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Vanessa Williams 
Wikipedia: Vanessa Williams |
Vanessa Williams's Biography
When Vanessa Williams began her singing career, she was known chiefly as the Miss America pageant winner who'd been forced to renounce her title for posing in Penthouse magazine. Williams not only put the scandal behind her, she all but obliterated it, turning out a series of slick, sophisticated hits that made her one of the most popular adult contemporary R&B singers of her time. In addition to her broad crossover appeal, she established a parallel acting career in both film and television, ending the '90s as a highly successful all-around entertainer.
Although prominent roles in 1991's New Jack City and 1992's Candyman did much to enhance her Hollywood profile, actress Vanessa Williams is primarily known for her work in television. She is often confused with former Miss America-turned-actress Vanessa L. Williams -- a confusion further fostered by the fact that both actresses appeared in two different productions of Soul Food: Where Vanessa L. Williams starred in the 1997 theatrical release, Vanessa Williams starred in the 2000 Showtime television series based on the film. Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide (Source: Starpulse.com)
A multi-talented actress and singer, and the first African-American Miss America (although she stepped down over a controversy surrounding nude photos), Vanessa Williams has been one of the most successful and consistently high-profile black women in the entertainment industry. As a singer Williams found major success on both the pop and R&B charts, as well as on Broadway, where she won a Tony for her role as the witch in INTO THE WOODS. Her acting career has also been extremely successful, and as of 2006 she had a lead role on the award-winning television series UGLY BETTY. |