Having conquered the music and video charts, Broadway, television and motion pictures, Vanessa Williams is one of the most multifaceted performers in entertainment today. She has been nominated for both Grammy and Tony awards, and as an actress is receiving critical acclaim for her role in the ABC hit Ugly Betty.
At the podium, Williams inspires audiences to recognize when “opportunity unexpectedly knocks at your door.” A devoted mother of four who balances family life with the demands of her entertainment career, she is a shining example of strength, determination, grace and dignity to women who face adversity while pursuing dreams.
Born in Millwood, N.Y., Vanessa Williams was consumed by the arts at a young age, as her parents were music teachers who recognized her gifts early on and encouraged her to pursue her love of performing arts.
While attending Syracuse University, Williams was sought after by local talent scouts who invited her to participate in the Miss Greater Syracuse Pageant. Three months later, she won the Miss America title, becoming the first African-American to earn the crown. She credits an ensuing controversy with further empowering her commitment to a career in entertainment.
Williams launched her recording career with The Right Stuff, which went gold en route to three Grammy Award nominations. There were more Grammy nods to come, highlighted by her 1995 hit single Colors of the Wind from Disney’s Pocahontas—which garnered Academy and Golden Globe awards, as well as the Grammy for Best Song in a Motion Picture. As a recording star, Williams has sold more than four million albums worldwide.
In 1993, she realized a lifelong dream, taking Broadway by storm in Kiss of the Spider Woman. The production was a box-office sensation and her individual performance won critics over, firmly establishing Williams as an entertainment triple-threat.
In 1996, Williams won the Lena Horne Career Achievement Award at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. She is actively involved with charitable organizations, including: Green Chimneys, helping troubled inner-city adolescents; The Open Door, providing walk-in medical care for homeless families; The Cottage School for displaced young women; and the Special Olympics.
Williams earned an NAACP Image Award for her performance in the 1997 box-office hit Soul Food, and has starred opposite both Arnold Schwarzenegger (in the action thriller Eraser) and Laurence Fishburne (Hoodlum). Other film credits include: Under the Gun, Another You, The Pick-Up Artist and Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man.
In April 2012, she released a book she co-wrote with her mother, entitled You Have No Idea. In the book, Williams empowers you to embrace the unexpected, remember your self-worth, and accept your path in life – no matter how uncertain it may be.
