Vanessa Williams

Acting

Vanessa Williams

Born

1963-05-12 (63)

Place of birth

New York City, New York, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

61 titles

Vanessa Estelle Williams (sometimes professionally credited as Vanessa A. Williams) is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her roles as Maxine Joseph–Chadway in the Showtime drama series, Soul Food (2000–04), for which she received NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series, and as Rhonda Blair in the first season of the Fox prime time soap opera, Melrose Place (1992–93). She is also known as Nino Brown's feisty gun moll, Keisha in the 1991 crime drama film, New Jack City and as Anne-Marie McCoy in the first and fourth of the Candyman films. Though not related, she is sometimes confused with American actress, singer, and former Miss America 1984, Vanessa…

Known for

Law & Order poster
7.3

In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.

Law & Order

1990

The Flash poster
7.7

After being struck by lightning, CSI investigator Barry Allen awakens from a nine-month coma to discover he has been granted the gift of super speed. Teaming up with S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry takes on the persona of The Flash, the Fastest Man Alive, to protect his city.

The Flash

2014

9-1-1 poster
8.2

Explore the high-pressure experiences of police officers, paramedics and firefighters who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives.

9-1-1

2018

LIVE with Kelly and Mark poster
5.6

A morning talk show with A-list celebrity guests, top-notch performances and one-of-a-kind segments that are unrivaled on daytime television, plus spontaneous, hilarious and unpredictable talk.

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

Phineas and Ferb poster
7.9

Each day, two kindhearted suburban stepbrothers on summer vacation embark on some grand new project, which annoys their controlling sister, Candace, who tries to bust them. Meanwhile, their pet platypus plots against evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

Phineas and Ferb

2007

Melrose Place poster
5.9

Follow the lives of a group of young adults living in a brownstone apartment complex on Melrose Place, in Los Angeles, California.

Melrose Place

1992

Film credits

2020s · 10 titles

Candyman poster
6.0

A Chicago artist's sanity starts to unravel, unleashing a terrifying wave of violence when he begins to explore the macabre history of the Candyman.

Candyman

2021

Mid-Century poster
4.5

A husband and wife's weekend in a mid-century modern vacation rental turns deadly when the husband discovers the owner is a psychopath with a backyard of buried secrets and designs on his wife.

Mid-Century

2022

Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies poster
NR

Dive into 60 minutes of blood, bravado and brilliant scares as we trace the evolution of horror cinema from Dracula (1931) to today.

Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies

2025

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story poster
3.7

Follows the successful career of Jackson as well as her unique friendship and devotion to Martin Luther King Jr. and her unsung contribution to the Civil Rights Movement.

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story

2022

Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion poster
4.7

Event planner Amy helps rising singer Tiffanie Christmas plan her holiday family reunion. Along the way Amy must navigate some challenging family dynamics, especially among Tiffanie's aunts as well as her own growing feelings for Tiffanie's cousin, Calvin. Will she be able to pull off an amazing Christmas family reunion?

Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion

2021

Love on a Two Way Street poster
NR

Regina McKenzie struggles with still living at home with her parents, juggling questionable career choices, and dating the wrong men. Love on a Two Way Street is a live stage play event that covers the entire emotional spectrum.

Love on a Two Way Street

2020

Black Girl, Erupted poster
2.0

After a series of setbacks, high-achieving lawyer Reina must learn how to handle her mental health before her emotional outbursts destroy her career and her relationships.

Black Girl, Erupted

2023

Cruel Encounters poster
1.0

After the founder of a huge holding company dies in a mysterious helicopter crash, his wife, son and daughter jockey for the reins of his company in a struggle that involves deception, intrigue and murder.

Cruel Encounters

2023

A Rich Christmas poster
5.8

Spoiled socialite will learn a lesson after her father asks her to work in a family homeless center.

A Rich Christmas

2021

Angie's Cure poster
10.0

A traumatized woman seizes a rare chance to turn the tables on her attacker, but revenge threatens to turn her into the very monster she fears.

Angie's Cure

2022

2010s · 7 titles

Sugar Mommas poster
NR

Sisters Sheila and Lynn have little in common except their love for sweets. In need of a change, they partner with their close friend Tommi to open a bakery.

Sugar Mommas

2012

I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones poster
2.0

A man in a committed relationship turns his love life upside-down when he accepts a $50,000 bet about getting a date with his celebrity crush.

I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones

2019

Thriller poster
4.3

Years after a childhood prank goes horribly wrong, a clique of South Central LA teens find themselves terrorized during Homecoming weekend by a killer hell-bent on revenge.

Thriller

2018

Raising Izzie poster
8.1

A caring teacher helps an orphaned girl in taking care of her younger sister after their mother's death.

Raising Izzie

2012

Crossed the Line poster
6.2

A young woman refuses to bow down to the local criminal kingpin who wants to take control of her late mother's flower shop in order to run drugs. However, when he crosses the line, she and her siblings seek revenge.

Crossed the Line

2014

Men, Money & Gold Diggers poster
NR

Caleb Peterson has it all - a great job, plenty of money, and a fine fiancée in former model Paisley Terrell. They're all set to get married just as soon as she signs a prenuptial agreement, but there's just one problem... "Paisley don't do pre-nups!" As tempers flare and emotions run high, what began as a romantic proposal quickly escalates into an all-out battle between Men, Money, and Gold Diggers!

Men, Money & Gold Diggers

2014

One Fine Christmas poster
5.2

The families on Christmas Street have been so busy with their day-to-day lives that they lose sight of the importance of family during the holiday season.

One Fine Christmas

2019

2000s · 11 titles

Imagine That poster
6.0

A financial executive who can't stop his career downspiral is invited into his daughter's imaginary world, where solutions to his problems await.

Imagine That

2009

Like Mike poster
6.1

Calvin and his friends, who all live in an orphanage, find old shoes with the faded letters MJ connected to a powerline. One stormy night, they go to get the shoes when Calvin and the shoes are struck by lightning. Calvin now has unbelievable basketball powers and has the chance to play for the NBA.

Like Mike

2002

Flirting with Forty poster
5.2

A divorcee has a passionate affair with a much younger surfing instructor in Hawaii.

Flirting with Forty

2008

Punks poster
5.1

The life and times of a group of twentysomething black gay men living in West Hollywood.

Punks

2000

Ice Spiders poster
4.2

When a young ski team training for the Olympics arrives at the remote and isolated Lost Mountain Ski Resort to focus on training, they're thrilled to find a retired Olympic skier is there to help them train. But their plans are halted when a scientist working at a nearby government lab arrives with the horrifying news that a top secret Government project has produced giant spiders and they have escaped, killing and eating everything in sight.

Ice Spiders

2007

Contradictions of the Heart poster
6.5

A party chasing chick pounds on a restaurant door after closing. The closing manager opens it and the journey this encounter creates, places contradicting questions at the door step of race, friendship and sex.

Contradictions of the Heart

2009

Black Listed poster
4.0

Alan Chambers (Townsend) is a lawyer and sick of his job. He corrals his friends into forming a vigilante group. Everyone goes along with it at first, until it turns sour and innocent people start dying, and Alan is the only one left standing.

Black Listed

2003

Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me poster
8.0

Today there are more reasons than ever for families to explore and celebrate diversity. Our ever-expanding world is full of differences in abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, family structures, religious faiths, interests and cultures. This documentary introduces your family to children who are not only celebrating how they are unique, but who are also learning from and appreciating the differences in others.

Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me

2004

Playing with Fire poster
8.0

A woman tries to save her sister, who stole a priceless African statue with her lover.

Playing with Fire

2000

Our America poster
8.0

The true story of two African-American teen radio reporters and their documentary investigation of a notorious child murder.

Our America

2002

No artwork available
NR

Comedy short.

Allergic to Nuts

2003

1990s · 5 titles

Series credits

Law & Order poster
7.3

In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.

Law & Order

1990

The Flash poster
7.7

After being struck by lightning, CSI investigator Barry Allen awakens from a nine-month coma to discover he has been granted the gift of super speed. Teaming up with S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry takes on the persona of The Flash, the Fastest Man Alive, to protect his city.

The Flash

2014

9-1-1 poster
8.2

Explore the high-pressure experiences of police officers, paramedics and firefighters who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives.

9-1-1

2018

LIVE with Kelly and Mark poster
5.6

A morning talk show with A-list celebrity guests, top-notch performances and one-of-a-kind segments that are unrivaled on daytime television, plus spontaneous, hilarious and unpredictable talk.

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

Phineas and Ferb poster
7.9

Each day, two kindhearted suburban stepbrothers on summer vacation embark on some grand new project, which annoys their controlling sister, Candace, who tries to bust them. Meanwhile, their pet platypus plots against evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

Phineas and Ferb

2007

Melrose Place poster
5.9

Follow the lives of a group of young adults living in a brownstone apartment complex on Melrose Place, in Los Angeles, California.

Melrose Place

1992

Cold Case poster
7.7

The Philadelphia homicide squad's lone female detective finds her calling when she is assigned cases that have never been solved. Detective Lilly Rush combines her natural instincts with the updated technology available today to bring about justice for all the victims she can.

Cold Case

2003

Chicago Hope poster
7.2

Chicago Hope is an American medical drama television series, created by David E. Kelley. It ran on CBS from September 18, 1994, to May 4, 2000. The series is set in a fictional private charity hospital in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago Hope

1994

Good Day Live poster
3.8

Good Day Live was a nationwide talk show seen weekdays on FOX affiliates throughout the US. Each FOX owned and operated station airs a separate Good Day program as part of its newscast. Some FOX stations air up to five hours on weekday mornings, up to three on weekend mornings, (and almost 50% of the programming on these stations contains a locally produced newscast of local news, traffic, national news, weather, sports, business, and public affairs.)

Good Day Live

2001

The Cosby Show poster
7.0

The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on the Huxtable family, an upper middle-class African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York.

The Cosby Show

1984

The Cosby Show poster
7.0

The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on the Huxtable family, an upper middle-class African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York.

The Cosby Show

1984

The Pretender poster
7.4

Raised in a secret facility built for experimenting on children, Jarod is a genius who can master any profession and become anyone he has to be. When he realizes as an adult that he's actually a prisoner and his captors are not as benevolent as he's been told, he breaks out. While trying to find his real identity, Jarod helps those he encounters and tries to avoid the woman sent to retrieve him.

The Pretender

1996

The Wendy Williams Show poster
5.7

Radio personality Wendy Williams is the host to her own live syndicated talk show. Wendy injects her television series with the same style that characterizes her radio show, and divides on-air time between probing celebrity interviews and advice-giving to audience members.

The Wendy Williams Show

2008

American Horror Stories poster
7.7

An anthology series of stand alone episodes delving into horror myths, legends and lore.

American Horror Stories

2021

Living Single poster
8.0

Living Single is an American television sitcom that aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone. Throughout its run, Living Single became one of the most popular African-American sitcoms of its era, ranking among the top five in African-American ratings in all five seasons. The series was produced by Yvette Lee Bowser's company, Sister Lee, in association with Warner Bros. Television. In contrast to the popularity of NBC's "Must See TV" on Thursday nights in the 1990s, many African American and Latino viewers flocked to Fox's Thursday night line-up of Martin, Living Single, and New York Undercover. In fact, these were the three highest-rated series among black households for the 1996–1997 season.

Living Single

1993

The Steve Harvey Show poster
7.0

Down on his luck and out of money, former R&B star Steve Hightower lands a music teacher gig at an inner-city Chicago school. Showing who's in charge with his unorthodox approach, Steve discovers a new groove at Washington High School.

The Steve Harvey Show

1996

Murder One poster
7.7

Theodore 'Teddy' Hoffman is a highly-regarded defense attorney in a prestigious Los Angeles law firm. Having successfully defended the wealthy but suspicious Richard Cross in a much-publicised murder trial, he is now involved in the defense of Neil Avedon, a famous young actor who has been suffering from severe drug and alcohol problems - and has been charged with the murder for which Cross was acquitted.

Murder One

1995

Murder One poster
7.7

Theodore 'Teddy' Hoffman is a highly-regarded defense attorney in a prestigious Los Angeles law firm. Having successfully defended the wealthy but suspicious Richard Cross in a much-publicised murder trial, he is now involved in the defense of Neil Avedon, a famous young actor who has been suffering from severe drug and alcohol problems - and has been charged with the murder for which Cross was acquitted.

Murder One

1995

The Word poster
6.0

The Word was a 1990s Channel 4 television programme in the United Kingdom. The show pushed forward the boundaries of youth TV, always coming close to going too far.

The Word

1990

Malcolm & Eddie poster
7.8

Malcolm and Eddie are as different as one can imagine. Nevertheless, they're best friends who manage to be roommates as well as co-workers and not kill each other.

Malcolm & Eddie

1996

Between Brothers poster
9.0

Between Brothers is an American television situation comedy centered around four middle-class African American men in their late twenties, living in Chicago.

Between Brothers

1997

Total Recall 2070 poster
6.3

Total Recall 2070 is a science fiction television series first broadcast in 1999 on the Canadian television channel CHCH-TV and later the same year on the American Showtime channel. It was later syndicated in the United States with some editing to remove scenes of nudity, violence and strong language. The series was inspired by the 1990 film Total Recall, based on Philip K. Dick's short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale", and by Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, with a visual style heavily influenced by the film Blade Runner, itself very loosely based on the same novel. However, other than the Rekall company and the concept of virtual vacations, the series shares no major plot points or characters with any of these works. Philip K. Dick is not credited in any way on the series main or end titles. The series was filmed in Toronto. It was a Canadian/German co-production. Only one season, consisting of 22 episodes, was produced.

Total Recall 2070

1999

TFI Unplugged poster
NR

Chris Evans returns to Channel 4 with his iconic show... but this time he's unplugged! Enjoy unfiltered conversations with the biggest stars and the latest bands performing intimate sets.

TFI Unplugged

2026

Soul Food poster
7.2

Soul Food: The Series is a television drama that aired Wednesday nights on Showtime from June 28, 2000 to May 26, 2004. Created by filmmaker George Tillman, Jr. and developed for television by Felicia D. Henderson, Soul Food is based upon Tillman's childhood experiences growing up in Wisconsin, and is a continuation of his successful 1997 film of the same name. Having aired for 74 episodes, it is the longest running drama with a predominantly black cast in the history of North American prime-time television.

Soul Food

2000

Buddies poster
5.5

Two pals---one black, one white---go into business over the protests of their elders, who worry about their racial differences. But the friends just make light of them as they try to get their small company off the ground.

Buddies

1996

Wild Rose poster
10.0

Roosevelt aka "Rose," comes from a family of assassins that also happen to run a nonprofit organization. Behind the nonprofit facade is an elite, family-run, hired-gun agency known for taking down high-profile targets. Rose's life turns upside down when his wife and daughter mysteriously walk out of his life and disappear for months. Suspecting foul play, Rose embarks on a journey to uncover the truth, unraveling a web of secrets that force him to question his identity within his own family.

Wild Rose

2026

A Luv Tale poster
6.1

Taylor, Candice, Aklia, and Tammy's journeys as queer women may look different, but as they cross paths in Harlem, they help each other untangle life's complexities and be their authentic selves.

A Luv Tale

2021

40 and Single poster
9.0

A bisexual, mixed race, single bridal fashion designer maneuvers life and business in post colonial Africa.

40 and Single

2018