Do you know the mother of these two beautiful young ladies? At first glance, you may think you don’t, but if you’ve seen classic films from the late 80’s to now, you know her well because she’s still making her mark in the acting world to this day.

Vanessa Bell Calloway!

Vanessa Bell Calloway- the actress who forever left an hilarious impression on us when she played the beautiful African ‘bride’ who ‘barked like a dog’ for “Hakeem” (Eddie Murphy) in “Coming To America”-  is the mother of Ashley and Alexandra Calloway.

Vanessa’s daughters are the products of her marriage to her husband of 30 years. Below is a throwback photo of Vanessa celebrating their then 28th year of marriage…

If you follow Vanessa on social media, you’ll know she loves her husband, Dr. Tony Calloway, and daughters to pieces. She often shares photos of her beautiful family, doting on her loving husband and gorgeous daughters.

But, there’s something many fans may not know about Vanessa. She’s battled a major health scare that could have been potentially fatal.

For those who don’t know, Vanessa Bell Calloway overcame breast cancer. During an interview with Ebony magazine, the 61-year-old actress shared details about her bout with breast cancer in a compelling blog post. Due to fairly grim margins, doctors suggested Vanessa undergo a mastectomy. Needless to say, the news was devastating.

In the blog post, she shared her reaction to the disheartening news. He informed me that I had heard correctly,” she said of her doctor. “I was hysterical. I was crying in the back of the store, beating my hands on the ground. I was so shaken up that my girlfriend had to pick me up and take me home after my beautician finished styling my hair.”

However, she refused to let it get the best of her…

Vanessa Bell Calloway has been cancer-free for seven years now. After conquering one of the biggest battles of her life, Vanessa explained how imperative it is for everyone to get regular checkups and to never take life for granted. “Don’t take life for granted. Take care of yourself. Before I became sick, I had always believed in doctors. I married one. Anthony is an anesthesiologist. I’ve never missed my annual check ups.

We have a lot of different parts that work in a lot different ways. Instead of being of the old generation when you don’t go to the doctor because of fear or mistrust, become an active participant in your own health. It’s nice to walk around without skepticism. I wake up everyday worry-free. I forget I even had cancer sometimes, because I’m so entrenched in the goodness of life. It’s a gift.”