Vanessa Breaux

"I never thought that I could meet someone like you. You are my friend. You are my smile. You are my everything. You are a breath-taking reflection of God's heart for me. For how he pursued and loved me, even when I didn't love myself. You held my hands in the darkness and pulled my out into the light. I love you Franky Henderson.' -Vows to Franky

Character

Vanessa Breaux is the main protagonist of the 2006 film Madea’s family reunion. The estranged daughter and “scapegoat child” of Victoria Breaux and the soulful older half sister to Lisa Breaux. She is Irene's lineage; her granddaughter. She has two children, Nima and Jonathan from two different fathers. Eventually, she marries Franky Henderson at the end of the Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion (film).

Background

Vanessa grew up resented by her mother because her father left them in destitute while her younger half sister grew up as her mother's favorite child. One day, Vanessa came to the top of the steps to hear her mother and Lisa's father arguing about her. Her mother agreed beyond Vanessa's knowledge as to what she agreed to. Victoria found her daughter, bathed and groomed her, and left her in the room with Victoria's Husband to take her virtue in order to keep him from leaving. Victoria's Baby Daddy was a musician that tried to ruin her life.

Madea's Family Reunion (Film)

Franky comes to up to Vanessa, Lisa and Donna while they are relaxing by the pool. He says he just dropped off a painting after Donna asking if it was his gym. Franky forwardly gives Vanessa his number saying he would like to go out sometime. Lisa grabs his number and assures him that she will be calling him. Vanessa is too shocked to respond to what her sister had done.

When Lisa's picking her wedding arrangement with her mother, Vanessa quarrels with her mother when Victoria says she doesn't want to go to the family reunion and referring to her grandchildren, Vanessa's children, as "little bastards" in spite of Vanessa. Vanessa end the conversation and says to her mother, "You're so wicked, you're going to rot in hell."

After a long day at work, Vanessa gets on his bus and he greets her and she just nods her head. He attempts to chat with her while she is just trying to sit and relax. She attempts to make small talk, but at one point she snaps and says "Will you just drive this bus please man." He found that she likes to write poetry and continues to say, "You know I like poetry too. Check this out: Roses are red, Violets are blue, if you go out with me, you will like me too." This has Vanessa smiling and laughing. She half halfheartedly declines his offer in going out until this older lady says, "Miss... He really is a nice guy." She looks at the lady and has a gentle smile in reception to her message. After she gets to her destination, she turns around to Franky and says calmly, "I'll think about it."

Vanessa meets Franky at the park

Vanessa decides to meet up with Frankie in the park. At the park, her children quickly form a bond with Frankie's son, Tre, much to their parents happiness and they all play in the park while their parent's watch them and talk.When Frankie and Vanessa talk about their children, Vanessa informs him the Vanessa's Baby Daddy 1 is married and won't see her nor pay child support. Vanessa asks about Tre's mother which Frankie says that she is married and doesn't have much time for them.

Vanessa and Frankie's first date is at a poetry bar which it is "poets and painter's night". Franky signed them up without her knowledge, but Vanessa was excited and her poetry flew on the stage as Franky painted. As Franky dropped her off at home, Vanessa was getting uneasy about their next actions. To her surprise, Franky prove to be a genuine guy and greeted her goodnight. They began to see each other more; They would go get ice cream, call each other on the phone, meet up at the park and get to know each other as the weeks went by.

Vanessa spoke poetry while Franky painted her

After a checkpoint of events, Lisa and Vanessa are talking at Madea's house and they are talking about love. Lisa admits to not loving him the way he loves her and that she is hitting her. Vanessa screams for Madea hearing this and she teaches the girls how to stand up to an abusive lover. Lisa stays with Vanessa at Madea's house after hearing she was abused by Carlos.

Aunt Myrtle appears in the dining room of Aunt Ruby's house talking to other female family members when Vanessa and Lisa walk in the room. They wonder where Lisa's fiance is and when they are going to be able to meet him. As they converse, Lisa and Vanessa's mother, Victoria, walks into the room. Myrtle continues and leads the conversation along with other family members at the table talking about true love.

Myrtle remarks goes onto say that she shared a love so strong with William that it seemed they were one soul. She believes that she was not only blessed, but divinely favored that she was able to spend time with a man that God designed himself solely for her.

During the Family reunion, Vanessa tries to introduce Franky to her and come to terms with her. Instead, Victoria ends up insulting Franky and disrespecting her making her furious and they have a physical quarrel. Victoria says, "If that man loves you, he's a damn fool." Vanessa fed up saying, "You're such a bitch." After that, Victoria slaps her and Vanessa slaps her back which everyone pulls them apart. After the family Reunion, Vanessa is left drained by the events of what her mother did, but attempts to continue to be cordial with her mother concerning Lisa's upcoming wedding with Carlos. She seeks refuge in her children and Franky comforting her over what happened.

Vanessa as the Bride

After Lisa stands up for herself and calls off the wedding between herself and Carlos at the church, Frankie proposes to Vanessa and she emotionally happily accepts. They have the wedding in place of Carlos and Lisa in a very romantic wedding setting with the tower of Paris. They expressed soulful vows of their truest love for each other and everyone, even Vanessa's mother, celebrates. Later, during her dancing with Franky, Victoria comes over to the couple. She tells them with tear coming to her eyes, "You really are a beautiful couple... really beautiful." Vanessa pulls her mother back as she is about to leave and the two embrace. Victoria wipes the tears from her daughters face. In that gesture, it is her mother's way of regret and apologizing to her daughter after all the time. Vanessa embraces the apology as her mother gives her hand to Franky and they continue dancing.

The Bus Scene (Theory)

After a long day at work, It is apparent that she has been stressed out due to her quarrel with her mother and saying more hurtful things. She gets on his bus and he greets her and she just nods her head. He attempts to chat with her while she is just trying to sit and relax. She attempts to make small talk, but at one point she snaps and says "Will you just drive this bus please man." He found that she likes to write poetry and continues to say, "You know I like poetry too. Check this out: Roses are red, Violets are blue, if you go out with me, you will like me too." This has Vanessa smiling and laughing at him making a fool of himself in front of the other passengers. She half halfheartedly declines his offer in going out. Other passengers just want him to be quiet urged her to say yes so he could "shut up". She declines say, " I had a really long day, my feet hurt, and I have two kids at home waiting for me."

This couple that are passengers attempts plays on the doubt with him. The female says, "I bet he don't want to go out now. Two kids?!" her significant other says, "Dude, she said two kids. Think about it." They begin to quarrel because his statement was against a woman with kids. Franky says that he has a son and they can make it a family thing if she says yes. That statement made Vanessa think more that he actually likes kids and she has a chance. In that same second, this older lady says with a smile on her face, "Miss... Miss! He really is a nice guy." Vanessa looks at the lady and has a gentle smile in reception to her message and is convinced. In this older lady, this was God and angels at work.

After she gets to her destination and she gets off the bus, she turns around to Franky and says calmly, "I'll think about it." He continues to smile as he continues his destinations. The bus ride actually made her evening.

Victoria & Her Daughters Conflict Theory

Vanessa is her estranged oldest daughter. Victoria had Vanessa from a man that broke her heart. It is implied that every time Victoria looked at Vanessa, it reminded her of the man that broke her heart. Victoria looked at her like a burden making it easier for her to sacrifice her virtue when she let Lisa's father take advantage of her. Vanessa grew resentment and anger towards her mother in return, but did her best to give respect for her mother.

In the end, Victoria comes to spiritual realization that her oldest daughter married a man she truly loved, something that she truly only wanted. She gives Frankie a kind smile and gestures, and approaches her daughter and says, "You really are a beautiful couple. Really beautiful." Victoria never verbally apologize, but gestures want forgiveness from her daughter. The mother and daughter embrace and they exchange tears which Victoria give a endearing gesture of wiping Vanessa's tears.

Lisa combated what could've been a generation curse of an abusive lover which her father was towards her mother. If their mother would've combated Lisa's father, Victoria may have found her true love, which Vanessa completed her journey. In the end, her daughters completed her romance journey.

Quotes

• "This is called... the Courage to Love."
• "Is he hitting you?...Lisa?" -to Lisa
• "...and loved me. ..Even when I didn't love myself."
• "I never thought that I could meet someone like you. You are my friend. You are my smile. You are my everything. You are a breath-taking reflection of God's heart for me. For how he pursued and loved me, even when I didn't love myself. You held my hands in the darkness and pulled my out into the light. I love you Franky Henderson.' -Vows to Franky

Relationships

• Franky Henderson (Husband)
• Mable (Madea) Simmons (Grand Aunt)
• Irene Andrews (Grandmother)
• Victoria Breaux (Estranged Mother)
• Victoria's Baby Daddy
• Victoria’s Ex-Husband (Father)
• Victoria’s Deceased Husband (Step-Father)
• Lisa Breaux (Sister)
• Brian Simmons (Second Cousin)
• Debra Simmons (Ex Second Cousin-In-Law)
• Lisa (Second Cousin)
• Tina (Second Cousin)
• Helen (Second Cousin)
• Jackie (Second Cousin)
• Vianne Griffin (Second Cousin)
• Maylee Griffin (Second Cousin)
• Nima (Daughter)
• Jonathan (Son)
• Tre (Step-son)
• Vanessa's Baby Daddy#1

Appearances

• Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion (film)

Notes

• Vanessa will technically after the movie be "Vanessa Breaux-Henderson".
• One of her hobbies is writing and reciting poetry. 
• Despite having gone through so much, Vanessa is soulful and keeps her faith in God close to her.
• Vanessa is much like her distant cousins, Tina and Lisa, having been raped by a father figure, lost of virtue at an early age, and suffered by not having father's love or validation. Like her cousin Tina, Vanessa has endured more. Unlike Tina, Vanessa keeps her faith and perseveres even though the harder times and keeping her faith which she actually gets the marriage instead of her sister Lisa.
• Her father is only talked about and never made an appearance. It is unknown why she does not bare his last name as her mother didn't marry Lisa's father until after she was born. Victoria must have change her name as well upon their marriage.