Vanessa Williams

 Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963), is an American actor, singer and fashion designer. She gained recognition as the first woman of African descent who received the Miss America title when she was named Miss America 1984. Her title was removed following a media controversy surrounding nude photographs of her being published on Penthouse magazine. Thirty-two years later, Williams was offered a apology to the public during the Miss America 2016 pageant for the events.Williams rebounded from the scandal by launching her successful career as a performer and actress. Her debut album in 1988, The Right Stuff, was released. The album's title song, "Dreamin'", was a moderate hit. With her third and second studio albums, The Comfort Zone (1991) and The Sweetest Days (1994) the singer continued to see commercial success, and was awarded multiple Grammy Award nominations; this included her number-one single and signature song, "Save the Best for Last" and "Save the Best for Last," which she performed live at the 1993 Grammy Awards ceremonies. Her subsequent studio albums comprise Everlasting Love (2005) and The Real Thing (2009).As an actress, Williams enjoyed success on screen and stage. In 1994, she made her Broadway debut with Kiss of the Spider Woman. In 2002, she was the lead in The Witch in Stephen Sondheim's revival of Into the Woods which earned her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical nomination. She was a part of the revival of Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful in 2013 and also in the political comedy POTUS: Or, In the Shadows of Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Fighting to Keep Him Alive in 2022. She's also famous for her television appearances as well, with her most well-known role being Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty (2006-2010), for which she was nominated three times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in the field of a Comedy Series; and Renee Perry on Desperate Housewives (2010-2012).