---
name: "Vanessa Bell Calloway"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/vanessa-bell-calloway"
fi1m_id: "vanessa-bell-calloway"
imdb_id: "nm0068599"
tmdb_id: 100653
wikidata_id: "Q534352"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "20 March 1957"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 72
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-05T00:22:45.672707+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Vanessa Bell Calloway

## Identity

Vanessa Bell Calloway

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/vanessa-bell-calloway
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** vanessa-bell-calloway
- **IMDb ID:** nm0068599
- **TMDB ID:** 100653
- **Wikidata ID:** Q534352
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_Bell_Calloway, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q534352, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068599/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/100653

Actor. Born 20 March 1957 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 20 March 1957, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- **Active:** 1988–2019
- **Also known as:** Vanessa Bell 
- **Average Fi1m score:** 72, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 76 (1), 1990s 54 (1), 2010s 85 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 72 to 62 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Action 1, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Crime 1, Drama 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 4 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $448m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_Bell_Calloway, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q534352, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068599/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/100653

## Biography

Vanessa Bell Calloway is an American actress. Born on 20 March 1957 in Cleveland, Ohio, she trained as a dancer and appeared in the original Broadway production of *Dreamgirls*. She began her screen career in the daytime soap *All My Children* in 1985 and made her film debut in *Number One with a Bullet* (1987). She is known for her role as Imani Izzi in *Coming to America* (1988), as well as appearances in *What's Love Got to Do with It* (1993), *The Inkwell* (1994), *Crimson Tide* (1995) and *Daylight* (1996), in which she played Grace Calloway.

Calloway has appeared in numerous television series, including *Under One Roof* (1995), *Grey's Anatomy*, *Dexter*, *Shameless* and *NCIS*. She is a nine-time NAACP Image Award nominee. She has also worked in made-for-television films and voiced a role in the animated feature *Bébé's Kids* (1992).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, themoviedb.org.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Unbelievable* (2019), Fi1m 85, as Sarah — [page](https://film.one/tv/unbelievable.md)
- *Daylight* (1996), Fi1m 54, as Grace Calloway — [page](https://film.one/film/daylight.md)
- *Coming to America* (1988), Fi1m 76, as Imani Izzi — [page](https://film.one/film/coming-to-america.md)

## Complete filmography (118)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *One of Them Days* (2025), as Mama Ruth
- *Queens of Christmas* (2024), as Julia Mason
- *Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch* (2024), as Idella Landy
- *The Vince Staples Show* (2024), series, as Anita
- *Under the Boardwalk* (2023), as Val (voice)
- *Black Girl, Erupted* (2023), as Dr. Rebecca Francis · Director
- *Wicked City* (2022), series, as Tabitha
- *Carl Weber's The Black Hamptons* (2022), series, as Carolyn Britton
- *Mosquito* (2022), as Eve
- *The Devil You Know* (2022), as Della Cowans
- *Starkeisha* (2022), as The Voice
- *Baby* (2021), as Jackie
- *Grand Crew* (2021), series, as Brenda
- *Someday At Christmas* (2021), Director
- *A Holiday Chance* (2021), as Sheryl
- *Coming 2 America* (2021), as Imani Izzi
- *Kenan* (2021), series, as Bobbi
- *Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day* (2021), as Ella
- *Harriet* (2019), as Rit Ross
- *Unbelievable* (2019), series, as Sarah — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/unbelievable.md)
- *American Skin* (2019), as Bernice
- *A Black Lady Sketch Show* (2019), series, as Kiley's Mother
- *Dragged Across Concrete* (2019), as Jennifer Johns
- *Black Monday* (2019), series, as Ruth
- *Throwback Holiday* (2018), as Mildred Anderson
- *The Conners* (2018), series, as Carrie Langham
- *Her Only Choice* (2018), as Dr. Bailey
- *Thriller* (2018), as Mrs. Jackson
- *Unbroken: Path to Redemption* (2018), as Lila Burkholder
- *Love, Once and Always* (2018), as Isabel
- *Message From a Mistress* (2017), as Heather
- *The Preacher's Son* (2017), as Elena
- *This Is Us* (2016), series, as Edie, Edie (uncredited) — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/this-is-us.md)
- *Southside with You* (2016), as Marian Robinson
- *Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story* (2016), as Josephine
- *Saints & Sinners* (2016), series, as Lady Ella Johnson
- *The Bounce Back* (2016), as Ellen
- *Divas!* (2015), as Wendy
- *To Hell and Back* (2014), Actor
- *The Divorce* (2014), as Eva
- *Holla 2* (2013), as Marion
- *Between Sisters* (2013), as Lillian
- *Go On* (2012), series, as Joyce
- *The Obama Effect* (2012), as Molly Thomas
- *A Beautiful Soul* (2012), as Guardian Angel
- *The Last Fall* (2012), as Marie Bishop
- *The Undershepherd* (2012), as Deaconess Carter
- *Ringer* (2011), series, as Royce Wiegler
- *Harry's Law* (2011), series, as Jude Campbell
- *Let's Stay Together* (2011), series, Actor
- *Shameless* (2011), series, as Carol Fisher — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/shameless-2011.md)
- *Rizzoli & Isles* (2010), series, as Assistant District Attorney
- *Castle* (2009), series, as Beryl Wickfield — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/castle.md)
- *Lakeview Terrace* (2008), as Aunt Dorrie
- *Stompin'* (2007), as Mrs. Jackson
- *Dexter* (2006), series, as Crisis Counselor — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/dexter.md)
- *The Closer* (2005), series, as Lynn Talmadge
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Lucinda Gamble — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Cheaper by the Dozen* (2003), as Diana Philips
- *Love Don't Co$t a Thing* (2003), as Vivian Johnson
- *Cold Case* (2003), series, as Geraldine Watkins (1970)
- *10-8: Officers on Duty* (2003), series, as Gina Barnes
- *Joan of Arcadia* (2003), series, as Corey Phillips
- *NCIS* (2003), series, as Sally Hammond — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/ncis.md)
- *Biker Boyz* (2003), as Anita
- *CSI: Miami* (2002), series, as Tonya Washington
- *Dawg* (2002), as Christine Hodges
- *The Red Sneakers* (2002), as Berniece
- *All About You* (2001), as Donna Taylor
- *The Brothers* (2001), as Dr. Thelma Woolridge
- *The Division* (2001), series, as Dana
- *Love Song* (2000), as Evelyne Livingston
- *Boston Public* (2000), series, as Mrs. Michelle Ronning
- *The District* (2000), series, as Gwen Hendrix
- *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, as Judge Himmel
- *A Private Affair* (2000), as Nikka
- *Strong Medicine* (2000), series, as Melanie Rhodes
- *The Parkers* (1999), series, Actor
- *The Temptations* (1998), series, as Johnnie Mae Matthews
- *Archibald the Rainbow Painter* (1998), as Diana
- *Prey* (1998), series, Actor
- *Orleans* (1997), series, as Rosalee Clark
- *The Cherokee Kid* (1996), as Abby Holsopple
- *Daylight* (1996), as Grace Calloway — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/daylight.md)
- *Malcolm & Eddie* (1996), series, Actor
- *America's Dream* (1996), as Miss Williams (segment "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black")
- *Moesha* (1996), series, as Dr. Woods
- *Crimson Tide* (1995), as Julia Hunter
- *Under One Roof* (1995), series, as Maggie Langston
- *Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child* (1995), series, as Princess Katusha (voice)
- *Touched by an Angel* (1994), series, as Debra Willis
- *The Inkwell* (1994), as Francis Phillips
- *Diagnosis: Murder* (1993), series, as Mrs. Calender
- *The Sinbad Show* (1993), series, Actor
- *What's Love Got to Do with It* (1993), as Jackie
- *Where I Live* (1993), series, Actor
- *Rhythm & Blues* (1992), series, Actor
- *Bebe's Kids* (1992), as Jamika (voice)
- *Stompin' at the Savoy* (1992), as Dorothy
- *Memphis* (1992), as Martha Kinship
- *Why Colors?* (1992), Actor
- *The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage* (1991), series, Actor
- *Polly: Comin' Home!* (1990), as Nancy Dodds
- *Dream On* (1990), series, as Jeanette
- *Max Monroe: Loose Cannon* (1990), series, as Velma Jones
- *Polly* (1989), as Nancy
- *Death Spa* (1988), as Marci Hewitt
- *Coming to America* (1988), as Imani Izzi — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/coming-to-america.md)
- *China Beach* (1988), series, Actor
- *The Return of Desperado* (1988), as Molly Pickett
- *A Different World* (1987), series, as Lily Connors, Danielle Vinson
- *Number One with a Bullet* (1987), as Woman
- *L.A. Law* (1986), series, as Robyn Edwards
- *The Colbys* (1985), series, Actor
- *227* (1985), series, Actor
- *Falcon Crest* (1981), series, as Nurse
- *Simon & Simon* (1981), series, Actor
- *The Wonderful World of Disney* (1954), series, as Nancy

## Gallery

- ![Vanessa Bell Calloway](https://film.one/media/person/454750/gallery-36633734776a.jpg) Vanessa Bell Calloway — eternalconceptspr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Vanessa_Bell_Calloway.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Vanessa Bell Calloway with her daughter Alexandra at a performance of The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker in December 2010.](https://film.one/media/person/454750/gallery-06336b9884e2.jpg) Vanessa Bell Calloway with her daughter Alexandra at a performance of The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker in December 2010. — Angela George at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharongraphics/, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/VanessaBellCallowaywithdaughterDec10.jpg/1280px-VanessaBellCallowaywithdaughterDec10.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Vanessa Bell Calloway with her daughter Alexandra at a performance of The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker in December 2010.](https://film.one/media/person/454750/gallery-a1aedafb5a93.jpg) Vanessa Bell Calloway with her daughter Alexandra at a performance of The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker in December 2010. — Angela George at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharongraphics/, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Vanessa_Bell_Calloway_10.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Vanessa Bell Calloway](https://film.one/media/person/454750/gallery-3810635103ff.jpg) Vanessa Bell Calloway — Image via TMDB
- ![Vanessa Bell Calloway](https://film.one/media/person/454750/gallery-9c8d18ec78ed.jpg) Vanessa Bell Calloway — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/vanessa-bell-calloway