
Vanessa Bell Calloway
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Female
Birthday
1957-03-20 (68 years old)
Place of Birth
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Vanessa Bell Calloway
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
Acting
(2025)
One of Them Days
as Mama Ruth
(2024)
(2024)
(2023)
Under the Boardwalk
as Val (voice)
(2023)
Black Girl, Erupted
as Dr. Rebecca Francis
(2022)
The Devil You Know
as Della Cowans
(2022)
Mosquito
as Eve
(2022)
Starkeisha
as The Voice
(2021)
Coming 2 America
as Imani Izzi
(2021)
Baby
as Jackie
(2021)
(2021)
A Holiday Chance
as Sheryl
(2019)
Harriet
as Rit Ross
(2019)
Dragged Across Concrete
as Jennifer Johns
(2019)
American Skin
as Bernice
(2018)
Unbroken: Path to Redemption
as Lila Burkholder
(2018)
Thriller
as Mrs. Jackson
(2018)
Love, Once and Always
as Isabel
(2018)
Throwback Holiday
as Mildred Anderson
(2018)
Her Only Choice
as Dr. Bailey
(2017)
The Preacher's Son
as Elena
(2017)
Message From a Mistress
as Heather
(2016)
(2016)
The Bounce Back
as Ellen
(2016)
Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story
as Josephine
(2014)
(2014)
The Divorce
as Eva
(2013)
Holla 2
as Marion
(2013)
Between Sisters
as Lillian
(2012)
A Beautiful Soul
as Guardian Angel
(2012)
The Undershepherd
as Deaconess Carter
(2012)
The Obama Effect
as Molly Thomas
(2012)
The Last Fall
as Marie Bishop
(2009)
Good Hair
as Self
(2008)
Lakeview Terrace
as Aunt Dorrie
(2007)
Stompin'
as Mrs. Jackson
(2003)
Love Don't Co$t a Thing
as Vivian Johnson
(2003)
Cheaper by the Dozen
as Diana Philips
(2003)
Biker Boyz
as Anita
(2002)
Dawg
as Christine Hodges
(2002)
The Red Sneakers
as Berniece
(2001)
The Brothers
as Dr. Thelma Woolridge
(2001)
(2000)
Love Song
as Evie Livingston
(2000)
A Private Affair
as Nikka
(1998)
Archibald the Rainbow Painter
as Diana
(1996)
Daylight
as Grace Calloway
(1996)
The Cherokee Kid
as Abby Holsopple
(1996)
America's Dream
as Miss Williams (segment "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black")
(1995)
Crimson Tide
as Julia Hunter
(1994)
The Inkwell
as Francis Phillips
(1993)
What's Love Got to Do with It
as Jackie
(1992)
Bebe's Kids
as Jamika (voice)
(1992)
(1992)
Stompin' at the Savoy
as Dorothy
(1992)
Memphis
as Martha Kinship
(1990)
Polly: Comin' Home!
as Nancy Dodds
(1989)
Polly
as Nancy
(1988)
Coming to America
as Imani Izzi
(1988)
Death Spa
as Marci Hewitt
(1988)
The Return of Desperado
as Molly Pickett
(1987)
Number One with a Bullet
as Woman
Crew
(2023)
Black Girl, Erupted
Director
(2021)
Someday At Christmas
Director