Vanessa Williams’ 4 Children: All About Melanie, Jillian, Devin and Sasha

Vanessa Williams welcomed her first child in 1987

Vanessa Williams is a proud mom of four children.

The Ugly Betty actress and her first husband, Ramon Hervey II, were married from 1987 to 1997 and welcomed three children: Melanie, Jillian and Devin. The former Miss America tied the knot with her second husband, NBA star and actor Rick Fox, in 1999. One year into their marriage, the couple welcomed a daughter named Sasha. Williams and Fox divorced in 2004.

The Grammy nominee's children have all followed their own artistic and creative pursuits. Williams’ eldest daughter worked in fashion before finding her footing in health and wellness, while her second daughter went on to pursue music. Her only son, Devin, also pursued fashion and works as a freelance designer. Sasha is a model and actress, like her mother.

Related: Who Is Vanessa Williams' Husband? All About Jim Skrip

In July 2019, Williams cited her family as inspiration for her clothing line with HSN. “My brand is really about designing for myself and my family,” she told PEOPLE. “My mother will be 80 in December, I have a 32-year-old, a 30-year-old and a 19-year-old daughter so I always kind of envision what they would like and have at least one piece [in the collection].”

Williams also spoke about her children and how they all discovered their own passions as they grew up. “It is fun to see my kids find themselves,” she said. “I always told my kids, 'dare to be different. Why be like everybody else? Don’t be afraid to be yourself.' ”

Here’s everything to know about Vanessa Williams’ four children: Melanie, Jillian, Devin and Sasha.

Melanie Hervey, 36

Williams and Ramon welcomed their first child, Melanie Hervey, in Los Angeles on June 30, 1987.  She studied fashion merchandising at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where she interned with Henri Bendel and Allure magazine. After college, Melanie worked in real estate with the Corcoran Group and in fashion retail at James Perse, Reformation and Outdoor Voices before pivoting her career toward health and wellness.

In 2017, she began working as a pilates and barre instructor. Melanie frequently posts her routines on Instagram and teaches classes in the Hamptons, N.Y.C. and Westchester. She has also worked at the luxury gym chain Equinox and at New York Pilates in addition to giving private instruction, according to her website.

In April 2022, Melanie made the move from N.Y.C. to the island of Bermuda in what she described as her “new adventure" on Instagram.

In July of that year, the fitness instructor reflected on her move in a candid Instagram post. Alongside a since-deleted photo of her stretching on a Pilates reformer, she shared about her relationship with the workout, writing in part: “Pilates has transformed my body and the exercises continue to challenge me. It brings me joy to see my clients grow and find more awareness in their bodies while improving their breathing, strength, core and flexibility.”

Outside of fitness, Melanie’s hobbies include spending time at the beach, horseback riding and playing with the family dogs, Roscoe and Gilly. She moved back to New York in 2023.

Jillian Hervey, 34

Williams and Ramon welcomed daughter Jillian Hervey in L.A. on June 19, 1989. She grew up in Chappaqua, New York, and began studying dance as a child. “Dance was part of my every day,” she told Ebony in 2023. “When I was in middle school, I got into all sorts of styles and then I went abroad for dance. I was committed to being a professional dancer and I wanted to be in a company, like Alvin Ailey.”

In her senior year of high school, Jillian met musician Lucas Goodman while visiting a friend in Boston, she told Marie Claire in 2016. She later studied dance at The New School in N.Y.C., where she reconnected with Goodman with whom she later formed the R&B duo Lion Babe.

Jillian followed in her mother’s footsteps by pursuing music and entertainment. She appeared alongside her mother and siblings in the 2000 Lifetime movie The Courage to Love. Her acting career took a backseat when she passed on the opportunity to appear on Gossip Girl in order to focus on her music career, she told The Telegraph in 2015.

In December 2012, Jillian and Goodman, who is also her partner, dropped their first single "Treat Me Like Fire," which led to signing a deal with Interscope Records. As a duo, Lion Babe has released three studio albums: their debut Begin (2016), Cosmic Wind (2019) and Rainbow Child (2021). Throughout their career, the pair have also collaborated with Donald Glover (a.k.a. Childish Gambino), Mark Ronson and Pharrell Williams.

Outside of her music career, Jillian was the face of Pantene alongside Selena Gomez in June 2016.

In addition to the 2000 Lifetime movie, Jillian has appeared alongside her mom at events and in magazines. In January 2017, the mother-daughter duo appeared on the cover of Essence. The following year, Williams and Jillian teamed up with the WomenHeart organization and Burlington Stores to raise awareness for heart disease.

Jillian and Goodman welcomed their first child, a son named Sunny, in December 2021. She kept her pregnancy and birth under wraps, revealing the news exclusively to Essence in January 2022.

"To be blessed with the gift of a healthy grandson and know he will be supported by our loving family is a dream come true," Williams told the outlet. "I can’t wait to introduce him to all the wonders in the world, read to him on my lap and of course sing sweet songs for as long as I’m able.”

In April 2022, the mother-daughter duo spoke to Essence again, and Williams discussed her daughter’s parenting skills. “Jillian is very maternal,” she said. “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.”

Devin Christian Hervey, 31

Williams and Ramon welcomed their third child, son Devin Christian Hervey, in Mount Kisco, New York, on April 14, 1993. Much like his older sister Melanie, Devin also studied fashion, earning an associate’s degree in product development from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in L.A.

Devin's website features his original designs, which include everything from clothing to the cover art for Lion Babe’s single “Wonder Woman.”

Devin had a small role in the 2000 movie The Courage to Love alongside his mom and older sisters, but he hasn’t pursued a career in acting. In fact, much of his life is spent out of the spotlight.

On Instagram, Devin frequently posts photos of his motorcycles, including some shots of him riding. His family is also a staple on his social media — Devin has shared several photos of his parents and sisters on Instagram.

On multiple occasions, Devin has called his mom the “best mom ever” alongside throwback photos with Williams from his childhood. In another post, Devin shared a photo from the 2002 Tony Awards, where he cuddled up next to Williams as she was announced as one of the nominees for best performance by a leading actress in a musical.

Sasha Gabriella Fox, 23

Williams and Fox welcomed their daughter Sasha Gabriella Fox in N.Y.C. on May 1, 2000. In 2018, Sasha graduated from The Harvey School, a private college prep school in Westchester County, New York. Her father celebrated the accomplishment on Facebook, writing that he was “so proud” of his daughter and announced that she would be heading to college at Chapman University in Orange, California.

Like her parents, Sasha has also pursued a career in entertainment. She wrote and directed the short film Superdate (2013), which later won her an award for best youth film from the San Francisco Black Film Festival. In 2019, she appeared alongside her dad in the Oprah Winfrey Network’s TV movie One Fine Christmas.

Sasha is also pursuing a career as a model. She has worked for several brands, including American Eagle and the swimwear brand Left on Friday. Sasha also has an Instagram account dedicated to her own photography.

In July 2022, Williams' youngest child shared on Instagram that production had wrapped on a project that starred Modern Family’s Ariel Winter, The Half of It star Leah Lewis and model ​​Ashley Moore.

Williams may also appear in the film — on July 19, the proud mom shared a black-and-white selfie with Sasha on her Instagram, writing in the caption: “That’s a wrap for me as Patty but @sashafoxyy is still creating magic on the set with her character Taylor🎬 Loved working with my youngest and watching her shine. More to come.”

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