Vanessa Williams Says Motherhood 'Never Felt like a Burden' — Her 4 Adult Kids Followed Her Footsteps

Vanessa Williams wears many hats. She is a singer, actress, former model, fashion designer, wife, and mother. But what stands out is her obsession with motherhood—it never felt like a burden to raise kids in the limelight. Learn how they all turned out.

While many Hollywood celebrities try to find their perfect romance for years, entering and exiting relationships and marriages, former Miss America Vanessa Williams tried only two times before finding luck.

For Williams, the third time was indeed a charm. Even though she broke off her marriages twice, the actress never condemned the men she was with. Instead, the two-time divorcée maintained that all her ex-husbands "are good men." She added, "I wouldn't have married them if they weren't decent people."

The singer believes men go through different stages of growth. It may come sooner for some men and later in life for others. Williams' first-time as a wife was with Ramon Hervey II, an actor notable for "Unbought & Unbossed" and "Should've Been Romeo." She was 23, while he was 33, and they shared three kids.

Hervey, who was Williams' manager, partnered with her to advance her career and their family; however, the promising actress couldn't run both simultaneously.

In a confession about her failed marriage, Williams admitted that she became less available, which affected their relationship. Although the marriage remains her longest, lasting for ten years, it was plagued with infidelity before the final crash.

That did not deter the former model from finding love a second time. In 1999, she married Rick Fox, a former NBA star and actor. Fox is famous for his time with the Los Angeles Lakers team. While playing with the Lakers, he won three consecutive NBA championships between 2000 to 2002.

Apart from his impressive basketball career and notable appearances in shows like "Shameless" and "Ugly Betty," the former NBA star is fondly associated with his marriage to Williams, which lasted for five years.

In 2004, Fox served the former beauty queen divorce papers after being separated for more than a year. There were no further details regarding the split, but sources confirmed that they would remain dedicated to parenting their only child, Sasha.

Years later, the actress maintained in a refreshingly candid interview that she felt a pang of guilt for her failed marriages. Williams confessed that her marriage always took the back burner while she attended to her kids and career. In her words:

"I was always working my professional life and my life as a wife and mother simultaneously... The kids' schedules came first and my career came second…Unfortunately, that meant the marriage came third."

MOTHERHOOD WAS NEVER A BURDEN

Despite having the boldness to take the fall, she never regretted her decision to prioritize her kids. Williams became a mother during her early twenties before her career soared, yet she had time to raise her kids without allowing her passion for success to override it.

Instead, the actress worked on both life-enriching projects— motherhood and career simultaneously, and she has since felt fulfilled following her choices. She stated that motherhood "never felt like a burden," adding:

"I've been a mother so long that it's hard to remember what my life was like before then."

WILLIAMS'S FIRST DAUGHTER, MELANIE HERVEY

Williams' children turned out just fine. Her first daughter, Melanie, born on June 30, 1987, is an actress known for "E! True Hollywood Story," "The Courage to Love," and "Dealin' with Idiots."

Melanie shares her mother's passion for fashion and had previously worked in the fashion industry before abandoning it to become a teacher.

Melanie prefers life away from the limelight, and she has successfully carried on with the low-profile persona for years. Although she loves her privacy, Williams' firstborn still shares snippets of details about her lifestyle.

According to her Instagram bio, she is a fitness guru who works as a "Pilates + Barre Instructor." She connects with her students and fans by sharing videos on IG.

Melanie is also as candid as her mother. In March, the barre instructor confessed to her online audience that she suffers from severe endometriosis and had to undergo a series of surgeries. She encouraged other victims to speak out while extending a heart of love to them.

WHO IS JILLIAN HERVEY?

Jillian is Melanie's junior by two years. The sisters are from the same parents. Like the former model, Jillian is a successful actress and singer. Her TV credits include "The Dog Thief," "Insecure," and "Girls5eva."

Jillian is also the leading voice of the R&B duo, "Lion Babe." The singing bird has amassed quite the popularity, with her unmatched talent and working with the likes of Busta Rhymes and Childish Gambino.

Apart from a successful career, the younger singer is a mother. She shares her first and only child with Lucas Goodman, the other member of the singing group.

Last year, Williams was proud to become a grandmother, as the experience also intensified her bond with her daughter. The former model gushed about her connection with the first-time parent, who has also been open to ideas and advice from her. According to her:

"Jillian is very maternal, she's always been very caring and attentive. She's a great cook and baker, and she loves to entertain and host, so I knew she was going to be a great mother."

WILLIAMS' ONLY SON

Devin is Hervey and Williams' last child and the only son in the family. Unlike his older siblings, he was born in Mount Kisco, New York on April 14, 1993,

Devin's acting career was short-lived. In 2000, he performed alongside his mom in "The Courage to Love." That remains his only film feature.

The 29-year-old works with a top-notch fashion outlet in Los Angeles, and like his eldest sister, Devin opted for a private life. However, he is stricter about the information he lets out.

Much of what is known about him is from Williams, who is in awe of her son. She often shares pictures and other memories of his childhood.

WILLIAMS' ONLY CHILD WITH FOX

Sasha Fox is Williams' last child. She was born in New York City on May 1, 2000, and Sasha is every bit like her mother! She works as an actress and director. Her films are "Justice for All with Judge Cristina Perez," "Superdate," and "One Fine Christmas."

Sasha is also signed to a modeling agency and has appeared on the pages of fashion magazines like Vogue while modeling for Serena Williams.

Despite having a demanding career like her mother, the young actress finds the balance and does what she loves without letting her education suffer. Sasha is a student of Chapman University in Orange.

It is noteworthy that Williams is not one with too many regrets, even though she shared her inadequacies. Today, the former Miss America is reaping the fruits of her dedication and sacrifices to motherhood— her kids are making her proud with their exceptional personalities and talents inherited from their mother.