Vanessa Williams on Embracing Bold Roles

0:00On April 29th, Vanessa Williams, the 63-year-old icon, got real on the happy-grown a podcast last month when host How Rubenstein asked why. She keeps landing these fierce diva roles. She laughed it off, owning up to characters like the cutthroat Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty, which snagged her three Emmy nods and devious Renee, Perry on desperate housewives. She's owning that vibe right now, as Miranda Priestly in the London production of the Devilwares product musical. Earlier, she flipped the script as Ebony Scrooge in a 2000 TV movie, kicking off her streak of larger-than-life women who don't hold back. Fans love it, and Williams says it's all about the thrill those juicy lines that mix hilarious with terrifying. She pushes past comfort zones, bringing Shutspa and Gravitas to heavy-hitter parts that demand you step up. She's reflected on possible typecasting, playing strong women like the witch and into the woods, which earned a Tony nod or her Elle's Beth guest spot, but she digs how these roles celebrate

1:00folks who've hustled to build empires. From her groundbreaking Miss America win in 1984, through Grammy nods for hits like Save the Best for Last, to Broadway Triumphs, Williams keeps evolving by embracing the bold. It's what keeps her shining. Stay in the know with entertainment and celebrity news today, AI-powered updates. I'm Corey with The Story.