
Vanessa Bell Calloway
Born March 20, 1957 · 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.
Notable Appearances
Movies

Coming to America

Crimson Tide

Coming 2 America

Dragged Across Concrete

Daylight

One of Them Days

Cheaper by the Dozen

Love Don't Co$t a Thing

What's Love Got to Do with It

Lakeview Terrace

Harriet

Biker Boyz

Under the Boardwalk

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

American Skin

Mosquito

Southside with You

The Bounce Back

The Devil You Know

Good Hair

The Cherokee Kid

Dawg

Polly

The Undershepherd

The Brothers

Number One with a Bullet

Bebe's Kids

A Beautiful Soul

Death Spa

America's Dream

Message From a Mistress

Baby

Stompin'

The Return of Desperado

Divas!

Stompin' at the Savoy

Polly: Comin' Home!

The Inkwell

Love, Once and Always

Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Starkeisha

Archibald the Rainbow Painter

The Preacher's Son

The Divorce

To Hell and Back

Thriller

Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story

Black Girl, Erupted

The Red Sneakers

Her Only Choice

Saints & Sinners: Judgment Day

Holla 2
TV Shows

Castle

CSI: Miami

Shameless

Touched by an Angel

Dexter

Cold Case

The Closer

Diagnosis: Murder

This Is Us

The Sherri Shepherd Show

Rizzoli & Isles

L.A. Law

Falcon Crest

Strong Medicine

Simon & Simon

A Different World

Boston Public

The Division

The Conners

Moesha

The District

Joan of Arcadia

The Parkers

China Beach

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

One on One

Harry's Law

The Wonderful World of Disney

10-8: Officers on Duty

Black Monday

227

A Black Lady Sketch Show

Unbelievable

Dream On

Malcolm & Eddie

The Colbys

Go On

Ringer

Saints & Sinners

Grand Crew

Kenan

Carl Weber's The Black Hamptons

The Vince Staples Show

Black in the 80s

The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage

Let's Stay Together

The Temptations

Where I Live

Prey

Rhythm & Blues

Orleans














