Vanessa Williams
Known for: Acting
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
Series
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
Modern Family
Rhonda
2009
Series
Desperate Housewives
Renee Perry
2004
Series
Sherri
Self - Guest
2022
Series
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019
Series
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Self
2005
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
The Good Wife
Courtney Paige
2009
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest
1975
Series
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
Series
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Special Guest
2009
Series
RuPaul's Drag Race
2009
Series
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Guest Judge
2009
Series
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Judge (archive footage)
2009
Series
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Arandis
1993
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003
Series
The View
Self
1997
Series
The View
Self - Guest
1997
Series
Elsbeth
Roslyn Bridwell
2024
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
1988
Series
The Talk
Self
2010
Series
American Experience
Narrator (voice)
1988
Series
Tony Awards
Self - Performer
1956
Good Day Live
Self
2001
Series
Tamron Hall
Self - Guest
2019
Series
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
2003
Series
Doc McStuffins
Delilah the Nesting Doll (voice)
2012
Series
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
Self - Guest Judge
2012
Series
The Mindy Project
Dr. Phillips
2012
Series
The Odyssey
Calypso
1997
Miss America
Miss New York 1983
1954
Series
T. J. Hooker
Officer Pat Williamson
1982
Series
The Librarians
Cynthia Rockwell
2014
Series
Ugly Betty
Wilhelmina Slater
2006
Series
Intimate Portrait
Self (archive footage)
1993
Series
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Danny Mitchell
1990
Series
The Wendy Williams Show
2008
Series
The Jonathan Ross Show
Self - Guest
2011
Series
The Oscars
Self
1953
Series
The Bachelorette
Self
2003
Series
Stars in the House
Self
2020
Series
Stars in the House
Self - Special Guest
2020
Series
The $100,000 Pyramid
Self
2016
Series
Broad City
Elizabeth Carlton
2014
The Reichen Show
Self
2005
The Tony Danza Show
Self - Guest
2004
Series
Girls5eva
Nance Trace
2021
Series
Velma
Dr. Perdue (voice)
2023
Series
Ally McBeal
Sheila Hunt
1997
Series
Name That Tune
Self - Contestant
2021
Series
The Proud Family
Debra (voice)
2001
Series
T.O.T.S.
Captain Beakman (voice)
2019
Series
Match Game
Self - Panelist
2016
Series
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Beauty (voice)
1995
Series
Days of Our Lives
Valerie Grant
1965
Series
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self
2010
Series
Celebrity Catchphrase
Self - Contestant
2018
Series
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
Self
2004
Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Delilah
2019
Series
L.A. Doctors
Leanne Barrows
1998
Film
Eraser
Dr. Lee Cullen
1996
Series
Jungle Cubs
1996
Series
Difficult People
Trish
2015
Series
The Jacksons: An American Dream
Suzanne de Passe
1992
Series
Blankety Blank
Self - Panellist
2021
Series
Boomtown
Detective Katherine Pierce
2002
Film
Hoodlum
Francine Hughes
1997
Film
Shaft
Carmen Vasquez
2000
Series
First Wives Club
Nancy
2019
Series
Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race
Vanquisha Da House - Contestant
2020
Film
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
Amanda Waller (voice)
2018
Series
South Beach
Elizabeth Bauer
2006
Film
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Vita
2009
Series
666 Park Avenue
Olivia Doran
2012
Film
Batman: Hush
Amanda Waller (voice)
2019
Film
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
Lulu Daniels
1991
Series
Calling All T.O.T.S.
Captain Beakman (voice)
2020
Series
Partners in Crime
1984
Series
A Capitol Fourth
Self
1980
Film
Dance with Me
Ruby Sinclair
1998
Series
Queen of the Universe
Self - Judge
2021
Film
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
Queen of Trash
1999
Series
The Claudia Winkleman Show
Self
2026
Series
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self - Guest
1996
Film
The Man from Earth: Holocene
Carolyn
2017
Series
Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies
Mama Mirabelle (voice)
2007
Film
Johnson Family Vacation
Dorothy Johnson
2004
Film
The Pick-up Artist
Rae, Girl with Dog
1987
Film
Show Boat
Julie LaVerne
2015
Film
Tripped Up
Patricia Chamberlain
2023
Series
Daytime Divas
Maxine Robinson
2017
Film
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor
Janice
2013
Film
Another You
Gloria
1991
Film
Bad Hair
Zora
2021
Series
VH1 Divas
1998
Film
Don Quixote
Dulcinea / Aldonza
2000
Shear Genius
2007
Film
Soul Food
Teri
1997
Film
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)
2005
Series
American Style
Self
2019
Series
Bethenny
Self - Guest
2012
Film
He's Way More Famous Than You
Vanessa Williams
2013
Film
Light It Up
Audrey McDonald
1999
Film
The Little Pageant That Could
Self (archive footage)
2024
Film
Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade
Self
2005
Film
The Legend of Hallowaiian
Fire Goddess (voice)
2018
Film
Los lunes a las 9
Self (Archive Footage)
2022
Series
MADtv
Self
1995
Film
Miss Virginia
Sally Rae
2019
Film
Futuresport
Alexandra 'Alex' Torres
1999
Film
Show of Titles
"Dear World" Performer
2021
Film
Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?
Self (archive footage)
2004
Film
Dreams Come True: A Celebration of Disney Animation
2009
Film
The Courage to Love
Mother Henriette Delille
2000
Film
Santa, Baby!
Alicia (voice)
2001
Film
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal
Valentine Hayward
1989
Series
Nothing Lasts Forever
Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
1995
Film
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
Film
And Then Came Love
Julie
2007
Film
Bye Bye Birdie
Rose Alvarez
1995
Film
It's Black Entertainment
Self - Host
2002
Film
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer
Terri Knight
1990
Film
Nothing Lasts Forever
Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
1995
Film
There She Is
2020
Film
Seriously... Phil Collins
Rachel - TV Executive
1990
Series
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams
Self - Host
2020
Film
A Diva's Christmas Carol
Ebony Scrooge
2000
Film
The Secret She Kept
Beverly
2016
Film
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
Lynette Parks
1990
Film
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space
Narrator (voice)
2023
Film
The Trip to Bountiful
Jessie Mae Watts
2014
Film
Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field
Self
2024
Film
Miss America
Self (archival footage)
2002
Women Like Us
Film
Under the Gun
Samantha Richards
1988
Film
WW3
M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
2001
Film
VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night
Self
2016
Shaft: Still the Man
Self
2000
Film
Singleholic
Jackie Chisolm
2020
Motown Returns to the Apollo
1985
Film
The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest
Self
2004
Film
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia
Self
1998
Film
Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade
Self
2008
Film
Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best
Self
2023
Film
My Brother
L'Tisha Morton
2006
Film
Score with Chicks
1994
Film
Not Black Enough
Self
2017
Film
Stompin' at the Savoy
Pauline
1992
Film
A Mother's Love
Rochelle Richardson
2011
Film
David Foster's Christmas Album
Self
1993
Film
Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side
2020
Film
Keep the Faith, Baby
Hazel Scott
2002
Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends
Herself
2000
Film
Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II
Self
1995
Afrocentricity
Self
2000
Rehearsing a Dream
Self
2006
Film
Gift for the Living
Narrator
2005
Film
Christmas in Washington
2004