# List of awards and nominations received by Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American actress and singer. In 1983, she became the first African–American woman to win the title of Miss America (Miss America 1984). Williams was forced to resign a few weeks prior to the end of her reign on July 22, 1984 due to a scandal surrounding the publication of unauthorized nude photographs in Penthouse magazine. After her resignation as Miss America in 1984, Williams rebounded with a successful career in the entertainment industry. She is the recipient of a number of awards and nominations including Grammy nominations for hits such as "The Right Stuff," "Save the Best for Last," and "Colors of the Wind." In addition, she has earned multiple Emmy nominations, a Tony Award nomination, 7 NAACP Image Awards, and 4 Satellite Awards.
She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 19, 2007.

## Music
### Grammy Awards

Williams has received eleven Grammy nominations without a win.
| Year | Category | Track/album | Result |
| 1989 | Best New Artist | Vanessa L. Williams | Nominated |
| 1989 | Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | "The Right Stuff" | Nominated |
| 1990 | Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | "Dreamin'" | Nominated |
| 1992 | Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | "Runnin' Back to You" | Nominated |
| 1993 | Record of the Year | "Save the Best for Last" | Nominated |
| 1993 | Best Female Pop Vocal Performance | "Save the Best for Last" | Nominated |
| 1993 | Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | "The Comfort Zone" | Nominated |
| 1994 | Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | "Love Is" | Nominated |
| 1996 | Best Female Pop Vocal Performance | "Colors of the Wind" | Nominated |
| 1996 | Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | "The Way That You Love" | Nominated |
| 1998 | Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album | Star Bright | Nominated |
* Williams has featured on three albums nominated for the Grammy for Best Musical Show Album, these nominations being credited to the respective producers, engineers and composers and not to the artists.
* "Save the Best for Last" was also nominated for Song of the Year. As this award only goes to the songwriters, Williams was not nominated. The composers were Wendy Waldman, Jon Lind and Phil Galdstone.
* Williams' recording of "You Can't Run" was nominated for the Grammy for Best R&B Song. As this is a songwriters award the nomination went to the song's composer, Babyface.
* "Colors of the Wind" won Best Song Written for Visual Media. As this award only goes to the songwriters, Williams was not nominated. The composers were Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz.

### Additional awards and nominations

| Year | Award body | Category | Awarded for | Result |
| 1989 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding New Artist | "The Right Stuff" | Won |
| 1993 | American Music Award | Favorite Female Artist – Pop / Rock | "The Comfort Zone" | Nominated |
| 1993 | American Music Award | Favorite Female Artist – Soul / R&B | "The Comfort Zone" | Nominated |
| 1993 | American Music Award | Favorite Album – Adult Contemporary | "The Comfort Zone" | Nominated |
| 1993 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best Female Video | "Save the Best for Last" | Nominated |
| 1993 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best Cinematography | "Runnin' Back to You" | Nominated |
| 1993 | Billboard Music Award | No. 1 Adult Contemporary Single | "Love Is" | Won |
| 1993 | Playboy Magazine | Best Female R&B Vocalist | "The Comfort Zone" | Won |
| 1994 |
| 1994 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Female Artist | "The Sweetest Days" | Won |
| 1994 | Soul Train Music Award | Best R&B Single by Group, Band or Duo | "Love Is" | Nominated |
| 1996 | Soul Train Music Award | "Lady of Soul" Award | Career Achievement | Won |
| 1996 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Female Artist | "Where Do We Go From Here" | Nominated |
| 1996 | Lena Horne Award | For Outstanding Artistic Contribution to the Entertainment | | Won |
| 1997 | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album | Outstanding Album | "Next" | Nominated |
| 1999 | ALMA Award | Best Song from A Movie | "You Are My Home" | Nominated |
| 2010 | 41st NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Jazz Album | The Real Thing | Nominated |
* The song "Colors of the Wind", performed by Vanessa Williams at the end of the film Pocahontas, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. This award goes to the song's composers (Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz). The song was performed in the film by Judy Kuhn as the singing voice of the title character.

## Pageants and acting
### Miss America 1984

| Year | Award body | Category | Awarded for | Result |
| 1983 | Miss America Organization | Miss America 1984 Pageant | * Miss America 1984 *Preliminary Talent (Voice), "Happy Days Are Here Again" *Preliminary Swimsuit | Won |

### Primetime Emmy Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2007 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | "Ugly Betty" | Nominated |
| 2008 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | "Ugly Betty" | Nominated |
| 2009 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | "Ugly Betty" | Nominated |

### Tony Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2002 | Best Actress in a Musical | "Into the Woods" | Nominated | |

### Satellite Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2003 | Best Actress Miniseries or Television Film | "Keep the Faith, Baby" | Won |
| 2006 | Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | "Ugly Betty" | Nominated |
| 2007 | Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | "Ugly Betty" | Won |
| 2009 | Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | "Ugly Betty" | Nominated |
| 2010 | Mary Pickford Award | — | Won |
| 2011 | Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | "Desperate Housewives" | Won |

### Screen Actors Guild Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2007 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | "Ugly Betty" | Nominated |
| 2008 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | "Ugly Betty" | Nominated |
| 2008 | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | "Ugly Betty" | Nominated |

### Additional awards and nominations

| Year | Award body | Category | Awarded for | Result |
| 1994 | Theatre World Award | Best Debut Performance | "Kiss of the Spider Woman" | Won |
| 1996 | Blockbuster Entertainment Award | Favorite Actress – Action | Eraser | Nominated |
| 1997 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture | Soul Food | Won |
| 1997 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in Mini-Series | The Odyssey | Nominated |
| 1997 | Online Television Academy Awards | Best Guest Actress – Syndicated Series | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Nominated |
| 1997 | Black Film Awards | Best Actress – Motion Picture | Soul Food | Nominated |
| 2000 | Blockbuster Entertainment Award | Favorite Actress – Action | Shaft | Nominated |
| 2000 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Light It Up | Nominated |
| 2001 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Shaft | Nominated |
| 2001 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Into the Woods | Nominated |
| 2002 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress – Miniseries or Movie | Keep the Faith, Baby | Won |
| 2002 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in Mini-Series | Keep the Faith, Baby | Nominated |
| 2002 | Black Reel Awards | Best Actress | Keep the Faith, Baby | Nominated |
| 2002 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical | Into the Woods | Nominated |
| 2004 | BET Comedy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Box Office Movie | Johnson Family Vacation | Nominated |
| 2006 | Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2007 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Best Performance – Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2007 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Won |
| 2007 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2007 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Villain | Ugly Betty | Won |
| 2007 | Hollywood Walk of Fame | Recording | Career Achievement | Won |
| 2008 | Human Rights Campaign | "Ally for Equality" Award | Humanitarian Work | Won |
| 2008 | Jacobi Children's Arts Award | "Humanitarian/Charitable" | Humanitarian Work | Won |
| 2008 | Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Series | Ugly Betty | Won |
| 2008 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Best Performance – Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2008 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Best Performance – Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2008 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Won |
| 2008 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Villain | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2008 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2009 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2009 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program | Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies | Nominated |
| 2009 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2009 | Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2010 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ugly Betty | Nominated |
| 2010 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Jazz Album | The Real Thing | Nominated |
| 2010 | Mary Pickford Award | For Outstanding Artistic Contribution to the Entertainment Industry | | Won |
| 2011 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Desperate Housewives | Won |
| 2011 | Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini Series or TV Movie | Desperate Housewives | Won |
| 2012 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Desperate Housewives | Nominated |
| 2012 | Ride of Fame | N/A | Life's Work | Won |
| 2013 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Desperate Housewives | Won |
| 2013 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | The Trip to Bountiful | Nominated |
| 2014 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | 666 Park Avenue | Nominated |
| 2015 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | The Trip To Bountiful (2014 TV movie based on the 2013 Broadway Revival) | Nominated |