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Vanessa Williams
★ Acting

Vanessa Williams

IMDb TMDB
Born 1963 · Tarrytown, New York, USA · Active 1953–2026

Vanessa Williams, born in 1963 in Tarrytown, New York, made headlines as the first Black Miss America in 1984 before resigning amid controversy. She transitioned into acting, appearing in Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal (1989), where her role reflects the provocative themes of the era. Williams' journey from a beauty queen to a multifaceted performer highlights her resilience and ability to navigate the complexities of fame, contributing to the ongoing conversation about identity and representation in cult cinema.

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Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal

Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal

1989 ★ 6.1
as Valentine Hayward

A high-priced call girl who has been secretly videotaping her rich clients is shot to death. An investigation of her murder ensues, bringing those involved into the underground world of pornography and prostitution.

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Career Highlights Top 6 by popularity · TMDB
Modern Family (2009)
Modern Family
2009
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
Hannah Montana: The Movie
2009
Desperate Housewives (2004)
Desperate Housewives
2004
Eraser (1996)
Eraser
1996
Shaft (2000)
Shaft
2000

Filmography

155 credits
2020s 25 credits
2026
The Claudia Winkleman Show as Self
TV ★ 3.5
2024
Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field as Self
Movie
2024
The Little Pageant That Could as Self (archive footage)
Movie
2024
Elsbeth as Roslyn Bridwell
TV ★ 6.7
2023
Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space as Narrator (voice)
Movie ★ 5.0
2023
Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway's Best as Self
Movie ★ 2.0
2023
Tripped Up as Patricia Chamberlain
Movie ★ 5.0
2023
Velma as Dr. Perdue (voice)
TV ★ 3.5
2022
Los lunes a las 9 as Self (Archive Footage)
Movie
2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
TV ★ 5.6
2022
Sherri as Self - Guest
TV ★ 2.7
2021
Bad Hair as Zora
Movie ★ 5.7
2021
Show of Titles as "Dear World" Performer
Movie
2021
Queen of the Universe as Self - Judge
TV ★ 4.2
2021
Girls5eva as Nance Trace
TV ★ 5.9
2021
Name That Tune as Self - Contestant
TV ★ 7.1
2021
Blankety Blank as Self - Panellist
TV ★ 7.0
2020
Singleholic as Jackie Chisolm
Movie ★ 2.0
2020
Vanessa Williams: Live From the West Side
Movie
2020
There She Is
Movie
2020
Stars in the House as Self
TV
2020
Stars in the House as Self - Special Guest
TV
2020
Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race as Vanquisha Da House - Contestant
TV ★ 5.8
2020
Calling All T.O.T.S. as Captain Beakman (voice)
TV ★ 7.0
2020
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams as Self - Host
TV
2010s 33 credits
2019
Miss Virginia as Sally Rae
Movie ★ 8.1
2019
Batman: Hush as Amanda Waller (voice)
Movie ★ 7.2
2019
Tamron Hall as Self - Guest
TV ★ 4.7
2019
A Black Lady Sketch Show as Delilah
TV ★ 7.0
2019
American Style as Self
TV ★ 1.0
2019
T.O.T.S. as Captain Beakman (voice)
TV ★ 7.4
2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show as Self
TV ★ 6.4
2019
First Wives Club as Nancy
TV ★ 8.0
2018
The Legend of Hallowaiian as Fire Goddess (voice)
Movie ★ 7.8
2018
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay as Amanda Waller (voice)
Movie ★ 7.1
2018
Celebrity Catchphrase as Self - Contestant
TV ★ 10.0
2017
The Man from Earth: Holocene as Carolyn
Movie ★ 5.5
2017
Not Black Enough as Self
Movie ★ 7.8
2017
Daytime Divas as Maxine Robinson
TV ★ 3.7
2016
The Secret She Kept as Beverly
Movie ★ 6.8
2016
VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night as Self
Movie
2016
The $100,000 Pyramid as Self
TV ★ 7.0
2016
Match Game as Self - Panelist
TV ★ 6.4
2015
Show Boat as Julie LaVerne
Movie
2015
Difficult People as Trish
TV ★ 6.3
2014
The Trip to Bountiful as Jessie Mae Watts
Movie ★ 6.0
2014
Broad City as Elizabeth Carlton
TV ★ 7.1
2014
The Librarians as Cynthia Rockwell
TV ★ 7.2
2013
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor as Janice
Movie ★ 6.7
2013
He's Way More Famous Than You as Vanessa Williams
Movie ★ 4.2
2012
666 Park Avenue as Olivia Doran
TV ★ 6.1
2012
The Mindy Project as Dr. Phillips
TV ★ 6.2
2012
Bethenny as Self - Guest
TV
2012
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as Self - Guest Judge
TV ★ 7.3
2012
Doc McStuffins as Delilah the Nesting Doll (voice)
TV ★ 5.9
2011
A Mother's Love as Rochelle Richardson
Movie
2011
The Jonathan Ross Show as Self - Guest
TV ★ 5.3
2010
Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
TV ★ 6.8
2000s 49 credits
2009
Hannah Montana: The Movie as Vita
Movie ★ 6.6
2009
Dreams Come True: A Celebration of Disney Animation
Movie
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Special Guest
TV ★ 7.5
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
TV ★ 7.5
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
TV ★ 5.0
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Guest Judge
TV ★ 7.5
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Judge (archive footage)
TV ★ 7.5
2009
Modern Family as Rhonda
TV ★ 7.9
2009
The Good Wife as Courtney Paige
TV ★ 7.6
2008
Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade as Self
Movie
2008
The Wendy Williams Show
TV ★ 5.5
2007
And Then Came Love as Julie
Movie ★ 5.9
2007
Shear Genius
TV ★ 5.0
2007
Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies as Mama Mirabelle (voice)
TV ★ 8.0
2007
The Graham Norton Show as Self
TV ★ 7.2
2006
My Brother as L'Tisha Morton
Movie ★ 5.8
2006
Rehearsing a Dream as Self
Movie
2006
South Beach as Elizabeth Bauer
TV ★ 6.4
2006
Ugly Betty as Wilhelmina Slater
TV ★ 6.4
2005
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards as Witch (segment "Into the Woods") (archive footage)
Movie ★ 7.2
2005
Gift for the Living as Narrator
Movie ★ 9.0
2005
Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade as Self
Movie ★ 7.0
2005
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as Self
TV ★ 6.8
2005
The Reichen Show as Self
TV ★ 4.8
2004
Johnson Family Vacation as Dorothy Johnson
Movie ★ 5.5
2004
The 7th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest as Self
Movie
2004
Christmas in Washington
Movie ★ 3.7
2004
Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song? as Self (archive footage)
Movie
2004
The Tony Danza Show as Self - Guest
TV ★ 6.4
2004
Desperate Housewives as Renee Perry
TV ★ 7.9
2004
On Air with Ryan Seacrest as Self
TV ★ 9.5
2003
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
Movie ★ 5.2
2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
TV ★ 5.6
2003
The Bachelorette as Self
TV ★ 4.2
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
TV ★ 5.4
2002
Keep the Faith, Baby as Hazel Scott
Movie ★ 5.7
2002
It's Black Entertainment as Self - Host
Movie ★ 8.7
2002
Boomtown as Detective Katherine Pierce
TV ★ 6.4
2001
WW3 as M.J. Blake (as Vanessa L. Williams)
Movie ★ 5.4
2001
Santa, Baby! as Alicia (voice)
Movie ★ 5.5
2001
Good Day Live as Self
TV ★ 3.8
2001
The Proud Family as Debra (voice)
TV ★ 7.8
2000
Shaft as Carmen Vasquez
Movie ★ 6.0
2000
A Diva's Christmas Carol as Ebony Scrooge
Movie ★ 6.2
2000
The Courage to Love as Mother Henriette Delille
Movie ★ 6.8
2000
Shaft: Still the Man as Self
Movie ★ 7.5
2000
Don Quixote as Dulcinea / Aldonza
Movie ★ 6.3
2000
Afrocentricity as Self
Movie ★ 7.0
2000
Christmas is Coming: Rob Mathes & Very Special Friends as Herself
Movie ★ 10.0
1990s 33 credits
1999
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland as Queen of Trash
Movie ★ 6.4
1999
Futuresport as Alexandra 'Alex' Torres
Movie ★ 4.3
1999
Light It Up as Audrey McDonald
Movie ★ 6.7
1998
Dance with Me as Ruby Sinclair
Movie ★ 6.9
1998
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia as Self
Movie
1998
L.A. Doctors as Leanne Barrows
TV ★ 8.5
1998
VH1 Divas
TV ★ 7.5
1997
Hoodlum as Francine Hughes
Movie ★ 6.4
1997
Soul Food as Teri
Movie ★ 6.3
1997
The View as Self
TV ★ 4.4
1997
The Odyssey as Calypso
TV ★ 7.2
1997
The View as Self - Guest
TV ★ 4.4
1997
Ally McBeal as Sheila Hunt
TV ★ 6.5
1996
Eraser as Lee Cullen
Movie ★ 6.1
1996
Jungle Cubs
TV ★ 6.6
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show as Self - Guest
TV ★ 4.1
1995
Bye Bye Birdie as Rose Alvarez
Movie ★ 6.2
1995
Nothing Lasts Forever as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
Movie ★ 6.5
1995
Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II as Self
Movie
1995
MADtv as Self
TV ★ 7.1
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child as Beauty (voice)
TV ★ 6.3
1995
Nothing Lasts Forever as Dr. Kathy 'Kat' Hunter
TV
1994
Score with Chicks
Movie ★ 7.0
1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Arandis
TV ★ 7.9
1993
Intimate Portrait as Self (archive footage)
TV ★ 4.5
1992
Stompin' at the Savoy as Pauline
Movie
1992
The Jacksons: An American Dream as Suzanne de Passe
TV ★ 6.7
1991
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man as Lulu Daniels
Movie ★ 6.3
1991
Another You as Gloria
Movie ★ 5.5
1990
Seriously... Phil Collins as Rachel - TV Executive
Movie ★ 8.0
1990
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer as Terri Knight
Movie ★ 7.6
1990
The Kid Who Loved Christmas as Lynette Parks
Movie ★ 6.6
1990
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Danny Mitchell
TV ★ 7.9
1980s 8 credits
1989
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal● as Valentine Hayward
Movie ★ 4.8
1988
Under the Gun as Samantha Richards
Movie ★ 7.1
1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest
TV ★ 5.6
1988
American Experience as Narrator (voice)
TV ★ 6.6
1987
The Pick-up Artist as Rae, Girl with Dog
Movie ★ 5.7
1984
Partners in Crime
TV ★ 6.5
1982
T. J. Hooker as Officer Pat Williamson
TV ★ 6.5
1980
A Capitol Fourth as Self
TV
1970s 1 credit
1975
Saturday Night Live as Self - Musical Guest
TV ★ 6.9
1960s 2 credits
1965
Days of Our Lives as Valerie Grant
TV ★ 6.1
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
TV ★ 7.5
1950s 3 credits
1956
Tony Awards as Self - Performer
TV
1954
Miss America as Miss New York 1983
TV
1953
The Oscars as Self
TV ★ 7.0
Crew Credits
2000s 1 credit
2000
The Courage to Love Executive Producer
Movie ★ 6.8