Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is a Grammy Award-nominated, Emmy Award-nominated, and Tony Award-nominated American R&B/pop/theatrical singer and actress
Williams made history in 1983 when she became the first African-American woman to be crowned Miss America. Williams' reign as Miss America came to an abrupt end when scandal led to her subsequent resignation of the title. Williams rebounded by launching a career as an entertainer.
Early life
Williams was born in Watertown, New York to Milton and Helen Williams, who were both music teachers. Both of the parents were half African-American and Caucasian. Vanessa has a younger brother named Chris, who is also an actor. They grew up in a white middle-class suburban area. Prophetically, her parents put "Here she is: Miss America" on her birth announcement.
Williams studied piano and French horn growing up, but was most interested in singing. She received a scholarship and attended Syracuse University as a Theatre Arts major, but chose to discontinue her college education to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Pageants and Miss America title
Williams began competing in beauty pageants in the early 1980s. Williams won Miss New York in 1983, and went to the Miss America national pageant in Atlantic City. She was crowned Miss America 1984 on September 17, 1983 making her the first-ever African-American Miss America. Prior to the final night of competition, Williams won both the Preliminary Talent and Swimsuit Competitions from earlier in the week.
Williams' reign as Miss America was not without its challenges and controversies. For the first time in pageant history, a reigning Miss America was the target of death threats and angry racist hate mail. The Miss America Organization provided her with police escorts on certain public appearances in the South.
Ten months into her reign as Miss America, she received an anonymous phone call stating that nude photos of her taken by a photographer prior to her pageant days had surfaced. Williams believed the photographs were private and had been destroyed; she claims she never signed a release permitting the photos to be used.
The genesis of the photos dated back to 1982, when she worked as an assistant and makeup artist for photographer Tom Chiapel. According to Williams, Chiapel advised her that he wanted to try a "new concept of silhouettes with two models." He photographed Williams and another woman in several nude poses. The photographs depicted mild overtones of simulated lesbian sex, which was quite controversial for its time.
Hugh Hefner, the publisher of Playboy, was initially offered the photos, but turned them down. Days later, Bob Guccione, the publisher of Penthouse, announced that his magazine would publish the photos in their September 1984 issue, and paid Chiapel for the rights to them without Williams' consent. According to the PBS documentary, "Miss America," the Vanessa Williams issue of Penthouse would ultimately bring Guccione a $14 million windfall.
After several days of media frenzy and sponsors threatening to pull out of the upcoming 1985 pageant, Williams felt pressured by Miss America Pageant officials to resign, and did so in a press conference on July 23, 1984. Williams' resignation received enormous media attention. Although she resigned from fulfilling the duties of a current Miss America, she was allowed to keep the bejeweled crown and scholarship money and is officially recognized by the Miss America Organization today as "Miss America 1984a".
Williams has gone on to lead what is arguably the most successful career of any former Miss America.
Music career
After time out of the spotlight, Williams secured a record deal, and released her debut album, The Right Stuff in 1988. The first single, "The Right Stuff", was successful on the R&B charts and the third single, "Dreamin'", was a chart success becoming Williams' first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and her first number one single in the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album reached gold status and earned her three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist.
Her second album The Comfort Zone became the biggest success in her music career. The lead single Running Back to You became another chart topper for her, reaching the top position of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in October 5, 1991. Other singles included "The Comfort Zone", "Just for Tonight", "Work to Do" and the club hit "Freedom Dance (Get Free!). The most successful single from the album, as well as her biggest hit to date is "Save the Best for Last". The song was at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks and reached #1 on charts in countries all over the world, including Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada and in the top 5 in Japan and the United Kingdom. The album went three times platinum in the United States by the RIAA, gold in Canada by the CRIA, and platinum in the United Kingdom by the BPI. The Comfort Zone earned her five Grammy Award nominations.
In addition to Williams' first two albums, her most notable chart successes have included the songs "Love Is", "The Sweetest Days", "Colors of the Wind", and "Oh How The Years Go By". In total, Williams has sold over six million records and received fifteen Grammy Award nominations.
In early 2007, it was announced she had signed with jazz label Concord Records. An album, which will be her 9th, is expected later this year and will be a mix of old jazz standards as well as new ballads/Brazilian bossa nova as well.
Acting career
Theatrical roles
Williams parlayed her ascendant music career into a theatrical role when she was cast in the Broadway production of Kiss of the Spider Woman in 1994. She was also featured in a Tony-nominated performance as the Witch in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods in a revival of the show in 2002, which included songs revised for her.
Other notable theatrical roles include her performances in Carmen Jones at the Kennedy Center, the off-Broadway productions of One Man Band and Checkmates, and the New York City Center's Encores!® Great American Musicals in Concert, St. Louis Woman.
Feature film roles
Williams has appeared in several feature films. Her most prominent role was in the film Soul Food (1997), for which she won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. Vanessa appeared in the 1991 cult classic film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. She also co-starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Eraser and opposite Latin sensation Chayanne in Dance with Me.
As of 2007, Vanessa has starred in two movies. The first being My Brother (in which she received an award) and the second being And Then Came Love.
For the complete list of her feature film roles, see Vanessa L. Williams at the Internet Movie Database.
Television
Williams' first television appearance was on a 1984 episode of The Love Boat, playing herself. She subsequently made guest appearances on a number of shows, including T.J. Hooker, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Saturday Night Live, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, LateLine, MADtv, Ally McBeal and Boomtown.
She has had many appearances in television movies and miniseries, including Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer and The Jacksons: An American Dream. She played the nymph Calypso in the 1997 Hallmark Entertainment miniseries The Odyssey, starring Armand Assante. She appeared as the Ebenezer Scrooge character in an update of the Charles Dickens story "A Christmas Carol" called "A Diva's Christmas Carol". In 2001, Williams starred in the Lifetime cable movie about the life of Henriette DeLille, The Courage to Love. In early 2006 she starred in the short lived UPN drama South Beach.
In 2007, Williams received considerable media attention for her comic/villainess role as magazine editor Wilhelmina Slater in the ABC comedy series Ugly Betty, produced by Salma Hayek. Her performance on the series has resulted in a nomination for outstanding supporting actress at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards.
For the complete list of her television appearances, see Vanessa L. Williams at TV.com.
Other media appearances
She has appeared in advertisements for RadioShack.
She has been a spokesmodel for Proactiv Solution.
She has endorsed L’Oréal cosmetics.
She appeared nude in the May 2007 issue of Allure
Name conflict
In Williams' career, she was initially known simply as "Vanessa Williams". However, there is occasionally confusion or conflicts with similarly-named actress Vanessa A. Williams, who first came to national notice when she appeared in the first season of Melrose Place.
Williams (VLW) first became aware of Vanessa A. Williams (VAW) in the 1980s when her New York University registrar told her that another similarly-aged girl with the same name and from the same state had applied. When VLW appeared as Miss America in a Macy's Day Parade, VAW accidentally received her check for the appearance (which she returned).
In the area of acting, the two ran into name conflict when Screen Actors Guild rules prohibited duplicate stage naming. VAW had registered the name "Vanessa Williams" first, so as a compromise, VLW was occasionally credited as "Vanessa L. Williams" in acting credits. VLW says the Screen Actors Guild eventually took the issue to arbitration and decided that both actresses could use the stage name "Vanessa Williams." She is credited this way in the opening credits for Ugly Betty. Both actresses starred in versions of the drama Soul Food (VLW in the film version, and VAW in its TV series adaptation).
In a 1997 interview with Playboy magazine, VLW claims VAW made a "catty remark" about her when VAW appeared in a Broadway play. A year later, VLW told Canoe.ca: "She registered the name first but I made the name famous so I have more claim to it these days."
Personal life
Williams has been married twice. Her first marriage to her then-manager Ramon Hervey II was from 1987 to 1997. They have three children: Melanie (born 1987), Jillian (born 1989), and Devin (born 1993).
Her second marriage was to NBA basketball player Rick Fox. They married in September 1999 and have a daughter, Sasha Gabriella (born May 2000). After The National Enquirer published pictures of Fox kissing another woman in mid-2004, Fox's representative announced that the couple had been "headed toward divorce" for over a year. A few months later in August 2004, Fox filed for divorce. During some press interviews, Williams cast some doubt on the divorce status, but while visiting the Howard Stern radio show in March 2005, she said that while she and Fox were intimate with each other briefly during the 2004 holidays, a reconciliation was unlikely.
In early 2006, Williams dated 29-year-old actor Rob Mack, whom she met on the set of her show South Beach. She's currently single and resides in Chappaqua, New York.
Her father Milton died on January 17, 2006 at the age of 70.
Discography
Albums
The Right Stuff
Released: June 6, 1988
Label: WING / Mercury
Chart Peak: US Pop #38, R&B #18
RIAA Certification: Gold
Singles: "The Right Stuff", "Dreamin'", "(He's Got) The Look", "Darlin' I"
The Comfort Zone
Released: August 20, 1991
Label: WING / Mercury
Chart Peak: US Pop #17, R&B #1, UK #24
RIAA Certification: 3x Platinum
Singles: "Running Back To You", "The Comfort Zone", "Save The Best For Last", "Just For Tonight", "Work To Do", "What Will I Tell My Heart"
The Sweetest Days
Released: December 6, 1994
Label: WING / Mercury
Chart Peak: US Pop #57, R&B #25
RIAA Certification: Platinum
Singles: "The Sweetest Days", "The Way That You Love", "Betcha Never", "You Can't Run"
Star Bright
Released: November 5, 1996
Label: Mercury
Chart Peak: US Pop #36, R&B #24
RIAA Certification: Gold
Singles: "Do You Hear What I Hear"
Next
Released: August 26, 1997
Label: Mercury
Chart Peak: US Pop #53, R&B #28
RIAA Certification: N/A (U.S. Sales: 280,000)
Singles: "Happiness", "Who Were You Thinkin' 'Bout?", "Oh How The Years Go By", "First Thing On Your Mind"
Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years
Released: November 17, 1998
Label: Mercury
Chart Peak: N/A
RIAA Certification: N/A
Singles: "My Flame"
The Christmas Collection: The Best Of
Released: September 23, 2003
Label: Mercury
Chart Peak: N/A
RIAA Certification: N/A
The Millennium Collection: The Best Of
Released: October 7, 2003
Label: Mercury
Chart Peak: N/A
RIAA Certification: N/A
Love Songs
Released: January 13, 2004
Label: Mercury
Chart Peak: N/A
RIAA Certification: N/A
Silver & Gold
Released: October 12, 2004
Label: Lava / Atlantic
Chart Peak: US Pop #120, R&B #46, Gospel #2
RIAA Certification: N/A (U.S. Sales: 100,000)
Singles: "Silver And Gold", "Merry Christmas, Darling"
Everlasting Love
Released: January 25, 2005
Label: Lava / Atlantic
Chart Peak: US Pop #159, R&B #57
RIAA Certification: N/A (U.S. Sales: 60,000)
Singles: "You Are Everything"
Awards and Accolades
1983 Won Miss America
1989 Nominated for 2 Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female (The Right Stuff).
1990 Nominated for Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female (Dreamin' ).
1989 Won NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist.
1992 Nominated for Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female (Runnin' Back to You).
1993 Nominated for 3 American Music Awards for Favorite Female Artist - Pop / Rock, Favorite Female Artist - Soul / Rhythm & Blues, Favorite Album - Adult Contemporary (The Comfort Zone).
1993 Nominated for 4 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Pop Female Vocalist (Save the Best for Last), Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female (The Comfort Zone).
1993 Nominated for 2 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video of the Year (Save the Best for Last) and Best Cinematography in a Video (Running Back to You).
1993 Won a Billboard Music Award for No. 1 Adult Contemporary Single (Love Is).
1993 Nominated for Grammy Award for Pop Vocal Group (Love Is).
1993 Won Playboy Magazine's - Best Female Rhythm and Blues Vocalist.
1989-1993 Winner of 8 New York Music Awards including Artist of the Year in 1992.
1994 Won Theatre World Award for Best Debut Performance (Kiss of the Spider Woman).
1994 Won NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist.
1995 Nominated for 4 Grammy Awards for Pop Female Vocalist (Colors of the Wind), Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female (The Way That You Love), Best R&B Song (You Can't Run) Best Musical Show Album (Kiss of the Spider Woman).
1995 Won Grammy Award for Best Song written specifically for a Motion Picture or Television (Colors of the Wind). Given to songwriters not her.
1996 Awarded the Soul Train Lady of Soul: Lena Horne Award for Career Achievement.
1996 Nominated for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist for "Where Do We Go From Here" from the motion picture, Eraser
1996 Nominated for Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress - Action (Eraser).
1997 Nominated for Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album (Star Bright).
1997 Nominated for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album - (Next).
1997 Nominated for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special (The Odyssey).
1997 Won NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (Soul Food).
1997 Nominated for Online Television Academy Awards for Best Guest Actress - Syndicated Series (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine).
1997 Nominated for Black Film Awards for Best Actress - Motion Picture (Soul Food).
1999 Nominated for A.L.M.A. Award for Best Song from A Movie - You Are My Home from the motion picture, Dance With Me.
2000 Nominated for Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress - Action (Shaft).
2000 Nominated for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture - (Light It Up).
2001 Nominated for Drama League Award for Most Distinguished Performance (Into the Woods).
2001 Nominated for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (Shaft).
2002 Won Satellite Awards for Best Actress - Miniseries or Movie (Keep the Faith, Baby).
2002 Nominated for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special (Keep the Faith, Baby).
2002 Nominated for Black Reel Award for Network/Cable - Best Actress for (Keep the Faith, Baby).
2002 Nominated for Tony Award for Best Performance By a Leading Actress In a Musical (Into the Woods).
2002 Nominated for Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album - Into The Woods (Vanessa Williams cast recording).
2004 Nominated for BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Box Office Movie for Johnson Family Vacation
2006 Nominated for Satellite Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television for Ugly Betty.
2007 Nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for Ugly Betty
2007 Won NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Ugly Betty
2007 Received a STAR on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on March 19, recognizing over 20 years in the entertainment industry.
2007 Nominated for Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Ugly Betty
2007 Nominated for Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Villain in Ugly Betty
Penthouse Photos
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