1975 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION PHOTO OF 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, as well as for her roles 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) and The Temptations miniseries (1998). She later played 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 a nine-time NAACP Image Award nominee.
Bell was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated from Cleveland Central Catholic High School in 1975. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ohio University, where she became a member of 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.
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, Bébé’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 that feature an African-American lead characters.
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.
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.
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.
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
Award:
2014 NAACP Theater Awards” Best Actress for Zora (Won)
Nominations:
1994 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture “What’s Love Got to Do with It”
1996 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series “Under One Roof”
1997 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special “America’s Dream”
1998 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series “Orleans”
1999 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special The Temptations
2002 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series “Boston Public”
2004 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series “The District”
2011 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series “Hawthorne”
2020 Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture “Harriet”
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