Nia Long









































Nia Long

Nia Long 2012.jpg
Long in February 2012

Born
Nia Talita Long
(1970-10-30) October 30, 1970 (age 48)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1986–present
Home town South Los Angeles, California
Partner(s)
Ime Udoka (2010–present)
Children 2
Relatives
Sommore (half-sister)
Website twitter.com/nialong

Nia Talita Long,[1] (born October 30, 1970)[1] is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Third Watch and Empire, and the films Boyz n the Hood, Friday, Love Jones, Soul Food, In Too Deep, The Best Man, Big Momma's House and Are We There Yet?.




Contents






  • 1 Early life


  • 2 Career


  • 3 Personal life


  • 4 Filmography


    • 4.1 Film


    • 4.2 Television




  • 5 Awards and nominations


  • 6 References


  • 7 External links





Early life


Long was born in Brooklyn, New York,[1] to Talita Long (née Gillman), a teacher and printmaker,[2] and Doughtry Long, a high school teacher and poet.[3] Her family is of Trinidadian, Grenadian, Vincentian, and Barbadian descent.[4][5] She has an older half-sister, the actress and comedian known as Sommore.[citation needed]


Long was two years old when her parents divorced. She accompanied her mother when she moved to Iowa City, Iowa, to study fine arts. Her mother moved to South Los Angeles when Long was seven years old, as she planned to marry there. She and her fiancé called off the wedding, but Talita chose to stay in Los Angeles.[6] Long's father resides in Trenton, New Jersey.


Long attended the Roman Catholic school St. Mary's Academy in Inglewood, California. She was bused from South Los Angeles to Paseo Del Rey Elementary School in Playa Del Rey from 3rd grade through 6th grade. In addition to her academic classes, she studied ballet, tap, jazz, gymnastics, guitar, and acting. She graduated from Westchester High School in Los Angeles in 1989.[citation needed]



Career




Long in 2009.


Long's acting coach was Betty Bridges, better known as the mother of Diff'rent Strokes star Todd Bridges. Her earliest role was in the Disney television movie, The B.R.A.T. Patrol alongside Sean Astin, Tim Thomerson and Brian Keith. Her first notable role on television was a three-year contract role as Kathryn "Kat" Speakes on the soap opera Guiding Light. Long portrayed Kat from 1991 to 1994. Long played Brandi in Boyz n the Hood. The film excited Long, who was doing her "first real movie role". It helped Long build her confidence as an actress. "It introduced me to the world in a way that it was okay for me to be who I am and still find success," she added. "I didn’t have to conform to anything."[7] From 1994 – 1995, she played Will Smith's girlfriend and fiancée Beulah "Lisa" Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Jada Pinkett Smith was originally supposed to play Lisa, but was too short for the role (opposite a 6'2" Will Smith), thus leaving Nia to take the part.


In 2000, Long was offered the role of Alex Munday in Charlie's Angels, but she turned it down, and the role was eventually given to Lucy Liu. In 2003, she joined the cast of the drama Third Watch, where she played NYPD Officer Sasha Monroe, continuing until the series finale in 2005. In 2005 and 2006, Long appeared on Everwood, and appeared on Boston Legal during its 2006–2007 season. Long also starred in Big Shots from 2007–2008 alongside Michael Vartan and Dylan McDermott. In 2016, Long was cast in a recurring role for the TV series Empire. She acquired the role of Giuliana, a Las Vegas club owner.[8]


Long appeared in supporting roles in a number of movies such as Friday and Made in America. Long played a leading role, or a member of the primary ensemble, in several films, including Soul Food, Love Jones, Boiler Room, Big Momma's House, Are We There Yet?, and The Best Man. Ice Cube has starred with her in four films, while (fellow Westchester High alum) Regina King has starred with her in two. Long starred alongside Michael Beach in Soul Food and in the TV series Third Watch.


Long appears in the video for Kanye West's "Touch the Sky". She directed Yolanda Adams's music video for "This Too Shall Pass". She won a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 2004 for her performance on Third Watch. Long co-directed and appeared in Ashanti's music video, "Baby". She also made a guest appearance on the successful sitcom Living Single during its first season.


She appeared in the 2013 film The Best Man Holiday, reprising her role from the original 1999 film. Unlike the original film, however, her character is in an interracial relationship with a white man. Long was revealed to have pursuing an interracial relationship in the film and explained: "We're living in a modern world where it happens and it's OK and it's no disrespect to any black man. I love black men, but the reality is the sistahs are marrying white men and the brothas are marrying white women and that's the world that we live in and it's not to be judged, and if it works for you then embrace it". Director Malcolm D. Lee also supported the interracial relationship being portrayed in the film. "African-American women who are extremely successful can't always find black male counterparts on that level so it's a little bit of a reflection of reality that black women are starting to date outside their race — and why not?"[9]



Personal life


Long started dating Ime Udoka in 2010, and gave birth to their son, Kez Sunday Udoka on November 7, 2011.[10] The couple became engaged in May 2015.[11] She also has another son, Massai Zhivago Dorsey II (born November 26, 2000), from a previous relationship with Massai Dorsey.[10]


The actress contributes her time to the Sterling Children's Home in Barbados, as a motivational speaker.[12]


Long is a supporter of PETA.[13]



Filmography



Film






























































































































































































Year
Title
Role
Notes
1990

Buried Alive
Fingers

1991

Boyz n the Hood
Brandi

1993

Made in America
Zora Mathews

1995

Friday
Debbie

1997

Love Jones
Nina Mosley
Nominated—Acapulco Black Film Festival Award for Best Actress
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Hav Plenty
Trudy


Soul Food

Ryla "Bird" Joseph

1998

Butter
Carmen Jones

1999

In Too Deep
Myra


The Best Man
Jordan Armstrong

Black Reel Award for Best Actress
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Stigmata
Donna Chadway


Held Up
Rae


The Secret Laughter of Women
Nimi Da Silva

2000

The Broken Hearts Club:
A Romantic Comedy

Leslie


Boiler Room
Abbie Halpert
Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress

Big Momma's House
Sherry Pierce
Nominated—Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress in a Comedy
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
2003

BAADASSSSS!
Sandra

2004

The N-Word
Herself
Documentary

Alfie
Lonette
Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress
2005

Are We There Yet?
Suzanne Kingston

2006

Big Momma's House 2
Sherry Pierce-Turner

2007

Premonition
Annie


Are We Done Yet?
Suzanne Kingston-Persons

2008

Gospel Hill
Yvonne Palmer

2009

Good Hair
Herself
Documentary
2010

Mooz-lum
Safiyah
Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best Actress
2013

The Best Man Holiday
Jordan Armstrong

Acapulco Black Film Festival Award for Best Cast
Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best Actress
2014

The Single Moms Club
May Miller

2016

Keanu
Hannah

2017

Lemon
Cleo


Roxanne Roxanne
Peggy

TBA

The Banker
Eunice Garrett
Filming


Television













































































































































































Year
Title
Role
Notes
1986

227
Girl (uncredited)
Episode: "Slam Dunked"

Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
Darla Perkins
Episode: "The B.R.A.T Patrol"
1991–93

Guiding Light
Katherine "Kat" Speakes
Unknown episodes
1991

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Claudia Prescott
Episode: "She Ain't Heavy"
1993

Living Single
Stacey Evans
Episode: "Love Takes a Holiday"
1994–95

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Lisa Wilkes
15 episodes
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
1995

Live Shot
Ramona Greer
Unsold TV pilot
1996

ER
Christy Wilson
Episode: "Baby Shower"

Moesha
Ruth
2 episodes
1998

Black Jaq
Jaqueline "Jaq" Blackman
Unsold TV pilot
2000

If These Walls Could Talk 2
Karen
Television movie
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
2001–02

Judging Amy
Andrea Solomon
6 episodes
2002

Sightings: Heartland Ghost
Lou
Television movie
2003–05

Third Watch

Officer Sasha Monroe
35 episodes
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
2006

Everwood
Cassie
Episode: "Truth"
2007

Boston Legal
Vanessa Walker
3 episodes
2007–08

Big Shots
Katie Graham
11 episodes
2009–10

The Cleveland Show

Roberta Tubbs
13 episodes
2010

Boston's Finest
Taylor Sanchez
Unsold TV pilot
2011

Chase
Melissa Randolph
Episode: "Narco: Part 2"
2012

House of Lies
Tamara
8 episodes
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
2014

The Divide
Billie Page
8 episodes
2015-16

Real Husbands of Hollywood
Herself
2 episodes
2016

Uncle Buck
Alexis Smith-Russell
8 episodes
2017

Beaches
Hillary Whitney
Television movie
Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best Actress in a Television Movie or Limited Series

Dear White People
Neika Hobbs
3 episodes

Empire
Giuliana 'Giusi' Green
8 episodes
2017–present

NCIS: Los Angeles
Executive Assistant Director Shay Mosley
Main role (season 9–)


Awards and nominations














BET Comedy Awards
Year
Category
Result
2005
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Theatrical Film (Alfie)
Nominated























Black Reel Awards
Year
Category
Result
2005
Best Supporting Actress (Alfie)
Nominated
2001
Best Supporting Actress (Boiler Room)
Nominated
2000
Best Actress (The Best Man)
Won
































Image Awards
Year
Category
Result
2005
Outstanding Actress in a Television Drama (Third Watch)
Won
2004
Outstanding Actress in a Television Drama (Third Watch)
Won
2001
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (Big Momma's House)
Nominated
Outstanding Actress in Television Movie/Mini-Series (If These Walls Could Talk 2)
Nominated
2000
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (The Best Man)
Won


References





  1. ^ abc "Nia Long Biography". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2015..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ Cummings, Renée (March 9, 2012). "Talita Long, mother of actress Nia Long..." Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2017.


  3. ^ "Nia Long Biography (1970–)". FilmrReference.com. Retrieved July 31, 2015.


  4. ^ Lauryn Hill, Nia Long. BV Entertainment Newswire – AOL Black Voices. December 21, 2005


  5. ^ Pandora's Box: Mashonda Interviews Nia Long. vibe.com. September 15, 2010


  6. ^ "In Step With: Nia Long". Parade Magazine. January 16, 2005.


  7. ^ Melton, Nicole Marie Nia Long Reflects on 20th Anniversary of 'Boyz n the Hood' (July 14, 2011)


  8. ^ Imarenezor, Christine. "Nia Long Snags New Role On Season 3 Of 'Empire'". Vibe.com. Retrieved 27 November 2016.


  9. ^ Ramos, Dorkys (November 18, 2013). "Nia Long Wanted a White Boyfriend on The Best Man Holiday". BET.


  10. ^ ab Rebecca Macatee (November 10, 2011). ""Nia Long Gives Birth to Son Kez Sunday Udoka"". US Magazine.


  11. ^ Mackie, Drew. "Nia Long Is Engaged to Ime Udoka". People.


  12. ^ "Nia: A Purpose-Driven Life". Ebony. November 2010.


  13. ^ "Nia Long Poses Naked in Subway Car to Save Animals". celebritybrands.net. August 15, 2009. Retrieved November 8, 2013.



http://tvline.com/2016/08/16/nia-long-beaches-remake-lifetime-hillary/



External links







  • Nia Long on IMDb








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