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.

Cast

Shaft

(Carmen Vasquez)

Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space

(Narrator (voice))

Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man

(Lulu Daniels)

Hoodlum

(Francine Hughes)

A Diva's Christmas Carol

(Ebony Scrooge)

Eraser

(Lee Cullen)

And Then Came Love

(Julie)

Soul Food

(Teri)

Bye Bye Birdie

(Rose Alvarez)

My Brother

(L'Tisha Morton)

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland

(Queen of Trash)

Futuresport

(Alexandra 'Alex' Torres)

Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field

Dance with Me

(Ruby Sinclair)

The Pick-up Artist

(Rae, Girl with Dog)

Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best

(Self)

Hannah Montana: The Movie

(Vita)

Light It Up

(Audrey McDonald)

Johnson Family Vacation

(Dorothy Johnson)

The Courage to Love

(Mother Henriette Delille)

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

(Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage))

Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor

(Janice)

Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal

(Valentine Hayward)

He's Way More Famous Than You

(Vanessa Williams)

Shaft: Still the Man

(Self)

WW3

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

Don Quixote

(Dulcinea / Aldonza)

Nothing Lasts Forever

(Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter)

Tripped Up

(Patricia Chamberlain)

Rehearsing a Dream

(Self)

A Mother's Love

(Rochelle Richardson)

The Trip to Bountiful

(Jessie Mae Watts)

Another You

(Gloria)

Under the Gun

(Samantha Richards)

Santa, Baby!

(Alicia (voice))

Afrocentricity

(Self)

Seriously... Phil Collins

(Rachel - TV Executive)

The Secret She Kept

(Beverly)

The Man from Earth: Holocene

(Carolyn)

VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night

(Self)

Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends

(Herself)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer

(Terri Knight)

Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

Keep the Faith, Baby

(Hazel Scott)

Not Black Enough

(Self)

Singleholic

(Jackie Chisolm)

Show Boat

(Julie LaVerne)

Score with Chicks

Miss Virginia

(Sally Rae)

It's Black Entertainment

(Self - Host)

Batman: Hush

(Amanda Waller (voice))

The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest

(Self)

Christmas in Washington

The Legend of Hallowaiian

(Fire Goddess (voice))

Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia

(Self)

Stompin' at the Savoy

(Pauline)

Bad Hair

(Zora)

Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side

The Kid Who Loved Christmas

(Lynette Parks)

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay

(Amanda Waller (voice))

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

(Self)

The Tony Danza Show

(Self - Guest)

T. J. Hooker

Boomtown

(Detective Katherine Pierce)

The Bachelorette

(Self)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

(Danny Mitchell)

The View

(Self)

LateLine

L.A. Doctors

(Dr. Leanne Barrows)

MADtv

(Self)

South Beach

(Elizabeth Bauer)

Ugly Betty

(Willhelmina Slater)

Chicago Hope

Shear Genius

Tamron Hall

(Self - Guest)

Jungle Cubs

The Wendy Williams Show

The Oscars

(Self)

A Black Lady Sketch Show

(Delilah)

Good Day Live

(Self)

Partners in Crime

666 Park Avenue

(Olivia Doran)

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

(Self)

RuPaul's Drag Race

(Self - Special Guest)

Queen of the Universe

(Self - Judge)

Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies

(Mama Mirabelle (voice))

The Mindy Project

(Dr. Phillips)

Bethenny

(Self - Guest)

American Style

(Self)

Broad City

(Elizabeth Carlton)

Desperate Housewives

(Renee Perry)

Girls5eva

(Nance Trace)

VH1 Divas

Tony Awards

(Self - Performer)

The Librarians

(Cynthia Rockwell)

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

(Self - Guest)

Who Do You Think You Are?

(Self)

The $100,000 Pyramid

(Self)

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars

(Self - Guest Judge)

The Odyssey

(Calypso)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

(Self)

The View

(Self - Guest)

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

(Beauty (voice))

Nothing Lasts Forever

(Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter)

The Reichen Show

(Self)

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

(Self - Guest)

Name That Tune

(Self - Contestant)

Days of Our Lives

(Valerie Grant)

RuPaul's Drag Race

The Proud Family

(Debra (voice))

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

(Self - Guest)

Saturday Night Live

(Self - Musical Guest)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

(Arandis)

Velma

(Dr. Perdue (voice))

Stars in the House

(Self)

Stars in the House

(Self - Special Guest)

On Air with Ryan Seacrest

(Self)

Intimate Portrait

(Self (archive footage))

Sherri

(Self - Guest)

A Capitol Fourth

(Self)

T.O.T.S.

(Captain Beakman (voice))

RuPaul's Drag Race

(Self - Guest Judge)

American Experience

(Narrator (voice))

RuPaul's Drag Race

(Self - Judge (archive footage))

Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race

(Self - Special Guest / Vanqueisha De House)

Match Game

(Self - Panelist)

Modern Family

(Rhonda)

The Good Wife

(Courtney Paige)

Daytime Divas

(Maxine Robinson)

The Jacksons: An American Dream

(Suzanne de Passe)

Calling All T.O.T.S.

(Captain Beakman (voice))

Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams

(Self - Host)

The Graham Norton Show

(Self)

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

(Self)