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Vanessa Williams
ACTOR

Vanessa Williams

Known for Modern Family · Desperate Housewives · Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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.

Snapshot 2026-10-15

Born
Mar 18, 1963
Birthplace
Tarrytown, New York, USA
Known For
Acting

Biography

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.

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Known For

TVModern Family
Modern FamilyRhonda · 2009
★ 7.9
TVDesperate Housewives
Desperate HousewivesRenee Perry · 2004
★ 7.9
TVStar Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space NineArandis · 1993
★ 7.9
TVThe Good Wife
The Good WifeCourtney Paige · 2009
★ 7.6
TVSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Musical Guest · 1975
★ 6.9
TVRuPaul's Drag Race
RuPaul's Drag RaceSelf - Special Guest · 2009
★ 7.5
TVThe Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton ShowSelf · 2007
★ 7.2
TVJimmy Kimmel Live!
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self · 2003
★ 5.3

Filmography

Movies

MR
Motown Returns to the Apollo
1985
The Pick-up ArtistRae, Girl with Dog
1987
Under the GunSamantha Richards
1988
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes ScandalValentine Hayward
1989
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced SingerTerri Knight
1990
Seriously... Phil CollinsRachel - TV Executive
1990
The Kid Who Loved ChristmasLynette Parks
1990
Another YouGloria
1991
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro ManLulu Daniels
1991
Stompin' at the SavoyPauline
1992
The Jaleel White SpecialSelf
1992
David Foster's Christmas AlbumSelf
1993
Score with Chicks
1994
Bye Bye BirdieRose Alvarez
1995
Nothing Lasts ForeverDr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
1995
Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein IISelf
1995
EraserLee
1996
HoodlumFrancine Hughes
1997
Soul FoodTeri
1997
Dance with MeRuby Sinclair
1998
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of LiberiaSelf
1998
FuturesportAlexandra 'Alex' Torres
1999
Light It UpAudrey McDonald
1999
The Adventures of Elmo in GrouchlandQueen of Trash
1999
A Diva's Christmas CarolEbony Scrooge
2000
A
AfrocentricitySelf
2000
CI
Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special FriendsHerself
2000
Don QuixoteDulcinea / Aldonza
2000
ShaftCarmen Vasquez
2000
SS
Shaft: Still the ManSelf
2000
The Courage to LoveMother Henriette Delille
2000
The Courage to LoveExecutive Producer
2000
Santa, Baby!Alicia (voice)
2001
WW3M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
2001
It's Black EntertainmentSelf - Host
2002
Keep the Faith, BabyHazel Scott
2002
Miss AmericaSelf (archival footage)
2002
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
Christmas in Washington
2004
Johnson Family VacationDorothy Johnson
2004
Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?Self (archive footage)
2004
The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas StarfestSelf
2004
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony AwardsWitch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)
2005
Gift for the LivingNarrator
2005
Walt Disney World Christmas Day ParadeSelf
2005
My BrotherL'Tisha Morton
2006
RA
Rehearsing a DreamSelf
2006
And Then Came LoveJulie
2007
Walt Disney World Christmas Day ParadeSelf
2008
Hannah Montana: The MovieVita
2009
A Mother's LoveRochelle Richardson
2011
He's Way More Famous Than YouVanessa Williams
2013
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage CounselorJanice
2013
The Trip to BountifulJessie Mae Watts
2014
Show BoatJulie LaVerne
2015
The Secret She KeptBeverly
2016
VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent NightSelf
2016
Not Black EnoughSelf
2017
The Man from Earth: HoloceneCarolyn
2017
Suicide Squad: Hell to PayAmanda Waller (voice)
2018
The Legend of HallowaiianFire Goddess (voice)
2018
Batman: HushAmanda Waller (voice)
2019
Miss VirginiaSally Rae
2019
SingleholicJackie Chisolm
2020
There She Is
2020
Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side
2020
Bad HairZora
2021
Show of Titles"Dear World" Performer
2021
Los lunes a las 9Self (Archive Footage)
2022
Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's BestSelf
2023
Tripped UpPatricia Chamberlain
2023
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a SpaceNarrator (voice)
2023
Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia FieldSelf
2024
The Little Pageant That CouldSelf (archive footage)
2024
BO
Baby of the FamilyGloria
WL
Women Like Us

Television

The OscarsSelf · 1 eps
1953
MA
Miss AmericaMiss New York 1983 · 1 eps
1954
Tony AwardsSelf - Performer · 1 eps
1956
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1 eps
1962
Days of Our LivesValerie Grant · 3 eps
1965
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Musical Guest · 2 eps
1975
A Capitol FourthSelf · 46 eps
1980
T. J. HookerOfficer Pat Williamson · 1 eps
1982
Partners in Crime1 eps
1984
American ExperienceNarrator (voice) · 1 eps
1988
LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelf - Guest · 4 eps
1988
The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirDanny Mitchell · 1 eps
1990
The Jacksons: An American DreamSuzanne de Passe · 2 eps
1992
Intimate PortraitSelf (archive footage) · 1 eps
1993
Star Trek: Deep Space NineArandis · 1 eps
1993
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildBeauty (voice) · 1 eps
1995
MADtvSelf · 1 eps
1995
Nothing Lasts ForeverDr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter · 2 eps
1995
Jungle Cubs1 eps
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell ShowSelf - Guest · 1 eps
1996
Ally McBealSheila Hunt · 1 eps
1997
The OdysseyCalypso · 2 eps
1997
The ViewSelf · 6 eps
1997
The ViewSelf - Guest · 1 eps
1997
L.A. DoctorsLeanne Barrows · 3 eps
1998
VH1 Divas1 eps
1998
Good Day LiveSelf · 1 eps
2001
The Proud FamilyDebra (voice) · 1 eps
2001
BoomtownDetective Katherine Pierce · 6 eps
2002
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self · 1 eps
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self - Guest · 1 eps
2003
The BacheloretteSelf · 1 eps
2003
The Ellen DeGeneres ShowSelf · 3 eps
2003
Desperate HousewivesRenee Perry · 44 eps
2004
On Air with Ryan SeacrestSelf · 1 eps
2004
TT
The Tony Danza ShowSelf - Guest · 5 eps
2004
The Late Late Show with Craig FergusonSelf · 1 eps
2005
TR
The Reichen ShowSelf · 1 eps
2005
South BeachElizabeth Bauer · 8 eps
2006
Ugly BettyWilhelmina Slater · 85 eps
2006
Mama Mirabelle's Home MoviesMama Mirabelle (voice) · 26 eps
2007
Shear Genius1 eps
2007
The Graham Norton ShowSelf · 1 eps
2007
The Wendy Williams Show1 eps
2008
Modern FamilyRhonda · 1 eps
2009
RuPaul's Drag RaceSelf - Special Guest · 1 eps
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race1 eps
2009
RuPaul's Drag RaceSelf - Guest Judge · 1 eps
2009
RuPaul's Drag RaceSelf - Judge (archive footage) · 1 eps
2009
The Good WifeCourtney Paige · 4 eps
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest · 4 eps
2009
The TalkSelf · 1 eps
2010
Who Do You Think You Are?Self · 1 eps
2010
The Jonathan Ross ShowSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2011
666 Park AvenueOlivia Doran · 13 eps
2012
BethennySelf - Guest · 1 eps
2012
Doc McStuffinsDelilah the Nesting Doll (voice) · 1 eps
2012
RuPaul's Drag Race All StarsSelf - Guest Judge · 1 eps
2012
The Mindy ProjectDr. Phillips · 1 eps
2012
Broad CityElizabeth Carlton · 1 eps
2014
The LibrariansCynthia Rockwell · 4 eps
2014
Difficult PeopleTrish · 1 eps
2015
Match GameSelf - Panelist · 1 eps
2016
The $100,000 PyramidSelf · 1 eps
2016
Daytime DivasMaxine Robinson · 10 eps
2017
Celebrity CatchphraseSelf - Contestant · 1 eps
2018
A Black Lady Sketch ShowDelilah · 1 eps
2019
American StyleSelf · 4 eps
2019
First Wives ClubNancy · 1 eps
2019
T.O.T.S.Captain Beakman (voice) · 150 eps
2019
The Kelly Clarkson ShowSelf · 1 eps
2019
The Tamron Hall ShowSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2019
Calling All T.O.T.S.Captain Beakman (voice) · 10 eps
2020
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa WilliamsSelf - Host · 1 eps
2020
RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag RaceVanquisha Da House - Contestant · 1 eps
2020
Stars in the HouseSelf · 1 eps
2020
Stars in the HouseSelf - Special Guest · 1 eps
2020
Blankety BlankSelf - Panellist · 1 eps
2021
Girls5evaNance Trace · 3 eps
2021
Name That TuneSelf - Contestant · 1 eps
2021
Queen of the UniverseSelf - Judge · 14 eps
2021
SherriSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show1 eps
2022
VelmaDr. Perdue (voice) · 6 eps
2023
ElsbethRoslyn Bridwell · 1 eps
2024
The Claudia Winkleman ShowSelf · 1 eps
2026

Photos

Vanessa Williams photo
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