatre Palace Theatre, or Palace Theater, is the name of many theatres in different countries, including: Australia *Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria *Palace Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales Canada *Palace Theatre, housed in the Robillard Block, Mo ...

, Broadway , - , 2010 , ''

'' , Performer ,

, Broadway , - , rowspan="2" , 2013 , ''

'' , Jessie Mae Watts ,

Stephen Sondheim Theatre The Stephen Sondheim Theatre, formerly Henry Miller's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 124 West 43rd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Owned by the Durst Organization and managed by the Rou ...

, Broadway , - , '' After Midnight'' , Special Guest Star ,

Brooks Atkinson Theatre The Lena Horne Theatre (previously the Mansfield Theatre and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 256 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1926, it was desi ...

, Broadway , - , 2014 , ''

'' , Julie La Verne ,

New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...

Avery Fisher Hall David Geffen Hall is a concert hall at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. The 2,200-seat auditorium opened in 1962, and is the home of the New York Philharmonic. The facility, designed by Max Abramovitz, was o ...

, - , 2018 , ''Hey Look Me Over'' , Performer , New York City Center, Off-Broadway , - , 2020 , '' City of Angels'' , Carla Haywood/Alaura Kingsley ,

Garrick Theatre The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play, ...

, West End , - , rowspan="4" , 2022 , ''Seth'' ''Rudetsky'''''s'' ''Broadway Concert Series'' , Herself/Performer ,

Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

, Broadway , - , ''

Anyone Can Whistle ''Anyone Can Whistle'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Described as "a satire on conformity and the insanity of the so-called sane," the show tells a story of an economically depressed town ...

'' , Cora Hoover Hooper , Carnegie Hall , - , '' POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive'' , Margaret , Shubert Theatre, Broadway , - , ''50 Years of Broadway at the Kennedy Center'' , Performer , Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , - , 2023 , ''

Gutenberg! The Musical! ''Gutenberg! The Musical!'' is a musical written and composed by Scott Brown (writer), Scott Brown and Anthony King (writer), Anthony King. Brown and King developed the show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, where versions ...

'' , Producer ,

James Earl Jones Theatre The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 138 West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. It was built in ...

, Broadway , - , 2024 , ''KRISTIN: An Evening with Friends for Todd'' , Performer , Stephen Sondheim Theatre, Broadway , - , rowspan="2" , 2024–25 , '' The Devil Wears Prada'' ,

Theatre Royal, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Plymouth, is a theatre venue in Plymouth, Devon. It consists of a 1,300-seat main auditorium, The Lyric, which regularly hosts large-scale musicals, opera and ballet; a 200-seat studio, The Drum; and a 50-seat studio, The Lab. ...

(July–August 2024) and

, West End (from Oct 24) , - , '' A Wonderful World'' , (Producer only) , Studio 54, Broadway

Video games

{, class="wikitable" , - ! Year ! Title ! Voice , - , 1996 , '' You Don't Know Jack Volume 2'' , Herself

Bibliography

* *

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Vanessa 1963 births Living people 20th-century African-American women singers 21st-century African-American women singers Actors from Westchester County, New York Actresses from New York City African-American actresses African-American beauty pageant winners African-American Catholics African-American fashion designers African-American history of Westchester County, New York African-American jazz musicians American contemporary R&B singers American dance musicians American film actresses American gospel singers American LGBTQ rights activists American people of English descent American people of Welsh descent American people of Irish descent American people of Finnish descent American people of Italian descent American people of Portuguese descent American soul singers American television actresses American voice actresses American women fashion designers American fashion designers American women jazz singers American jazz singers American women pop singers Catholics from New York (state) Concord Records artists Dancers from New York (state) Entertainers from the Bronx Horace Greeley High School alumni Lava Records artists Mercury Records artists Miss America 1980s delegates Miss America Preliminary Talent winners Miss America winners Miss New York winners People with type 1 diabetes Polydor Records artists RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race winners Singers from New York City Syracuse University alumni Theatre World Award winners