Vanessa Williams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vanessa Williams
Williams in 2019
Born	Vanessa Lynn Williams (1963-03-18) March 18, 1963 (age 62) New York City, New York, U.S.
Education	Syracuse University (BFA)
Occupation	Singer actress model producer dancer
Years active	1982–present
Title	Miss Syracuse 1983 Miss New York 1983 Miss America 1984 (Winner; Resigned)
Term	Miss America: September 17, 1983 – July 23, 1984 (resigned)
Predecessor	Debra Maffett
Successor	Suzette Charles
Spouse(s)	Ramon Hervey II ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1997)​ Rick Fox ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2004)​ Jim Skrip ​ ​ (m. 2015; div. 2021)​
Children	4, including Jillian Hervey
Relatives	Chris Williams (brother)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	R&B pop soul jazz dance gospel
Labels	Wing Polydor Mercury Mellian Music Lava Concord

Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, model, producer, and dancer. She became famous as the first Black woman to win the Miss America title in 1984.

After her time as Miss America, Williams built a very successful career in music and acting. In 1988, she released her first album, The Right Stuff. Her song "Dreamin'" became a top 10 hit in the U.S. Her albums The Comfort Zone (1991) and The Sweetest Days (1994) were also very popular. Her most famous song, "Save the Best for Last", reached number one and earned her Grammy Award nominations.

As an actress, Williams has performed on stage and in movies and TV shows. She made her Broadway debut in 1994 in Kiss of the Spider Woman. She was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as The Witch in Into the Woods in 2002. On television, she is well-known for playing Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty (2006–2010) and Renee Perry in Desperate Housewives (2010–2012).

Early Life and Education

Vanessa Lynn Williams was born in Tarrytown, New York. She grew up in Millwood, New York. Her parents, Helen and Milton, were both music teachers.

Vanessa was raised Catholic, like her father. Her mother played the organ at church, and Vanessa often helped her by turning the pages of the music.

Vanessa and her younger brother, Chris, grew up in Westchester County. This area was mostly white and middle to upper-class. Vanessa believes she might have been the first African-American student to attend school from first to twelfth grade in her school district.

Since her parents were music teachers, Vanessa grew up surrounded by music. She learned classical and jazz dance, French horn, piano, and violin. She was offered a special scholarship to Carnegie Mellon University. However, she chose to attend Syracuse University on a different scholarship in 1981. She studied musical theater there until she became Miss America in 1983.

In 2008, Syracuse University gave Williams her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She earned the rest of her credits through her work in the entertainment industry.

Miss America Journey

Williams in 1984

Williams performing "Oh How the Years Go By" at Miss America 2016

Vanessa Williams first gained public attention for her musical talent. She won the talent part of the Miss America pageant by singing "Happy Days Are Here Again". She was then crowned Miss America 1984.

Music Career Highlights

Four years after winning Miss America, in 1988, Williams released her first album, The Right Stuff. Her song "Dreamin'" became her first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989. The album was very successful and earned her three Grammy Award nominations.

Her second album, The Comfort Zone, was even more successful. The song "Running Back to You" reached the top of the R&B charts in 1991. The most popular song from this album, and her biggest hit ever, is "Save the Best for Last". It was number one in the United States for five weeks. This album sold over 2 million copies in the U.S. and earned Williams five Grammy Award nominations. She performed the song live at the 1993 Grammy Awards.

The Sweetest Days, her third album, came out in 1994. This album showed Williams trying different music styles like jazz, hip hop, rock, and Latin music. It also earned her two Grammy Award nominations.

She has released other albums, including two Christmas albums, Star Bright (1996) and Silver & Gold (2004). Other popular songs from her career include "Love Is" (a duet with Brian McKnight) and the award-winning song "Colors of the Wind".

In 1996, Williams sang the national anthem at Super Bowl XXX.

In 2024, Williams released a new single called "Legs (Keep Dancing)". This song is from her ninth album, Survivor. She also started her own record label, Mellian Music.

Television and Film Roles

Williams in 2016

Williams has had a very successful career in television and movies. Her first TV appearance was in 1984 on The Love Boat. In 1995, she starred in a TV version of the musical Bye Bye Birdie.

From 2006 to 2010, Williams received a lot of attention for her role as Wilhelmina Slater in the comedy series Ugly Betty. She was nominated three times for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for this role. After Ugly Betty, she joined the cast of Desperate Housewives (2010–2012), playing Renee Perry.

Williams has also appeared in many movies. She won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her role as Teri Joseph in the 1997 film Soul Food. She also co-starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Eraser and with Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft. She was the Queen of Trash in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland and appeared with Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana: The Movie.

Theatre Performances

Williams started her stage career in 1985. In 1994, she took on a big role on Broadway, replacing Chita Rivera in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

In 2002, she played The Witch in a new production of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. For this role, she was nominated for a Tony Award. In 2010, she starred in another Broadway musical called Sondheim on Sondheim. In 2013, she played Jessie Mae Watts in the play The Trip to Bountiful, which was later made into a TV movie.

More recently, in 2024, she took on the role of Miranda Priestly in the musical The Devil Wears Prada in the UK.

Other Activities and Interests

Williams at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 2007

Vanessa Williams has hosted many events, including the Essence Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. She has also been a spokesperson for beauty brands like L'Oréal cosmetics.

She appeared as a contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire twice, winning money for charity. In 2012, she became the voice of Ms. Brown, a brown M&M character, in commercials. In 2020, she won an episode of RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race, donating her prize money to an LGBTQ charity.

In 2016, Williams launched her own clothing line called V. by Vanessa Williams.

Personal Life

In 2012, Vanessa Williams and her mother, Helen, wrote a book together called You Have No Idea. In the book, Williams shared stories about her childhood and career. She also talked about living with type 1 diabetes.

Williams is a practicing Catholic. She has been married three times and has four children. Her daughter, Jillian Hervey, is also a singer and dancer. Vanessa Williams is also a grandmother.

Activism and Awards

Williams in 2012

Williams supports many good causes. In 2011, she supported the Human Rights Campaign for marriage equality. She also works with Dress For Success, an organization that helps women find jobs by providing professional clothes.

Vanessa Williams has received many awards and nominations throughout her career. She has been nominated for eleven Grammy Awards, three Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. She has also won seven NAACP Image Awards.

On March 19, 2007, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Discography

Studio albums

• The Right Stuff (1988)
• The Comfort Zone (1991)
• The Sweetest Days (1994)
• Star Bright (1996)
• Next (1997)
• Silver & Gold (2004)
• Everlasting Love (2005)
• The Real Thing (2009)
• Survivor (2024)

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Video games

See also

In Spanish: Vanessa Williams para niños