Biography
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 L. Williams. Both women were also, coincidentally, born in New York in the same year. In addition, Vanessa A. Williams starred in the television soap opera, Soul Food, while Vanessa L. Williams starred in the original film.
Filmography
Cast Credits
Cruel Encounters
Character: Corynne
MOVIE • 2023
Black Girl, Erupted
Character: Cassandra Cole
MOVIE • 2023
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
Character: Lucille
MOVIE • 2022
Angie's Cure
Character: Carla
MOVIE • 2022
Mid-Century
Character: Beverly Gordon
MOVIE • 2022
Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion
Character: Eve Christmas
MOVIE • 2021
A Rich Christmas
Character: Aggie Maggy / Madison
MOVIE • 2021
Candyman
Character: Anne-Marie McCoy
MOVIE • 2021
American Horror Stories
Character: Dr. Eleanor Berger
TV • 2021
A Luv Tale
Character: Candice
TV • 2021
Love on a Two Way Street
Character: Gloria
MOVIE • 2020
I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones
Character: Rebecca
MOVIE • 2019
One Fine Christmas
Character: Susan
MOVIE • 2019
40 and Single
Character: Bertha Brown
TV • 2018
Thriller
Character: Mrs. Walker
MOVIE • 2018
9-1-1
Character: Claudette Collins
TV • 2018
The Flash
Character: Francine West
TV • 2014
Men, Money & Gold Diggers
Character: Sandra Winslow
MOVIE • 2014
Crossed the Line
Character: Juice
MOVIE • 2014
Raising Izzie
Character: Tonya
MOVIE • 2013