Vanessa williams in penthouse magazine series#

In July of 1984, her landmark reign came to a seedy end when nude photographs of Williams surfaced - some of them involving lesbian erotica - causing a media frenzy. Unfortunately, her reign did not come without difficulty though her title brought applause from many, Williams endured racial discrimination and even received threatening hate mail. The first black Miss America ever crowned, Williams' win quickly put her in the spotlight and positioned her for a promising career. After being crowned Miss New York in 1983, she went on to compete in the 1984 Miss America Pageant. Leaving college to pursue a career in show business, Williams began to enter beauty pageants. While a teenager, she attended New York's prestigious School of Performing Arts and later went on to study musical theater at Syracuse University on a Presidential Scholarship. Growing up the child of two music teachers, Williams became interested in singing and performance from a young age she studied piano, French horn, acting and dancing and was involved in her school's concert choir and chorus.

She furthered her stature on the small screen after joining the cast of the long-running hit, 'Desperate Housewives' (ABC, 2004-12), once again proving that Williams was capable of translating her talents to just about any medium.Д«orn Main Bronx, NY to parents Milton and Helen Williams, Williams grew up in the Westchester County town of Millwood, NY.

Vanessa williams in penthouse magazine series#

With a career that spanned two decades, Williams established herself as a leading talent across the board, proving her staying power by returning to television as Wilhelmina Slater on the hit ABC series 'Ugly Betty' (2006-2010). On stage, she turned in a Tony-nominated performance in 'Into the Woods ' on the big screen, she starred in numerous films including 'Eraser' (1996), 'Soul Food' (1997), 'Shaft' (2000) and 'Johnson Family Vacation' (2004). As an actress, Williams starred on Broadway, television and in feature films. As a Grammy-nominated singer, she released eight albums, selling over four million copies worldwide. Overcoming scandal and the loss of the Miss America title in 1984, due to a nude pictorial in Playboy magazine, Williams' strength of character, grace and talent helped establish her as a sought-after vocalist and actress. A multi-faceted performer possessing both stunning looks and immense talent, Vanessa Williams found success in nearly every arm of the entertainment industry.