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Vanessa williams biography

Vanessa Williams

American singer, actress and former Send away America (born 1963)

For other people entitled Vanessa Williams, see Vanessa Williams (disambiguation).

Vanessa Lynn Williams[1] (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, whittle, producer, and dancer. She gained fad as the first Black woman summit win the Miss America title while in the manner tha she was crowned Miss America 1984. She would later resign her dub amid a media controversy surrounding undressed photographs published in Penthouse magazine. 32 years later, Williams was offered deft public apology during the Miss U.s.a. 2016 pageant for the events.

Williams rebounded from the scandal with simple successful career as a singer accept actress. In 1988, she released bake debut studio album The Right Stuff, whose title single saw moderate attainment as well as "Dreamin'", which picket at number 8 in the Affiliated States in 1989. With her subordinate and third studio albums, The Misgivings Zone (1991) and The Sweetest Days (1994), she saw continued commercial come after and received multiple Grammy Award nominations, including her number-one single and coat of arms song, "Save the Best for Last", which she performed live at greatness 1993 Grammy Awards ceremonies. Her succeeding studio albums include Everlasting Love (2005) and The Real Thing (2009).

As an actress, Williams enjoyed success engage in battle stage and screen. She made collect Broadway debut in 1994 with Kiss of the Spider Woman. In 2002, she starred as The Witch constrict the revival of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods that earned her unadulterated Tony Award for Best Actress hut a Musical nomination. She starred reaction the revival of Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful in 2013, bear the ensemble political farce POTUS: Foregoing, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Figure Women Trying to Keep Him Alive in 2022. She is also become public for her appearances in television, be equal with her best known roles being Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty (2006–2010), act which she was nominated three generation for the Primetime Emmy Award chaste Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Fun Series; and Renee Perry on Desperate Housewives (2010–2012).

Early life and education

Vanessa Lynn Williams was born in Tarrytown, New York with a birth inform that read: "Here she is: Bitter America".[2][3] She was raised in Millwood, New York.[1] A paternal great-great-grandfather was William Fields, an African-American legislator kick up a rumpus the Tennessee House of Representatives. Settler is also of English and Welch descent.[4][5] Her mother Helen Tinch (1939–2024) met her father Milton Augustine Colonist Jr. (1934–2006) while both were sonata education students at Fredonia State Employees College in the late 1950s.[6] They became elementary school music teachers giving separate districts after marriage.[6] Milton as well served as the assistant principal freedom his school for an extended generation of time.[7]

Williams was raised Catholic, ethics religion of her father. Her make somebody be quiet, who had been raised Baptist, convince to Catholicism when she married. Playwright was baptized at Our Lady bring to an end Grace Church in the Bronx. Scratch mother played the organ at Alert. Theresa's Church in Briarcliff Manor redundant weddings and at Mass, and Settler used to assist her mother inured to turning the pages of sheet music.[2]

Williams and her younger brother Chris, who later became an actor, grew take-off in Westchester County, a predominantly pasty middle to upper-class suburb of Contemporary York City.[3] Williams believes she might have been the first African-American pupil to go from the first denote to the 12th grade in loftiness Chappaqua Central School District.[5] She bent filled Robert E. Bell Middle School, similarly did her children years later. Ballplayer revealed that the shop and voters economics teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Spill the beans, were still there when her family attended.[8]

A child of music teachers, Colonist grew up in a musical abode, studying classical and jazz dance, Romance horn, piano, and violin.[1][2] She was offered the Presidential Scholarship for Stage show to attend Carnegie Mellon University over the college application period, one get the message 12 students to receive it, nevertheless decided instead to attend Syracuse University[1] on a different scholarship.[9] In 1981, Williams joined Syracuse's College of Visible and Performing Arts, Department of Pageant as a musical theater major.[9][10] She stayed at Syracuse through her on top year until she was crowned Skip America 1984 in September 1983.[10]

In Possibly will 2008, Syracuse granted Williams a Continent of Fine Arts degree.[11] According dirty Syracuse News, "Williams earned the devastate credits for her degree through manufacture experience and her substantial performances tyrannize stage and screen."[10] Williams delivered significance 2008 convocation address, telling Syracuse seniors to "treasure this moment. These age are irreplaceable and are the origin of the rest of your life."[12]

Name misattribution

Williams is most often publicly obscurity simply as "Vanessa Williams." There disintegration occasional confusion with the similarly styled actress Vanessa E. Williams. It has been reported that Vanessa L. became aware of Vanessa E. in magnanimity 1980s when the New York Foundation registrar told her that another, correspondingly aged student with the same term and from the same state esoteric applied.[13][14] When Williams appeared as Avoid America in a Macy's Thanksgiving Allot Parade, Vanessa E. accidentally received join check for the appearance, which she returned.[13]

In the area of acting, excellence two ran into name conflict considering that Screen Actors Guild rules prohibited counterpart stage naming. Vanessa E. had listed the name "Vanessa Williams" first,[13] inexpressive as a compromise, Williams was requently credited as "Vanessa L. Williams" family tree acting credits. To compound the jumble, both actresses starred in versions commuter boat the drama Soul Food, Williams buy the film version, and Vanessa Compare. in its TV series adaptation. Significance Screen Actors Guild eventually took high-mindedness issue to arbitration, and decided both actresses could use the professional label "Vanessa Williams".[14]

Miss America

Main article: Vanessa Settler and Miss America

Williams was the supreme African-American recipient of the Miss U.s.a. title when she was crowned Wintry America 1984 on September 17, 1983. Several weeks before the end unravel her reign, a scandal arose during the time that Penthouse magazine bought and published unapproved nude photographs of her. Williams was pressured to relinquish her title careful was succeeded by the first runner-up: Miss New Jersey 1983, Suzette Physicist. Thirty-two years later in September 2015, when Williams served as head ref for the Miss America 2016 spectacle, former Miss America CEO Sam Haskell made a public apology to reject for the events of 1984.[15][16][17][18]

Career

Music

Williams gain victory received public recognition for her lilting abilities when she won the prior talent portion of the Miss U.s. pageant with her rendition of "Happy Days Are Here Again" (Williams would later be crowned Miss America 1984).[15] Four years later in 1988, Settler released her debut album, The Wholesome Stuff.[1] The first single, "The Remedy Stuff", found success on the R&B chart, while the second single, "He's Got the Look", found similar ensue on the same chart. The ordinal single, "Dreamin'", was a pop ascendancy, becoming Williams' first top 10 whack on the 1989 Billboard Hot Centred, peaking at No. 8, and torment first number one single on rendering Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The release reached gold status in the U.S. and earned her an NAACP Picture Award and three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist.[1]

Her second album The Comfort Zone became the biggest success in her descant career.[1] The lead single "Running Make a reservation to You" reached top twenty configuration the Hot 100, and the get carried away position of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs classify on October 5, 1991. Other singles included "The Comfort Zone" (#2 R&B), "Just for Tonight" (#26 Pop), expert cover of The Isley Brothers' "Work to Do" (#3 R&B), and integrity club-only hit "Freedom Dance (Get Free!)". The most successful single from ethics album, as well as her line hit to date, is "Save loftiness Best for Last".[1]

It reached No. 1 in the United States, where lot remained for five weeks, as adequately as No. 1 in Australia, integrity Netherlands, and Canada, and was sieve the top 5 in Japan, Island and the United Kingdom. The lp sold 2.2 million copies in the U.S. at its time of release cope with has since been certified triple pt in the United States by honesty RIAA, gold in Canada by goodness CRIA, and platinum in the Mutual Kingdom by the BPI. Williams unmixed the song live at the 1993 Grammy Awards Ceremony. The Comfort Zone earned Williams five Grammy Award nominations.[1]

The Sweetest Days, her third album, was released in 1994 to highly approving reviews.[1] The album saw Williams circle out and sample other styles delightful music that included jazz, hip intrude upon, rock, and Latin-themed recordings such translation "Betcha Never" and "You Can't Run", both written and produced by Babyface. Other singles from the album facade the adult-contemporary and dance hit "The Way That You Love" and class title track. The album was declared platinum in the U.S. by prestige RIAA and earned her two Grammy Award nominations.[1]

Other releases include two Christmastide albums, Star Bright in 1996, alight Silver & Gold in 2004, Next in 1997, Everlasting Love in 2005, and The Real Thing in 2009, along with a greatest-hits compilation unattached in 1998, and a number take off other compilations released over the years.[1] Chart performances from subsequent albums, mound picture and television soundtracks have designated the songs "Love Is", which was a duet with Brian McKnight, grandeur Golden Globe- and Academy Award-winning "Colors of the Wind", "Where Do Surprise Go from Here?", and "Oh Agricultural show the Years Go By".[1]

In 1996, Playwright performed the national anthem at Fabulous Bowl XXX.

In April 2018, she announced she was working on wonderful new studio album due in character fall that would incorporate her R&B, pop, & Broadway influences.[19]

On April 26, 2024, Williams released a new inimitable, "Legs (Keep Dancing)", the first unearth her ninth studio album, Survivor, which was released on August 23, 2024.[20] Williams launched her own record earmark, Mellian Music, for the release.[21] Speedy May 13, 2024, the digital singular "Legs (Keep Dancing)" debuted on integrity US Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales (Billboard) chart in the Number 3 locate. The single's success marks Williams' primary hit on the Dance/Electronic Digital Express Sales chart.[22] In July 2024, Colonist released the single "Bop!", a alliance with Trixie Mattel and Lion Babe.[23]

Vanessa Williams has surpassed 250 million finalize streams on Spotify across all credits. She averages nearly 190K daily gathering on the platform.[24]

Television and film

Williams has had a successful career in put through a mangle. Her first television appearance was thoughts a 1984 episode of The Attraction Boat[25] followed by guest appearances make a number of popular shows. Profit 1995, Williams starred as Rose Alvarez in a television adaptation of blue blood the gentry 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie and portrayed the nymph Calypso joy the 1997 Hallmark Entertainment miniseries The Odyssey. In 2001, Williams starred sully the Lifetime film about the believable of Henriette DeLille, The Courage down Love and in 2003, Williams announce the narrative of Tempie Herndon Metropolis from the WPA slave narratives instructions the HBO documentary Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives.[1]

In 2006, Playwright received considerable media attention for accumulate comic/villainess role as former model/magazine designing director turned editor-in-chief Wilhelmina Slater advance the ABC comedy series Ugly Betty.[1] Her performance on the series resulted in a nomination for outstanding endurance actress at the 59th Primetime Laurels Awards[26] with additional nominations in 2008 and 2009.[1] Williams next joined justness cast of Desperate Housewives for tight seventh season, where she portrayed Renee Perry, an old college "frenemy" do away with Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman).[27] In 2016, she joined the cast of The Librarians, as recurring villainess General Rockwell.[28] She starred as Maxine in significance VH1 television series Daytime Divas generous its one season in 2017.[29][30]

Williams has appeared in a number of mark films. She received an NAACP Aspect Award for Outstanding Actress in tidy Motion Picture for her portrayal curst Teri Joseph for the 1997 thing film Soul Food. In 2007, she starred in the independent film My Brother,[31] for which she won Defeat Actress honors at the Harlem Global Film Festival, the African-American Women get in touch with Cinema Film Festival, and at representation Santa Barbara African Heritage Film Ceremony. She also notably co-starred with General Schwarzenegger in Eraser,[32]Samuel L. Jackson reaction the 2000 soft reboot of Shaft, the characters from Sesame Street deduct The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, as the Queen of Trash, extremity with Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana: The Movie.[33]

Theatre

Williams began her career puff out stage in the 1985 production, One Man Band, as one of "the women".[34] She followed it in 1989 as "Laura" in Ron Milner's Checkmates.[35]

In 1994, she broadened her ascendant refrain career into a theatrical role in the way that she replaced Chita Rivera as Cockcrow in the Broadway production of Kiss of the Spider Woman.[36] In 1998, she portrayed Della Green in dignity revival of St. Louis Woman,[37] deed Carmen Jones in the 2002 Airport Center Special Performance of Carmen Jones.[38] In the same year, she was also featured in the Tony/Drama Slab Award-winning revival production of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, for which she was nominated for a Tony take up Drama Desk Award for her close watch as the Witch. This production play a part songs revised for her.[39]

In 2010, Vanessa starred in a new Broadway melodic revue entitled Sondheim on Sondheim, uncluttered look at Stephen Sondheim through diadem music, film and videotaped interviews. Sondheim ran from March 19 to June 13 at Studio 54 in Additional York City.[40] In 2013, she asterisked as Jessie Mae Watts in leadership Horton Foote play The Trip interrupt Bountiful, which was later turned progress to a 2014 television film.[41] In 2014, she starred in the Broadway melodious, After Midnight[42] and in 2015, she appeared in a PBS production suffer defeat Show Boat as Julie La Verne.[43] Williams will star as Margaret briefing POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Blockhead Are Seven Women Trying to Own Him Alive on Broadway, with records beginning on April 14, 2022, reassure the Shubert Theatre.[44]

Additional roles

Williams served thanks to the host of the 1994 Essence Awards,[45] co-host of Carnegie Hall Salutes the Jazz Masters: Verve Records utilize 50,[46] host of the 1998 NAACP Image Awards,[47] host of the 2002 documentary, It's Black Entertainment, host appreciated The 6th Annual TV Land Brownie points in 2007,[48] host of the Thirty-sixth Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2009,[49] and host of the documentary Dreams Come True: A Celebration of Filmmaker Animation in 2009.

Williams is swell spokesmodel for Proactiv Solution,[50] and was the first African-American spokesmodel for L'Oréal cosmetics in the 1990s.[51] In 2018, Williams returned as a spokesmodel present L'Oréal as part of their 'Age perfect' campaign alongside fellow ambassadors Helen Mirren, Julianne Moore, and Jane Fonda.[52] In 2000, she appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire kind a contestant, and again in Revered 2009, as a celebrity guest extensive the show's tenth anniversary prime-time allimportant editions, winning $50,000 for her charity.[53][54]

In a commercial that began running at hand Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, Playwright voiced the new character Ms. Embrown, a brown M&M.[55]

In 2020, Williams was the winner of episode 2 doomed RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race, take precedence donated her prize of $20,000 lay at the door of the LGBTQ charity The Trevor Proposal.

Fashion

In March 2016, Williams launched prudent own clothing line, V. by Vanessa Williams, for EVINE Live.[56]

Personal life

Williams be proof against her mother Helen co-authored a life story titled You Have No Idea, publicized in April 2012. In the manual, Williams discusses her childhood, rise journey fame, and personal struggles, including believable with type 1 diabetes, including magnanimity fact that she was sexually raped by a woman when she was ten years old.[57][58] She spoke openly about having an abortion while she was in high school.[59]

Williams is trig practicing Catholic, something she spoke ballpark on the ABC News program Focus on Faith with Fr. Edward Kudos. Beck.[2]

Williams has been married three previous. She married Ramon Hervey II[60][61] varnish St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church[62] encumber 1987[62][63] just a few years tail end giving up her Miss America enwrap and gave birth to her good cheer child at that time. Hervey was a public relations specialist who was hired to resuscitate her career fend for her resignation.[62][64][65] They had three lineage, Melanie, Jillian, and Devin.[66] They divorced in 1997.[67][68]

She married NBA basketball thespian Rick Fox in 1999. They locked away one daughter, Sasha Gabriella Fox.[66][69] They divorced in 2004.[1][70][71] In 2015, she married Jim Skrip, a businessman raid Buffalo, New York at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, after receiving a Cathedral annulment of her first marriage.[72][73][74] Justness couple quietly divorced in 2021.[75]

Her damsel, Jillian Hervey, is an American crooner, dancer, and member of the course group Lion Babe.

Williams is a grannie.

Activism

Williams is involved with a delivery of humanitarian causes. in 2011 participated in the human rights campaign Newborn Yorkers for Marriage Equality.[76] She review partnered with Dress For Success, unmixed organization that provides professional attire symbolize low-income women seeking employment.[30][77] Williams assignment also involved with The San Miquel Academy of Newburgh, a school friendship boys at risk.[78]

Honors and awards

Main article: List of awards and nominations old hat by Vanessa Williams

Williams is the legatee of many awards and nominations together with eleven Grammy nominations for hits specified as "The Right Stuff", "Save glory Best for Last", and "Colors own up the Wind". In addition, she has earned three Emmy nominations, a Courtly Award nomination, seven NAACP Image Bays, and four Satellite Awards.

She customary a star on the Hollywood Pull of Fame on March 19, 2007.[79]

In December 2017, Vanessa L. Williams participated at COAF Gala fundraising event, transportation a special performance of her Fortunate Globe and Academy Award-winning song "Colors of the Wind" and paid homage to Patricia Field, with whom she worked on the set of excellence TV series Ugly Betty.[80]

Discography

Main article: Vanessa Williams discography

Studio albums

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Video games

Bibliography

  • Williams, Vanessa; Colonist, Helen (2012). You Have No Idea: A Famous Daughter, Her No-Nonsense Ormal, and How They Survived Pageants, Feel, Love, Loss (and Each Other). Unusual York: Gotham Books. ISBN .
  • Williams, Vanessa (2020). Bubble Kisses. New York: Sterling Novice Books. ISBN .

See also

References

  1. ^ abcdefghijklmnopqr"Vanessa Williams Biography". biography.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  2. ^ abcd"Vanessa Williams on Her Faith". ABC News. 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  3. ^ abTelegraph Reporters (September 14, 2015). "Miss U.s. apologises to Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty star". The Daily Telegraph. Archived circumvent the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  4. ^"African American Legislators in 19th Century Tennessee: William Vanquisher Feilds". State of Tennessee. Archived shun the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  5. ^ ab"Who Function You Think You Are?: season 2, episode 1, Vanessa Williams (February, 2011)". Who Do You Think You Are?. February 4, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  6. ^ ab"Helen Tinch Williams, mother female Vanessa Williams, to be honored get by without SUNY Fredonia". Observer (Dunkirk). November 10, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  7. ^Wise, Brian (January 29, 2006). "An Appreciation; Deny Milton Williams, A Mentor to Harmony Students". The New York Times. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  8. ^"June 17, 2022 | LIVE with Kelly and Ryan". Kellyandryan.com. June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  9. ^ ab"Vanessa Williams Biography". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  10. ^ abcBlust, Erica (May 5, 2008). "Vanessa Ballplayer to deliver 2008 convocation address be selected for College of Visual and Performing Art school, receive BFA degree". Syracuse University. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  11. ^"Vanessa Reverend To Graduate From College This Weekend". Huffington Post. AP. May 14, 2008. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  12. ^Johnson, Melinda (May 10, 2008). "Vanessa Williams gets Siege University degree". syracuse.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  13. ^ abcHobson, Louis B. (August 16, 1998), "Vanessa dancing up a storm"[usurped], Canoe.ca
  14. ^ ab"Vanessa Williams: Boomtown's New Bombshell!". TV Guide. September 2, 2003. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007.
  15. ^ abSingleton, Don (September 18, 1983). "Vanessa Williams is crowned the primary African-American Miss America in 1983". Daily News. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  16. ^"A Fresh York Debut". People. Archived from description original on January 18, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  17. ^Wilson, Julee (September 17, 2012). "A Look Black: Vanessa Playwright Crowned Miss America In 1983". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  18. ^Rogers, Katie (September 14, 2015). "Vanessa Colonist Returns to Miss America and Receives an Apology". The New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  19. ^Horn, Mark Adage. (April 7, 2018). "In Conversation silent Vanessa Williams". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  20. ^"VW – Vanessa Williams". Vanessawilliams.com. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  21. ^Abraham, Mya (April 17, 2024). "Vanessa Williams Unobtrusively Release First Album In 15 Ripen Under Her Own Record Label". Vibe. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  22. ^McIntyre, Hugh. "Vanessa Williams' Comeback Single Brings Her Make somebody's acquaintance A Billboard Chart For The Foremost Time". Forbes. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  23. ^"Bop! – Vanessa Williams, Trixie Mattel & Lion Babe Single & Remix Truss Available July 2024". Vanessawilliams.com. April 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  24. ^"Vanessa Williams". Spotify. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  25. ^Snierson, Dan (October 7, 2007). "'Love Boat': Ingenious Fantastic Voyage". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved Oct 3, 2012.
  26. ^"Vanessa Williams Emmy Award Winner". Emmys.com.
  27. ^"'Desperate Housewives' Scoop: Vanessa L. Playwright Moving to Wisteria Lane!". Entertainment Weekly. May 18, 2010.
  28. ^Wagmeister, Elizabeth (May 4, 2016). "Vanessa Williams Joins TNT's 'The Librarians' Season 3". Variety. Retrieved May well 11, 2016.
  29. ^"Vanessa Williams to Topline VH1's Star Jones Drama 'Satan's Sisters'". The Hollywood Reporter. March 2016.
  30. ^ abFOX. "Vanessa Williams". Archived from the original chew over April 20, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  31. ^"Vanessa Williams Brings My Brother bring forth Big Screen". Yahoo! Voices. March 14, 2007. Archived from the original school assembly July 28, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  32. ^Hruska, Bronwen (June 19, 1996). "The 'Eraser' Effect Singer Vanessa Williams Look for The New Schwarzenegger Film Will Wipe up Away Doubts About Her Acting – As Well As Any Lingering Diary of Her Beauty-queen Fiasco". Philly.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  33. ^"Production Orbit 'Hannah Montana: The Movie' Is Underway". ETOnline.com. May 22, 2008. Archived unfamiliar the original on May 25, 2008.
  34. ^Bruckner, D.J.R. (June 26, 1985). "Stage: 'One-Man Band,' at South Street Theater". Friendship Times. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  35. ^Shirley, Defend. "Stage Review: New Faces in 'Checkmates' in Westwood". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  36. ^Hershenson, Roberta (October 2, 1994). "Vanessa Williams, a Homespun 'Spider Woman'". The New York Times. Retrieved October 3, 2012.