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Vanessa Bell Calloway

Vanessa Bell Calloway

Department: Acting

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

Daylight

Daylight

1996

Good Hair

Good Hair

2009

Love Don't Co$t a Thing

Love Don't Co$t a Thing

2003

Biker Boyz

Biker Boyz

2003

Lakeview Terrace

Lakeview Terrace

2008

Death Spa

Death Spa

1988

Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day

Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day

2021

Bebe's Kids

Bebe's Kids

1992

A Holiday Chance

A Holiday Chance

2021

What's Love Got to Do with It

What's Love Got to Do with It

1993

Polly

Polly

1989

The Inkwell

The Inkwell

1994

To Hell and Back

To Hell and Back

2014

A Beautiful Soul

A Beautiful Soul

2012

Stompin'

Stompin'

2007

Starkeisha

Starkeisha

2022

The Devil You Know

The Devil You Know

2022

The Red Sneakers

The Red Sneakers

2002

The Obama Effect

The Obama Effect

2012

All About You

All About You

2001

Black Girl, Erupted

Black Girl, Erupted

2023

Archibald the Rainbow Painter

Archibald the Rainbow Painter

1998

Love Song

Love Song

2000

Holla 2

Holla 2

2013

Under the Boardwalk

Under the Boardwalk

2023

Polly: Comin' Home!

Polly: Comin' Home!

1990

Between Sisters

Between Sisters

2013

The Last Fall

The Last Fall

2012

Memphis

Memphis

1992

Southside with You

Southside with You

2016

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

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

2024

The Cherokee Kid

The Cherokee Kid

1996

The Bounce Back

The Bounce Back

2016

The Return of Desperado

The Return of Desperado

1988

Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story

Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story

2016

America's Dream

America's Dream

1996

One of Them Days

One of Them Days

2025

Number One with a Bullet

Number One with a Bullet

1987

The Preacher's Son

The Preacher's Son

2017

A Private Affair

A Private Affair

2000

Love, Once and Always

Love, Once and Always

2018

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

2018

Coming to America

Coming to America

1988

Mosquito

Mosquito

2022

Thriller

Thriller

2018

Why Colors?

Why Colors?

1992

Throwback Holiday

Throwback Holiday

2018

Her Only Choice

Her Only Choice

2018

Dragged Across Concrete

Dragged Across Concrete

2019

The Brothers

The Brothers

2001

Coming 2 America

Coming 2 America

2021

Harriet

Harriet

2019

Stompin' at the Savoy

Stompin' at the Savoy

1992

Cheaper by the Dozen

Cheaper by the Dozen

2003

Crimson Tide

Crimson Tide

1995

Baby

Baby

2021

The Divorce

The Divorce

2014

Message From a Mistress

Message From a Mistress

2017

American Skin

American Skin

2019

The Undershepherd

The Undershepherd

2012

Queens of Christmas

Queens of Christmas

2024

Dawg

Dawg

2002

Malcolm & Eddie

Malcolm & Eddie

1996

L.A. Law

L.A. Law

1986

A Different World

A Different World

1987

Boston Public

Boston Public

2000

The District

The District

2000

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

2000

One on One

One on One

2001

Joan of Arcadia

Joan of Arcadia

2003

CSI: Miami

CSI: Miami

2002

The Division

The Division

2001

Touched by an Angel

Touched by an Angel

1994

Simon & Simon

Simon & Simon

1981

China Beach

China Beach

1988

The Sinbad Show

The Sinbad Show

1993

227

227

1985

Cold Case

Cold Case

2003

The View

The View

1997

Where I Live

Where I Live

1993

Moesha

Moesha

1996

Diagnosis: Murder

Diagnosis: Murder

1993

The Parkers

The Parkers

1999

Prey

Prey

1998

The Colbys

The Colbys

1985

Go On

Go On

2012

The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage

The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage

1991

Under One Roof

Under One Roof

1995

Orleans

Orleans

1997

10-8: Officers on Duty

10-8: Officers on Duty

2003

Rhythm & Blues

Rhythm & Blues

1992

Black in the 80s

Black in the 80s

2005

Let's Stay Together

Let's Stay Together

2011

Castle

Castle

2009

Rizzoli & Isles

Rizzoli & Isles

2010

NCIS

NCIS

2003

Kenan

Kenan

2021

Saints & Sinners

Saints & Sinners

2016

A Different World

A Different World

1987

Sherri

Sherri

2022

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

1995

This Is Us

This Is Us

2016

The Black Hamptons

The Black Hamptons

2022

This Is Us

This Is Us

2016

The Temptations

The Temptations

1998

A Black Lady Sketch Show

A Black Lady Sketch Show

2019

The Vince Staples Show

The Vince Staples Show

2024

The Conners

The Conners

2018

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

2005

Unbelievable

Unbelievable

2019

Dream On

Dream On

1990

Dexter

Dexter

2006

Strong Medicine

Strong Medicine

2000

Shameless

Shameless

2011

Black Monday

Black Monday

2019

The Closer

The Closer

2005

Falcon Crest

Falcon Crest

1981

Wicked City

Wicked City

2022

Harry's Law

Harry's Law

2011

Max Monroe: Loose Cannon

Max Monroe: Loose Cannon

1990

The Wonderful World of Disney

The Wonderful World of Disney

1954

Ringer

Ringer

2011