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{{short description|American actress}}
{{short description|American actress}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Distinguish|text=actress, singer, and former Miss America 1984, [[Vanessa Lynn Williams]]}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Vanessa Estelle Williams
| name = Vanessa Estelle Williams
| birth_name = Vanessa Estelle Williams
| birth_name =
| image = Vanessa A. Williams.jpg
| image = Vanessa A. Williams.jpg
| caption = Williams in 2011
| caption = Williams in 2011
| birth_date =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|5|12}}
| birth_place = [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| occupation = Actress
| occupation = Actress
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| children = 2
| children = 2
| spouse = {{marriage|Andre Wiseman|1992|2018|reason=separated}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Andre Wiseman|1992|2018|reason=separated}}
| years_active = 1989–present
| years_active = 1988–present
}}
}}
⚫
'''Vanessa Estelle Williams''', sometimes professionally credited as '''Vanessa E. Williams'''<ref>{{cite tweet|author=Vanessa Williams|user=NessaWilliams|number=1233258784451022848|date=February 28, 2020|title=[...] my middle name is ESTELLE! [...]}}</ref> (born May 12, 1963),<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=X7ZYsnTPIhwC&pg=PA362 Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television]</ref> is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her roles as [[Maxine Chadway|Maxine Joseph–Chadway]] in the [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] drama series, ''[[Soul Food (TV series)|Soul Food]]'' (2000–2004), for which she received [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series]] and as Nino Brown's feisty [[gun moll]], Keisha in the 1991 crime drama film, ''[[New Jack City]]''. Williams is also known for her role as Anne-Marie McCoy in the [[Candyman (1992 film)|first]] and [[Candyman (2021 film)|fourth]] of the [[Candyman (film series)|''Candyman'' films]], and as Rhonda Blair in the first season of the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] prime time [[soap opera]], ''[[Melrose Place]]'' (1992–93).

⚫
'''Vanessa Estelle Williams''' (sometimes professionally credited as '''Vanessa A. Williams''')<ref>{{cite tweet|author=Vanessa Williams|user=NessaWilliams|number=1233258784451022848|date=February 28, 2020|title=[...] my middle name is ESTELLE! [...]}}</ref> is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her roles as [[Maxine Chadway|Maxine Joseph–Chadway]] in the [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] drama series, ''[[Soul Food (TV series)|Soul Food]]'' (2000–04), for which she received [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series]] and as Nino Brown's feisty [[gun moll]], Keisha in the 1991 crime drama film, ''[[New Jack City]]''. Williams is also known for her role as Anne-Marie McCoy in the [[Candyman (1992 film)|first]] and [[Candyman (2021 film)|fourth]] of the [[Candyman (film series)|''Candyman'' films]], and as Rhonda Blair in the first season of the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] prime time [[soap opera]], ''[[Melrose Place]]'' (1992–93).


== Early life and education ==
== Early life and education ==
Williams was born and raised in [[Brooklyn, New York]].<ref name="McCann2010">{{cite book|last=McCann|first=Bob|title=Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X7ZYsnTPIhwC&pg=PA362|access-date=July 6, 2011|year=2010|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-3790-0|pages=362–}}</ref> Williams has three brothers.<ref name=SOD01302017>{{cite journal|title=Magnificent Journey|first=Robert|last=Waldron|pages=54–57|work=[[Soap Opera Digest]]|date=January 30, 2017|volume=42|issue=5}}</ref> Her mother Verdell died when she was 10 years old leaving Williams to be raised by her grandmother, Johnnie Mae Mungen.<ref name=SunSentinel1992>{{cite news|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1993-06-27-9301200933-story.html|title=VANESSA WILLIAMS|work=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|date=June 27, 1993|access-date=July 6, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.southjersey.com/article/1686/Vanessa-Williams|title=Vanessa Williams|website=SouthJersey.com|access-date=July 6, 2020}}</ref> She has traced her ancestry back to [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and [[Virginia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBPtOlFX_as#t=19|title=Vanessa Williams and African Ancestry|website=[[ABC News]]|via=[[YouTube]]|access-date=December 12, 2013}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref> After high school she went on to get a bachelor's degree in theater and business management from [[Marymount Manhattan College]].<ref name=bios>{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Vanessa_Williams.aspx|title=Vanessa Williams|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref>
Williams was born and raised in [[Brooklyn, New York]].<ref name="McCann2010">{{cite book|last=McCann|first=Bob|title=Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X7ZYsnTPIhwC&pg=PA362|access-date=July 6, 2011|year=2010|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-3790-0|pages=362–}}</ref> Williams has three brothers and 1 sister.<ref name=SOD01302017>{{cite journal|title=Magnificent Journey|first=Robert|last=Waldron|pages=54–57|journal=[[Soap Opera Digest]]|date=January 30, 2017|volume=42|issue=5}}</ref> Her mother, Verdell, died when she was 10 years old leaving Williams to be raised by her grandmother, Johnnie Mae Mungen. Her father died in 2016.<ref name=SunSentinel1992>{{cite news|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1993-06-27-9301200933-story.html|title=VANESSA WILLIAMS|work=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|date=June 27, 1993|access-date=July 6, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.southjersey.com/article/1686/Vanessa-Williams|title=Vanessa Williams|website=SouthJersey.com|access-date=July 6, 2020}}</ref> She has traced her ancestry back to [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and [[Virginia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBPtOlFX_as#t=19|title=Vanessa Williams and African Ancestry|website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|via=[[YouTube]]|access-date=December 12, 2013}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref> After high school she went on to get a bachelor's degree in theater and business management from [[Marymount Manhattan College]].<ref name=bios>{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Vanessa_Williams.aspx|title=Vanessa Williams|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
Williams later went to acting in films and television, becoming known simply as "Vanessa Williams".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/1992-11-04/news/26008791_1_miss-america-scandal-vanessa-williams-cosby-show|title=No, She's Not That Vanessa Williams 'Melrose' Star's Making A Name For Herself|work=philly-archives|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref> In the area of acting, she ran into name conflict with singer/actress and former Miss America [[Vanessa Williams]] (also born 1963). [[Screen Actors Guild]] rules prohibited duplicate stage naming. Vanessa Estelle had registered the name "Vanessa Williams" first,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/article/1992/05/29/there-are-two-vanessa-williams|title=There are two Vanessa Williams|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref> so as a compromise, the former Miss America was occasionally credited as "Vanessa L. Williams" in acting credits. To compound the confusion, both actresses starred in versions of the drama ''[[Soul Food (film)|Soul Food]]'' (Williams in the film version, and Vanessa E. in its [[Soul Food (TV series)|TV series adaptation]]). The Screen Actors Guild eventually took the issue to [[arbitration]] and decided both actresses could use the professional name "Vanessa Williams".<ref name="tvguide">{{cite web |url=http://www1.myway.com/home/entertainment/celeb/tvguide_inthenews/0,13970,09_02_2003_1_-2,00.html |title=Vanessa Williams: Boomtown's New Bombshell! |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211234405/http://www1.myway.com/home/entertainment/celeb/tvguide_inthenews/0,13970,09_02_2003_1_-2,00.html |archive-date=December 11, 2007 |work=[[TV Guide]] |date=September 2, 2003}}</ref>
Williams later went to acting in films and television,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/1992-11-04/news/26008791_1_miss-america-scandal-vanessa-williams-cosby-show|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427112249/http://articles.philly.com/1992-11-04/news/26008791_1_miss-america-scandal-vanessa-williams-cosby-show|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 27, 2016|title=No, She's Not That Vanessa Williams 'Melrose' Star's Making A Name For Herself|work=philly-archives|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref> In the area of acting, she ran into name conflict with singer/actress and former Miss America [[Vanessa Williams]] (also born 1963). [[Screen Actors Guild]] rules prohibited duplicate stage naming. Vanessa Estelle had registered the name "Vanessa Williams" first,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/1992/05/29/there-are-two-vanessa-williams|title=There are two Vanessa Williams|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref> so as a compromise, the former Miss America was occasionally credited as "Vanessa L. Williams" in acting credits. To compound the confusion, both actresses starred in versions of the drama ''[[Soul Food (film)|Soul Food]]'' (Vanessa L. Williams in the film version, and Vanessa E. Williams in its [[Soul Food (TV series)|TV series adaptation]]). The Screen Actors Guild eventually took the issue to [[arbitration]] and decided both actresses could use the professional name "Vanessa Williams".<ref name="tvguide">{{cite web |url=http://www1.myway.com/home/entertainment/celeb/tvguide_inthenews/0,13970,09_02_2003_1_-2,00.html |title=Vanessa Williams: Boomtown's New Bombshell! |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211234405/http://www1.myway.com/home/entertainment/celeb/tvguide_inthenews/0,13970,09_02_2003_1_-2,00.html |archive-date=December 11, 2007 |work=[[TV Guide]] |date=September 2, 2003}}</ref>


=== Television ===
=== Television ===
Williams began her acting career in 1989, appearing in episodes of ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' and ''[[Law & Order]]''. In 1992, she was cast as Rhonda Blair, the first and only black regular character, in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] prime time soap opera, ''[[Melrose Place]]''. She was written off after only one season for lack of direction. "I think they didn't make the effort to equip themselves [to write for a black character], either by hiring a black writer or asking me things," said Williams later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.ws/Hollywood/4616/tvgo0627.html|title=Vanessa Williams devastated when written off The Place|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref> She later had guest starring roles on ''[[NYPD Blue]]'' and ''[[Living Single]]'', before she was cast as a series regular in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] legal drama, ''[[Murder One (TV series)|Murder One]]'' (1995–1996) created by [[Steven Bochco]]. She received her first nomination for an [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series]] for her performance on the show. In 1996, Williams had a recurring role as Dr. Grace Carr in the CBS medical drama series, ''[[Chicago Hope]]'', for which she received an [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series]] nomination.<ref name=bios />
Williams began her acting career in 1989, appearing in episodes of ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' and ''[[Law & Order]]''. In 1992, she was cast as Rhonda Blair, the first and only black regular character, in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] prime time soap opera, ''[[Melrose Place]]''. She was written off after only one season for lack of direction. "I think they didn't make the effort to equip themselves [to write for a black character], either by hiring a black writer or asking me things," said Williams later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.ws/Hollywood/4616/tvgo0627.html|title=Vanessa Williams devastated when written off The Place|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref>
She later had guest starring roles on ''[[NYPD Blue]]'' and ''[[Living Single]]'', before she was cast as a series regular in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] legal drama, ''[[Murder One (TV series)|Murder One]]'' (1995–1996) created by [[Steven Bochco]]. She received her first nomination for an [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series]] for her performance on the show. In 1996, Williams had a recurring role as Dr. Grace Carr in the CBS medical drama series, ''[[Chicago Hope]]'', for which she received an [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series]] nomination.<ref name=bios />
[[File:Actor Boris Kodjoe and Actress Vanessa Williams host the program..jpg|thumb|Williams with [[Boris Kodjoe]] in 2011]]
[[File:Actor Boris Kodjoe and Actress Vanessa Williams host the program..jpg|thumb|Williams with [[Boris Kodjoe]] in 2011]]
⚫
In 2000, Williams was cast as [[Maxine Chadway]] in the [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] drama series ''[[Soul Food (TV series)|Soul Food]]'', a continuation of the successful [[Soul Food (film)|1997 film of the same name]].<ref name=bios /> Two other leads were played by [[Nicole Ari Parker]] and [[Malinda Williams]]. In the 1997 film, Vanessa L. Williams played the leading role of [[Teri Joseph]], and [[Vivica A. Fox]] played Maxine. For her performance, Williams won an [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series]] in 2003, and received three additional nominations. The series aired to 2004 and went on to be the longest running drama with a predominantly black cast in the history of American prime-time television.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/no-black-dramas-left-television-wbna5054030|title=No black dramas left on television|work=Today.com|access-date=January 16, 2016}}</ref>


⚫
In 2000, Williams was cast as [[Maxine Chadway]] in the [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] drama series ''[[Soul Food (TV series)|Soul Food]]'', a continuation of the successful [[Soul Food (film)|1997 film of the same name]].<ref name=bios /> Two other leads were played by [[Nicole Ari Parker]] and [[Malinda Williams]]. In the 1997 film, Vanessa L. Williams played the leading role of [[Teri Joseph]], and [[Vivica A. Fox]] played Maxine. For her performance, Williams won an [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series]] in 2003, and received three additional nominations. The series aired to 2004 and went on to be the longest running drama with a predominantly black cast in the history of American prime-time television.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/no-black-dramas-left-television-wbna5054030|title=No black dramas left on television|work=Today.com|date=May 24, 2004 |access-date=January 16, 2016}}</ref>
⚫
After ''Soul Food'', Williams had guest starring roles on ''[[Cold Case]]'', ''[[Knight Rider (2008 TV series)|Knight Rider]]'' and ''[[Lincoln Heights (TV series)|Lincoln Heights]]''. In 2015, she was cast in a recurring role of Iris West's mother in [[The CW]] drama series, ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/the-flash-iris-mom-vanessa-williams-joe-west-1201605693/|title=‘The Flash’ Casts ‘Candyman’ Star as Iris West’s Mother|author=Laura Prudom|work=Variety|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/the-flash/news/a671152/the-flash-casts-iris-wests-missing-mum-candymans-vanessa-williams-joins-the-cw-series/|title=The Flash casts Iris West's missing mum|author=Jack Klompus|date=September 30, 2015|work=Digital Spy|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref> In October 2016, it was announced she was cast in the role of Valerie Grant on the [[NBC]] soap opera, ''[[Days of Our Lives]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vanessa Williams Joins DAYS|url=http://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/vanessa-williams-joins-days/|access-date=October 5, 2016|work=[[Soap Opera Digest]]|date=October 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006133456/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/vanessa-williams-joins-days/|archive-date=October 6, 2016|location=United States|url-status=dead}}</ref>

⚫
After ''Soul Food'', Williams had guest starring roles on ''[[Cold Case]]'', ''[[Knight Rider (2008 TV series)|Knight Rider]]'' and ''[[Lincoln Heights (TV series)|Lincoln Heights]]''. In 2015, she was cast in a recurring role of Iris West's mother in [[The CW]] drama series, ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/the-flash-iris-mom-vanessa-williams-joe-west-1201605693/|title='The Flash' Casts 'Candyman' Star as Iris West's Mother|author=Laura Prudom|work=Variety|date=September 30, 2015 |access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/the-flash/news/a671152/the-flash-casts-iris-wests-missing-mum-candymans-vanessa-williams-joins-the-cw-series/|title=The Flash casts Iris West's missing mum|author=Jack Klompus|date=September 30, 2015|work=Digital Spy|access-date=January 17, 2016}}</ref> In October 2016, it was announced she was cast in the role of Valerie Grant on the [[NBC]] soap opera, ''[[Days of Our Lives]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vanessa Williams Joins DAYS|url=http://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/vanessa-williams-joins-days/|access-date=October 5, 2016|work=[[Soap Opera Digest]]|date=October 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006133456/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/vanessa-williams-joins-days/|archive-date=October 6, 2016|location=United States|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2020, she was cast in a recurring role as Pippa Pascal in the second season ''[[The L Word: Generation Q]]'', a role which she reprised for season three.


=== Film ===
=== Film ===
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! Title
! Title
! Role
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
! Notes
|-
|-
| 1991
| 1991
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| ''A Woman of Color''
| ''A Woman of Color''
| Thandi Kota
| Thandi Kota
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
| 1999
| 1999
| ''Incognito''
| ''Incognito''
| Wilhelmina Hunter
| Wilhelmina Hunter
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
|rowspan=2| 2000
|rowspan=2| 2000
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| ''Playing with Fire''
| ''Playing with Fire''
| Riana Roberts
| Riana Roberts
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
|rowspan=3| 2002
|rowspan=3| 2002
| ''[[Our America]]''
| ''[[Our America]]''
| Sandra Williams
| Sandra Williams
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
| ''[[Like Mike]]''
| ''[[Like Mike]]''
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| ''[[Ice Spiders]]''
| ''[[Ice Spiders]]''
| Dr. April Sommers
| Dr. April Sommers
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
| ''Drawing Angel''
| ''Drawing Angel''
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| ''[[Flirting with Forty]]''
| ''[[Flirting with Forty]]''
| Kristine
| Kristine
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
|rowspan=2| 2009
|rowspan=2| 2009
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| ''Sugar Mommas''
| ''Sugar Mommas''
| Lynn
| Lynn
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
| ''Raising Izzie''
| ''Raising Izzie''
| Tonya Freeman
| Tonya Freeman
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
| ''Something Like a Butterfly''
| ''Something Like a Butterfly''
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| ''Men, Money & Gold Diggers''
| ''Men, Money & Gold Diggers''
| Sandra Winslow
| Sandra Winslow
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
| ''The Last Piece''
| ''The Last Piece''
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| ''The Secret She Kept''
| ''The Secret She Kept''
| Beverly
| Beverly
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
| ''Diva Diaries''
| ''Diva Diaries''
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| ''One Fine Christmas''
| ''One Fine Christmas''
| Susan
| Susan
| TV Movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
| ''I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones''
| ''I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones''
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|
|
|-
|-
| 2022
|rowspan=3| 2022
| ''Singleholic''
| ''Singleholic''
| Jackie Chisholm
| Jackie Chisholm
|
|
|-
|-
| ''[[Mid-Century]]''
| Beverly Gordon
⚫
|
⚫
|-
| ''[[Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story]]''
| Lucille
⚫
|
⚫
|-
|rowspan=3| 2023
| ''Angie's Cure''
| Carla
|
|-
| ''Cruel Encounters''
| Corynne
⚫
| TV movie
|-
| ''Black Girl Erupted''
| Cassandra Cole
|
|}
|}


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! Title
! Title
! Role
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
! Notes
|-
|-
| 1989
| 1989
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| ''[[Melrose Place]]''
| ''[[Melrose Place]]''
| [[Rhonda Blair]]
| [[Rhonda Blair]]
| Main Cast: Season 1
| Main Cast: [[Melrose Place (season 1)|Season 1]]
|-
|-
|rowspan=2| 1995
|rowspan=2| 1995
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| Sonja Briggs (voice)
| Sonja Briggs (voice)
| Recurring Cast: Season 1
| Recurring Cast: Season 1
|-
| 2003
| ''[[E! True Hollywood Story]]''
| Herself
| Episode: "Melrose Place"
|-
|-
| 2007
| 2007
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| ''[[Lincoln Heights (TV series)|Lincoln Heights]]''
| ''[[Lincoln Heights (TV series)|Lincoln Heights]]''
| Naomi Bradshaw
| Naomi Bradshaw
| Guest Cast: Season 3-4
| Episode: "Ode to Joy" & "Bully for You"
|-
|-
|rowspan=2| 2009
|rowspan=2| 2009
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| Tallulah Lafitte
| Tallulah Lafitte
| Episode: "Everybody Hates Bomb Threats"
| Episode: "Everybody Hates Bomb Threats"
⚫
|-
| 2015
| ''Ward of the State''
| Lisa Jackson
⚫
| TV Series
⚫
|-
| 2015–17
⚫
| ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]''
⚫
| [[Francine West]]
| Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 3
|-
|-
| 2015–20
| 2015–20
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| Recurring Cast: Season 4, Guest: Season 6
| Recurring Cast: Season 4, Guest: Season 6
|-
|-
| 2015–23
| 2016–
⚫
| ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]''
⚫
| [[Francine West]]
| Recurring Cast: [[The Flash (season 2)|Season 2]], Guest: [[The Flash (season 3)|Season 3]] & [[The Flash (season 9)|9]]
|-
| 2016–22
| ''[[Days of Our Lives]]''
| ''[[Days of Our Lives]]''
| [[Valerie Grant]]
| [[Valerie Grant]]
| Series Regular
| Regular Cast
|-
|rowspan=2| 2017
| ''[[Unsung (TV series)|Unsung Hollywood]]''
| Herself
| Episode: "Ice-T"
|-
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Major Crimes (TV series)|Major Crimes]]''
| ''[[Major Crimes (TV series)|Major Crimes]]''
| Zora Sax
| Zora Sax
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| Episode: "Bonus Adults"
| Episode: "Bonus Adults"
|-
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2021
| 2021
| ''[[American Horror Stories]]''
| ''[[American Horror Stories]]''
| Eleanor Berger
| Eleanor Berger
| Episode : "Ba'al"
| Episode : "Ba'al"
|-
|-
| 2021–22
⚫
| [[9-1-1 (TV series)|''9-1-1'']]
⚫
| Claudette Collins
⚫
| Recurring Cast: Season 5<ref>{{Cite web|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=2021-10-11|title='9-1-1': Vanessa Estelle Williams Joins Fox Drama Series|url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/9-1-1-vanessa-estelle-williams-joins-fox-drama-series-1234853979/|access-date=2021-10-12|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| 2021–23
| ''[[The L Word: Generation Q]]''
| ''[[The L Word: Generation Q]]''
| Pippa Pascal
| Pippa Pascal
| Recurring Cast: Season 2
| Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 3
⚫
|-
⚫
|[[9-1-1 (TV series)|''9-1-1'']]
⚫
|Claudette Collins
⚫
|Recurring Cast: Season 5<ref>{{Cite web|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=2021-10-11|title=‘9-1-1’: Vanessa Estelle Williams Joins Fox Drama Series|url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/9-1-1-vanessa-estelle-williams-joins-fox-drama-series-1234853979/|access-date=2021-10-12|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref>
⚫
|-
|}
|}


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Vanessa Estelle}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Vanessa Estelle}}


[[Category:Actresses from New York City]]
[[Category:Actresses from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American people]]
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Tikar people]]
[[Category:Tikar people]]

Latest revision as of 20:43, 31 October 2024

Not to be confused with actress, singer, and former Miss America 1984, Vanessa Lynn Williams.
Vanessa Estelle Williams
Williams in 2011
Born (1963-05-12) May 12, 1963 (age 61)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
EducationMarymount Manhattan College
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouse
Andre Wiseman
​
​
(m. 1992; sep. 2018)​
Children2

Vanessa Estelle Williams, sometimes professionally credited as Vanessa E. Williams[1] (born May 12, 1963),[2] is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her roles as Maxine Joseph–Chadway in the Showtime drama series, Soul Food (2000–2004), for which she received NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series and as Nino Brown's feisty gun moll, Keisha in the 1991 crime drama film, New Jack City. Williams is also known for her role as Anne-Marie McCoy in the first and fourth of the Candyman films, and as Rhonda Blair in the first season of the Fox prime time soap opera, Melrose Place (1992–93).

Early life and education

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Williams was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.[3] Williams has three brothers and 1 sister.[4] Her mother, Verdell, died when she was 10 years old leaving Williams to be raised by her grandmother, Johnnie Mae Mungen. Her father died in 2016.[5][6] She has traced her ancestry back to Georgia and Virginia.[7] After high school she went on to get a bachelor's degree in theater and business management from Marymount Manhattan College.[8]

Career

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Williams later went to acting in films and television,[9] In the area of acting, she ran into name conflict with singer/actress and former Miss America Vanessa Williams (also born 1963). Screen Actors Guild rules prohibited duplicate stage naming. Vanessa Estelle had registered the name "Vanessa Williams" first,[10] so as a compromise, the former Miss America was occasionally credited as "Vanessa L. Williams" in acting credits. To compound the confusion, both actresses starred in versions of the drama Soul Food (Vanessa L. Williams in the film version, and Vanessa E. Williams in its TV series adaptation). The Screen Actors Guild eventually took the issue to arbitration and decided both actresses could use the professional name "Vanessa Williams".[11]

Television

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Williams began her acting career in 1989, appearing in episodes of The Cosby Show and Law & Order. In 1992, she was cast as Rhonda Blair, the first and only black regular character, in the Fox prime time soap opera, Melrose Place. She was written off after only one season for lack of direction. "I think they didn't make the effort to equip themselves [to write for a black character], either by hiring a black writer or asking me things," said Williams later.[12]

She later had guest starring roles on NYPD Blue and Living Single, before she was cast as a series regular in the ABC legal drama, Murder One (1995–1996) created by Steven Bochco. She received her first nomination for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance on the show. In 1996, Williams had a recurring role as Dr. Grace Carr in the CBS medical drama series, Chicago Hope, for which she received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nomination.[8]

Williams with Boris Kodjoe in 2011

In 2000, Williams was cast as Maxine Chadway in the Showtime drama series Soul Food, a continuation of the successful 1997 film of the same name.[8] Two other leads were played by Nicole Ari Parker and Malinda Williams. In the 1997 film, Vanessa L. Williams played the leading role of Teri Joseph, and Vivica A. Fox played Maxine. For her performance, Williams won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 2003, and received three additional nominations. The series aired to 2004 and went on to be the longest running drama with a predominantly black cast in the history of American prime-time television.[13]

After Soul Food, Williams had guest starring roles on Cold Case, Knight Rider and Lincoln Heights. In 2015, she was cast in a recurring role of Iris West's mother in The CW drama series, The Flash.[14][15] In October 2016, it was announced she was cast in the role of Valerie Grant on the NBC soap opera, Days of Our Lives.[16] In 2020, she was cast in a recurring role as Pippa Pascal in the second season The L Word: Generation Q, a role which she reprised for season three.

Film

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In film, Williams is best known for playing Keisha in the 1991 crime thriller New Jack City opposite Wesley Snipes and Ice T. She is also known for playing Anne-Marie McCoy in the 1992 horror film Candyman opposite Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen. The following years she had small parts in Drop Squad (1994), Mother (1996), Punks (2000), Like Mike (2002), and Imagine That (2009) alongside Soul Food co-star Nicole Ari Parker. Williams has also starred in a number of made for television movies, including Emmy Award-nominated performance in Our America (2002).[8] She also had roles in several smaller productions in recent years. In 2021, she returned to her role of Anne-Marie McCoy in the fourth film in the Candyman film series.[17]

Personal life

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Williams married Andre Wiseman in November 1992 when the couple eloped.[5] The couple have two sons together: Omar Tafari (March 5, 1997)[18] and Haile Zion Ali (born 2003).[19] In April 2018, Williams filed for divorce from Wiseman for the second time.[20]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1991 New Jack City Keisha
1992 Candyman Anne-Marie McCoy
1994 Drop Squad Mali
1996 Mother Donna
1997 Breakdown - Short
A Woman of Color Thandi Kota TV movie
1999 Incognito Wilhelmina Hunter TV movie
2000 Punks Jennifer
Playing with Fire Riana Roberts TV movie
2002 Our America Sandra Williams TV movie
Like Mike Pharmacist
Baby of the Family Gloria
2003 Black Listed J.W. Video
Allergic to Nuts Jennie Short
2005 Gift for the Living Voiceover Short
2007 Ice Spiders Dr. April Sommers TV movie
Drawing Angel Thulani Short
2008 Hummingbird Donya Short
Flirting with Forty Kristine TV movie
2009 Imagine That Lori Strother
Contradictions of the Heart Lea Video
2010 5150 TJ Short
2011 A Mother's Love Rochelle Richardson
2012 Sugar Mommas Lynn TV movie
Raising Izzie Tonya Freeman TV movie
Something Like a Butterfly Vonda Short
2013 The Get Away Lisa Short
And Then... Baybee Short
2014 Men, Money & Gold Diggers Sandra Winslow TV movie
The Last Piece Phone Voice (voice) Short
Crossed the Line Juice
2016 The Secret She Kept Beverly TV movie
Diva Diaries Alex
2018 Thriller Mrs. Walker
2019 One Fine Christmas Susan TV movie
I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones Rebecca
2021 Candyman Anne-Marie McCoy
2022 Singleholic Jackie Chisholm
Mid-Century Beverly Gordon
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story Lucille
2023 Angie's Cure Carla
Cruel Encounters Corynne TV movie
Black Girl Erupted Cassandra Cole

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 Dream Street - Episode: "Pilot"
1989–91 The Cosby Show Jade/Cheryl Recurring Cast: Season 5 & 7
1990 Law & Order Vera Episode: "Happily Ever After"
1992–93 Melrose Place Rhonda Blair Main Cast: Season 1
1995 NYPD Blue Kira Episode: "Don We Now Our Gay Apparel"
Living Single Hellura Episode: "Another Saturday Night"
1995–96 Murder One Lila Main Cast: Season 1
1996 Buddies Janice Rollins Episode: "Marry Me... Sort Of"
Malcolm & Eddie Stephanie Episode: "Big Brother Is Watching"
Chicago Hope Dr. Grace Carr Recurring Cast: Season 3
1997 Jungle Cubs Trech (voice) Episode: "The Ape That Would Be King"
Between Brothers Rebecca Episode: "The Interview"
1998 The Pretender Denise Clements Episode: "Collateral Damage"
The Steve Harvey Show Nina Episode: "Rent"
1999 Total Recall 2070 Violet Whims Episode: "Self-Inflicted"
2000–04 Soul Food Maxine Chadway Main Cast
2001 Heavy Gear: The Animated Series Sonja Briggs (voice) Recurring Cast: Season 1
2003 E! True Hollywood Story Herself Episode: "Melrose Place"
2007 Cold Case Crystal Stacy Episode: "Shuffle, Ball Change"
2008–09 Lincoln Heights Naomi Bradshaw Guest Cast: Season 3-4
2009 Knight Rider Ambassador Olara Kumali Episode: "Don't Stop the Knight" & "Day Turns Into Knight"
Everybody Hates Chris Tallulah Lafitte Episode: "Everybody Hates Bomb Threats"
2015–20 The Bay Mayor Cleo Harris Recurring Cast: Season 4, Guest: Season 6
2015–23 The Flash Francine West Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 3 & 9
2016–22 Days of Our Lives Valerie Grant Regular Cast
2017 Unsung Hollywood Herself Episode: "Ice-T"
Major Crimes Zora Sax Episode: "Intersection"
2017–18 Famous in Love Ida Turner Recurring Cast
2018 40 and Single Bertha Brown Main Cast
A Luv Tale: The Series Candice Main Cast
2020 Two Degrees Vanessa Episode: "Bonus Adults"
2021 American Horror Stories Eleanor Berger Episode : "Ba'al"
2021–22 9-1-1 Claudette Collins Recurring Cast: Season 5[21]
2021–23 The L Word: Generation Q Pippa Pascal Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 3

Awards and nominations

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Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome
1993 Fangoria Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actress "Candyman" Nominated
1996 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series "Murder One" Nominated
1997 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series "Chicago Hope" Nominated
2001 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series "Soul Food" Nominated
2003 Daytime Emmy Award Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special "Our America" Nominated
Black Reel Awards Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress: Television Movie/Cable Nominated
NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series "Soul Food" Won
2004 Nominated
2005 Nominated
2009 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special "Flirting with Forty" Nominated
2013 Black Reel Awards Black Reel Award for Best Actress: T.V. Movie/Cable "Raising Izzie" Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Vanessa Williams [@NessaWilliams] (February 28, 2020). "[...] my middle name is ESTELLE! [...]" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television
  3. ^ McCann, Bob (2010). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland. pp. 362–. ISBN 978-0-7864-3790-0. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  4. ^ Waldron, Robert (January 30, 2017). "Magnificent Journey". Soap Opera Digest. 42 (5): 54–57.
  5. ^ a b "VANESSA WILLIAMS". Sun-Sentinel. June 27, 1993. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  6. ^ "Vanessa Williams". SouthJersey.com. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  7. ^ "Vanessa Williams and African Ancestry". ABC News. Retrieved December 12, 2013 – via YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
  8. ^ a b c d "Vanessa Williams". Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  9. ^ "No, She's Not That Vanessa Williams 'Melrose' Star's Making A Name For Herself". philly-archives. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  10. ^ "There are two Vanessa Williams". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  11. ^ "Vanessa Williams: Boomtown's New Bombshell!". TV Guide. September 2, 2003. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007.
  12. ^ "Vanessa Williams devastated when written off The Place". Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  13. ^ "No black dramas left on television". Today.com. May 24, 2004. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  14. ^ Laura Prudom (September 30, 2015). "'The Flash' Casts 'Candyman' Star as Iris West's Mother". Variety. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  15. ^ Jack Klompus (September 30, 2015). "The Flash casts Iris West's missing mum". Digital Spy. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  16. ^ "Vanessa Williams Joins DAYS". Soap Opera Digest. United States. October 5, 2016. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
  17. ^ "Candyman 2020: Every Returning Character Confirmed & Rumored". ScreenRant. March 4, 2020.
  18. ^ Randolph, Laura B (December 1997). "Celebrity Baby Boom". Family. Essence. Vol. 53, no. 2.
  19. ^ "Vanessa Williams Biography". Celebrity Facts and Awards. TV Guide. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  20. ^ "Vanessa A. Williams Files to Divorce Husband Again". TMZ. April 16, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  21. ^ Petski, Denise (October 11, 2021). "'9-1-1': Vanessa Estelle Williams Joins Fox Drama Series". Deadline. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
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