Vanessa Williams

Provided by The Devil Wears Prada

Vanessa Williams is considered one of the most respected and multi-faceted performers in the entertainment industry today. Having sold millions of records worldwide, Vanessa has also achieved numerous #1 and Top 10 hits on various Billboard Album and Singles charts, from Pop, Dance, R&B, Adult Contemporary to Holiday, Latin, Gospel and Jazz. Her critically acclaimed work in film, television, recordings and the Broadway stage has been recognized by every major industry award affiliate including 4 Emmy nominations, 11 Grammy nominations, a Tony nomination, 3 SAG award nominations, 7 NAACP Image Awards and 3 Satellite Awards. Her Platinum single “Colors of the Wind,” from Disney’s “Pocahontas,” won the Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

A veteran of the New York and London stage, Vanessa played Miranda Priestley in The Devil Wears Prada. She returned to Broadway in the World Premiere of Selina Fillinger’s comedy, POTUS: or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive, directed by Tony Award-winner Susan Stroman and featuring an all-female cast.

She starred in the critically acclaimed revival of City Of Angels in London’s the West End opposite Theo James, which was sadly cut short due to the pandemic. She previously co-starred with Cicely Tyson in The Trip To Bountiful, which was the #1 play of the 2013 Broadway season. Vanessa received a Tony Award Nomination for her portrayal of “The Witch” in the James Lapine-directed Broadway revival of Into The Woods.

She also received a Theatre World Award for her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning production of Kiss Of The Spiderwoman. Her other Broadway credits include Kiss Of The Spider Woman, St. Louis Woman, Into The Woods, Sondheim On Sondheim and After Midnight. She also headlined a special limited engagement of Hey, Look Me Over at New York City Center and a special performance of Stephen Sondheim’s Anyone Can Whistle at Carnegie Hall.

Perhaps best known for her Emmy- and SAG Award-Nominated role of “Wilhelmina Slater” in ABC’s hit series Ugly Betty, Vanessa has had an extensive career on screen. She also starred in ABC’s long-running, hit series Desperate Housewives as well as VH1’s Daytime Divas and ABC’s 666 Park Avenue. She also starred in ABC’s television movie Bye Bye Birdie opposite Jason Alexander and NBC’s miniseries The Odyssey, among others. She also received critical acclaim starring in iconic studio films such as Eraser, Soul Food, Shaft, Dance With Me, Hoodlum, Light It Up and Johnson Family Vacation.

In 2021, Vanessa joined the star-studded panel of judges for RuPaul’s Paramount+ competition series, “Queen of the Universe,” along with Michelle Visage, Trixie Mattel and Leona Lewis.  Hosted by Graham Norton and produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and World of Wonder, the series returned for a second season in June 2023 with Melanie Brown (Spice Girls’ Mel B) joining the celebrity judging panel.

Vanessa’s discography includes such releases as her debut album, The Right Stuff, The Comfort Zone, The Sweetest Days, Next, Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years, Everlasting Love and The Real Thing.  Her holiday albums, Star Bright and Silver & Gold became instant holiday classics.  Her numerous hit singles include “Save the Best For Last,” “Dreamin’,” “The Right Stuff,” “Work to Do” “Oh How the Years Go By” and “Love Is,” among many others.

A graduate of Syracuse University, Vanessa is a strong advocate for equal rights, especially concerning the gay community and minorities. She was honored with the Human Rights Campaign Ally for Equality Award for her humanitarian contributions. Vanessa also achieved a career pinnacle with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. Vanessa’s autobiography, You Have No Idea, co-written with her mother Helen Williams, was a New York Times Best Seller in 2012.