Vanessa Bell Calloway

Vanessa Bell Calloway is an American actress and dancer She is known for her film roles as Princess Imani Izzi in the 1988 comedy Coming to America as well as for her roles in Whats Love Got to Do with It The Inkwell Crimson Tide and Daylight She is a ninetime NAACP Image Award nominee She 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 LA Law She made her film debut on Number One with a Bullet 1987 before supporting role of Eddie Murphys characters arranged wife in the 1988 comedy Coming to America In 1990 she costarred alongside Joe Morton in the ABC drama series Equal Justice During the 1990s she had a number of supporting roles in films including Whats Love Got to Do with It 1993 opposite Angela Bassett The Inkwell 1994 and Crimson Tide 1995 as Denzel Washingtons character wife She also voiced main role in the 1992 animated comedy Bébés Kids She had a number of leading and supporting roles in made for television movies In 1995 she costarred opposite James Earl Jones and Joe Morton in the shortlived CBS prime time soap opera Under One Roof the first drama series that featured AfricanAmerican lead characters For her role on the series Calloway was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series She had leading roles on the shortlived NBC sitcom Rhythm Blues 199293 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 costarred in films including The Brothers All About You Dawg Biker Boyz Love Dont Cost a Thing and Cheaper by the Dozen She has guest starred on The Division Strong Medicine The Closer CSI Crime Scene Investigation Dexter Rizzoli Isles Castle and Greys Anatomy From 2010 to 2011 she had the recurring role in the TNT medical drama Hawthorne In 2011 she began appearing in the Showtime comedydrama Shameless In 2016 she was cast as lead character in the Bounce TV first prime time soap opera Saints Sinners Also in 2016 she costarred as president Obamas future motherinlaw Marian Shields Robinson and in the comedydrama film Southside with You 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 Tubmans mother in the biographical drama film Harriet She reprised her role as Imani Izzi in the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America