1957-03-20 ( 68 years old ) in Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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.
Movies
One of Them Days
2025-01-16
Queens of Christmas
2024-12-19
Under the Boardwalk
2023-10-27
Black Girl, Erupted
2023-07-08
Mosquito
2022-05-07
The Devil You Know
2022-04-01
Starkeisha
2022-03-07
Baby
2021-12-31
A Holiday Chance
2021-11-24
Coming 2 America
2021-03-04
Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day
2021-02-14
Harriet
2019-11-01
American Skin
2019-09-01
Dragged Across Concrete
2019-02-21
Throwback Holiday
2018-12-15
Her Only Choice
2018-10-06
Thriller
2018-09-23
Unbroken: Path to Redemption
2018-09-14
Love, Once and Always
2018-03-10
Message From a Mistress
2017-05-01
The Preacher's Son
2017-01-09
Southside with You
2016-08-26
The Bounce Back
2016-02-26
To Hell and Back
2014-04-04
The Divorce
2014-02-04
Holla 2
2013-04-19
Between Sisters
2013-03-23
The Obama Effect
2012-07-13
A Beautiful Soul
2012-05-04
The Last Fall
2012-03-09
The Undershepherd
2012-02-15
Good Hair
2009-10-09
Lakeview Terrace
2008-09-19
Stompin'
2007-06-10
Cheaper by the Dozen
2003-12-24
Love Don't Co$t a Thing
2003-12-12
Biker Boyz
2003-01-31
Dawg
2002-02-21
The Red Sneakers
2002-02-10
All About You
2001-08-04
The Brothers
2001-03-23
Love Song
2000-12-01
A Private Affair
2000-08-26
Archibald the Rainbow Painter
1998-08-07
The Cherokee Kid
1996-12-14
Daylight
1996-12-06
America's Dream
1996-02-17
Crimson Tide
1995-05-12
The Inkwell
1994-04-22
What's Love Got to Do with It
1993-06-09
Bebe's Kids
1992-07-31
Stompin' at the Savoy
1992-04-19
Memphis
1992-01-27
Why Colors?
1992-01-01
Polly: Comin' Home!
1990-11-18
Polly
1989-11-12
Death Spa
1988-07-29
Coming to America
1988-06-29
The Return of Desperado
1988-02-15
Number One with a Bullet
1987-02-27
Powered by Powerxsoft Ltd using the TMDB API