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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
March 20, 1957
Place of Birth
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Also Known As
- Vanessa Bell
Vanessa Bell Calloway
1.5 Popularity
Biography
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.
Known For
6.6
Mama Ruth
One of Them Days
2025
10.0
Julia Mason
Queens of Christmas
2024
0.0
Idella Landy
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
2024
5.9
The Vince Staples Show
2024
7.3
Val (voice)
Under the Boardwalk
2023
2.0
Dr. Rebecca Francis
Black Girl, Erupted
2023
7.0
Tabitha
Wicked City
2022
3.0
Self - Guest
Sherri
2022
6.4
Carolyn Britton
The Black Hamptons
2022
0.0
Eve
Mosquito
2022
Credits
One of Them Days
as Mama Ruth
2025
6.6
Queens of Christmas
as Julia Mason
2024
10.0
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
as Idella Landy
2024
0.0
The Vince Staples Show
2024
5.9
Under the Boardwalk
as Val (voice)
2023
7.3
Black Girl, Erupted
as Dr. Rebecca Francis
2023
2.0
Wicked City
as Tabitha
2022
7.0
Sherri
as Self - Guest
2022
3.0
The Black Hamptons
as Carolyn Britton
2022
6.4
Mosquito
as Eve
2022
0.0
The Devil You Know
as Della Cowans
2022
6.7
Starkeisha
as The Voice
2022
4.5
Baby
as Jackie
2021
0.0
A Holiday Chance
as Sheryl
2021
8.5
Coming 2 America
as Imani Izzi
2021
6.4
Kenan
as Bobbi
2021
6.9
Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day
as Ella
2021
8.5
Harriet
as Rit Ross
2019
7.3
Unbelievable
as Sarah
2019
7.9
American Skin
as Bernice
2019
7.1
A Black Lady Sketch Show
as Kiley's Mother
2019
7.0
Dragged Across Concrete
as Jennifer Johns
2019
6.6
Black Monday
as Ruth
2019
7.0
Throwback Holiday
as Mildred Anderson
2018
4.7
The Conners
as Carrie Langham
2018
7.0
Her Only Choice
as Dr. Bailey
2018
5.3
Thriller
as Mrs. Jackson
2018
4.3
Unbroken: Path to Redemption
as Lila Burkholder
2018
6.7
Love, Once and Always
as Isabel
2018
6.3
Message From a Mistress
as Heather
2017
7.0
The Preacher's Son
as Elena
2017
6.9
This Is Us
as Edie
2016
8.2
This Is Us
as Edie (uncredited)
2016
8.2
Southside with You
2016
5.6
Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story
as Josephine
2016
6.5
Saints & Sinners
as Lady Ella Johnson
2016
8.0
The Bounce Back
as Ellen
2016
6.4
To Hell and Back
2014
0.0
The Divorce
as Eva
2014
0.0
Holla 2
as Marion
2013
4.4
Between Sisters
as Lillian
2013
0.0
Go On
as Joyce
2012
6.4
The Obama Effect
as Molly Thomas
2012
2.5
A Beautiful Soul
as Guardian Angel
2012
6.2
The Last Fall
as Marie Bishop
2012
5.8
The Undershepherd
as Deaconess Carter
2012
2.0
Harry's Law
as Jude Campbell
2011
7.3
Let's Stay Together
2011
8.7
Shameless
as Carol Fisher
2011
8.2
Rizzoli & Isles
as Assistant District Attorney
2010
7.9
Good Hair
as Self
2009
6.6
Castle
as Beryl Wickfield
2009
8.0
Lakeview Terrace
as Aunt Dorrie
2008
6.0
Stompin'
as Mrs. Jackson
2007
3.0
Dexter
as Crisis Counselor
2006
8.2
The Closer
as Lynn Talmadge
2005
7.9
Grey's Anatomy
as Lucinda Gamble
2005
8.2
Black in the 80s
as Self
2005
0.0
Cheaper by the Dozen
as Diana Philips
2003
6.3
Love Don't Co$t a Thing
as Vivian Johnson
2003
7.5
Cold Case
as Geraldine Watkins (1970)
2003
7.8
10-8: Officers on Duty
2003
7.9
Joan of Arcadia
as Corey Phillips
2003
7.3
NCIS
as Sally Hammond
2003
7.6
Biker Boyz
as Anita
2003
6.2
CSI: Miami
as Tonya Washington
2002
7.7
Dawg
as Christine Hodges
2002
4.3
The Red Sneakers
as Berniece
2002
3.2
One on One
as Michelle McCall
2001
8.0
All About You
2001
8.7
The Brothers
as Dr. Thelma Woolridge
2001
6.5
The Division
as Dana
2001
7.1
Love Song
as Evie Livingston
2000
7.5
Boston Public
as Mrs. Michelle Ronning
2000
7.6
The District
as Gwen Hendrix
2000
6.8
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
as Judge Himmel
2000
7.6
A Private Affair
as Nikka
2000
0.0
Strong Medicine
as Melanie Rhodes
2000
7.3
The Parkers
1999
8.2
The Temptations
as Johnnie Mae Matthews
1998
7.9
Archibald the Rainbow Painter
as Diana
1998
0.0
Prey
1998
6.8
The View
as Self
1997
4.3
Orleans
as Rosalee Clark
1997
0.0
The Cherokee Kid
as Abby Holsopple
1996
5.3
Daylight
as Grace Calloway
1996
6.1
Malcolm & Eddie
1996
7.4
America's Dream
as Miss Williams (segment "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black")
1996
6.4
Moesha
as Dr. Woods
1996
7.0
Crimson Tide
as Julia Hunter
1995
7.2
🎬
Under One Roof
as Maggie Langston
1995
0.0
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
as Princess Katusha (voice)
1995
6.0
Touched by an Angel
as Debra Willis
1994
7.2
The Inkwell
as Francis Phillips
1994
5.3
Diagnosis: Murder
as Mrs. Calender
1993
7.1
🎬
The Sinbad Show
1993
6.0
What's Love Got to Do with It
as Jackie
1993
7.1
Where I Live
1993
8.0
Rhythm & Blues
1992
6.0
Bebe's Kids
as Jamika (voice)
1992
5.9
Stompin' at the Savoy
as Dorothy
1992
0.0
Memphis
as Martha Kinship
1992
0.0
🎬
Why Colors?
1992
0.0
The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage
1991
3.9
Polly: Comin' Home!
as Nancy Dodds
1990
8.5
Dream On
as Jeanette
1990
6.9
🎬
Max Monroe: Loose Cannon
as Velma Jones
1990
5.0
Polly
as Nancy
1989
8.2
Death Spa
as Marci Hewitt
1988
5.2
Coming to America
as Imani Izzi
1988
6.9
China Beach
1988
7.4
The Return of Desperado
as Molly Pickett
1988
6.5
A Different World
as Lily Connors
1987
7.0
A Different World
as Danielle Vinson
1987
7.0
Number One with a Bullet
as Woman
1987
4.6
L.A. Law
as Robyn Edwards
1986
7.0
The Colbys
1985
6.1
227
1985
6.7
Falcon Crest
as Nurse
1981
5.5
Simon & Simon
1981
6.7
The Wonderful World of Disney
as Nancy
1954
7.8