And theres a competition to their relationship, too, around it. An American music entrepreneur, Steve started dating the gorgeous Lathan in 2009 and broke up in early 2010. There wasnt a lot of joy and there wasnt a lot of trust in me. Sanaa made her theatrical film debut asCarolyn Brody in Drive in 1997. Its drama; its the movie. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. Official Sites Im still working to be free, still learning how to live outside of fear as I shape my professional space as an author. I couldnt even entertain the question without the fear of judgment in my ear: Have you lost your mind? [laughs]. Warning, Ladies: If You Give These to Omar Epps, Hell Throw Them Out, Who Is Bubba Watson's Wife? Through my novels, I hope to pass on the same message that Love & Basketball gifted me with 20 years ago: feel free to be yourself and create the life you want. Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Im just curious how youve both grown together, you and Love & Basketball. But nobody ever emphasizes it,to most kids, I think. A young, brown-skinned girl wearing an L.A. Lakers cap and a cant-tell-me-nothing attitude. Bankrolled by New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Brothers (Spike Lee was a guardian angel), it went on to premiere at the 2000 Sundance festival. But then I also taught yoga. We were looking forward to it for weeks, just because it was a love movie, and a love movie featuring Black characters. They were giving the basketball player acting coaches. For the record, while she initially wasnt crazy about Gina while shootingLove and Basketball, she considers her like family now and is grateful to have been a part of her classic film. I was lost in ittrapped inside an impossible cloud of other peoples opinions and expectations. So, its really about switching it in your head. But the gray gloominess that hung over New England was becoming hard to distinguish from the gloom I felt in myself. Sanaa Lathan makes her like "Love & Basketball," "Succession" and "A Raisin In The Sun." The film followed the two childhood besties through four quarters of their adolescence as they fall in love (and out, and in again) all while warding off naysayers and combating family struggles to chase their shared dreams of going pro. Percy: Oh, I so relate to that. Man, girls cant play no ball! huffs her neighbor, Quincy. Sitting there in that darkened theater, I didnt even have a dream. Tamani: Shes new to the neighborhood, yeah. Because its easy for other people to look at you and say, oh, how good youve done or how successful you are, and it looks all good from the outside. Gina Prince-Bythewood made a modern classic with She has amassed a huge fan base with more than 5 million followers on Instagram, more than 2 million followers on Twitter, and more than 6 million followers on Facebook. When the movie was released a few months later, the New York Times critic Elvis Mitchell voiced quibbles but largely admired it and especially Lathan. She wanted a basketball player who could act the role. Not easybut possible. Here I am, nobody knows me really, and she has to hire me. Sanaa Lathan (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images North America) *Sanaa Lathan has revealed that she almost turned down the role of Monica in 2000s Tamani: Its at the center of the movie, this girl who is going after her dreams. In the past, she started a foundation called the. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Sanaa Lathan's net worth is $5 million as of 2022. You can play. But then, when they see shes a girl she takes off her hat and she has long hair theyre like, Oh, girls cant ball, whatever. She had gone to University and pursued a degree in English. What was the trajectory in your mind, and the steps that led you to ultimately embracing your identity as a writer? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have entered an incorrect email address! And my first year of law school, its like youre out of college, and youre at that point where youre like, OK, this is not playtime anymore, [laughs] I felt like. I taught dance, which was, whoo! It feels so right that we end this podcast by talking about a movie that I love dearly, Love & Basketball, with the wonderful writer Liara Tamani. Impossible. She takes her incense wherever she goes to feel at home. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles. She tries to take regular breaks from social media. Our families are important. But I really started to look out into my future at that point and see misery. Its almost like she hired me because she couldnt find somebody else, so there wasnt a lot of joy and there wasnt a lot of trust in me. Sanaa was 5 years oldwhen she met the legendary singer-songwriter. She made her first TV show appearance as Charese on the sitcom,In The House in 1996. Gina [Prince-Bythewood] really wanted, and the producers, they really wanted a basketball player who could act as opposed to an actress who they could teach to play basketball, she told LAs KCAL, the CBS affiliate. Percy: Liara Tamani is a writer and proud Harvard Law School dropout. When he first saw the movie in 1997, he was captivated by all the things it got right about his world the accents, dialogue, and intimate moments. She ended up training five hours a day for a while before actually getting the job. How evident were her talents? Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Tamani: Oof, yes. It wasnt in vain, all these different things. But she holds both confidence and strength alongside vulnerability in a way that just literally leaves me speechless, each time that I watch her, and I just fall further in love with her. I distinctly remember at the end, after seeing that, I felt like, literally when she turned around and looked at Quincy and their child, I almost felt like she was reaching through the screen, asking me, So what you bout to do? [laughs] Like, I got here, so what you bout to do? Sommerville is 6-foot-10 center who is ranked the No. They dated from 1985 till 1996. I love that scene. She is the daughter of Stan Made straight As. Who is Kandi on Two and a Half Men? Flash-forward to later in the movie: shes a high school senior (played by Sanaa Lathan), sitting at the dining table, listening to her dad urge her to consider options besides playing basketball. Finally, however, she listened to her father's advice, and today she is one of the well-doing black actresses in America. If she could have dinner with any one person (dead or alive), she would like to do it with James Baldwin. The native New Yorker has appeared in several cult classics, but after what seemed to be a difference in creative direction, Lathan revealed that she almost gave up on the role L&B altogether. WebLove & Basketball Sanaa Lathan was: 28 Played: Monica Wright Fri, Apr 21 2000 The Best Man Sanaa Lathan was: 28 Played: Robin Fri, Oct 22 1999 The Wood Sanaa Sanaa believes more in spirituality than religion. When [Monica] turned around and looked at Quincy and their child, I almost felt like she was reaching through the screen, asking me, So what you bout to do?. After that, she went on to study acting under the careful guidance of professional acting teacher Earle R. Gister. WebShemar Moore and Sanaa Lathan were married in 1991 the couple filed for divorce in 1996. Its just going in the direction of things you love, youll discover things about yourself. I was uncomfortable inside her sad, confused and anxious. And it was my first time being in that place, a place I didnt know really how to name, but I felt a deep darkness. Trending :Joanna Gaines || Pat Sajak || Brandi Love || Kamala Harris || Elizabeth Warren ||. When have we seen that since? At times, I felt alone and scared. The On Being Project Yes, she dated and married Shemar Moore, an American actor and former. She cant play! So there was a lot of crying, a lot of crying behind the scenes for me.. She is also known for lending her voice to the character ofDonna Tubbs inThe Cleveland Show (2009-2013) andFamily Guy. Id become a master at taming, hiding and cutting out the parts of myself that werent compatible with the person other people wanted me to be: the rebellious, curious and sexy parts; the questioning and fearless parts. Filming & Production Sanaa Lathan is an American actress. She realized watching it that this wasnt what was right for her that she had to listen to herself, to listen to what her body was telling her, and to change her career. Here's everything you need to know, Jesus Ortiz Paz's parents, net worth, wife, and daughter, 20 female celebrities with black hair to follow in 2023, Germany hopes to help climate with discount travel card, 'Super Mario' is year's first film to pass $1 bn globally, Muigai Wa Njoroge's 2 Beautiful Wives Steal Show at Hubby's Event, JPMorgan to buy First Republic after regulators seize control. During her youth she was fully immersed in the entertainment industry and learned early on that she wanted a career in the Arts. In the end, he wins, but he chooses Monica instead, and the movie closes with her playing for the WNBA, with the name Wright-McCall on the back of her jersey. And without having the bravery to at least move in that direction, that discovery doesnt take place. Was sanaa lathan ever married? By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Percy: So Im curious, as we end our conversation Im sure youve seen this movie many more times since that first time. It took me out of my misery, and it just swept over me, the feeling of love, and made me just so ready to take it all in. Some of her notable film credit includes the box-office hit The Best Man and its 2013 sequel, Alien vs. Well, I feel like we cant talk about our favorite scenes without talking about the end scene. WebMonica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have wanted to be professional basketball stars since they were kids. Sanaa has appeared in numerous films and television series, taking great acting and voicing roles. She was rumored of dating Colin Kaepernick and Denzel Washington. They were together in the year 2005. I was living in Cambridge, in my first year at Harvard Law School, but I did not want to be a lawyer. And I absolutely love love, love, love that that film begs that question, that it asks that question of me. It has been a joy for our team to make this for all of you. She was recognized off-Broadway and on the Los Angeles stage. But I hated this sanitized, diminished version of myself. And, depending on how things pan out, it might be the top recruiting class in the nation. She wanted a basketball player who could act the role. Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. The "Love and Basketball" star. I felt seen this girl who is like, shes gonna fight for what she wants, under any circumstances. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. She doesnt get there that dayher team loses the game. Anyone can read what you share. Required fields are marked *. Actress Sanaa Lathan is a show stopper and head turner that has fans swooning over a pic of her in a nearly nude swimsuit. Like Selena the person, writer Shea Serrano is also a Mexican American from Texas. It might have crossed my mind to yank my head away from my mother as a child, but I wouldnt have dared. The other challenge was the actress had never played basketball prior to the film. I would always get to the last step and they would throw in another basketball player, she said. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. WebLove & Basketball (2000) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Throughout the movie, its song after song. Work is not the only thing. Get into your joy. The actress said, as soon as I switched to that energy and started having fun in the process, I got the job., In 2019, the Nappily Ever After star spoke about her experience while shooting the beloved film, expressing that she felt miserable and had often believed that she got the job because I think [director] finally got to the point where she had to hire somebody. She added, Its almost like she hired me because she couldnt find somebody else. She is best pals with actressRegina Hall. Percy: I know. And its one of the reasons why, no matter what the dialogue is, she just brings such depth to it. So thank the goddess for Gina Prince-Bythewood, whose Netflix action-adventure The Old Guard with its mysteries, kinetic action, tight set pieces and pensive superheroes has delivered the transporting pleasures we need. Didnt curse, drink or smoke. By the end of shooting, we were cool and very close, she said. Liara Tamani is the author of the upcoming novel All The Things We Never Knew (Greenwillow/HarperCollins). She already had more than 30 plays under her belt, and that gave her some of the confidence she needed to get through it all. They include: Meena Harris: biological father, husband, children, net worth. Im Lily Percy. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. I had a dance background, but I had never picked up a basketball. Still, during an appearance on Strong Black Leads Surviving The No, the actress revealed that her break-out role almost didnt happen. [laughs] But I was starting to awaken to the reality that not being connected to what I loved came at a cost, a huge cost, really happiness. And of course she should choose herself, if somebodys asking you that. It took dismissing the pressures from everyone else and standing strong in herself. Copyright 2023. For me, I cant go any further without just talking about Sanaa Lathan, who I absolutely love. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! Percy: And shes new to the neighborhood; they just moved there. And when you are so focused or when I was so focused on success, success, achievement, achievement, and worried about what other people would think of me if I dropped out, or if I went down a path that was less traveled and less set up for the type of success that society thinks is successful, there was a great fear in departing from that, because its about setting up a version of success for yourself or defining success for yourself. Sanaa used to do roller skating daily when in third grade. But then, who is gonna drop out of law school? Sanaa Lathan is opening up about her miserable experience working on Love & Basketball considered one of the best sports rom-coms ever. It was a message I really needed to hear at that time. Writer Liara Tamani first saw the movie in 2000 when she was a reluctant student at Harvard Law School. Now I write books for young adults. Sanaas father is Stan Lathan. Percy: because this movies set in the mid-90s. So its amazing to think about that. Tamani: Yeah what I was not ready for was the gem hiding inside of that romance. When she did, she said she felt like she was somewhat unwanted, which is why filming, for her, wasnt as enjoyable as people might have thought it was. 51 years old: Family Name : Lathan: Birth Country : United States: Birth Sign : Virgo : Height : 5 Feet 7 Inch: Name: Sanaa Lathan: Alien vs. It was a big deal for her. | | Unfortunately, no. If I had been an actress who hadnt really done a lot, just a couple of acting classes, I would have probably been terrified. Sanaa Lathan Monica Wright: Omar Epps Quincy A Love and Basketball film without Sanaa Lathan seems almost unimaginable. And I love what you say here. Percy: Id love to talk about your favorite things about the movie. And I was just at that point where this motivated me to start doing that. I worked for an interior design company. Co-stars have been best friends for a long time All About Angie Watson, The Best Drama Movies on Netflix to Stream Now, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Friendship Timeline, The Cast of 'The Super Mario Bros Movie': All About the Voice Actors, *NSYNC Remembers U.S. The movie tells the story of Monica Wright, played by Sanaa Lathan, and Quincy McCall, Omar Epps, two neighbors who grow up next to each other, first as friends, sometimes as enemies and competitors on the basketball court, who over time start to see each other in new ways. Tamani: You cannot. It was a big deal for her, and nobody knows me then, really. Well, Im very excited, as I told you, to be here talking about a movie that I love, Love & Basketball. I wasnt thinking about the director or the writer. And it not only has to do with work or even her relationship in general, but I think its relevant to every part of our humanity, what we believe and what we value. Tamani: Its funny; because I grew up in the church, and so I grew up in kind of a strict religious household, I was introduced to fear very early. Sanaa also goes to the gym and works out with celebrity trainer Mike T atForce Fitness Inc. in Los Angeles. Tamani: No, its very unrealistic. Magazines, Digital Tamani: So good. As one of my prophets, Roger Ebert, famously said, Ill see you at the movies., [music: Love and Happiness by Al green]. Monica may know what she wants in life, but getting it isnt easy. Percy: No, those are your words! The story of April Bowlby, PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Kenyas #1 news app. Technical Specs, See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro, Crenshaw High School Girl's Basketball Team, key hair stylist (as Brian Andrew Tunstall), assistant director: additional photography / second assistant director, supervising sound designer / supervising sound editor, camera operator: "b" camera / steadicam operator, assistant location manager (as Judy Heinzen), production coordinator: Spain (as Maxine Parker). As an actor, she does this for me in every role that she takes on even when the movies arent very good, shes still fantastic. Catch Sanaa in The Twilight Zone, streaming now on CBS All Access. Gina and the producers really wanted a basketball player that could act as opposed to an actress they could teach to play basketball. Tamani: Some of my favorite scenes I definitely love the first-kiss scene when theyre kids, [laughs] when Quincy decides to ask Monica to be his girlfriend, and then they count to five well, he counts to five on his hand while they kiss. They would always do a basketball audition for me, which was just the worst. Love & Basketball pays homage to idea that anything boys can do, girls can do better, and it and ends with Quincy and Monica engaging in a final game of double or nothing with very high stakes: She challenges him to one-on-one. It took dismissing the pressures from everyone else and standing strong in herself. So many of us suffer from different insecurities or different fears. Percy: Youre a parent too. Shes always been a sensitive director of actors, but she also knows how to move the camera. It took a while for that talent to take another big step, though not for a lack of trying, and it was eight years before her second feature, The Secret Life of Bees, put Prince-Bythewood back in our sights. Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan in 'Love & Basketball'. And Id love for you to just close your eyes and think about where you were when you first saw that movie, how you were feeling, who you were with any memories that come to mind. I did what I was told. Percy: Exactly. And he was spot on when he wrote that when it came to its writer-director, the film was the first step, however unsteady, of an intriguing new talent.. But as a baller herself she balled, growing up she was sharing her own truth with that movie, which is a beautiful . (The WNBA didnt exist yet.). Find those wherever you like to listen, or visit us at onbeing.org to find out more. But up on the big screen, Monica isnt letting her dad, her fear or anyone else tell her what to do. The siblings are Tendaji Lathan, Colette Lathan, Lilane Lathan, and Arielle Lathan. Percy: It is, and when its also coupled and I dont know if this was your experience, but for me it was also coupled with how to be a woman. Id been trying to become a lawyer for so long that I had no idea what I wanted for my future. Learn how your comment data is processed. [laughs] And I thought that was a perfect song. As a voice actress, she made her TV show debut as Donna Tubbs inThe Cleveland Show in 2009. Liara Tamani: That I was completely lost. But her vision of herself as a ball player holds strong. Were Sanaa Lathan and Regina Hall in a relationship? The two dated in the year 2006. Tamani: Exactly. Adewale dated the gorgeous Lathan from the year 2007 till 2008. In the next scene, a fresh cut is bleeding on Monicas chin and her mother is cleaning it in the bathroom while scolding her for running around like a little boy. Annoyed, Monica yanks her head away, eyes her new wound in the mirror and smiles. Through acting, she has accumulated beautiful wealth. But I knew I could do the role, she said. Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan in 'Love & Basketball'. They want her! With The Old Guard, she became the first Black woman to direct a big comic-book movie. Love & Basketball (2000) Official Trailer - Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps Basketball Movie HD. To maintain this lifestyle, they work hard to get good money from the roles their play. Percy: I think its the connection to yourself that youre describing, right? And I feel like most of my adult life has been reminding myself not to be afraid. After finishing my first year of law school, I didnt go back. Tamani: [laughs] That is exactly how I felt. And I loved how short-lived it is, because hes like, Oh, now you have to ride on the back of my bike. And shes like, No. Unlike Monicaa ball player at heart, who knows exactly what she wantsmy heroine hates basketball and has no idea what to do with her life after graduation. Thank you for subscribing! Tuko.co.ke shared an interesting article about Kourtney Pogue's nationality, net worth, career, and Justin Turner's relationship. (My partner-in-cinema, A.O. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. This is our last episode of This Movie Changed Me, and I want to say thank you. Were gonna do what you need, she says, No. And she has to go through it. Whos about to do that? The actress is also known for dating high-profile men and one woman and remained single to date. Comments will be open until 12 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday so please swing by, we need everyone off the bench. Through her fathers encouragement to perfect on acting on the Los Angeles stage, Sanaa bagged television roles in episodes of shows such as In the House, Family Matters, NYPD Blue, and Moesha. Watch Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan in the famously steamy scene from their 2000 romance film. While the basketball players were being taught to act in the hopes of filling the role, Sanaa, for some time, was left on her own to learn basketball. Omar Epps plays Quincy McCall, Karim Kharbouch, better known as French Montana is one of Lathan's boyfriend who is an American rapper. Lets All Watch Love & Basketball, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/23/movies/love-basketball-sanaa-lathan-omar-epps.html. Sanaa in Swahili means work of art and beauty. It was her baby and it was her first time directing. I dont think Id ever, before that point, I really dont think Id ever seen a character like her on the screen. And thats a part of her recognizing her worth and recognizing the importance of her dreams, part of knowing where she wants to go and how important it is for her to get there a huge part of her character that Gina Prince-Bythewood wrote. It was a big deal for her and nobody knows me then really. But its so basic, you know? PAY ATTENTION: Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme. But yeah. Sanaa Lathan was born on September 19, 1971, which makes her 29 years old at the time that Love and Basketball was released in 2000. Her brother Tendaji Lathan is a well-known DJ. Lily Percy, host: Hello, fellow movie fans. I also grew up in the church, and that was my experience, as well. Thats freedom. Shes the author of the books All the Things We Never Knew and Calling My Name. [laughs]. Though most people who watch Love and Basketball see it as the role that made Sanaa Lathan a star, looking back at it now, 19 years after the films release, the Tamani: I would say, now that Im a writer, I have an appreciation for Gina Prince-Bythewood as an artist, as a storyteller. Her first name Sanaa is pronounced as Sa-NAA just as Sinatra would be pronounced with missing tra. Ryan Garcia's kids, wife, baby mamas, and his dating life. I wasnt thinking about any of that. I know that we have the scene where Monica is made over by her sister, and she goes to prom, and her mom for the first time tells her that shes beautiful. How can I shape my life according to what I love, even more? When Gina Prince-Bythewoods Love & Basketball was released 20 years ago, it was celebrated as a mainstream romantic film featuring Black characters, but I treasured it for so much more. Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme. Tamani: Yes. Tamani: It was a long path, because I didnt even know I wanted to be a writer, when I was in law school. They start to fall in love with each other. She likes to eat her salty popcorn by mixing it with some Raisinets (chocolate-covered raisins). They were like, OK, cool. Sanaa Lathan biography with personal life (affair, boyfriend , Lesbian), married info . And if those fears and insecurities are alive within us, and especially if we are unaware of them, of course theyre gonna be passed on to our children. Percy: And thats one of the things that even watching this movie now I struggle with, and Im so glad that the message that comes out of it is that you are beautiful, if youre wearing your hair up in a ponytail and youre wearing a basketball uniform you dont have to be made up. Shes living a life of her own, one she created. Im gonna be the first girl in the NBA, she says. Predator, Love & Basketball, Brown Sugar and The Family That Preys. Im so curious if thats something that strikes you. [laughs] And I learned that the consequences of not obeying had severe consequences hell, essentially. And along the way, the things that I tried on, I still incorporate them in my life. The first time that I saw it, I was in college, and I was so struck by the relationship at the center of the movie the love story. The entertainment industry has continued to be among the best paying industries. Awards and nominations Percy: You write about it in that same essay for Time. Epps, now 41, and Lathan, now 43, led the romantic drama as childhood sweethearts Quincy McCall and Monica Wright, respectively. Tendaji Lathan, Colette Lathan, Lilane Lathan, Arielle Lathan. Some of the richest actresses like Sanaa Lathan have a classy lifestyle. [laughs]. Monica Wright (played by Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy McCall (played by Omar Epps) are sometimes friends, enemies, lovers, and competitors. Tamani: But its hard when it gets embedded in you, in a sense, when your early self is constructed around it. The comedy-drama The Best Man became one of the top ten highest-grossing African Americans with Sanaa in the film, together with Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau Jr., and Morris Chestnut films in history. According to her, she has one of the tastiest recipes for macaroni and cheese because that is her grandmothers. [laughs] Its funny now, but it wasnt, then. I was starting to get that feeling. Company Credits Though most people who watch Love and Basketball see it as the role that made Sanaa Lathan a star, looking back at it now, 19 years after the films release, the Sanaa Lathan stars in the iconic indie as Monica Wright, a determined young woman who dreams of playing pro basketball.
Jefferson Parish Arrests March 2021, Articles H