20 Questions: Vanessa Williams

When Vanessa Williams won the Miss America title in 1983, the nation expected her to glide through the following year on parade floats, Bob Hope specials and her best behavior. But she was forced to resign ten months later amid a scandal involving nude photos that had been taken when she worked as a photographer's assistant.

Rather than fade away, Williams, now 34, has engineered a remarkable career as a gifted singer, dancer and actress--which is what she intended to do in the first place. Raised in Millwood, New York by parents who taught music, she trained for several years on piano, French horn and mellophone while studying acting, voice and dance. She took classes in musical theater for two years at Syracuse University before entering a local beauty pageant at the urging of talent scouts. That led to her coronation as the first black Miss America four months later.

Her recording career has produced three albums--"The Right Stuff," "The Comfort Zone" and "The Sweetest Days"--with combined sales of 4 million copies, as well as nine Grammy nominations. Her fourth album will be released next month. On Broadway, she was a showstopper in "Kiss of the Spider Woman." Williams landed her first major film role last year, as a corporate whistle-blower who is protected by a federal agent, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, in "Eraser." Since then, she has completed roles in two films that will open this year: as a gangster's girlfriend in "Hoodlum" with Laurence Fishburne, Andy Garcia and Tim Roth; and in the family drama "Soul Food."

Writer Richard Lalich managed to catch up with Williams on the set of "Soul Food." He reports: "In addition to Vanessa's many other talents, she does a startlingly accurate impression of Schwarzenegger."

1.

[Q] Playboy: Schwarzenegger has said that he was impressed with your acting because your part in Eraser was originally written for a white woman. Because there are so few good parts written with black women in mind, did his comment touch a nerve?

[A] Williams: No, I was there when he said it, and Arnold was just being honest, the way Arnold is. I was happy that the two other actresses they were considering are white. I thought it was great that I got a chance to do the role successfully, especially when I found out that the script was co-written by a black person. So I certainly am not offended by what Arnold said. It's fantastic, the amount of work that's been happening for black actresses. Also, being only a damsel in distress, or playing the whore, or the maid--those days are gone. People--and it's more than just black people--are coming to see black stars. And it's just going to get better.

2.

[Q] Playboy: When you arrived at the Eraser premiere, you were smoking a cigar. Was it a gift from Schwarzenegger?

[A] Williams: No, I requested it from my agent, as homage to Arnold. He was surprised, very happy. By the time I got to where he was, it had gone out, so he said, "Ah, vat are you doing, smoking a cigar that's not even lit? Give me that." He lit it and gave it back to me. That was one of those great nights. I felt like I was on fire. I have a big movie with Arnold, and, sure, there'll be other premieres, but they'll never be as big as the first one. I felt great.

3.

[Q] Playboy: Did the cigar have anything to do with that feeling?

[A] Williams: I think so. You feel tremendous power when you're holding a cigar, smoking it and enjoying it. It's one thing to be trendy and do something because you want people to think, Oh, she's cool. But it's something else when you can really enjoy the taste of a cigar and notice the different tastes of various cigars, when you find a taste you really like and look forward to it. My favorites are Monte Cristo Torpedoes Number Two. I got a box of those from somebody who had seen me smoking at the premiere. They're smooth, they have a lot of body, they give you a little buzz and they're great after a meal. My girlfriends and I smoke once a month when I'm home. We have dinner, and we have cigars after dinner, have some great after-dinner drinks and just talk. Now we know what all the guys were doing and enjoying for so long.

4.

[Q] Playboy: The term blue-eyed soul is often a pejorative. You have fabulous blue-green eyes. Are you responsible for giving blue-eyed soul a good name?

[A] Williams: I don't think I'm real soulful. I'm more of a storyteller. I don't have a gospel background, so when I express myself and share my heart, it's more in telling a story. I think that's been my appeal. If that's what people perceive as soul, hey, that's great.

5.

[Q] Playboy: You played French horn and piano in your high school orchestra. Is there an instrument that is the musical equivalent of right field, where the tone deaf are hidden?

[A] Williams: [Laughs] Percussion. Triangle. There are always a few guys back in the corner--you never know quite what they're doing. I was in the back, in the brass section, with mostly guys. We would tell jokes and try to disturb what was going on with the orchestra.

6.

[Q] Playboy: Would Arnold make a good bodyguard in real life?

[A] Williams: Absolutely. His body is as solid as a rock. And he's always very aware.

7.

[Q] Playboy: Imagine that when you check your voice mail you've received calls from Bill Clinton, the Pope, Spike Lee, Michael Eisner and Oprah Winfrey. Whose call do you return first? Is there anyone whose call you wouldn't return?

[A] Williams: I'd return the Pope's call first. I'm Catholic. I would call Oprah next, because she's a friend of mine, and I'd be curious to hear what she wanted. I'd call Bill Clinton next, since I don't know him as well as I know Oprah. [Laughs] Then I'd need time to settle my nerves, because that would certainly get me frazzled. Spike was at my wedding, so I'd call him next, and I'd hope we would talk about a new project. I've never met Michael Eisner, but I'm sure it would be something Disney-related. The only time I've worked with Disney was on Pocahontas.

Someone whose call I would never return? For a while it was Joan Rivers, because she had it in for me. I don't know what her vendetta was, but she had it going for a good ten years. Obviously, the last person would be Bob Guccione. He's lower than Rivers is.

8.

[Q] Playboy: Critics have sometimes confused you with the other actress named Vanessa Williams, who has had roles in New Jack City and on Melrose Place. Is this the equivalent of having an evil twin who is out there getting you reviews for work you haven't done?

[A] Williams: I've never met her, though I have known about her since high school, when we both got accepted to NYU. When I called to see if I had been accepted, the admissions office said, "Which Vanessa Williams are you?" I said, "Vanessa L. Williams." They said they had a Vanessa Williams from Brooklyn. I was from Westchester. So I knew there was somebody of the same age, who was an actress. And then when I did a Macy's parade as Miss America in 1983, she got my check--but she returned it. Is it like having an evil twin? Well, she made a catty remark in her bio when she was on Broadway in Sarafina! It was basically, "I'm not the beauty queen. I'm the real, legitimate actress on Broadway." My mom went to see it and was not pleased. I said, "Mom, it's just a matter of time before I'm on Broadway."

9.

[Q] Playboy: You practiced shooting a gun for Eraser and said that you found it thrilling. What was the appeal?

[A] Williams: The power of the kick, plus squeezing off a round and hearing it fire, and hitting a target and being good at it. As I finished the first take, I had to squeeze off three rounds and jump out of the way, and the guy said, "You look kind of good doing that. I see a career in action-adventure movies for you." It was tremendously empowering, which is kind of scary. Now I know why people love having guns, because you feel like you're the mack, the king, the ruler of your destiny.

10.

[Q] Playboy: If it were legal, would you carry a handgun?

[A] Williams: No, never. I know people who have guns in their houses, and I think it's ridiculous. These people have kids. The kids are going to find the guns. If someone's going to break in, he is going to break in. There's a phone--call 911. You can get out of the house. Having a gun in the home is a mistake; it's a time bomb waiting to explode. You can keep it unloaded, but what's the point of that if something happens?

11.

[Q] Playboy: With the Miss America title, you received a $25,000 scholarship. How did you use the money?

[A] Williams: I was going to buy a condo in New York. That was after I had resigned and was moving into the city. It was on the West Side, and I got turned down by the board. After they rejected me, I think I used the money for lawyers' fees and some other stuff. The board thought I wouldn't have a future, that I wouldn't be able to pay for the condo, and they probably didn't want the press hanging out at the building. Every time I drive by it, I say, "That's the building they wouldn't let me into in 1984." It's on 64th, right across from Lincoln Center, between Broadway and Amsterdam.

12.

[Q] Playboy: If you had used the money to further your education, what would you have studied?

[A] Williams: More English literature. I read a lot. I definitely coasted through high school and college, because I was experiencing so many other things. That's what you do when you're a teenager. I would have loved to take French. I took Latin for three years, and I took Spanish for two. I'd love to study Italian and political science.

13.

[Q] Playboy: People use hyphens when they describe someone's versatility. You are a singer-dancer-actress-former Miss America. What hyphenate will never appear along with your name?

[A] Williams: There's one title I'd like to get rid of: "former Miss America." That beauty stigma negates talent and intellect, especially in this business, where you're trying to get legitimate roles and be known for your talent. They'll never say "politician" after my name. I have no desire to run for anything. But I'm interested in politics, and I'm passionate about certain issues that affect my life. For instance, my grandmother used to run a Head Start program. She lived in the projects in Buffalo. So when I hear people say, "Poor people want to stay poor. They don't want to work and they don't want to get themselves out of their situation," I know that's bullshit. My grandmother had a master's degree, lived in the projects because she chose to, taught inner-city kids and gave them a head start. She was loved by the community because she stayed there and she gave back to it. And she raised great kids. My mom is a teacher with a master's. When something strikes a chord, I want to move into action. That includes anything to do with children, or day care situations, or abuse. Why do we give child molesters preferential treatment in prison so they don't get their asses kicked? Throw them in with the big boys and let them see how it hurts!

14.

[Q] Playboy: Considering your experience, should there be a statute of limitations on the things people do when they're under the age of 21?

[A] Williams: [Laughs] Oh, wouldn't that be lovely. That's a dreamworld. That would be nice, but those are also the things that give you character.

15.

[Q] Playboy: You've said that James Caan confessed to fulfilling his fantasy of "backhanding a Miss America" during the filming of a scene in Eraser. What fantasy of yours remains unrealized? And does it involve James Caan?

[A] Williams: No, it does not involve James Caan, in any manner. I've done almost everything I've wanted to do. I sang at the Academy Awards, I sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl, I'm starring in films. I just rode in a national horse show in Madison Square Garden. I've always wanted a horse, and I've always loved riding. That was one of those great situations that just came up and was kind of a dream come true. In terms of fantasies, I'd like to do a Western. Acting and riding a horse. Maybe I'd do a dance number in a saloon and sing a song. It doesn't have to be a Western, but it would be great if it were shot in Spain or Morocco, with an exotic spin on it. My character's name could be Salonge, which is provocative and mysterious and alluring. It's got bite to it. Salonge Rides Again.

16.

[Q] Playboy: Your friends describe you as an incredible cook. What does a man have to do to be worthy of your talents?

[A] Williams: He has to be a good friend. I love a sense of humor. So someone who can make me laugh has me immediately. I'm definitely a pushover for somebody who's funny.

17.

[Q] Playboy: If your children didn't like someone you were thinking of dating, would he be automatically disqualified?

[A] Williams: It would be a consideration. Kids are perceptive, and if there's something they don't like in a person, then I should pick up on the same cue. So I'd probably blow him off.

18.

[Q] Playboy: Which malapropisms drive you nuts?

[A] Williams: Someone will say, "There's an Irish settler." No, the dog is an Irish setter. I know one person who puts "to" in front of every verb. Like, "I'll have Isaac to drive you to the airport." No, just have Isaac drive me to the airport, OK? My parents were always on us about speaking correctly; if it's something you grow up with, you just assume that everyone had the same experience. Which is also interesting, because when you're black and you speak correctly, it's almost like. "Oh, you think you're white," or you're a sellout. What does that have to do with anything? I was blessed with parents who made sure I spoke right, so I could be in any situation and be considered intelligent, which helps you achieve more in life. But grammatical errors, man, they bug me. Double negatives--"ain't nobody gonna," "can't do no"--I can't even do them.

19.

[Q] Playboy: To create the right mood, you recorded your Sweetest Days album in a room lit by Lava lamps. Please explain their appeal.

[A] Williams: I like them because they're sensual. They make you focus on something that's ever-changing, something that's kind of cosmic and cool. It's also great to see two different forces, the color and the water, flowing through the light and dark.

20.

[Q] Playboy: Give those of us who are not multitalented some consolation: Name one discipline in which you are below average.

[A] Williams: Accounting. I cannot stand numbers.