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.
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| Organization | Category | Movie |
|---|
Saints & Sinners
as Lady Ella Johnson
Episodes: 48
First Aired: Mar 06, 2016
Shameless
as Carol Fisher
Episodes: 20
First Aired: Jan 09, 2011
The Black Hamptons
as Carolyn Britton
Episodes: 12
First Aired: Aug 25, 2022
Orleans
as Rosalee Clark
Episodes: 8
First Aired: Jan 08, 1997
This Is Us
as Edie
Episodes: 7
First Aired: Sep 20, 2016
Under One Roof
as Maggie Langston
Episodes: 6
First Aired: Mar 14, 1995
Wicked City
as Tabitha
Episodes: 6
First Aired: Dec 01, 2022
The District
as Gwen Hendrix
Episodes: 4
First Aired: Oct 07, 2000
Boston Public
as Mrs. Michelle Ronning
Episodes: 3
First Aired: Oct 23, 2000
Rizzoli & Isles
as Assistant District Attorney
Episodes: 3
First Aired: Jul 12, 2010
Go On
as Joyce
Episodes: 2
First Aired: Aug 08, 2012
Kenan
as Bobbi
Episodes: 2
First Aired: Feb 16, 2021
The Temptations
as Johnnie Mae Matthews
Episodes: 2
First Aired: Nov 01, 1998
Grey's Anatomy
as Lucinda Gamble
Episodes: 2
First Aired: Mar 27, 2005
Dream On
as Jeanette
Episodes: 2
First Aired: Jul 08, 1990
Black Monday
as Ruth
Episodes: 2
First Aired: Jan 20, 2019
L.A. Law
as Robyn Edwards
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 15, 1986
A Different World
as Lily Connors
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 24, 1987
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
as Judge Himmel
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Oct 06, 2000
One on One
as Michelle McCall
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 03, 2001
CSI: Miami
as Tonya Washington
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 23, 2002
Touched by an Angel
as Debra Willis
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 21, 1994
Cold Case
as Geraldine Watkins (1970)
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 28, 2003
Diagnosis: Murder
as Mrs. Calender
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Oct 29, 1993
Castle
as Beryl Wickfield
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Mar 09, 2009
NCIS
as Sally Hammond
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 23, 2003
A Different World
as Danielle Vinson
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 24, 1987
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
as Princess Katusha (voice)
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Mar 12, 1995
This Is Us
as Edie (uncredited)
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 20, 2016
A Black Lady Sketch Show
as Kiley's Mother
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Aug 02, 2019
The Conners
as Carrie Langham
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Oct 16, 2018
Unbelievable
as Sarah
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 13, 2019
Dexter
as Crisis Counselor
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Oct 01, 2006
Strong Medicine
as Melanie Rhodes
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Jul 23, 2000
The Closer
as Lynn Talmadge
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Jun 13, 2005
Falcon Crest
as Nurse
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Dec 04, 1981
Rhythm & Blues
Episodes: 13
First Aired: Sep 24, 1992
The Vince Staples Show
Episodes: 5
First Aired: Feb 15, 2024
10-8: Officers on Duty
Episodes: 3
First Aired: Sep 28, 2003
Black in the 80s
as Self
Episodes: 3
First Aired: Feb 01, 2005
Malcolm & Eddie
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Aug 26, 1996
Joan of Arcadia
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 26, 2003
The Division
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Jan 07, 2001
Simon & Simon
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Nov 24, 1981
China Beach
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Apr 26, 1988
The Sinbad Show
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 16, 1993
227
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 14, 1985
The View
as Self
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Aug 11, 1997
Where I Live
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Mar 05, 1993
Moesha
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Jan 23, 1996
The Parkers
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Aug 30, 1999
Prey
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Jan 15, 1998
The Colbys
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Nov 20, 1985
The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Mar 31, 1991
Let's Stay Together
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Jan 11, 2011
Sherri
as Self - Guest
Episodes: 1
First Aired: Sep 12, 2022
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| 2025 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 0 |