CineScope
Vanessa Bell Calloway picture

Vanessa Bell Calloway

Acting
Known For

68 Years Old

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.

Born

Cleveland, Ohio, USA on 20th March 1957

All Credits

Grey's Anatomy Image
Grey's Anatomy
Lucinda Gamble
NCIS Image
NCIS
Sally Hammond
Castle Image
Castle
Beryl Wickfield
Diagnosis: Murder Image
Diagnosis: Murder
Mrs. Calender
Sherri Image
Sherri
Self - Guest
Shameless Image
Shameless
Carol Fisher
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Image
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Judge Himmel
Dexter Image
Dexter
Crisis Counselor
The View Image
The View
Self
CSI: Miami Image
CSI: Miami
Tonya Washington
Touched by an Angel Image
Touched by an Angel
Debra Willis
This Is Us Image
This Is Us
Edie (uncredited)
This Is Us Image
This Is Us
Edie
Rizzoli & Isles Image
Rizzoli & Isles
Assistant District Attorney
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Image
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Princess Katusha (voice)
Cold Case Image
Cold Case
Geraldine Watkins (1970)
The Conners Image
The Conners
Carrie Langham
Strong Medicine Image
Strong Medicine
Melanie Rhodes
Go On Image
Go On
Joyce
The Parkers Image
The Parkers
Black Monday Image
Black Monday
Ruth
Moesha Image
Moesha
A Different World Image
A Different World
Danielle Vinson
A Different World Image
A Different World
Lily Connors
Simon & Simon Image
Simon & Simon
Unbelievable Image
Unbelievable
Sarah
The Colbys Image
The Colbys
Let's Stay Together Image
Let's Stay Together
The Closer Image
The Closer
Lynn Talmadge
Joan of Arcadia Image
Joan of Arcadia
L.A. Law Image
L.A. Law
Robyn Edwards
Falcon Crest Image
Falcon Crest
Nurse
Saints & Sinners Image
Saints & Sinners
Lady Ella Johnson
No Image
The Sinbad Show
A Black Lady Sketch Show Image
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Kiley's Mother
China Beach Image
China Beach
The Division Image
The Division
Dana
The Temptations Image
The Temptations
Johnnie Mae Matthews
Rhythm & Blues Image
Rhythm & Blues
Kenan Image
Kenan
Bobbi
The Vince Staples Show Image
The Vince Staples Show
10-8: Officers on Duty Image
10-8: Officers on Duty
Boston Public Image
Boston Public
Mrs. Michelle Ronning
Wicked City Image
Wicked City
Tabitha
The District Image
The District
Gwen Hendrix
The Black Hamptons Image
The Black Hamptons
Carolyn Britton
Malcolm & Eddie Image
Malcolm & Eddie
Under One Roof Image
Under One Roof
Maggie Langston
Love Don't Co$t a Thing Image
Love Don't Co$t a Thing
Vivian Johnson
One on One Image
One on One
Michelle McCall
Coming to America Image
Coming to America
Imani Izzi
One of Them Days Image
One of Them Days
Mama Ruth
227 Image
227
Harry's Law Image
Harry's Law
Judge Jude Campbell
Dream On Image
Dream On
Jeanette
Coming 2 America Image
Coming 2 America
Imani Izzi
Cheaper by the Dozen Image
Cheaper by the Dozen
Diana Philips
Crimson Tide Image
Crimson Tide
Julia Hunter
No Image
Black in the 80s
Self
Dragged Across Concrete Image
Dragged Across Concrete
Jennifer Johns
Prey Image
Prey
Under the Boardwalk Image
Under the Boardwalk
Val (voice)
Harriet Image
Harriet
Rit Ross
Daylight Image
Daylight
Grace Calloway
Lakeview Terrace Image
Lakeview Terrace
Aunt Dorrie
Unbroken: Path to Redemption Image
Unbroken: Path to Redemption
Lila Burkholder
Biker Boyz Image
Biker Boyz
Anita
The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage Image
The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage
What's Love Got to Do with It Image
What's Love Got to Do with It
Jackie
Bebe's Kids Image
Bebe's Kids
Jamika (voice)
The Cherokee Kid Image
The Cherokee Kid
Abby Holsopple
Orleans Image
Orleans
Rosalee Clark
Where I Live Image
Where I Live
The Brothers Image
The Brothers
Dr. Thelma Woolridge
Death Spa Image
Death Spa
Marci Hewitt
All About You Image
All About You
The Bounce Back Image
The Bounce Back
Ellen
Thriller Image
Thriller
Mrs. Jackson
The Devil You Know Image
The Devil You Know
Della Cowans
Good Hair Image
Good Hair
Self
Southside with You Image
Southside with You
Love, Once and Always Image
Love, Once and Always
Isabel
American Skin Image
American Skin
Bernice
The Inkwell Image
The Inkwell
Francis Phillips
Dawg Image
Dawg
Christine Hodges
Black Girl, Erupted Image
Black Girl, Erupted
Dr. Rebecca Francis
A Beautiful Soul Image
A Beautiful Soul
Guardian Angel
Polly Image
Polly
Nancy
The Obama Effect Image
The Obama Effect
Molly Thomas
The Red Sneakers Image
The Red Sneakers
Berniece
Number One with a Bullet Image
Number One with a Bullet
Woman
Mosquito Image
Mosquito
Eve
Her Only Choice Image
Her Only Choice
Dr. Bailey
Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story Image
Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story
Josephine
Love Song Image
Love Song
Evie Livingston
The Preacher's Son Image
The Preacher's Son
Elena
A Private Affair Image
A Private Affair
Nikka
America's Dream Image
America's Dream
Miss Williams (segment "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black")
Archibald the Rainbow Painter Image
Archibald the Rainbow Painter
Diana
Message From a Mistress Image
Message From a Mistress
Heather
Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day Image
Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day
Ella
The Last Fall Image
The Last Fall
Marie Bishop
The Return of Desperado Image
The Return of Desperado
Molly Pickett
Throwback Holiday Image
Throwback Holiday
Mildred Anderson
Memphis Image
Memphis
Martha Kinship
The Undershepherd Image
The Undershepherd
Deaconess Carter
Stompin' at the Savoy Image
Stompin' at the Savoy
Dorothy
No Image
Why Colors?
A Holiday Chance Image
A Holiday Chance
Sheryl
Starkeisha Image
Starkeisha
The Voice
The Divorce Image
The Divorce
Eva
To Hell and Back Image
To Hell and Back
Holla 2 Image
Holla 2
Marion
Baby Image
Baby
Jackie
Queens of Christmas Image
Queens of Christmas
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch Image
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Idella Landy
Polly: Comin' Home! Image
Polly: Comin' Home!
Nancy Dodds
Between Sisters Image
Between Sisters
Lillian
Stompin' Image
Stompin'
Mrs. Jackson