# Vanessa Bell Calloway

Vanessa Bell Calloway (née Bell; born March 20, 1957) is an American actress. Beginning her career as a dancer, Bell Calloway became known for her film roles as Princess Imani Izzi in the 1988 comedy Coming to America and its sequel. Since then, Bell Calloway appeared in more than 150 film and television productions. She is a nine-time NAACP Image Awards nominee.
Bell Calloway appeared in films Death Spa (1988), What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), The Inkwell (1994), Crimson Tide (1995), Daylight (1996), The Brothers (2001) and Biker Boyz (2003). Bell Calloway had several starring roles on television series and movies, include first African American prime time soap opera, Under One Roof (1995). She later played recurring roles on Hawthorne, Shameless and This Is Us. From 2016 to 2022, she starred as Lady Ella Johnson in the Bounce TV prime time soap opera, Saints & Sinners and in 2022 began starring in BET+ crime drama, The Black Hamptons. Bell Callaway played Marian Shields Robinson in the biographical drama film Southside with You (2016), and Harriet Tubman's mother in the biographical film, Harriet (2019).

## Early life

Bell Calloway was born on March 20, 1957, in Cleveland, Ohio. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ohio University, where she became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Bell Calloway also studied dance with Alvin Ailey, George Faison, and Otis Sallid. Bell Calloway began her career as a dancer in Michael Bennett's original Broadway production of Dreamgirls. It was during this time period that Bell Calloway directed the music video "Angel Man" for soul singer Rhetta Hughes. She also was in the ensemble of the short-lived musical Bring Back Birdie.

## Career

Bell Calloway 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 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 a leading role in the 1992 dystopian animated film, Bebe's Kids. She had number of leading and supporting roles in the made for television movies. In 1995, she co-starred opposite James Earl Jones and former co-star Joe Morton in the short-lived CBS prime time soap opera, Under One Roof, the first drama series to feature 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 also had the leading roles on the short-leved 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. Bell Calloway also guest starred on The Division, Strong Medicine, The Closer, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dexter, Rizzoli & Isles, and Castle. From 2010 to 2011, she had a 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 as Lady Ella Johnson, the widow of pastor and manipulative "First Lady of the Church". Also in 2016, Bell Calloway co-starred as president Obama's future mother-in-law, Marian Shields Robinson, opposite Tika Sumpter as Michelle Obama, in the comedy-drama film Southside with You, which premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. She guest starred on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy.
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. The following year she was cast in the BET+ crime drama series, The Black Hamptons.
In 2023, Bell Calloway made her directorial debut with the drama film Black Girl Erupted for BET Her.

## Personal life

Bell Calloway married anesthesiologist Dr. Anthony Calloway in 1988. They have two daughters, Ashley and Alexandra. Ashley was one of the stars of the BET series Baldwin Hills which originally ran from 2007 until 2009.
In 2009, Bell Calloway was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma, an early stage of breast cancer. She underwent two lumpectomies, and then a mastectomy. She subsequently underwent reconstructive surgery, in which tissue from her stomach was used to reconstruct her breast. She recounted her experience in an October 2015 essay in Ebony magazine, by which point she had been cancer-free for six years.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Number One with a Bullet | Woman | |
| 1988 | The Return of Desperado | Molly Pickett | TV movie |
| 1988 | Coming to America | Princess Imani Izzi | |
| 1988 | The Loner | Carver | TV movie |
| 1989 | Polly | Nancy Dodds | TV movie |
| 1989 | A Little Bit Strange | Marilyn McClane-Masterson | TV movie |
| 1989 | Death Spa | Marci Hewitt | |
| 1990 | Piece of Cake | Doreen | TV movie |
| 1992 | Memphis | Martha Kinship | TV movie |
| 1992 | Stompin' at the Savoy | Dorothy | TV movie |
| 1992 | Bebe's Kids | Jamika (voice) | |
| 1992 | Why Colors? | - | Short |
| 1993 | What's Love Got to Do with It | Jackie | |
| 1994 | The Inkwell | Francis Phillips | |
| 1995 | Crimson Tide | Julia Hunter | |
| 1996 | America's Dream | Miss Dina Williams | TV movie |
| 1996 | Daylight | Grace Calloway | |
| 1996 | The Cherokee Kid | Abby Holsopple | TV movie |
| 1998 | Archibald the Rainbow Painter | Diana | |
| 1998 | When It Clicks | Catherine Douglass | Short |
| 2000 | A Private Affair | Nikita Harrell | TV movie |
| 2000 | Love Song | Evie Livingston | TV movie |
| 2001 | The Brothers | Dr. Thelma Woolridge | |
| 2001 | All About You | Donna | |
| 2002 | The Red Sneakers | Berniece | TV movie |
| 2002 | Dawg | Christine Hodges | |
| 2003 | Biker Boyz | Anita | |
| 2003 | Love Don't Cost a Thing | Vivian Johnson | |
| 2003 | Cheaper by the Dozen | Diana Philips | |
| 2004 | Pryor Offenses' | Gertrude | TV movie |
| 2007 | Stompin' | Mrs. Jackson | |
| 2008 | Lakeview Terrace | Aunt Dorrie | |
| 2009 | Truly Blessed | Lynda | |
| 2009 | Aussie and Ted's Great Adventure | Mrs. Jones | |
| 2009 | The Killing of Wendy | Wendy | |
| 2009 | Applause for Miss E | Miss E | TV movie |
| 2012 | The Last Fall | Marie Bishop | |
| 2012 | A Beautiful Soul | Guardian Angel | |
| 2012 | The Obama Effect | Molly Thomas | |
| 2012 | The Undershepherd | Deaconess Carter | |
| 2013 | Between Sisters | Lilian | TV movie |
| 2013 | Holla II | Marion | |
| 2014 | The Divorce | Eva | TV movie |
| 2015 | To Hell and Back | Colleen | TV movie |
| 2015 | Emergency Contact | Ruthie Biltmore | TV movie |
| 2015 | About Scout | Faith Price | |
| 2015 | The Bricks: White Betty | Sharon | Short |
| 2016 | Southside with You | Marian Shields Robinson | |
| 2016 | Lark | Aziza | Short |
| 2016 | Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story | Josephine Howard | |
| 2016 | Post Life | Diane McIntosh | Short |
| 2016 | The Bounce Back | Ellen | |
| 2016 | LAPD African Cops | Officer Collins | |
| 2017 | The Preacher's Son | Elena | |
| 2017 | Message from a Mistress | Heather | |
| 2017 | Girl Minus | Ivys Mom | |
| 2018 | Love, Once and Always | Isabel | TV movie |
| 2018 | Dragged Across Concrete | Jennifer Johns | |
| 2018 | Unbroken: Path to Redemption | Lila Burkholder | |
| 2018 | Thriller | Mrs. Jackson | |
| 2018 | Her Only Choice | Dr. Bailey | |
| 2018 | Throwback Holiday | Mildred Anderson | |
| 2018 | The Counter: 1960 | Nicole | Short |
| 2019 | American Skin | Bernice | |
| 2019 | Harriet | Rit Ross | |
| 2021 | Saints & Sinners Judgment Day | Ella | TV movie |
| 2021 | Coming 2 America | Princess Imani Izzi | |
| 2021 | Baby | Jackie | Short |
| 2021 | A Holiday Chance | Sheryl Chance | |
| 2022 | Starkeisha | The Voice | Short |
| 2022 | The Devil You Know | Della Cowans | |
| 2022 | Mosquito | Eve | |
| 2023 | Black Girl Erupted | Dr. Rebecca Francis | |
| 2023 | Under the Boardwalk | Val (voice) | |
| 2025 | One of Them Days | Mama Ruth | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | All My Children | Yvonne Caldwell | Regular Cast |
| 1985 | Days of Our Lives | Denise Preston | Regular Cast |
| 1986 | The Colbys | Lowell Sherman | Episode: "The Trial" |
| 1986 | Simon & Simon | Julie | Episode: "Act Five" |
| 1986 | Falcon Crest | Nurse | Episode: "Double Jeopardy" |
| 1987 | 227 | Sherry | Episode: "The Honeymoon's Over" |
| 1988 | Days of Our Lives | Charlene | Regular Cast |
| 1989 | Webster | Denice | Episode: "A-Camping We Will Go" |
| 1989 | In the Heat of the Night | Audrey Moore | Episode: "Accused" |
| 1989 | Disneyland | Nancy | Episode: "Polly" |
| 1989 | 1st & Ten | Della King | Episode: "Final Bow" & "Out of the Past" |
| 1990 | Dragnet | Receptionist | Episode: "Millie" |
| 1990 | Max Monroe: Loose Cannon | Velma Jones | Episode: "Freaks" |
| 1990 | Equal Justice | Delia Wayne | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 1990 | China Beach | Hula | Episode: "One Giant Leap" |
| 1990 | A Different World | Lily Connors | Episode: "A Campfire Story" |
| 1991 | L.A. Law | Robyn Edwards | Episode: "Splatoon" |
| 1991 | Father Dowling Mysteries | Dr. Emily Stone | Episode: "The Monkey Business Mystery" |
| 1991 | The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage | Rene | Episode: "Look for the Union Label" |
| 1991 | Doctor Doctor | Gail Butterfield | Episode: "Butterfields Are Free" |
| 1991 | A Different World | Danielle Vinson | Episode: "The Cash Isn't Always Greener" |
| 1992 | Dream On | Jeanette | Episode: "Red All Over" & "The Guilty Party" |
| 1992-93 | Rhythm & Blues | Colette Hawkins | Main Cast |
| 1993 | The Sinbad Show | Michelle Michaels | Episode: "The Par-tay" |
| 1993 | Where I Live | - | Episode: "The Big Easy" |
| 1995 | Under One Roof | Maggie Langston | Main Cast |
| 1995 | Touched by an Angel | Debra Willis | Episode: "The Driver" |
| 1996 | Intimate Portrait | Herself | Episode: "Vanessa Williams" |
| 1997 | Orleans | Rosalee Clark | Main Cast |
| 1997 | Sparks | Monique | Episode: "Too Hot Not to Cool Down" |
| 1997 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Princess Katusha (voice) | Episode: "The Golden Goose" |
| 1998 | Nickelodeon Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal | Herself | Episode: "First Time" |
| 1998 | Prey | Grace | Episode: "Revelations" & "Infiltration" |
| 1998 | The Gregory Hines Show | Kyra Lewis | Episode: "Wahunthra" |
| 1998 | Moesha | Dr. Madeline Woods | Episode: "Psyche Your Mind" |
| 1998 | The Temptations | Johnnie Mae Matthews | Episode: "Part I & II" |
| 1999 | Intimate Portrait | Herself | Episode: "Star Jones" |
| 1999 | Malcolm & Eddie | Vina Jensen | Episode: "Daddio" |
| 2001 | Diagnosis: Murder | Mrs. Calender | Episode: "No Good Deed" |
| 2001 | Boston Public | Mrs. Michelle Ronning | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 2001 | The Division | Dana | Episode: "The First Hit's Free, Baby" |
| 2002 | One on One | Michelle McCall | Episode: "The Way You Make Me Feel" |
| 2002 | The Parkers | Alaina | Episode: "And the Winner Is..." |
| 2003-04 | 10-8: Officers on Duty | Gina Barnes | Recurring Cast |
| 2003-04 | The District | Gwen Hendrix | Recurring Cast: Season 4 |
| 2004 | CSI: Miami | Tonya Washington | Episode: "Speed Kills" |
| 2004 | Strong Medicine | Melanie Rhodes | Episode: "Foreign Bodies" |
| 2005 | Black in the 80s | Herself | Episode: "Color in Film" |
| 2005 | Joan of Arcadia | Corey Phillips | Episode: "Shadows and Light" |
| 2006 | The Closer | Lynn Talmadge | Episode: "Slippin'" |
| 2006 | All of Us | Marvella James | Episode: "Like Father, Like Son... Like Hell!" & "My Two Dads" |
| 2009 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Judge Gina Himmel | Episode: "Miscarriage of Justice" |
| 2009 | Cold Case | Geraldine Watkins (1970) | Episode: "Soul" |
| 2010 | Dexter | Dr. Vanessa Abrams | Episode: "Practically Perfect" |
| 2010 | Outlaw | - | Episode: "In Re: Kelvin Jones" |
| 2010-11 | Hawthorne | Gail Strummer | Recurring Cast: Season 2–3 |
| 2011 | Detroit 1-8-7 | Bonnie McCord | Episode: "Stone Cold" |
| 2011 | Let's Stay Together | Mimi | Episode: "Daddy's Home" |
| 2011 | Harry's Law | Judge Jude Campbell | Episode: "Queen of Snark" & "Insanity" |
| 2011-21 | Shameless | Carol Fisher | Recurring Cast: Season 1 & 3-6 & 11, Guest: Season 2 & 10 |
| 2012 | Ringer | Agent Royce Wiegler | Episode "I'm the Good Twin" |
| 2012 | Go On | Joyce Gold | Episode: "Videogame, Set, Match" & "Dinner Takes All" |
| 2012-13 | Rizzoli & Isles | A.D.A. Edna Calloway | Recurring Cast: Season 3, Guest: Season 4 |
| 2013 | Life After | Herself | Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph: Life After Dreamgirls" |
| 2013 | Castle | Beryl Wickfield | Episode: "Time Will Tell" |
| 2014 | Roomieloverfriends | Herself | Episode: "Episode #3.4" |
| 2014 | NCIS | Sally Hammond | Episode: "Crescent City: Part 1" |
| 2014 | Reckless | Judge Ella Kress | Episode: "Parting Shots" |
| 2014 | Almost Home | Jocelyn Sanders | Episode: "She Wants That Old Thing Back..." |
| 2015 | Murder in the First | Veronza Ervin | Episode: "Oh, Mexico" & "Out of the Shadows" |
| 2015 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Trina's Mother | Episode: "When Kevin Met Salli" |
| 2015 | Hand of God | Eunetta Graham | Episode: "He So Loved" & "The Tie That Binds" |
| 2015 | In the Cut | Samantha | Episode: "Like Father, Like Son" |
| 2016 | Unsung Hollywood | Herself | Episode: "Vanessa Bell Calloway" |
| 2016 | Grey's Anatomy | Lucinda Gamble | Recurring Cast: Season 12 |
| 2016-22 | Saints & Sinners | Lady Ella Johnson | Main Cast |
| 2017 | Being | Herself | Episode: "Vanessa Bell Calloway" |
| 2017 | Survivor's Remorse | Camille Jordan | Recurring Cast: Season 4 |
| 2018 | Love Is | 'Wiser' Angela | Episode: "(Her) Questions" |
| 2019 | Rel | Nancy | Episode: "Mom" |
| 2019 | A Black Lady Sketch Show | Kiley's Mother Rita | Episode: "3rd & Bonaparte Is Always in the Shade" |
| 2019 | Unbelievable | Sarah | Episode: "Episode 3" |
| 2019 | The Conners | Carrie Langham | Episode: "Smoking Penguins and Santa on Santa Action" |
| 2019-20 | Black Monday | Ruth | Guest Cast: Season 1-2 |
| 2021 | Sacrifice | Carol Steinburg | Episode: "Sacrifice" |
| 2021-22 | Kenan | Bobbi | Guest Cast: Season 1-2 |
| 2022 | This Is Us | Edie | Recurring Cast: Season 6 |
| 2022 | Queen Sugar | Betty | Episode: "We Can Be" |
| 2022- | Wicked City | Tabitha | Main Cast |
| 2022- | The Black Hamptons | Carolyn Britton | Main Cast |
| 2023 | Grand Crew | Brenda | Episode: "Wine & Children" |
| 2024 | The Vince Staples Show | Anita | Recurring Cast |
| 2024 | Great Performances | Idella Landy | Episode: "Purlie Victorious" |

### Music video

| Year | Song | Artist |
| 1984 | "What's Love Got to Do with It" | Tina Turner |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Awards | Category | Movie/Serie | Outcome |
| 1994 | NAACP Image Award | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | What's Love Got to Do with It | Nominated |
| 1996 | NAACP Image Award | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Under One Roof | Nominated |
| 1997 | NAACP Image Award | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | America's Dream | Nominated |
| 1998 | NAACP Image Award | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Orleans | Nominated |
| 1999 | NAACP Image Award | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | The Temptations | Nominated |
| 2002 | NAACP Image Award | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Boston Public | Nominated |
| 2004 | NAACP Image Award | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | The District | Nominated |
| 2011 | NAACP Image Award | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Hawthorne | Nominated |
| 2020 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture | Harriet | Nominated |