Nia Long
Nia Long | |
|---|---|
 Long in October 2007 | |
| Occupation | Actress/Director |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Partner | Massai Z. Dorsey Sr. (2000-2001) |
Nia Long (born October 30, 1970) is an American actress and occasional music video director. She is best known for her roles in the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Third Watch, and the films Soul Food, Love Jones, The Best Man, Big Momma's House, and Are We There Yet?.
Early years
Long was born in Brooklyn, New York, U.S. to Talita, a teacher and printmaker, and Doughtry "Doc" Long, a high school teacher and poet. Her family is of Afro-Trinidadian descent.[1][2][3] Her name, Nia, is one of the seven days of Kwanzaa, which means "PURPOSE" in Swahili. Long's parents divorced when she was two years old, and she and her mother moved to Iowa City, Iowa, where her mother studied fine arts. They subsequently moved to a South Los Angeles neighborhood when Long was seven, where her mother was supposed to get married. The wedding was called off, but Talita had fallen in love with L.A. and they stayed.[4] Long's father currently resides in Trenton, New Jersey. Long's half-sister is comedienne Sommore, one of the stars of The Queens of Comedy.
Long attended the Roman Catholic school St. Mary's Academy[5] and studied ballet, tap, jazz, gymnastics, guitar and acting. She graduated from Westchester High School in 1989. Due to the lack of employment opportunities in the arts in Los Angeles when Long and her mother first arrived there, Long's mother took various low-paying jobs (despite having two master's degrees). The family suffered through financial struggle for years.
Career
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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. 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 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.
Long appeared in supporting roles in a number of movies such as Boyz n the Hood, 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 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". Long was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the World 2000 by People. 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.
Personal life
Long and her former long-time boyfriend and fellow actor Massai Z. Dorsey have a son, Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, born on November 26, 2000. Dorsey and Long were engaged to be married, but ended their relationship. [citation needed]
With regard to being a working mother, Long says "she is up for the challenge so long as it does not require disturbing her family's well-being". "If I’m gonna hustle, I want to hustle in one place... I uprooted everything, moved to New York for two years, moved back and it was great but I really am enjoying the stability."[6]
Filmography
| Year | Film | 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 | |
| Hav Plenty | Trudy | ||
| Soul Food | Bird | ||
| 1998 | Butter | Carmen Jones | |
| 1999 | In Too Deep | Myra | |
| The Best Man | Jordan Armstrong | ||
| 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 | ||
| Big Momma's House | Sherry Pierce | ||
| 2003 | BAADASSSSS! | Sandra | |
| 2004 | The N-Word | herself | Documentary |
| Alfie | Lonette | ||
| 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 | Mrs. Palmer | |
| 2009 | Good Hair | Herself | Documentary |
Television
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 227 | Girl | 1 episode |
| The B.R.A.T. Patrol | Darla Perkins | ||
| 1991–1993 | Guiding Light | Katherine 'Kat' Speakes | unknown episodes |
| 1991–1995 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Lisa Wilkes | 16 episodes |
| 1993 | Living Single | Stacey Evans | 1 episode |
| 1995–1996 | Live Shot | Ramona Greer | 1 episode |
| 1996 | Moesha | babysitter | 2 episodes |
| ER | Christy Wilson | 1 episode | |
| 1998 | Black Jaq | Jaqueline 'Jaq' Blackman | (unsold pilot) |
| 2000 | If These Walls Could Talk 2 | Karen | Segment: "1976" |
| 2001–2002 | Judging Amy | Andrea Solomon | 6 episodes |
| 2002 | Sightings: Heartland Ghost | Lou | Television Movie |
| 2003–2005 | Third Watch | Officer Sasha Monroe | 45 episodes |
| 2006 | Everwood | Cassie | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Boston Legal | Herself | 3 episodes |
| 2007–2008 | Big Shots | Katie Ghrham | 11 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | The Cleveland Show | Roberta Tubbs | 13 episodes |
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
- ^ Nia Long Biography (1970-)
- ^ http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_12_30/ai_61185319/pg_3
- ^ BV Entertainment Newswire December 21: Lauryn Hill, Nia Long - AOL Black Voices
- ^ "In Step With: Nia Long". Parade Magazine. January 16, 2005.
- ^ http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_12_30/ai_61185319
- ^ Nia Long: All grown up, CraveOnline, April 6, 2007
External links
- 1970 births
- African-American people
- Trinidad and Tobago people of Black African descent
- American film actors
- American soap opera actors
- American television actors
- Actors from California
- Living people
- Actors from New York
- People from Brooklyn
- People from Iowa City, Iowa
- American people of Trinidad and Tobago descent
- NAACP Image Award Winners