Vanessa Williams Interview

9 December 2009

Vanessa Williams stars as Wilhelmina Slater in the hit ABC show, Ugly Betty. With the season three DVD about to be released, the talented actress chats about life, love and looking good…

Wilhelmina finds love in season three of Ugly Betty. Can you tell us about it?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: Wilhelmina falls for a character called Connor Owens in season three. It was wonderful to be able to have a love interest on the show – and to have somebody who was a real tour de force. Connor is her equal and he makes her let down her guard, which is one of the reasons why you get a chance to see the personal side of Wilhelmina this season. You realize she is guarded because her heart has been hurt and she doesn’t want to let that happen again.

Do you still enjoy playing Wilhelmina on the show?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: Very much so. This has been one of my favorite seasons because you get a chance to see Wilhelmina’s normal fear-inducing personality – but you also see the tender side of her being in love. However, she is a changed woman towards the end of the season because everything seems to fall apart. She is alone, she stays up late at night with the baby and she is struggling. She is not the refined, prim and proper woman she is in her office. It’s been great to play this different side to her.

Have you enjoyed moving back to New York with the show?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: I love New York, but the reason the production moved here was because we got a 35 per cent tax credit from New York State. They also moved our entire set free of charge. However, this year they are rescinding and they are not giving us the same tax break. Luckily, we applied in time and we maintained it, but there are a bunch of shows that didn’t make it. We are happy that we have another season to shoot in New York, but I don’t know what will happen after that.

Will we see a musical episode of Ugly Betty in season three?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: Sadly not. We were originally going to do a musical episode in season two, which was going to mark Wilhelmina’s return to Mode. It was going to be full of big musical numbers, but a lot of changes happened during the writers’ strike – and that was one of the things that went.

Is there any chance we’ll see a musical episode in the future?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: Who knows? Perhaps there could be a musical at the end of the whole run? That would be fun. The great thing is, we all sing, dance and act – and we would all love to do it. We are all ready and eager – and now we’re in New York, it will be a lot easier to get composers and choreographers from Broadway. I think it certainly could be a possibility in the future, but it’s not going to happen any time soon.

You used to be more famous as a singer than an actress… What do you prefer?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: I enjoy both. I’ve been in the business for 26 years, although I was a beauty queen first. I’ve danced my whole life and my recording career started in 1988, so I’ve been able to evolve and be on Broadway, do feature films and be nominated for Grammys. However, Wilhelmina is my first long-lasting TV character – and I love her to bits.

Are you as interested in fashion as Wilhemina?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: No, I’m not. I enjoy fashion. I enjoy the creativity and the fantasy – and I enjoy watching talented people in the fashion industry like [Ugly Betty’s costume designer] Patricia Field, but I’m not as interested in fashion as Wilhelmina. I don’t like shopping. To me, that’s a waste of an afternoon. I shop when I need something specifically, but I don’t shop for fun. That’s not pleasurable to me.

What’s it like to work with Patricia Field?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: Patricia Fields is amazing. She can take something on a rack that you wouldn’t think would work on anybody – but she will think outside the box and make it happen. She’ll add a shoulder pad, take a belt or turn it inside out. Her genius makes outfits come to life – and they’re always very unique. My costume fittings are always fascinating. I’m a big fan of Patricia.

You are in amazing shape… Is it hard work to stay looking so trim?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: It is. Especially when you’re over 40. If I don’t go to the gym, you see it on me, so I have to work out. I’ve got a trainer and I lift weights. I try to do weightlifting at least twice a week – and if I’m not working out with my trainer, I’m on the treadmill for an hour. When I lived in Los Angeles, I would do yoga at least twice a week – but I’ve always tried to work out and stay healthy.

Do you enjoy working out?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: You know what? It’s not just vanity; it’s my health. My grandmother died of a heart attack at 28. My grandfather died of a heart attack at 53. My other grandmother died of a heart attack with complications of diabetes at 64, so I am very heart conscious in terms of cardio and staying fit. I’ve danced my whole life, so it’s easy for the muscle memory to snap back, but it’s important for me health-wise.

You’ve become a role model for women in their 40s. How does that make you feel?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: I think a lot of women in their 40s look at life differently than their moms might have when they were in their 40s. For example, we have a lot of opportunities to stay fit now and we have a lot more knowledge about nutrition. You can get anything delivered to your house in terms of meals, shakes or cleanses and all that stuff, so it’s easier to work at it. You just have to work at it.

You’ve always been outspoken about Botox. You once said, “I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread.” Do you still feel that way?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: I think Botox is a beauty tool that can help make you look refreshed and relaxed when done correctly and by the proper, skilled people. However, I don’t think that freezing every expression you have works for an actress. If you’re walking down the street and you see somebody who’s completely frozen, it looks bizarre. It’s all down to doing it in fine amounts.

Do you think it works for certain people and not for others?

VANESSA WILLIAMS: You look at some actresses, who shall remain nameless, and you think, ‘What happened to them?’ I don’t know who’s doing their work, or perhaps they can’t stop themselves and they are addicted to having no wrinkles, but they don’t look like the person they used to be. I want to stay looking like myself and I want to maintain this look right now. It’s not about looking younger. I just want to maintain how I’m looking right now because I’ve got four wonderful kids, I’m happy to be healthy at my age and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. I don’t hide how old I am. I use it as an aid, but it’s not a crutch and it’s not something that I would get hooked on.