Vanessa Williams
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.
Photos
Movies (33)
Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies
2025 · Self (archive footage)
Cruel Encounters
2023 · Corynne
Black Girl, Erupted
2023 · Cassandra Cole
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
2022 · Lucille
Angie's Cure
2022 · Carla
Mid-Century
2022 · Beverly Gordon
Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion
2021 · Eve Christmas
A Rich Christmas
2021 · Aggie Maggy / Madison
Candyman
2021 · Anne-Marie McCoy
Love on a Two Way Street
2020 · Gloria
I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones
2019 · Rebecca
One Fine Christmas
2019 · Susan
Thriller
2018 · Mrs. Walker
Men, Money & Gold Diggers
2014 · Sandra Winslow
Crossed the Line
2014 · Juice
Raising Izzie
2012 · Tonya
Sugar Mommas
2012 · Lynn
Imagine That
2009 · Lori Strother
Contradictions of the Heart
2009 · Lea
Flirting with Forty
2008 · Kristine
Arañas asesinas
2007 · Dr. April Sommers
Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me
2004 · Self (voice)
Allergic to Nuts
2003
Black Listed
2003 · J.W.
Our America
2002 · Sandra Williams
Minicampeones
2002 · Pharmacist
Punks
2000 · Jennifer
Playing with Fire
2000 · Riana Roberts
Incognito
1999 · Wilhelmina Hunter
Mother
1996 · Donna
Drop Squad
1994 · Mali
Candyman
1992 · Anne-Marie McCoy
New Jack City
1991 · Keisha
TV shows (26)
TFI Unplugged
2026
Wild Rose
2026 · Joyce
American Horror Stories
2021 · Dr. Eleanor Berger
A Luv Tale
2021 · Candice
40 and Single
2018 · Bertha Brown
9-1-1
2018 · Claudette Collins
Flash
2014 · Francine West
The Wendy Williams Show
2008
Phineas y Ferb
2007 · Flight Attendant (voice)
Caso Cerrado
2003 · Crystal Stacy (2007)
Good Day Live
2001 · Self
Soul Food
2000 · Maxine Chadway
Total Recall 2070
1999
Between Brothers
1997 · Rebecca
The Pretender
1996 · Denise Clements
Malcolm & Eddie
1996
The Steve Harvey Show
1996 · Nina
Buddies
1996
Murder One
1995 · Lila Marquette
Chicago Hope
1994 · Grace Carr
Living Single
1993
Melrose Place
1992 · Rhonda
Law & Order
1990 · Vera
The Word
1990
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
The Cosby Show
1984 · Jade, Cheryl