rick fox wife
Rick Fox’s wife was Vanessa Williams, an American actress, singer, and model born on March 18, 1963, in Tarrytown, New York. The two were married from 1999 to 2004. Rick Fox is a Canadian-Bahamian former NBA player, actor, and esports entrepreneur best known for his championship years with the Los Angeles Lakers and his role in the movie Holes.
While Fox and Williams have been divorced for two decades, their marriage remains one of the most talked-about celebrity unions of the early 2000s — and their co-parenting relationship afterward is often cited as a model for amicable splits. This article covers everything about Vanessa Williams: her career, how she met Rick Fox, their marriage, their daughter, and where she is today.
Who Is Vanessa Williams?
Vanessa Lynn Williams was born on March 18, 1963, in Tarrytown, New York, and raised in nearby Millwood. She is of African American and some Native American and Caucasian ancestry, and grew up in a musically inclined household — both of her parents were music teachers. Williams studied musical theater at Syracuse University, where she also modeled to help pay for school.
Her big break came in 1983, when she became the first Black woman crowned Miss America — a historic moment that also came with controversy after unauthorized nude photos led to her resignation from the title months later. Rather than end her career, the setback became the launching pad for one of entertainment’s great comeback stories. She rebuilt her public image through music and acting, eventually becoming one of the most recognized multi-hyphenate performers of her generation.
Williams’ personal life has been well documented. Before marrying Rick Fox, she was married to publicist Ramon Hervey II from 1987 to 1997, with whom she has three children.
Vanessa Williams’ Career & Professional Life
Vanessa Williams built a career spanning music, film, television, and Broadway. Her 1988 debut album, The Right Stuff, launched a recording career that has since earned her multiple Grammy nominations. Her 1992 hit “Save the Best for Last” became one of the defining pop ballads of the decade.
On screen, Williams is best known for playing the sharp-tongued Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty, a role that earned her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Her film credits include Soul Food, Eraser, and Johnson Family Vacation. On Broadway, she has starred in Into the Woods and Kiss of the Spider Woman, earning a Tony nomination for the former.
Beyond performing, Williams has worked as a producer and released a memoir, You Have No Idea, co-written with her mother in 2012. Decades after her Miss America controversy, she’s widely regarded as a trailblazer who reshaped how the pageant — and the industry — treated Black women in the spotlight.
How Did Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams Meet?
Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams met in 1999 at Divas: A Concert to Benefit the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, where both were presenters. At the time, Fox was in the middle of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, having just started what would become a run of three championships with the team.
The two hit it off quickly, and their relationship moved fast by celebrity standards — they began dating and got engaged within the same year they met. Their romance drew heavy media attention, partly because Williams was already a household name from her music and Miss America history, and partly because sports-and-entertainment power couples were tabloid catnip in the early 2000s.
By the end of 1999, the couple had married, making their relationship one of the shorter celebrity courtships of that era — dating and marrying within months rather than years.
Marriage & Wedding Details
Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams married in 1999, the same year they met. Details of the ceremony itself were kept relatively private compared to their high-profile public relationship, which was more common for celebrity weddings of that period than it would be today. Their marriage coincided with one of the most successful stretches of Fox’s basketball career, as the Lakers were in the middle of their early-2000s championship run.
The marriage lasted five years. In August 2004, Fox filed for divorce, with a spokesperson at the time noting that both remained devoted to co-parenting their young daughter. The divorce was finalized without a public legal battle, and both parties have generally spoken respectfully about each other since.
Children & Family Life
Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams have one child together: daughter Sasha Gabriella Fox, born in 2000, one year into their marriage. Sasha grew up largely out of the spotlight but has since followed both parents into entertainment, working as an actress and director. In 2019, Fox and Sasha appeared together on screen in the TV movie One Fine Christmas.
Despite their divorce, Fox and Williams have often been cited as an example of healthy co-parenting, prioritizing their daughter’s stability over public disputes. Williams went on to have three additional children from her first marriage to Ramon Hervey II, making Sasha part of a larger blended family. Vanessa Williams later remarried in 2015 (to Jim Skrip, a marriage that also ended in divorce), while Rick Fox has not remarried since his split from Williams.
Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams on Social Media
Vanessa Williams remains active on Instagram, where she shares career updates, Broadway appearances, and family moments with her millions of longtime fans built over a decades-long career. Rick Fox is also active online, frequently posting about his esports ventures, wellness pursuits, and appearances with his daughter Sasha. Neither account is centered on their past marriage, which both have largely moved past publicly, focusing instead on their individual careers and their shared role as parents.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Vanessa Lynn Williams |
| Date of Birth | March 18, 1963 |
| Birthplace | Tarrytown, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actress, singer, model, producer |
| Married to Rick Fox | 1999–2004 |
| Children with Fox | 1 (daughter Sasha, b. 2000) |
| Current Marital Status | Divorced from three husbands (Hervey, Fox, Skrip) |
FAQ Section
Q: What is Rick Fox’s wife’s name?
A: Rick Fox does not currently have a wife. His only marriage was to actress and singer Vanessa Williams, from 1999 to 2004.
Q: How old is Vanessa Williams?
A: Vanessa Williams was born on March 18, 1963, making her 63 years old as of 2026.
Q: What does Vanessa Williams do for a living?
A: She is a singer, actress, and model, known for hits like “Save the Best for Last” and her role as Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty.
Q: When did Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams get married?
A: They married in 1999, the same year they met, and divorced in 2004 after five years together.
Q: How many kids do Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams have?
A: They have one child together, a daughter named Sasha Gabriella Fox, born in 2000.
Conclusion
While Rick Fox doesn’t have a current wife, his marriage to Vanessa Williams remains the defining relationship people associate with him. Williams built one of entertainment’s most resilient careers, from her historic Miss America win to decades in music, film, and Broadway. Though their marriage lasted only five years, Fox and Williams have maintained a respectful co-parenting relationship centered on their daughter, Sasha — proof that even short-lived celebrity marriages can end on good terms.
