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In the quarter century since she was crowned Miss America, Vanessa Williams has proven over and over again that she's not just your average beauty queen, having repeatedly conquered the worlds of film, television, recordings, and Broadway. Indeed, as the renowned costume designer Patricia Field, who works with Williams on ABC's Ugly Betty, recently told me: "Vanessa's body is fierce, but her mind is even fiercer!"

On Friday, October 16, Williams begins her fourth season as Ugly Betty's ever-scheming yet oddly lovable (and love-to-hatable) magazine editor Wilhelmina Slater, for which she has received three consecutive Emmy Award nominations (as well as numerous other honors). Then in March, she returns to the Broadway stage in the Roundabout's Theatre Company's Sondheim on Sondheim, a musical tribute to the great Stephen Sondheim co-starring Barbara Cook, Leslie Kritzer, and Michael Arden. Before a recent appearance at the New York Times TimesCenter, TheaterMania had a brief chat with Williams about these two projects.

THEATERMANIA: When Ugly Betty ended last season, Wilhelmina opened the door of her apartment to find some unseen visitor. Did you know who was at the door?
VANESSA WILLIAMS: Did I know? No. The writers didn't even know; they just wrote a cliffhanger ending. But I think the viewers are going to be surprised to find out who it is. It's a great storyline and it's going to continue throughout the season. There will be lots of shockers and turns and twists.

TM: Did you guess right as to who it was?
VW: I guessed -- and I guessed wrong.

TM: So is Wilhelmina going to be meaner than ever this season?
VW: No, I think they've really struck a nice balance with Wilhelmina over the years, and I think you understand her better now when she is harsh, because you know the reasons that her heart has closed up.

TM: Considering how demanding Ugly Betty is, what made you decide to come back to Broadway after six years?
VW: James Lapine (who co-wrote and directed the 2002 Broadway revival of Sondheim's Into the Woods in which Williams played the Witch) gave me a call earlier this year. He said to me: "I'm doing this project and I don't know whether we can work it out, but let's try." So we spent a long time working with the producers so I could do it.

TM: How are you going to balance both shows?
VW: Ugly Betty is my priority -- and we shoot in the spring -- so there are going to be some days that I may not be able to do the Sondheim show. But we're going to do as much as we can so I can do an eight-show week. As always, I will try my best.

TM: Are you going to get to choose the songs you perform in Sondheim on Sondheim?
VW: I have to sit down with James and go through what we're doing. There's a lot of stuff that's not well known -- and to me, that is tastier because it's more of a surprise. I'm curious to hear what direction he has in mind. And I'm excited!