Acting
Vanessa Bell Calloway
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.
Filmography
One of Them Days
Film · 2025
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Film · 2024
Queens of Christmas
Film · 2024
The Vince Staples Show
Series · 2024
Black Girl, Erupted
Film · 2023
Under the Boardwalk
Film · 2023
Starkeisha
Film · 2022
The Devil You Know
Film · 2022
Mosquito
Film · 2022
Sherri
Series · 2022
Carl Weber's The Black Hamptons
Series · 2022
Wicked City
Series · 2022
Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day
Film · 2021
A Holiday Chance
Film · 2021
Coming 2 America
Film · 2021
Baby
Film · 2021
Kenan
Series · 2021
Grand Crew
Series · 2021
Dragged Across Concrete
Film · 2019
Harriet
Film · 2019
American Skin
Film · 2019
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Series · 2019
Unbelievable
Series · 2019
Black Monday
Series · 2019
Love, Once and Always
Film · 2018
Unbroken: Path to Redemption
Film · 2018
Thriller
Film · 2018
Throwback Holiday
Film · 2018
Her Only Choice
Film · 2018
The Conners
Series · 2018
The Preacher's Son
Film · 2017
Message From a Mistress
Film · 2017
Southside with You
Film · 2016
The Bounce Back
Film · 2016
Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story
Film · 2016
Saints & Sinners
Series · 2016
This Is Us
Series · 2016
This Is Us
Series · 2016
Divas!
Film · 2015
To Hell and Back
Film · 2014
The Divorce
Film · 2014
Holla 2
Film · 2013
Between Sisters
Film · 2013
A Beautiful Soul
Film · 2012
The Obama Effect
Film · 2012
The Last Fall
Film · 2012
The Undershepherd
Film · 2012
Go On
Series · 2012
Let's Stay Together
Series · 2011
Shameless
Series · 2011
Harry's Law
Series · 2011
Ringer
Series · 2011
Rizzoli & Isles
Series · 2010
Good Hair
Film · 2009
Castle
Series · 2009
Lakeview Terrace
Film · 2008
Stompin'
Film · 2007
Dexter
Series · 2006
Black in the 80s
Series · 2005
Grey's Anatomy
Series · 2005
The Closer
Series · 2005
Love Don't Co$t a Thing
Film · 2003
Biker Boyz
Film · 2003
Cheaper by the Dozen
Film · 2003
Joan of Arcadia
Series · 2003
Cold Case
Series · 2003
10-8: Officers on Duty
Series · 2003
NCIS
Series · 2003
The Red Sneakers
Film · 2002
Dawg
Film · 2002
CSI: Miami
Series · 2002
All About You
Film · 2001
The Brothers
Film · 2001
One on One
Series · 2001
The Division
Series · 2001
Love Song
Film · 2000
A Private Affair
Film · 2000
Boston Public
Series · 2000
The District
Series · 2000
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Series · 2000
Strong Medicine
Series · 2000
The Parkers
Series · 1999
Archibald the Rainbow Painter
Film · 1998
Prey
Series · 1998
The Temptations
Series · 1998
The View
Series · 1997
Orleans
Series · 1997
Daylight
Film · 1996
The Cherokee Kid
Film · 1996
America's Dream
Film · 1996
Malcolm & Eddie
Series · 1996
Moesha
Series · 1996
Crimson Tide
Film · 1995
Under One Roof
Series · 1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Series · 1995
The Inkwell
Film · 1994
Touched by an Angel
Series · 1994
What's Love Got to Do with It
Film · 1993
The Sinbad Show
Series · 1993
Where I Live
Series · 1993
Diagnosis: Murder
Series · 1993
Bebe's Kids
Film · 1992
Memphis
Film · 1992
Why Colors?
Film · 1992
Stompin' at the Savoy
Film · 1992
Rhythm & Blues
Series · 1992
The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage
Series · 1991
Polly: Comin' Home!
Film · 1990
Dream On
Series · 1990
Max Monroe: Loose Cannon
Series · 1990
Polly
Film · 1989
Death Spa
Film · 1988
The Return of Desperado
Film · 1988
Coming to America
Film · 1988
China Beach
Series · 1988
Number One with a Bullet
Film · 1987
A Different World
Series · 1987
A Different World
Series · 1987
L.A. Law
Series · 1986
227
Series · 1985
The Colbys
Series · 1985
Simon & Simon
Series · 1981
Falcon Crest
Series · 1981
The Wonderful World of Disney
Series · 1954