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.
as Mama Ruth
as Julia Mason
as Anita(7 eps)
as Val (voice)
as Dr. Rebecca Francis
as Tabitha(6 eps)
as Self - Guest(1 ep)
as Carolyn Britton(12 eps)
as Eve
as Della Cowans
as The Voice
as Jackie
as Brenda(1 ep)
as Sheryl
as Imani Izzi
as Bobbi(2 eps)
as Rit Ross
as Sarah(1 ep)
as Bernice
as Kiley's Mother(1 ep)
as Jennifer Johns
as Ruth(2 eps)
as Mildred Anderson
as Carrie Langham(1 ep)
as Dr. Bailey
as Mrs. Jackson
as Lila Burkholder
as Isabel
as Heather
as Elena
as Edie(7 eps)
as Edie (uncredited)(1 ep)
as Marian Robinson
as Josephine
as Lady Ella Johnson(48 eps)
as Ellen
as Wendy
as Eva
as Marion
as Lillian
as Joyce(2 eps)
as Molly Thomas
as Guardian Angel
as Marie Bishop
as Deaconess Carter
as Royce Wiegler(1 ep)
as Jude Campbell(2 eps)
as Carol Fisher(20 eps)
as Assistant District Attorney(3 eps)
as Self
as Beryl Wickfield(1 ep)
as Aunt Dorrie
as Mrs. Jackson
as Crisis Counselor(1 ep)
as Lynn Talmadge(1 ep)
as Lucinda Gamble(2 eps)
as Self(3 eps)
as Diana Philips
as Vivian Johnson
as Geraldine Watkins (1970)(1 ep)
as Gina Barnes(3 eps)
as Corey Phillips(1 ep)
as Sally Hammond(1 ep)
as Anita
as Tonya Washington(1 ep)
as Christine Hodges
as Berniece
as Michelle McCall(1 ep)
as Donna Taylor
as Dr. Thelma Woolridge
as Dana(1 ep)
as Evelyne Livingston
as Mrs. Michelle Ronning(3 eps)
as Gwen Hendrix(4 eps)
as Judge Himmel(1 ep)
as Nikka
as Melanie Rhodes(1 ep)
as Johnnie Mae Matthews(2 eps)
as Diana
as Self(1 ep)
as Rosalee Clark(8 eps)
as Abby Holsopple
as Grace Calloway
as Miss Williams (segment "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black")
as Dr. Woods(1 ep)
as Julia Hunter
as Maggie Langston(6 eps)
as Princess Katusha (voice)(1 ep)
as Debra Willis(1 ep)
as Francis Phillips
as Mrs. Calender(1 ep)
as Jackie
as Colette Hawkins(13 eps)
as Jamika (voice)
as Dorothy
as Martha Kinship
as Nancy Dodds
as Jeanette(2 eps)
as Velma Jones(1 ep)
as Nancy
as Marci Hewitt
as Imani Izzi
as Molly Pickett
as Lily Connors(1 ep)
as Danielle Vinson(1 ep)
as Woman
as Robyn Edwards(1 ep)
as Nurse(1 ep)
as Nancy(1 ep)
