Seenonscreen - The Biggest Library of movies and tv series.

Biography

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? Long was born in Brooklyn, New York, U.S. Her family is of Afro-Trinidadian descent. 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. They subsequently moved to a South Los Angeles neighborhood when Long was seven. 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. She attended the Roman Catholic school St. Mary's Academy and studied ballet, tap, jazz, gymnastics, guitar, and acting. She graduated from WestchesterHigh School in 1989. 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, then f rom 1994 - 1995, she played Will Smith's girlfriend and fiancée Beulah "Lisa" Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. 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. She also made a guest appearance on the successful sitcom Living Single during its first season. Long appeared in supporting roles in a number of movies including, Boyz n the Hood, Friday, and Made in America. She 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 was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the World in 2000 by People. She won a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 2004 for her performance on Third Watch. In addition to her film credits, she directed Yolanda Adams's music video for "This Too Shall Pass" and co-directed and appeared in Ashanti's music video, "Baby". She also appears in the video for Kanye West's, "Touch The Sky". 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.

Premonition ( 2007) | IMDb: 5.9

Drama , Mystery , Thriller

A depressed housewife who learns her husband was killed in a car accident the day previously, awakens the next morning to find him alive and well at home, and then awakens the day after to a world in which he is still dead.

Starring:

Sandra Bullock , Julian McMahon , Courtney Taylor Burness , Nia Long , Shyann McClure , Kate Nelligan

Directed by:

Mennan Yapo

Produced by:

Ashok Amritraj , Malcolm Petal , Andrew Sugerman

Big Momma's House 2 ( 2006) | IMDb: 4.8

Comedy , Crime

FBI agent Malcolm Turner goes back undercover as Big Momma, a slick-talking, slam-dunking Southern granny with attitude to spare! Now this granny must play nanny to three dysfunctional upper class kids in order to spy on their computer hacker dad.

Starring:

Martin Lawrence , Marisol Nichols , Kevin Durand , Dan Lauria , Kat Dennings , Josh Flitter

Directed by:

John Whitesell , Charles Croughwell

Produced by:

Nancy Foy , Sean Lampkin , Lisa Mae Fincannon

Are We There Yet? ( 2005) | IMDb: 4.7

Adventure , Comedy , Family , Romance

The fledgling romance between Nick, a playboy bachelor, and Suzanne, a divorced mother of two, is threatened by a particularly harrowing New Years Eve. When Suzanne's work keeps her in Vancouver for the holiday, Nick offers to bring her kids to the city from Portland, Oregon. The kids, who have never liked any of the men their mom dates, are determined to turn the trip into a nightmare for Nick.

Starring:

Ice Cube , Nia Long , Aleisha Allen , Philip Bolden , Jay Mohr , M.C. Gainey

Directed by:

Glenn Randall Jr. , David Arnold , Eddy Santos

Produced by:

Ice Cube , Tom McNulty , Charles Newirth

Alfie ( 2004) | IMDb: 6.2

Comedy , Drama , Romance

A tale of a philosophical womanizer who is forced to question his seemingly carefree existence.

Starring:

Jude Law , Marisa Tomei , Omar Epps , Jane Krakowski , Renée Taylor , Jeff Harding

Directed by:

Libbie Barr , Matthew Sharp , Charles Shyer

Produced by:

Sean Daniel , Charlie Dibe , Charles Shyer

Big Momma's House ( 2000) | IMDb: 5.2

Comedy , Crime

When a street-smart FBI agent is sent to Georgia to protect a beautiful single mother and her son from an escaped convict, he is forced to impersonate a crass Southern granny known as Big Momma in order to remain incognito.

Starring:

Martin Lawrence , Nia Long , Paul Giamatti , Jascha Washington , Terrence Howard , Anthony Anderson

Directed by:

Benita Brazier , Susan J. Hellmann , Raja Gosnell

Produced by:

David T. Friendly , Jeff Kwatinetz , Nancy Klopper

Stigmata ( 1999) | IMDb: 6.2

Fantasy , Horror , Thriller

A young woman with no strong religious beliefs, Frankie Paige begins having strange and violent experiences, showing signs of the wounds that Jesus received when crucified. When the Vatican gets word of Frankie's situation, a high-ranking cardinal requests that the Rev. Andrew Kiernan investigate her case. Soon Kiernan realizes that very sinister forces are at work, and tries to rescue Frankie from the entity that is plaguing her.

Starring:

Patricia Arquette , Gabriel Byrne , Jonathan Pryce , Nia Long , Thomas Kopache , Rade Šerbedžija

Directed by:

Jeanne Byrd , Miguel Lima , David Barrett

Produced by:

Wendy Kurtzman , Gregor Habsburg , Frank Mancuso Jr.

Made in America ( 1993) | IMDb: 5.1

Comedy

A young black woman discovers that her father was a sperm donor, and if that wasn't bad enough, he's white.

Starring:

Whoopi Goldberg , Ted Danson , Will Smith , Nia Long , Paul Rodríguez , Jennifer Tilly

Directed by:

Patrick J. Palmer , Bryan Denegal , Pamela Alch

Produced by:

Steven Reuther , Suzanne Rothbaum , Joe M. Aguilar

Nia Long Movies: Top 7 Performances by a Successful Actor

Biography