Vanessa started out in Educational theatre before obtaining a Bilingual Performers Diploma from the University of Cape Town in 1991. In 1994 Vanessa was offered the supporting role of "Lesley" in the action thriller "Never Say Die". After that Vanessa caught her big break when she was offered the leading role of heroine "Sherry Ouelette"....the long suffering niece of villain "William Gartley" (played by Robert Englund), in the Stephen King thriller, "The Mangler".After receiving the lead role of Sherry Ouelette, in "The Mangler", Vanessa received & won the 1994 M-NET's All Africa Film Award for Best Actress.Vanessa went on to perform in various television roles mainly in South African Television. These television shows, a majority of them dramas, included: "Triptiek" in 1993' "Tarzan - The Epic Adventures" in 1996' "Kelebone" "Justice for All" in 1998' "Arsenal" in 2004' "The Res" in 2004'.Vanessa also performed in theatre. Her roles varied including parts in musicals like the "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "Girl Talk" (in which she traveled to Malaysia to perform for the King), "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Situation Comedy" as well as the pantomimes "Sleeping Beauty" and "Aladdin".Vanessa was cast in the South African made for television mini-series, "To the ends of the Earth" - 2005, filmed in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Recently, she has been cast in a guest role in the 2006' television show "Wild at heart" (Feb. 07, 2010/ Season 5 - Episode 5)She resides in Johannesburg, South Africa. 2010'