Vanessa Williams

Actress, model, and singer Vanessa Williams has been in front of the camera for decades. She was on ABC’s Ugly Betty for several seasons and currently can be seen on Desperate Housewives. We think fans of the actress would tune in to see her in a leading role on a TV show.

Keisha Knight Pulliam

Keisha Knight Pulliam played the role of Rudy for eight seasons on The Cosby Show. Pulliam has yet to take on a lead role in a scripted television show, but we think fans would tune it to see the actress in a mature lead role.

(Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Aisha Tyler

Comedian, actress and author Aisha Tyler is known for her recurring roles on Friends, CSI, and Talk Soup. Thus far she has not starred in a leading role on a television series, but would bring a cross-over demographic to her show’s following if she were to land a lead comedic role.

Alfre Woodard

Alfre Woodard is well known for her film roles. Recently Woodard has been featured on ABC’s Desperate Housewives and HBO’s True Blood. We think Woodard’s next TV role could be as lead actress in dramatic series.

Maya Rudolph made America laugh as she took on a wide array of characters during her years on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Rudolph is the ideal actress to take on a lead comedy role in a TV sit-com where she portrays a wide range of different characters.

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Pam Grier

Pam Grier is well known for her starring roles in 1970’s blaxploitation films such as Foxy Brown. Her TV credits include featured roles on Law & Order, Bones, and Smallville. We think Grier would be great in a lead role on crime drama television series.

(AP Photo/David Goldman)

Loretta Devine

Loretta Devine has been featured on Grey’s Anatomy, Boston Legal,and Girlfriends. We think Devine could play the matriarch character in lead role on a dramatic TV series.

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Lynn Whitfield

Lynn Whitfield has been featured on Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere, Touched by an Angel, Boston Public, and more. Thus far, the actress has not taken on a lead role in a television series, but we think she could star in a dramatic series.

(Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

S. Epetha Merkerson

S. Epetha Merkerson made her television debut as Reba the mail lady on Pee-wee’s Playhouse. In 2010 Merkerson ended her 17-season run on NBC’s Law & Order. Fans of the actress would surely tune-in to see her head up a legal drama television series.

(Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Lisa Bonet

Lisa Bonet is most known for her role as Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show and A Different World. Through the years Bonet let her television career take back seat to her relationships and parenting. We think her fans would create a buzz and tune-in if Bonet a returned to TV in a lead role.

(Photo Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images).