Vanessa Williams is a survivor. Honestly, if you look at her track record, she’s basically the definition of a comeback story. Most people know her for the Miss America scandal or the absolute banger "Save the Best for Last," but her filmography? It’s surprisingly deep. We’re talking about a woman who transitioned from a disgraced pageant queen to a legitimate action star and a dramatic powerhouse.
She didn't just "try" acting. She owned it.
The Action Star Era (When Arnie Met Vanessa)
In the mid-90s, if you wanted to be a massive star, you had to survive an explosion or two. Vanessa did exactly that. Eraser (1996) is probably the most famous of the movies with Vanessa Williams from that high-octane period. She played Dr. Lee Cullen, a whistle-blower at a defense contractor.
You’ve got Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a U.S. Marshal who "erases" people's identities, and Vanessa is the witness he’s protecting. It’s a very 90s flick. Think rail guns with X-ray scopes and some questionable CGI crocodiles at the New York City zoo.
But here is the thing. Vanessa wasn't just a "damsel." She held her own. While Arnie was busy jumping out of planes without parachutes, Vanessa brought a grounded, nervous energy to Lee Cullen that made the stakes feel real.
A lot of critics at the time compared her to Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard. It’s a fair comparison, honestly. She even did a song for the soundtrack, "Where Do We Go From Here?" which became a hit in its own right. She proved she could handle the physical demands of a blockbuster while maintaining that "triple threat" status.
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Why Soul Food is Actually Her Best Work
If Eraser was about the spectacle, Soul Food (1997) was about the heart. This movie is a staple in Black cinema, and for good reason.
Vanessa played Teri, the high-powered, "no-nonsense" attorney sister. She was basically the prototype for her later iconic role as Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty. Teri was prickly. She was successful. She was also deeply misunderstood by her family, who saw her success as a sign of being "uppity."
The scene where she finds out her husband (played by Michael Beach) is cheating on her with her own cousin? Pure cinema gold.
- Emotional Range: She goes from ice-cold professional to heartbroken and vengeful in seconds.
- The Look: She wore a dress in that movie that she actually pulled out for a reunion in 2024. It still fit.
- The Impact: She won an NAACP Image Award for this role, and it's easy to see why.
She didn't play Teri as a villain, even though the script kinda leaned that way. She played her as a woman who was tired of carrying the financial weight of the whole family while getting zero respect for it. It’s a nuanced performance that still resonates.
The Supporting Roles and Voice Work
Sometimes Vanessa pops up where you least expect her. Did you remember she was in Shaft (2000)? She played Carmen Vasquez, a narcotics detective. Again, she’s in a male-dominated action space and totally holds her ground opposite Samuel L. Jackson.
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Then there’s the voice work. Vanessa has a voice that’s like velvet, so it makes sense that animation studios came calling.
- Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018): She voiced Amanda Waller. If you know the DC universe, you know Waller is a cold-blooded tactician. Vanessa nailed that "boss" energy.
- Batman: Hush (2019): She reprised the Waller role here.
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Look, we’ve all got to pay the bills. She played the Queen of Trash. It’s campy, it’s fun, and she’s clearly having a blast.
The Indie Pivot: My Brother
If you want to see her really act—like, "take off the makeup and get raw" act—you have to find My Brother (2006). This isn't a "glam" role.
She plays L'Tisha Morton, a mother dying of tuberculosis in the inner city. She’s worried about what will happen to her two sons, one of whom has Down Syndrome. It was a historic film because it was the first time an African-American actor with a developmental disability had a lead role.
The movie is heavy. It's "watered-down chicken soup for the soul" according to some critics, but Vanessa’s performance is staggering. She showed an emotional range that people who only knew her from Ugly Betty would never expect.
A Career Built on Versatility
What most people get wrong about Vanessa Williams is thinking she’s just a "personality."
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She’s a craftsman.
Whether she’s playing a romantic lead in Dance with Me (opposite Chayanne) or a villainous executive in Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor, she brings a specific type of poise. She’s rarely the "victim" in her movies. Even when her characters are in trouble, they have a spine.
Quick Look: The Essentials
- Action: Eraser, Shaft
- Drama: Soul Food, My Brother, Hoodlum
- Comedy: Johnson Family Vacation, Hannah Montana: The Movie
- TV Movies (that felt like real movies): A Diva’s Christmas Carol (a VH1 classic), The Trip to Bountiful
How to Watch Her Today
If you’re looking to dive into the world of movies with Vanessa Williams, start with the "Big Three": Eraser, Soul Food, and Dance with Me.
Soul Food is usually streaming on platforms like Hulu or Paramount+, and it’s aged incredibly well. The themes of family squabbles over Sunday dinner are universal. Eraser is a fun Friday night watch if you want to see 90s action at its peak.
To truly appreciate her growth, watch Soul Food and then find a clip of her on Broadway in Kiss of the Spider Woman. You’ll see a performer who refused to be sidelined by a scandal and instead built a resume that spans nearly four decades.
Actionable Next Step:
Go watch the "Family Dinner" scene in Soul Food. Pay attention to how Vanessa uses her eyes rather than her voice to show Teri's frustration. It’s a masterclass in "acting while listening." Once you've seen that, track down My Brother to see her most underrated dramatic performance.