Vernee Watson

Vernee Watson is an American performer who also writes and coaches acting. Raised in New York City, she studied drama at New York University and began her career at 17 with Manhattan's Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble, touring with the group for five years. Her recurring television parts include Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter, Viola Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the mother of Will Smith's character, and Gloria Tyler, a head nurse, on Bob Hearts Abishola. Since 2017 she has played Stella Henry on General Hospital, a role that won her two Daytime Emmy Awards in 2018 and 2019 for guest performances in a drama series. Her films include Trick Baby (1972), Christmas with the Kranks (2005), The Celestine Prophecy (2006) and Garfield 2 (2006). She has voiced characters for Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros. Animation, among them Batman Beyond, and has taken guest roles on many series, often as a nurse.