---
name: "Vanessa Williams"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/vanessa-williams-27011"
fi1m_id: "vanessa-williams-27011"
imdb_id: "nm0001853"
tmdb_id: 27011
wikidata_id: "Q202801"
roles: []
born: "18 March 1963"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-23T11:15:21.545515+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 Williams

## Identity

Vanessa Williams

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/vanessa-williams-27011
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** vanessa-williams-27011
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001853
- **TMDB ID:** 27011
- **Wikidata ID:** Q202801
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_Williams, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202801, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001853/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/27011

Actor. Born 18 March 1963 in Tarrytown, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Born:** 18 March 1963, Tarrytown, New York, USA
- **Also known as:** Vanessa L. William, Vanessa Lynn Williams
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_Williams, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202801, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001853/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/27011

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Desperate Housewives*](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md) (78)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American actress, singer, model, producer and dancer. Born on 18 March 1963 in Tarrytown, New York, she studied theatre arts at Syracuse University.

She first came to public attention as the first African-American woman crowned Miss America in 1984, resigning the title later that year following the publication of nude photographs. Williams subsequently established careers in music and acting, with film roles including *Eraser* (1996) and *Shaft* (2000). On television she played Wilhelmina Slater in *Ugly Betty* (2006–2010), earning three Primetime Emmy Award nominations, and Renee Perry in *Desperate Housewives* (2010–2012).

She has appeared on Broadway, receiving a Tony Award nomination for her performance as the Witch in the 2002 revival of *Into the Woods*.

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

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Desperate Housewives* (2004), Fi1m 78, as Renee Perry — [page](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md)

## Complete filmography (92)

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

- *Elsbeth* (2024), series, as Roslyn Bridwell
- *Tripped Up* (2023), as Patricia Chamberlain
- *Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space* (2023), as Narrator (voice)
- *Velma* (2023), series, as Dr. Perdue (voice)
- *Show of Titles* (2021), as "Dear World" Performer
- *Girls5eva* (2021), series, as Nance Trace
- *Bad Hair* (2021), as Zora
- *Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side* (2020), Actor
- *There She Is* (2020), Actor
- *Calling All T.O.T.S.* (2020), series, as Captain Beakman (voice)
- *Singleholic* (2020), as Jackie Chisolm
- *Miss Virginia* (2019), as Sally Rae
- *First Wives Club* (2019), series, as Nancy
- *A Black Lady Sketch Show* (2019), series, as Delilah
- *Batman: Hush* (2019), as Amanda Waller (voice)
- *T.O.T.S.* (2019), series, as Captain Beakman (voice)
- *The Legend of Hallowaiian* (2018), as Fire Goddess (voice)
- *Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay* (2018), as Amanda Waller (voice)
- *The Man from Earth: Holocene* (2017), as Carolyn
- *Daytime Divas* (2017), series, as Maxine Robinson
- *The Secret She Kept* (2016), as Beverly
- *Show Boat* (2015), as Julie LaVerne
- *Difficult People* (2015), series, as Trish
- *The Librarians* (2014), series, as Cynthia Rockwell
- *The Trip to Bountiful* (2014), as Jessie Mae Watts
- *Broad City* (2014), series, as Elizabeth Carlton — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/broad-city.md)
- *He's Way More Famous Than You* (2013), as Vanessa Williams
- *Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor* (2013), as Janice
- *666 Park Avenue* (2012), series, as Olivia Doran
- *The Mindy Project* (2012), series, as Dr. Phillips
- *Doc McStuffins* (2012), series, as Delilah the Nesting Doll (voice)
- *A Mother's Love* (2011), as Rochelle Richardson
- *Modern Family* (2009), series, as Rhonda — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/modern-family.md)
- *The Good Wife* (2009), series, as Courtney Paige — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md)
- *Hannah Montana: The Movie* (2009), as Vita
- *Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies* (2007), series, as Mama Mirabelle (voice)
- *Shear Genius* (2007), series, Actor
- *And Then Came Love* (2007), as Julie
- *Ugly Betty* (2006), series, as Wilhelmina Slater
- *South Beach* (2006), series, as Elizabeth Bauer
- *My Brother* (2006), as L'Tisha Morton
- *Gift for the Living* (2005), as Narrator
- *Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards* (2005), as Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)
- *Christmas in Washington* (2004), Actor
- *Desperate Housewives* (2004), series, as Renee Perry — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md)
- *Johnson Family Vacation* (2004), as Dorothy Johnson
- *Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives* (2003), Actor
- *Boomtown* (2002), series, as Detective Katherine Pierce
- *Keep the Faith, Baby* (2002), as Hazel Scott
- *Santa, Baby!* (2001), as Alicia (voice)
- *The Proud Family* (2001), series, as Debra (voice)
- *WW3* (2001), as M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
- *A Diva's Christmas Carol* (2000), as Ebony Scrooge
- *Shaft* (2000), as Carmen Vasquez
- *Don Quixote* (2000), as Dulcinea / Aldonza
- *The Courage to Love* (2000), as Mother Henriette Delille · Executive Producer
- *Light It Up* (1999), as Audrey McDonald
- *The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland* (1999), as Queen of Trash
- *Futuresport* (1999), as Alexandra 'Alex' Torres
- *L.A. Doctors* (1998), series, as Leanne Barrows
- *Dance with Me* (1998), as Ruby Sinclair
- *VH1 Divas* (1998), series, Actor
- *Soul Food* (1997), as Teri
- *Ally McBeal* (1997), series, as Sheila Hunt
- *Hoodlum* (1997), as Francine Hughes
- *The Odyssey* (1997), series, as Calypso
- *Jungle Cubs* (1996), series, Actor
- *Eraser* (1996), as Lee
- *Bye Bye Birdie* (1995), as Rose Alvarez
- *Nothing Lasts Forever* (1995), series, as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
- *Nothing Lasts Forever* (1995), as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
- *Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child* (1995), series, as Beauty (voice)
- *Score with Chicks* (1994), Actor
- *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine* (1993), series, as Arandis — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-deep-space-nine.md)
- *The Jacksons: An American Dream* (1992), series, as Suzanne de Passe
- *Stompin' at the Savoy* (1992), as Pauline
- *Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man* (1991), as Lulu Daniels
- *Another You* (1991), as Gloria
- *The Kid Who Loved Christmas* (1990), as Lynette Parks
- *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air* (1990), series, as Danny Mitchell
- *Seriously... Phil Collins* (1990), as Rachel - TV Executive
- *Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer* (1990), as Terri Knight
- *Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal* (1989), as Valentine Hayward
- *American Experience* (1988), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *Under the Gun* (1988), as Samantha Richards
- *The Pick-up Artist* (1987), as Rae, Girl with Dog
- *Motown Returns to the Apollo* (1985), Actor
- *Partners in Crime* (1984), series, Actor
- *T. J. Hooker* (1982), series, as Officer Pat Williamson
- *Days of Our Lives* (1965), series, as Valerie Grant
- *Miss America* (1954), series, as Miss New York 1983
- *Women Like Us*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Vanessa Williams](https://film.one/media/person/1301660/gallery-05d25ced4252.jpg) Vanessa Williams — Christopher Peterson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Vanessa_williams_bryant_park_2007_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Vanessa Williams at the conclusion of her performance of "Oh How The Years Go By" at Miss America 2016.](https://film.one/media/person/1301660/gallery-b43fcb787edf.jpg) Vanessa Williams at the conclusion of her performance of "Oh How The Years Go By" at Miss America 2016. — Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Oh_How_The_Years_Go_By.JPG/1280px-Oh_How_The_Years_Go_By.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Vanessa Williams](https://film.one/media/person/1301660/gallery-493718696f9d.jpg) Vanessa Williams — President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/President_and_Nancy_Reagan_Talking_with_Vanessa_Williams_During_a_State_Dinner_for_President_Karl_Carstens_of_The_Federal_Republic_of_Germany_in_The_Cross_Hall_-_DPLA_-_b62fe2eb564ecf23a6f07bdb63dee2c2.jpg/1280px-thumbnail.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Vanessa Williams at a ceremony for Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/1301660/gallery-facf73d9cc25.jpg) Vanessa Williams at a ceremony for Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (2012) — Angela George, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/VanessaWilliamsHWoFMar2012.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Vanessa Williams (2006)](https://film.one/media/person/1301660/gallery-d5239056f021.jpg) Vanessa Williams (2006) — boboroshi/John Athayde, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Vanessa_1.jpg/1280px-Vanessa_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![ATX Television Festival 2016](https://film.one/media/person/1301660/gallery-9652e20df172.jpg) ATX Television Festival 2016 — Dominick D, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Vanessa_L._Williams_at_ATX_Television_Festival.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won, 2 nominated

- Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical 2002: Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (nominated)
- Theatre World Award 1995: Theatre World Award (won)
- Grammy Award for Best New Artist 1989: Grammy Award for Best New Artist (nominated)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© 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-williams-27011