BronzeLens SuperStar Honors to Present Award-winning Actress Vanessa Bell Calloway with Legendary Women SuperStar Award
BronzeLens announced that award-winning television, film, and stage actress Vanessa Bell Calloway will receive the Legendary Superstar Award. Now in its fifteenth year, the annual awards ceremony celebrates the accomplishments of women of color who work in the entertainment industry in front of and behind the lens. The 2024 BronzeLens Superstar Honors will take place on Saturday, March 2 at Atlanta’s historic Rialto Center for the Arts.
BronzeLens Legendary Women SuperStar Honoree Vanessa Bell Calloway has received high acclaim for her work in film, television, theatre and beyond. She has earned eight NAACP Image Award nominations. She is a recipient of the NAACP Theater Award for Best Actress for her role in Letters From Zora.
Beginning her career as a dancer, Vanessa is best known for her role as Princess Imani Izzi in the 1988 comedy-drama Coming to America. She is currently starring on Broadway in the hit play Purlie Victorious. An original cast member of the Broadway hit Dream Girls, Vanessa has also starred in Seven Guitars, The Piano Lesson, The Divorce and Crowns. Vanessa currently stars in The Black Hamptons, Wicked City and The Vince Staples Show.
Calloway’s other television credits include: Grand Crew, Shameless, Black Monday, This is Us, Kenan, Queen Sugar, Unbelievable, Love Is, Survivors Remorse, Saint & Sinners, Grey’s Anatomy, Real Husbands Of Hollywood, Hawthorne RN, The Closer, “NCIS, “Castle and The Temptations. Her movie credits include: The Devil You Know, A Holiday Chance, American Skin, Coming To America, Coming 2 America, Harriet, South Side With You, What’s Love Got to Do With, Biker Boyz, Daylight, Crimson Tide, Love Don’t Cost A Thing, Cheaper By The Dozen and The Inkwell.
Previously announced 2024 BronzeLens Women SuperStar honorees are:
Legendary BronzeLens Women Superstar - Award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose
Anika Noni Rose most recently headlined the Showtime series, Let The Right One In, and Netflix’s most-watched limited series to date, Maid. Rose starred as ‘Lorell Robinson’ in Dreamgirls and voiced ‘Princess Tiana’ in Disney’s The Princess and The Frog as the first ‘African American Disney ‘Princess.’ The film received three Oscar nominations and Rose became the youngest inductee to ever be honored as a Disney Legend. Among her other film credits are For Colored Girls; Half of A Yellow Sun; Everything, Everything; and Assassination Nation. Additional television credits include Them, Little Fires Everywhere, The Quad, Power, The Good Wife, The Simpsons, the miniseries Roots, and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency for HBO.
Emerging BronzeLens Women SuperStar - Actress KJ Smith
Leading actress KJ Smith is known for multiple roles such as Andi Barnes on Tyler Perry's BET Networks Sistas, Palomar in Power Book III: Raising Kanan on STARZ, Issa Rae's Giants, The Available Wife, Netflix's Fatal Affair, Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral)
Smith had a recurring role during the first season of the CW comedy-drama series, Dynasty, and guest-starred on Being Mary Jane, Saints & Sinners and Ozark. Smith also made guest appearances on NCIS: Los Angeles, The Fosters, Lethal Weapon, Fuller House, Family Reunion, All Rise and BlackAF. she also appeared in psychological thriller Fatal Affair for Netflix
Behind the Lens BronzeLens Women SuperStar – Producer/Executive Producer Dr. Holly Carter
Dr. Holly Carter is President and CEO of Relevé Entertainment, a premier management, development, and production company for faith-inspired family content, artists, and brands. Under her company umbrella, Carter developed, executive produced, and recently wrapped season two of her hit scripted series, "Kingdom Business”, a Gospel music industry drama for BET+. Additional producer credits include Lifetime original movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, A Mother's Intuition (TV One), Song & Story: Amazing Grace(OWN), and Our Own Christmas & Easter Music Specials (OWN).