Vanessa Bell Calloway
Vanessa Bell Calloway
Born 20/03/1957 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Vanessa Bell Calloway is an American actress and dancer. She is known for her film roles as Princess Imani Izzi in the 1988 comedy Coming to America, as well as for her roles in What's Love Got to Do with It, The Inkwell, Crimson Tide, and Daylight. She is a nine-time NAACP Image Award nominee.

Vanessa Bell Calloway is an American actress and dancer. She is known for her film roles as Princess Imani Izzi in the 1988 comedy Coming to America, as well as for her roles in What's Love Got to Do with It, The Inkwell, Crimson Tide, and Daylight. She is a nine-time NAACP Image Award nominee.

She began her acting career in the ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children in 1985. After moving to Los Angeles in 1986, she began appearing in episodes of prime time shows such as The Colbys, Falcon Crest, 227, China Beach, A Different World, and L.A. Law. She made her film debut on Number One with a Bullet (1987), before supporting role of Eddie Murphy's character's arranged wife in the 1988 comedy Coming to America.

In 1990, she co-starred alongside Joe Morton in the ABC drama series, Equal Justice. During the 1990s, she had a number of supporting roles in films, including What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) opposite Angela Bassett, The Inkwell (1994), and Crimson Tide (1995) as Denzel Washington's character wife. She also voiced main role in the 1992 animated comedy, Bébé's Kids.

She had a number of leading and supporting roles in made for television movies. In 1995, she co-starred opposite James Earl Jones and Joe Morton in the short-lived CBS prime time soap opera, Under One Roof, the first drama series that featured African-American lead characters. For her role on the series, Calloway was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. She had leading roles on the short-lived NBC sitcom Rhythm & Blues (1992–93), and starred alongside Larry Hagman as his girlfriend in the CBS drama Orleans (1997).

In the 2000s, she had recurring roles on Boston Public and The District. She co-starred in films including The Brothers, All About You, Dawg, Biker Boyz, Love Don't Cost a Thing, and Cheaper by the Dozen. She has guest starred on The Division, Strong Medicine, The Closer, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dexter, Rizzoli & Isles, Castle, and Grey's Anatomy. From 2010 to 2011, she had the recurring role in the TNT medical drama, Hawthorne. In 2011, she began appearing in the Showtime comedy-drama, Shameless.

In 2016, she was cast as lead character in the Bounce TV first prime time soap opera, Saints & Sinners. Also in 2016, she co-starred as president Obama's future mother-in-law, Marian Shields Robinson, and in the comedy-drama film Southside with You. In 2018, she appeared in the Christian drama film Unbroken: Path to Redemption and the crime thriller Dragged Across Concrete. In 2019, she played abolitionist Harriet Tubman's mother in the biographical drama film Harriet. She reprised her role as Imani Izzi in the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America.

External links

Filmography (Movies)

One of Them Days

One of Them Days

Character:Mama Ruth

Release Date:16/01/2025

Queens of Christmas

Queens of Christmas

Character:Julia Mason

Release Date:19/12/2024

Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Character:Idella Landy

Release Date:24/05/2024

Under the Boardwalk

Under the Boardwalk

Character:Val (voice)

Release Date:27/10/2023

Black Girl, Erupted

Black Girl, Erupted

Character:Dr. Rebecca Francis

Release Date:08/07/2023

Mosquito

Mosquito

Character:Eve

Release Date:07/05/2022

The Devil You Know

The Devil You Know

Character:Della Cowans

Release Date:01/04/2022

Starkeisha

Starkeisha

Character:The Voice

Release Date:07/03/2022

Baby

Baby

Character:Jackie

Release Date:31/12/2021

A Holiday Chance

A Holiday Chance

Character:Sheryl

Release Date:24/11/2021

Coming 2 America

Coming 2 America

Character:Imani Izzi

Release Date:04/03/2021

Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day

Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day

Character:Ella

Release Date:14/02/2021

Harriet

Harriet

Character:Rit Ross

Release Date:01/11/2019

American Skin

American Skin

Character:Bernice

Release Date:01/09/2019

Dragged Across Concrete

Dragged Across Concrete

Character:Jennifer Johns

Release Date:21/02/2019

Throwback Holiday

Throwback Holiday

Character:Mildred Anderson

Release Date:15/12/2018

Her Only Choice

Her Only Choice

Character:Dr. Bailey

Release Date:06/10/2018

Thriller

Thriller

Character:Mrs. Jackson

Release Date:23/09/2018

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Character:Lila Burkholder

Release Date:14/09/2018

Love, Once and Always

Love, Once and Always

Character:Isabel

Release Date:10/03/2018

Message From a Mistress

Message From a Mistress

Character:Heather

Release Date:01/05/2017

The Preacher's Son

The Preacher's Son

Character:Elena

Release Date:09/01/2017

Southside with You

Southside with You

Character:

Release Date:26/08/2016

Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story

Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story

Character:Josephine

Release Date:12/06/2016

The Bounce Back

The Bounce Back

Character:Ellen

Release Date:26/02/2016

To Hell and Back

To Hell and Back

Character:

Release Date:04/04/2014

The Divorce

The Divorce

Character:Eva

Release Date:04/02/2014

Holla 2

Holla 2

Character:Marion

Release Date:19/04/2013

Between Sisters

Between Sisters

Character:Lillian

Release Date:23/03/2013

The Obama Effect

The Obama Effect

Character:Molly Thomas

Release Date:13/07/2012

A Beautiful Soul

A Beautiful Soul

Character:Guardian Angel

Release Date:04/05/2012

The Last Fall

The Last Fall

Character:Marie Bishop

Release Date:09/03/2012

The Undershepherd

The Undershepherd

Character:Deaconess Carter

Release Date:15/02/2012

Good Hair

Good Hair

Character:Self

Release Date:09/10/2009

Lakeview Terrace

Lakeview Terrace

Character:Aunt Dorrie

Release Date:19/09/2008

Stompin'

Stompin'

Character:Mrs. Jackson

Release Date:10/06/2007

Cheaper by the Dozen

Cheaper by the Dozen

Character:Diana Philips

Release Date:24/12/2003

Love Don't Co$t a Thing

Love Don't Co$t a Thing

Character:Vivian Johnson

Release Date:12/12/2003

Biker Boyz

Biker Boyz

Character:Anita

Release Date:31/01/2003

Dawg

Dawg

Character:Christine Hodges

Release Date:21/02/2002

The Red Sneakers

The Red Sneakers

Character:Berniece

Release Date:10/02/2002

All About You

All About You

Character:Donna Taylor

Release Date:04/08/2001

The Brothers

The Brothers

Character:Dr. Thelma Woolridge

Release Date:23/03/2001

Love Song

Love Song

Character:Evie Livingston

Release Date:01/12/2000

A Private Affair

A Private Affair

Character:Nikka

Release Date:26/08/2000

Archibald the Rainbow Painter

Archibald the Rainbow Painter

Character:Diana

Release Date:07/08/1998

The Cherokee Kid

The Cherokee Kid

Character:Abby Holsopple

Release Date:14/12/1996

Daylight

Daylight

Character:Grace Calloway

Release Date:06/12/1996

America's Dream

America's Dream

Character:Miss Williams (segment "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black")

Release Date:17/02/1996

Crimson Tide

Crimson Tide

Character:Julia Hunter

Release Date:12/05/1995

The Inkwell

The Inkwell

Character:Francis Phillips

Release Date:22/04/1994

What's Love Got to Do with It

What's Love Got to Do with It

Character:Jackie

Release Date:09/06/1993

Bebe's Kids

Bebe's Kids

Character:Jamika (voice)

Release Date:31/07/1992

Stompin' at the Savoy

Stompin' at the Savoy

Character:Dorothy

Release Date:19/04/1992

Memphis

Memphis

Character:Martha Kinship

Release Date:27/01/1992

Why Colors?

Why Colors?

Character:

Release Date:01/01/1992

Polly: Comin' Home!

Polly: Comin' Home!

Character:Nancy Dodds

Release Date:18/11/1990

Polly

Polly

Character:Nancy

Release Date:12/11/1989

Death Spa

Death Spa

Character:Marci Hewitt

Release Date:29/07/1988

Coming to America

Coming to America

Character:Imani Izzi

Release Date:29/06/1988

The Return of Desperado

The Return of Desperado

Character:Molly Pickett

Release Date:15/02/1988

Number One with a Bullet

Number One with a Bullet

Character:Woman

Release Date:27/02/1987

Television Appearances

The Vince Staples Show

The Vince Staples Show

Character:

Wicked City

Wicked City

Character:Tabitha

Sherri

Sherri

Character:Self - Guest

The Black Hamptons

The Black Hamptons

Character:Carolyn Britton

Kenan

Kenan

Character:Bobbi

Unbelievable

Unbelievable

Character:Sarah

A Black Lady Sketch Show

A Black Lady Sketch Show

Character:Kiley's Mother

Black Monday

Black Monday

Character:Ruth

The Conners

The Conners

Character:Carrie Langham

This Is Us

This Is Us

Character:Edie

This Is Us

This Is Us

Character:Edie (uncredited)

Saints & Sinners

Saints & Sinners

Character:Lady Ella Johnson

Go On

Go On

Character:Joyce

Harry's Law

Harry's Law

Character:Jude Campbell

Let's Stay Together

Let's Stay Together

Character:

Shameless

Shameless

Character:Carol Fisher

Rizzoli & Isles

Rizzoli & Isles

Character:Assistant District Attorney

Castle

Castle

Character:Beryl Wickfield

Dexter

Dexter

Character:Crisis Counselor

The Closer

The Closer

Character:Lynn Talmadge

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

Character:Lucinda Gamble

Black in the 80s

Black in the 80s

Character:Self

Cold Case

Cold Case

Character:Geraldine Watkins (1970)

10-8: Officers on Duty

10-8: Officers on Duty

Character:Gina Barnes

Joan of Arcadia

Joan of Arcadia

Character:Corey Phillips

NCIS

NCIS

Character:Sally Hammond

CSI: Miami

CSI: Miami

Character:Tonya Washington

One on One

One on One

Character:Michelle McCall

The Division

The Division

Character:Dana

Boston Public

Boston Public

Character:Mrs. Michelle Ronning

The District

The District

Character:Gwen Hendrix

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Character:Judge Himmel

Strong Medicine

Strong Medicine

Character:Melanie Rhodes

The Parkers

The Parkers

Character:

The Temptations

The Temptations

Character:Johnnie Mae Matthews

Prey

Prey

Character:

The View

The View

Character:Self

Orleans

Orleans

Character:Rosalee Clark

Malcolm & Eddie

Malcolm & Eddie

Character:

Moesha

Moesha

Character:Dr. Woods

Under One Roof

Under One Roof

Character:Maggie Langston

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

Character:Princess Katusha (voice)

Touched by an Angel

Touched by an Angel

Character:Debra Willis

Diagnosis: Murder

Diagnosis: Murder

Character:Mrs. Calender

The Sinbad Show

The Sinbad Show

Character:

Where I Live

Where I Live

Character:

Rhythm & Blues

Rhythm & Blues

Character:

The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage

The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage

Character:

Dream On

Dream On

Character:Jeanette

Max Monroe: Loose Cannon

Max Monroe: Loose Cannon

Character:Velma Jones

China Beach

China Beach

Character:

A Different World

A Different World

Character:Lily Connors

A Different World

A Different World

Character:Danielle Vinson

L.A. Law

L.A. Law

Character:Robyn Edwards

The Colbys

The Colbys

Character:

227

227

Character:

Falcon Crest

Falcon Crest

Character:Nurse

Simon & Simon

Simon & Simon

Character:

The Wonderful World of Disney

The Wonderful World of Disney

Character:Nancy

Images

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