Vanessa Williams
Known for: Acting
Vanessa Estelle Williams (sometimes professionally credited as Vanessa A. Williams) is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her roles as Maxine Joseph–Chadway in the Showtime drama series, Soul Food (2000–04), for which she received NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series, and as Rhonda Blair in the first season of the Fox prime time soap opera, Melrose Place (1992–93). She is also known as Nino Brown's feisty gun moll, Keisha in the 1991 crime drama film, New Jack City and as Anne-Marie McCoy in the first and fourth of the Candyman films. Though not related, she is sometimes confused with American actress, singer, and former Miss America 1984, Vanessa L. Williams. Both women were also, coincidentally, born in New York in the same year. In addition, Vanessa A. Williams starred in the television soap opera, Soul Food, while Vanessa L. Williams starred in the original film.
Filmography
Series
Law & Order
Vera
1990
Series
9-1-1
Claudette Collins
2018
Series
The Flash
Francine West
2014
Series
The Steve Harvey Show
Nina
1996
Series
Phineas and Ferb
Flight Attendant (voice)
2007
Series
Chicago Hope
Grace Carr
1994
Series
Melrose Place
Rhonda
1992
Series
Cold Case
Crystal Stacy (2007)
2003
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
Series
The Cosby Show
Jade
1984
Series
The Cosby Show
Cheryl
1984
Good Day Live
Self
2001
Series
American Horror Stories
Dr. Eleanor Berger
2021
Series
The Pretender
Denise Clements
1996
Series
The Wendy Williams Show
2008
Series
Living Single
1993
Series
Murder One
1995
Series
Murder One
Lila Marquette
1995
Series
The Word
1990
Series
Malcolm & Eddie
1996
Film
Candyman
Anne-Marie McCoy
2021
Film
Candyman
Anne-Marie McCoy
1992
Film
Imagine That
Lori Strother
2009
Series
Total Recall 2070
1999
Film
Like Mike
Pharmacist
2002
Film
New Jack City
Keisha
1991
Series
Soul Food
Maxine Chadway
2000
Series
Between Brothers
Rebecca
1997
Series
Wild Rose
Joyce
2026
Series
Buddies
1996
Film
Mid-Century
Beverly Gordon
2022
Film
Flirting with Forty
Kristine
2008
Film
Mother
Donna
1996
Series
A Luv Tale
Candice
2021
Film
Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies
Self - (archive footage)
2025
Series
40 and Single
Bertha Brown
2018
Film
Ice Spiders
Dr. April Sommers
2007
Film
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
Lucille
2022
Film
Punks
Jennifer
2000
Film
Thriller
Mrs. Walker
2018
Film
Sugar Mommas
Lynn
2012
Film
I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones
Rebecca
2019
Film
Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion
Eve Christmas
2021
Film
Contradictions of the Heart
Lea
2009
Film
Black Listed
J.W.
2003
Film
Drop Squad
Mali
1994
Film
Angie's Cure
Carla
2022
Film
Men, Money & Gold Diggers
Sandra Winslow
2014
Film
Crossed the Line
Juice
2014
Film
Raising Izzie
Tonya
2012
Film
Love on a Two Way Street
Gloria
2020
Film
A Rich Christmas
Aggie Maggy / Madison
2021
Film
Playing with Fire
Riana Roberts
2000
Film
One Fine Christmas
Susan
2019
Film
Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me
Self (voice)
2004
Film
Incognito
Wilhelmina Hunter
1999
Film
Our America
Sandra Williams
2002
Allergic to Nuts
2003
Film
Black Girl, Erupted
Cassandra Cole
2023
Film
Cruel Encounters
Corynne
2023
The Jaleel White Special
1992