My Babes List (#18)

#18 Nia Long

Nitara Carlynn Long (born October 30, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American actress. Nitara (Nia), whose name comes from one of the seven days of Kwanzaa and means life purpose, was instructed by acting coach Betty Bridges, better known as the mother of Diff'rent Strokes child star Todd Bridges.

Early life and career

Nia Long was born to Doc and Talita Long. Nia's parents divorced when she was a little over two years old. She moved with her mother to Iowa City, Iowa, where her mother studied fine arts, and then to a lower-middle-class South Los Angeles neighborhood when Nia was seven. She attended Catholic school for a while and studied ballet, tap, jazz, gymnastics, guitar and acting. Due to the lack of employment opportunities in the Arts in Los Angeles when Nia and Talita first arrived there, Talita took various low-paying jobs, in spite of being equipped with two master's degrees, that resulted in financial straits for the mother and daughter. Nia's motivation to be successful was driven by her desire to help ease her mother's financial burden.

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Hollywood career

Her first notable role was a three-year stint as Kathryn "Kat" Speakes on the soap opera Guiding Light (1991-1994). During that time, she appeared in movies such as Boyz N the Hood, Friday, and Made in America. From 1994 to 1995, she played Will Smith's love interest on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Since then, she has appeared in leading roles in films such as Soul Food, Boiler Room, and Big Momma's House. In 2003, she joined the cast of the drama Third Watch.

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Filmography

• Big Momma's House 2 (2006)
• Are We There Yet? (2005)
• Alfie (2004)
• How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass (2003)
• Big Momma's House (2000)
• Boiler Room (2000)
• The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000)
• The Secret Laughter of Women (1999)
• Held Up (1999)
• Stigmata (1999)
• The Best Man (1999)
• In Too Deep (1999)
• Butter (1998)
• Soul Food (1997)
• Hav Plenty (1997)
• Love Jones (1997)
• Friday (1995)
• Made in America (1993)
• Boyz N The Hood (1991)
• Buried Alive (1990)

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TV Work

• Third Watch (2003-2005)
• Sightings: Heartland Ghost (2002)
• If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000)
• Black Jaq (1998)
• Live Shot (1995)
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1994-1996)
• The Guiding Light (1991-1994)
• The B.R.A.T. Patrol (1986)

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Awards

• Won a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 2004 for Third Watch.

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Trivia

• Career got started by Betty A. Bridges, mother of actor Todd Bridges. Betty was her acting coach for 15 years.
• Voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the World 2000 by People Magazine.
• Took Third Place by the readers of Black Men Magazine for "The 10 Sexiest Women of the Year." 2000.
• First child Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, with Massai Z. Dorsey was born on November 26th, 2000 in Los Angeles.
• Nia is of Trinidadian descent.
• In 2001, Long was scheduled to wed longtime boyfriend Massai Z. Dorsey, who is the father of her son Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, but their relationship ended before their wedding.

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External links

• Nia Long at the Internet Movie Database
• Ask Men - Nia Long