How Vanessa Williams Moved On From Her Miss America Scandal

Vanessa Williams endured a ton of public shame after she lost her Miss America title. But while the scandal almost ruined her legacy and prevented her from capitalizing on her newfound fame, she still managed to excel in Hollywood. Williams has since starred or appeared in three dozen movie roles — including "Soul Food," "Shaft," and "Dance With Me." However, her musical chops have also served her well. She sang "Colors of the Wind" from "Pocahontas," which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1996, though the award went to the songwriters. Then there's her iconic role as Wilhelmina Slater in the hit television series "Ugly Betty." The Miss America Pageant even issued her a long-overdue apology in 2015.

With that said, Williams' eventual success came after several years of hard work. During an appearance on the "Tamron Hall Show," Williams agreed with host Tamron Hall when she claimed Williams overcame adversity. However, she didn't rebound nearly as quickly as she'd hoped. During this time, Williams' said her family supported her. Although Williams still faced her trials, having her family's support helped her to find peace within the scandal. It also made her feel grateful for everything she'd be able to achieve during the next stage of her life.

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