Biography

Vanessa Lynn Williams, born on March 18, 1963, is a multi-talented American entertainer. She first gained fame for being the first African-American woman to win the Miss America title in 1983. However, her reign was marred by a scandal the following year. Just before her term ended, she discovered that Penthouse magazine planned to publish unauthorized nude photographs of her. Facing immense media scrutiny, Williams made the difficult decision to resign as Miss America in July 1984, under pressure from the Miss America Organization. She was replaced by Suzette Charles, the first runner-up. Thirty-two years later, during the Miss America 2016 pageant, Miss America CEO Sam Haskell publicly apologized to Williams for the events of 1984. Despite the setback, Williams managed to bounce back and forge a successful career as a singer and actress. In 1988, she released her first studio album, "The Right Stuff," featuring the hit single of the same name. The album also produced another popular song, "Dreamin'," which reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Williams continued to achieve commercial success with her second and third studio albums, "The Comfort Zone" (1991) and "The Sweetest Days" (1994). These albums earned her multiple Grammy Award nominations, including one for her chart-topping song, "Save the Best for Last". Williams has also dabbled in fashion design and has released several studio albums in recent years, including "Everlasting Love" (2005) and "The Real Thing" (2009). On the acting front, she has enjoyed critical acclaim on both stage and screen. Williams won an NAACP Image Award for her role as Teri Joseph in the film "Soul Food" (1997). Moreover, she is best known for her television roles as Wilhelmina Slater in "Ugly Betty" (2006-2010), for which she received three Primetime Emmy nominations, and as Renee Perry in "Desperate Housewives" (2010-2012). In addition, Williams has appeared in movies such as "Eraser" (1996), "Soul Food" (1997), and "Dance with Me" (1998).