# Vanessa Simmons

Vanessa Jean Simmons (born August 5, 1983) is an American television personality and actress. Her family is featured in the MTV reality show Run's House. She was recently the host and judge of Project Runway: Threads.

## Early life

Simmons is the oldest daughter of Joseph Simmons and Valerie Vaughn. She is the older sister to Angela Simmons, Joseph "Jojo" Simmons Jr, Daniel "Diggy" Simmons III, Russell "Russy" Simmons II, Victoria Anne Simmons and Miley Justine Simmons. She is the niece of Danny Simmons and Russell Simmons, the co-founder of Def Jam Records.

## Career

Simmons found popularity between 2005 and 2009 with her family's MTV reality show Run's House. She and her sister, Angela Simmons, are designers for the shoe brand Pastry. Simmons appeared briefly on the soap opera television show Guiding Light and held a role in the film Speed Dating. In 2008 she secretly entered the Miss California USA pageant. She is in Boogie Town and the ensemble film Dysfunctional Friends. She also starred in the 2014 web series, Mixed. Simmons became the host and judge of Project Runway: Threads in 2014.

## Personal life

She attended St John's University.
Simmons and her boyfriend of several years, Michael Wayans have a daughter born in 2014.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2009 | Boogie Town | Cicely | |
| 2010 | Speed-Dating | Elizabeth | |
| 2011 | Worst. Prom. Ever. | Hanna | TV movie |
| 2011 | Talking with the Taxman About Poetry | Tricia | |
| 2012 | Dysfunctional Friends | Hanna | |
| 2012 | From This Day Forward | Corinne | TV movie |
| 2013 | Hollywood Chaos | Alexis Burns | |
| 2013 | What Would You Do For Love | Piper | TV movie |
| 2014 | A Holiday Change | Doreen | |
| 2016 | Better Off Single | Bargoer | |
| 2018 | Juug Gone Wrong | Traci | |
| 2019 | Same Difference | Skye | |
| 2019 | South Central Love | Vanessa | |
| 2019 | A Holiday Change | Crystal Carter | |
| 2020 | Happiness | Queen | |
| 2020 | Still Here | TV Crew | |
| 2020 | Live | Ebony Little | Short |
| 2021 | Never and Again | Sonya | |
| 2021 | Hip Hop Family Christmas | Trish | TV movie |
| 2022 | Hip Hop Family Christmas Wedding | Trish | TV movie |
| 2022 | Christmas with My Ex | Shawna | |
| 2023 | Deadly Entanglement | Tammy | TV movie |
| 2023 | The Caregiver | Stephanie Douglas | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2005-09 | Run's House | Herself | Main Cast |
| 2007 | Guiding Light | Lola | Regular Cast |
| 2009 | Daddy's Girls | Herself | Main Cast |
| 2010 | Running Russell Simmons | Herself | Episode: "You Only Live Once" |
| 2011 | Anderson Live | Herself | Episode: "Are Parents Playing Favorites?" |
| 2011 | GimmeMo' | Herself | Episode: "Self-Esteem" |
| 2012 | Cupcake Wars | Herself | Episode: "Cupcake Couture" |
| 2013 | Exhale | Herself | Episode: "Beauty & Style" |
| 2014 | David Tutera's CELEBrations | Herself | Episode: "Vanessa Simmons' 31st Birthday Blowout" |
| 2014 | Project Runway | Herself/Host | Episode: "Finale, Part 2" |
| 2014 | Project Runway: Threads | Herself/Host | Main Host |
| 2017 | Hip Hop Squares | Herself | Recurring Guest |
| 2017-19 | Growing Up Hip Hop | Herself | Main Cast: Season 3-5 |
| 2018-21 | Monogamy | Caroline | Main Cast |
| 2019 | Love & Listings | Herself | Episode: "Cocktails are for Closers" |
| 2019 | Games People Play | Jackie Herman | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |