Cast & creator
Vanessa Williams
Best known for Law & Order, The Flash, LIVE with Kelly and Mark
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.
Also known as: Vanessa A. Williams
33
film credits
27
television credits
60
1984–2026 · acting roles
6.3
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (60)
Showing 60 of 60 credits
Law & Order
Vera
1990
The Flash
Francine West
2014
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
9-1-1
Claudette Collins
2018
Phineas and Ferb
Flight Attendant (voice)
2007
Chicago Hope
Grace Carr
1994
Melrose Place
Rhonda
1992
Cold Case
Crystal Stacy (2007)
2003
The Cosby Show
Jade
1984The Cosby Show
Cheryl
1984
Good Day Live
Self
2001
The Pretender
Denise Clements
1996
The Wendy Williams Show
2008
The Steve Harvey Show
Nina
1996
Murder One
1995Murder One
Lila Marquette
1995
American Horror Stories
Dr. Eleanor Berger
2021
Living Single
1993
The Word
1990
Malcolm & Eddie
1996
Total Recall 2070
1999
Between Brothers
Rebecca
1997
Soul Food
Maxine Chadway
2000
Candyman
Anne-Marie McCoy
1992
Imagine That
Lori Strother
2009
Candyman
Anne-Marie McCoy
2021
Like Mike
Pharmacist
2002
New Jack City
Keisha
1991
Buddies
1996
Wild Rose
Joyce
2026
Mid-Century
Beverly Gordon
2022
Flirting with Forty
Kristine
2008
Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies
Self (archive footage)
2025
Mother
Donna
1996
A Luv Tale
Candice
2021
Ice Spiders
Dr. April Sommers
2007
Punks
Jennifer
2000
Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion
Eve Christmas
2021
40 and Single
Bertha Brown
2018
Contradictions of the Heart
Lea
2009
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
Lucille
2022
Black Listed
J.W.
2003
Men, Money & Gold Diggers
Sandra Winslow
2014
Sugar Mommas
Lynn
2012
Thriller
Mrs. Walker
2018
Black Girl, Erupted
Cassandra Cole
2023
Love on a Two Way Street
Gloria
2020
I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones
Rebecca
2019
Drop Squad
Mali
1994
One Fine Christmas
Susan
2019
Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me
Self (voice)
2004
Playing with Fire
Riana Roberts
2000
Angie's Cure
Carla
2022
Incognito
Wilhelmina Hunter
1999
Our America
Sandra Williams
2002
A Rich Christmas
Aggie Maggy / Madison
2021
Cruel Encounters
Corynne
2023
Raising Izzie
Tonya
2012
Crossed the Line
Juice
2014