Vanessa Bell Calloway Biography

Vanessa Bell Calloway (born March 20, 1957) is an American actress and dancer. Beginning her career as a dancer, Bell Calloway is perhaps best known for her role as Princess Imani Izzi (Eddie Murphy's arranged wife) in the 1988 comedy Coming to America. In the following years, Bell Calloway appeared in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), The Inkwell (1994), Crimson Tide (1995), and Daylight (1996). Bell Calloway had several starring roles on television series and movies, include first African American prime time soap opera, Under One Roof (1995). In recent years, she had the recurring roles on Hawthorne and Shameless. In 2016, she appeared in comedy-drama film Southside with You, and began starring as Lady Ella Johnson in the Bounce TV prime time soap opera, Saints & Sinners. Bell Calloway is an eight-time NAACP Image Award nominee.

Early life

Bell was born in Toledo, Ohio, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ohio University, where she was a member of the African-American Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Calloway also studied dance with Alvin Ailey, George Faison, and Otis Sallid. Calloway began her career as a dancer in Michael Bennett's original Broadway production of Dreamgirls. It was during this time period that 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, Bell Calloway co-starred alongside Joe Morton in the ABC drama series, Equal Justice. During 1990s, Bell Calloway 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 main role in the 1992 animated comedy, Bb's Kids. Bell Calloway also had number of leading and supporting roles in the 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 feature an 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 2000s, Bell Calloway had the 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 the recurring role in the TNT medical drama, Hawthorne. In 2011, she began appearing in the Showtime comedy-drama, Shameless.

In 2016, Bell Calloway was cast as lead character in the Bounce TV first prime time soap opera, Saints & Sinners. She plays 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 also guest starred on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy playing Arizona's Lawyer.

Personal life

Bell Calloway has been married to anesthesiologist Dr. Anthony Calloway since 1988. The couple have two daughters, Ashley and Ally. Ashley was one of the stars of the BET series Baldwin Hills which originally ran from 2007 until 2009. Bell Calloway is cancer survivor.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1987	Number One with a Bullet	Woman
1988	Coming to America	Imani Izzi
1989	Death Spa	Marci Hewitt
1992	Bb's Kids	Jamika	Voice
1992	Why Colors?		Short film
1993	What's Love Got to Do with It	Jackie	Nominated "? NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
1994	'	Francis Phillips
1995	Crimson Tide	Julia Hunter
1996	Daylight	Grace Calloway
1998	Archibald the Rainbow Painter	Diana
1998	When It Clicks	Catherine Douglass	Short film
2001	'	Dr. Thelma Woolridge
2001	All About You	Donna
2002	Dawg	Christine Hodges
2003	Biker Boyz	Anita
2003	Love Don't Cost a Thing	Vivian Johnson
2003	Cheaper by the Dozen	Diana Philips
2007	Stompin'	Mrs. Jackson
2008	Lakeview Terrace	Aunt Dorrie
2009	Truly Blessed	Lynda
2009	Aussie and Ted's Great Adventure	Mrs. Jones
2009	Killing of Wendy	Wendy
2012	The Undershepherd	Deaconess Carter
2012	The Last Fall	Marie Bishop
2012	'	Molly Thomas
2012	A Beautiful Soul	Guardian Angel
2013	Holla II	Marion
2015	Message from a Mistress	Heather
2015	The Preacher's Son	Elena
2015	The Bounce Back	Ellen
2015	Medicine Men	Eve
2015	LAPD African Cops
2015	Hustle vs. Heartache	Hustle's Mother
2016	Southside with You	Marian Shields Robinson
2016	The Miki Howard Story	Josephine Howard

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985	All My Children	Yvonne Caldwell
1985	Days of Our Lives	Denise Preston
1986	'	Lowell Sherman	Episode: "The Trial"
1986	Simon & Simon	Julie	Episode: "Act Five"
1987	227	Sherry	Episode: "The Honeymoon's Over"
1989	In the Heat of the Night	Audrey Moore	Episode: "Accused"
1989	Polly	Nancy	Television movie
1990	China Beach	Sweet Hula	Episode: "One Giant Leap"
1990	Equal Justice	Delia Wayne	4 episodes
1990	Polly: Comin' Home	Nancy Dodds	Television movie
1991	Father Dowling Mysteries	Emily	Episode: "The Monkey Business Mystery"
1992	Stompin' at the Savoy	Dorothy	Television Movie
1992–1993	Rhythm & Blues	Colette Hawkins	Series regular, 13 episodes
1993	'	Michelle Michaels	Episode: "The Par-tay"
1995	Touched by an Angel	Debra Willis	Episode: "The Driver"
1995	Under One Roof	Maggie Langston	Series regular, 6 episodes Nominated "? NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
1996	'	Abby Holsopple	Television movie
1996	America's Dream	Miss Williams	Television movie Nominated "? NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
1997	Sparks	Monique	Episode: "Too Hot Not to Cool Down"
1997	Orleans	Dist. Atty. Rosalee Clark	Nominated "? NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
1998	Prey	Grace	Episodes: "Revelations" "Infiltration"
1998	Moesha	Dr. Woods	Episode: "Psyche Your Mind"
1998	'	Jonnie Mae Matthews	Miniseries Nominated "? NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
1999	Malcolm & Eddie	Viva Jensen	Episode: "Daddio"
2001	Boston Public	Mrs. Michelle Ronning	3 episodes Nominated "? NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
2001	'	Dana	Episode: "The First Hit's Free, Baby"
2002	One on One	Michelle McCall	Episode: "The Way You Make Me Feel"
2002	'	Alaina	Episode: "And the Winner Is..."
2003–2004	The District	Gwen Hendrix	5 episodes Nominated "? NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
2003-2004	10-8: Officers on Duty	Gina Barnes	Episodes: "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" "Late for School" "Love Don't Love Nobody"
2004	CSI: Miami	Tonya Washington	Episode: "Speed Kills"
2004	Strong Medicine	Melanie Rhodes	Episode: "Foreign Bodies"
2005	Joan of Arcadia	Corey Phillips	Episode: Shadows and Light"
2006	'	Lynn Talmadge	Episode: "Slippin'"
2006	All of Us	Marvella James	2 episodes
2009	CSI	Judge Himmel	Episode: "Miscarriage of Justice"
2009	Cold Case	Geraldine Watkins (1970)	Episode: "Soul"
2010	Dexter	Crisis Counselor	Episode: "Practically Perfect"
2010–2011	Hawthorne	Gail Strummer	12 episodes Nominated "? NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
2011–2016	Shameless	Carol Fisher	18 episodes
2012	Ringer	Royce Weigler	Episode "I'm the Good Twin"
2012–2013	Rizzoli & Isles	Assistant District Attorney	3 episodes
2013	Castle	Beryl Wickfield	Episode: "Time Will Tell"
2014	NCIS	Sally Hammond	Episode "Crescent City: Part 1"
2014	Reckless	Judge Kress	Episode "Parting Shots"
2015	Murder in the First	Veronza Ervin	2 episodes
2016"?present	Saints & Sinners	Lady Ella Johnson	Series regular
2016	Grey's Anatomy	Lucinda Gamble	Episodes: "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" and "Mama Tried"