IT PAYS TO HAVE PIMPLES; VANESSA WILLIAMS SIGNS $20 MILLION CONTRACT WITH PROACTIV; PLANS 9th STUDIO ALBUM

Vanessa Williams has signed a deal with Proactiv for a reported $20 million, reports the New York Post. The Ugly Betty star will pocket $3 million a year for five years, as well as "develop a cosmetics line for the company," a source told the newspaper. Other Proactiv pluggers include Jessica Simpson, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson and Sean "Diddy" Combs.

In related news, Wiliams has not turned her back on her music career - she's planning to release her ninth studio album in early 2008. Williams, 44, released her first single in 1988 and went on to sell over six million records worldwide. And although the star is busy with the hit TV series, she admits she has not given up on singing just yet, having signed a new contract with Concord Records earlier this year (07). She says, "I was in Rio for Christmas working on a couple of songs and I'm going back into the studio in the next couple of months so hopefully I should have something ready by the time the next series of Ugly Betty ends."



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