
Nia Long
Known for ActingBorn 1970-10-30 (age 55)Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
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.Read more
Movies & web series
★ 9.2View details →
People's Choice Awards
1975 · Series
★ 8.2View details →
Life in a Year
2020 · Movie
★ 8.0View details →
‘Friday’ Straight Up
2009 · Movie
★ 8.0View details →
Living Single
1993 · Series
★ 7.9View details →
Boston Legal
2004 · Series
★ 7.9View details →
Third Watch
1999 · Series
★ 7.6View details →
Michael
2026 · Movie
★ 7.9View details →
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990 · Series
★ 7.6View details →
The Banker
2020 · Movie
★ 7.8View details →
ER
1994 · Series
★ 7.5View details →
Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story
2024 · Movie
★ 7.5View details →
The Best Man: The Final Chapters
2022 · Series
★ 7.4View details →
Missing
2023 · Movie
★ 7.5View details →
NCIS: Los Angeles
2009 · Series
★ 7.6View details →
Everwood
2002 · Series
★ 7.5View details →
America Beyond the Color Line
2004 · Series
★ 7.6View details →
Boyz n the Hood
1991 · Movie
★ 7.5View details →
Judging Amy
1999 · Series
★ 7.9View details →
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954 · Series
★ 7.3View details →
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009 · Series
★ 7.4View details →
Love Jones
1997 · Movie
★ 7.1View details →
Empire
2015 · Series
★ 7.3View details →
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993 · Series
★ 7.1View details →
Friday
1995 · Movie
★ 7.1View details →
Moesha
1996 · Series
★ 6.8View details →
Look Both Ways
2022 · Movie
★ 7.0View details →
Live Shot
1995 · Series
★ 6.8View details →
106 & Park
2000 · Series
★ 6.6View details →
The Divide
2014 · Series
★ 6.6View details →
House of Lies
2012 · Series
★ 6.7View details →
Boiler Room
2000 · Movie
★ 6.6View details →
Good Hair
2009 · Movie
★ 6.5View details →
The Best Man Holiday
2013 · Movie
★ 6.6View details →
The Best Man
1999 · Movie
★ 6.4View details →
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019 · Series
★ 6.5View details →
Big Shots
2007 · Series
★ 6.5View details →
If These Walls Could Talk 2
2000 · Movie
★ 6.5View details →
Baadasssss!
2004 · Movie
★ 6.5View details →
In Too Deep
1999 · Movie
The Tony Danza Show
★ 6.4View details →
The Tony Danza Show
2004 · Series
★ 6.4View details →
The Daily Show
1996 · Series
★ 6.3View details →
Premonition
2007 · Movie
★ 6.3View details →
Stigmata
1999 · Movie
★ 6.3View details →
Soul Food
1997 · Movie
★ 6.3View details →
The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy
2000 · Movie
★ 6.1View details →
Beaches
2017 · Movie
★ 6.0View details →
Roxanne Roxanne
2017 · Movie
★ 6.0View details →
Keanu
2016 · Movie