Not easybut possible. Sanaa Lathan Describes Miserable Process Behind Love And It was a big deal for her, and nobody knows me then, really. Its a beautiful thing. Our families are important. 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. Tamani: Shes new to the neighborhood, yeah. Sitting there in that darkened theater, I didnt even have a dream. Shes always been a sensitive director of actors, but she also knows how to move the camera. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. That scene, to this day, its so groundbreaking and unexpected. Sanaa Lathan biography with personal life (affair, boyfriend , Lesbian), married info . But for me, Monica Wright will always be a shining example of whats possible when we have the courage to stand alone in the truth of ourselves. I arranged flowers, which I love still, arranging flowers. It took dismissing the pressures from everyone else and standing strong in herself. And theres a line in the movie that I feel like summarizes so much of what weve been talking about, when she says, When youre a kid, you see the life you want, and it never crosses your mind that its not gonna turn out that way. And again, I dont think anyone else delivering that line wouldve been able to give it the depth that she does; its just so much who Sanaa Lathan is. Is this just our lot? An American music entrepreneur, Steve started dating the gorgeous Lathan in 2009 and broke up in early 2010. Love How Old Was Sanaa Lathan in Love and Basketball? Other things in my life at the time just the misery, too [laughs] was making me feel like that. That mastery had led me to the most prestigious law school in the country. Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Percy: Exactly. Adults like to tell kids what they expect them to do or what they think is right or what they think is good, instead of encouraging them to look on the inside of themselves or to figure out what they love. It was like she was showing me parts of myself Id forgotten about, ignored or maybe never knew were there. Writer Liara Tamani first saw the movie in 2000 when she was a reluctant student at Harvard Law School. Ive spent a whole lifetime, really, trying to break free from fear. You talk about how you were feeling at that time, when you first encountered Monica. It was a situation where Gina [Prince-Bythewood], the director, did not want an actress who could play basketball. [laughs] I dont enjoy the marketing aspect. Thats the thing, because Monica has to stand alone in herself many a time, when people dont believe in her. By the end of shooting, we were cool and very close, she said. And so, for me, becoming a lawyer equaled guaranteed success. 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?. (The WNBA didnt exist yet.). The boys grudgingly let her play, and she schools them. She became famous as a voice actress from 2009 to 2013. Percy: And shes new to the neighborhood; they just moved there. The On Being Project is located on Dakota land. SANAA LATHAN is a well-established American actress. Love Sanaa Lathan (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images North America) *Sanaa Lathan has revealed that she almost turned down the role of Monica in 2000s Moreover, she is well best known for her Tony Award-nominated performance in the film A Raisin. The two have been together for a long time, having dated for a while before getting married, and are a perfect power couple. Featured Image by Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0. Sanaa Lathan is an American actress and voice actress who is best known for the characters that she has played in several films such asThe Best Man Holiday (2013),Love & Basketball (2000),Brown Sugar (2002), andAlien vs. PAY ATTENTION: Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme. 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. Thank you for subscribing! Its like: Me, or basketball, which is what he was asking her at the time. Sanaa used to do roller skating daily when in third grade. I couldnt even entertain the question without the fear of judgment in my ear: Have you lost your mind? Liara Tamani: That I was completely lost. And so along the way to getting to writing, I also discovered other parts of myself. She is the daughter of Stan Lathan and Eleanor McCoy. Sanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress, best known for her performance in A Raisin in the Sun for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. And I was already feeling like, I have to, because you know, when you get to that low point, its like, I cant stay here. (Terms and conditions). 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. Liara Tamani is the author of the upcoming novel All The Things We Never Knew (Greenwillow/HarperCollins). It wasnt in vain, all these different things. Percy: You write about it in that same essay for Time. It was a big deal for her. Viewing Party! Lets All Watch Love & Basketball - New York Times Actress and comedian, Hall is the first lady partner of Lathan. And theres a competition to their relationship, too, around it. Sanaa Lathan is an American actress. Sanaa prefers to stick to a vegan diet (along with some fish) and tries to stick to 1200 calories a day. I would always get to the last step and they would throw in another basketball player, she said. After finishing my first year of law school, I didnt go back. Sitting in the Harvard Square movie theater, between two of my girls from class, I watched Monica Wright roll up on her new neighbor and his friends playing basketball and ask if she could join. But nobody ever emphasizes it,to most kids, I think. An American actor and former fashion model, Shemar is one of Lathan's boyfriend. I just took the movie in, the first time I saw it. And I absolutely love love, love, love that that film begs that question, that it asks that question of me. And I was on the verge of dropping out of the audition process. Sanaa Lathan stars in the iconic indie as Monica Wright, a determined young woman who dreams of playing pro basketball. Tamani: No, its very unrealistic. Sanaa Lathan Monica Wright: Omar Epps Quincy Shes like a sister to me. All of which is to say its time to revisit Love & Basketball, Prince-Bythewoods debut feature and first screen triumph. And we all have to balance that, I think, with our careers and our work. 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. WebShemar Moore and Sanaa Lathan were married in 1991 the couple filed for divorce in 1996. (Yes, teenage boys worshipped his game, on and off the court.). I went on a winding path through the sports and entertainment industries and the interior design field. 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. No, I love the way that ended, because its like she fought for what she wanted, and she got what she wanted. The team behind This Movie Changed Me is: Gautam Srikishan, Chris Heagle, Eddie Gonzalez, Lilian Vo, Christiane Wartell, Tony Liu, and Kristin Lin. She had gone to University and pursued a degree in English. Fifteen years ago on Tuesday, Love & Basketball debuted in theaters. Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan in 'Love & Basketball'. Sometimes its hard to remove that from you, even as an adult. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. One of my all time favorites! For those seeking summertime movie fun, this has been an interminable season of discontent. What is Sanaa Lathans ethnicity? In the films most memorable scene, Quincy challenged Monica to a steamy game of one-on-one strip basketball. They include: Meena Harris: biological father, husband, children, net worth. Terrell Owens, an American Football wide receiver (2006), Steve Rifkind, an American music entrepreneur (2009-2010), French Montana, an American rapper (2013), Do Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps have a child together? And every time I watch the film I watched it last week just to get ready again for this interview. Im always encouraging her to do what she loves and to explore herself and to think about what she wants or think about what she enjoys. Scott, is on vacation.) Unfortunately, no. Released in 2000, it stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps as childhood friends turned young adults bound by feelings for each other and a shared passion for basketball. Sanaa Lathan Height, Weight, Age While playing at USC and then overseas, she encounters more haters and difficulties. [laughs]. She is the daughter of Stan All Rights Reserved. I also grew up in the church, and that was my experience, as well. Following the recognition, she appeared in Life film in 1999, together with co-stars Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy. She likes the sweet-salty taste of the end product. Predator(2004). Its funny, because Im like, Where do you get this from? Actress: Alien vs. Liara Tamani is the author of the acclaimed Calling My Name, which was a 2018 PEN America Literary Award Finalist and SCBWI Golden Kite Finalist, and All the Things We Never Knew, which was a 2020 Kirkus Best YA Book of the Year. While training at Yale, Sanaa performed in several Shakespeare plays. Special thanks to Grace J. Kim, who created the beautiful artwork for all of our episodes this season. Im gonna keep playing.. We had other Black love movies at the time, like Love Jones and even Brown Sugar. It might have crossed my mind to yank my head away from my mother as a child, but I wouldnt have dared. Even when you recognize it and youre trying to fight against it and say, No, Im gonna be free, its hard. I had a dance background, but I had never picked up a basketball. And really from a young age, I was a high achiever, and I was really very attached to that part of my identity. I was very lucky I did a staged reading of the script when she was still working on the script. And I know that the things that I do get were mine, and always mine., Your email address will not be published. They were like, OK, cool. That was part of the problem, because it wasnt like, Let me leave law school to do this big, great thing. It was like, Let me leave law school and then tell people I dont know what Im gonna do. [laughs], Percy: Its so good for you to say that, because I think a lot of times, especially when youre a teenager, you just assume theres gonna be these very concrete steps that you can take, and youll just suddenly know things. However, that was very difficult to do, so while they worked hard to find basketball players who could possibly play Monica, they kept Sanaa around because they liked her reading of the part. WebMonica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have wanted to be professional basketball stars since they were kids. And I feel like most of my adult life has been reminding myself not to be afraid. WebActress Sanaa Lathan confessed recently that Love and Basketball made her miserable. This is our last episode of This Movie Changed Me, and I want to say thank you. She went straight to 7th grade after she completed her 5th grade. Awards and nominations Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. Tamani: It formed right at the end, and she added it right at the end. No, in life, in real life for most of us, its just putting one foot in front of the other and taking one step and then another toward the things you love, in the direction of the things you love. And then one night, I sat down at my drafting table and started writing. Along the way to becoming a writer, I worked in marketing, which I guess I have to incorporate it for my writing, but I dont enjoy it. Thats already stressful enough, without the added pressures that their parents bring. They want her! No way Monica would let that happen to her. Sommerville is 6-foot-10 center who is ranked the No. Thank you for subscribing! They were giving the basketball player acting coaches. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. So many of us suffer from different insecurities or different fears. 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 worked in marketing. But as a baller herself she balled, growing up she was sharing her own truth with that movie, which is a beautiful . 2023 TIME USA, LLC. I was miserable. Omar Epps plays Quincy McCall, My latest is the love story of two high school basketball players. Her mother is Eleanor McCoy, an actress and dancer well known for performing on Broadway with Eartha Kitt. It has been a joy for our team to make this for all of you. Monica Wright (played by Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy McCall (played by Omar Epps) are sometimes friends, enemies, lovers, and competitors. By continuing to use this website, you agree to our cookie and, Sanaa Lathan Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics, Clare McConnell Height, Weight, Age, Boyfriend, Family, Jorma Tommila Height, Weight, Age, Wife, Family, Aksel Hennie Height, Weight, Age, Wife, Net Worth, Family, Lucia Lachkovi Javorekov Height, Weight, Age, Boyfriend, Bio, Veronika Rajek Height, Weight, Age, Net Worth, Boyfriend, Family, A. R. Ameen Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics, Toby Smiles Height, Weight, Age, Disability, Family. Sanaa also goes to the gym and works out with celebrity trainer Mike T atForce Fitness Inc. in Los Angeles. 'We Are Perpetual Foreigners.' Tamani: Oh, Tupac, the jokes, the outfits, the language all of that, and just seeing people who looked like me loved, being loved, and loving other people up on the big screen its a big deal. Get the news that matters from one of the leading news sites in Kenya, East Pokot Residents Have No Share in Our Gov't, Rigathi Gachagua Declares, Loise Kim Says Sister Lost a Lot of Blood, Had Cardiac Arrest Before She Died, Miley Cyrus Mom, Tish Cyrus Engaged to Prison Break Star Dominic Purcell: A Thousand Times Yes", Shakahola Deaths: Gov't Direct Detectives to Investigate Possibility of Organ Harvesting, Rigathi Gachagua Discloses He Barred Samidoh from Travelling Abroad Due to His Romantic Affairs, Is Terry Flenory alive? Tamani: It was a long path, because I didnt even know I wanted to be a writer, when I was in law school. A young, brown-skinned girl wearing an L.A. Lakers cap and a cant-tell-me-nothing attitude. Then a bright star came into view. Sanaa Lathan Admits She Was "Miserable" Shooting Yes. 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks produced Love & Basketball, and the clips you heard in this episode are credited entirely to them. Finally I demanded, If you want me to continue, youre going to have to get me a basketball coach because I hear youre giving these basketball players acting coaches, and they did.. the two were co-stars in the 2003s. WebLove & Basketball (2000) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood Writing Credits ( WGA) Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification Produced by Music by Terence Blanchard Cinematography by Reynaldo Villalobos Film Editing by Terilyn A. Shropshire Casting By Aisha Coley The romantic drama starred Omar Epps as hotshot basketball player Quincy McCall and Sanaa Lathan as his feisty girlfriend Monica Wright, who loves the sport as much as he does. Its hard, like we said, because as human beings, also, as much as we say, Oh, I dont care what anybody thinks you know those people? Growing up, she took part in gymnastics and dance and also indulged in performing arts and athletics. What song would we cue up right here for you? It was her baby, and it was her first time directing. She ended up training five hours a day for a while before actually getting the job. What is Sanaa Lathans net worth? Youre gonna be my cheerleader, Quincy replies before Monica beats him to the basket. Our whole lives, the totality of our lives, we have to work to balance that to achieve happiness. How Old Was Sanaa Lathan In Love And Basketball? Here I am, nobody knows me really, and she has to hire me. According to her, she has one of the tastiest recipes for macaroni and cheese because that is her grandmothers. She has her career, and she has her family, and she has her man supporting her. Sanaa Lathan On Filming Love & Basketball: I Was Miserable Deriving from a dance background, the 47-year-old thespian had no prior basketball experience Like Selena the person, writer Shea Serrano is also a Mexican American from Texas. It was the basketball.. The two dated during the, Did Sanaa Lathan have a baby with Denzel Washington? She was hugely inspirational in that way, to see such a strong woman, a strong girl. Though most people who watchLove and Basketballsee it as the role that made Sanaa Lathan a star, looking back at it now, 19 years after the films release, the 47-year-old actress said shooting the project was a miserable experience. Percy: Id love to talk about your favorite things about the movie. Shes an amazing artist.. Percy: I think its the connection to yourself that youre describing, right? Sanaa Lathan on Why She Almost Quit Love & Basketball Role If she could have dinner with any one person (dead or alive), she would like to do it with James Baldwin. Gina and the producers really wanted a basketball player that could act as opposed to an actress they could teach to play basketball. But I knew I could do the role, she said. But then I also taught yoga. Love & Basketball Liara Tamani Set in Los Angeles (where Prince-Bythewood ran track at the University of California), it uses the intimately personal to memorably open up a larger, richer world. Percy: Poetic Justice, I remember going with my girlfriends to see that. [laughs] When you say that, its like, its so not true, though. Tamani: Yeah what I was not ready for was the gem hiding inside of that romance. WebLove & Basketball (2000) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. And its funny, because I think that shaped me in so many ways, and so Im the very opposite with my daughter. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Its drama; its the movie. Tamani: Exactly. Watch on. 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 has a bachelors degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley and a drama masters degree from the Yale University School of Drama. Sanaa Lathans age is 50 years old as of todays date 18th January 2022 having been born on 19 September 1971. And I was like, I cant live like this. 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. I cant my future cannot be here. Thats how I felt. Sanaa Lathan Does Sanaa Lathan have a husband? Despite being in many relationships, Lathan is still single. OK. You always feel it. [laughs]. Sanaa had been exposed to celebrities and entertainment since her childhood years as both her parents are well-known in the entertainment industry. Im still working to be free, still learning how to live outside of fear as I shape my professional space as an author. 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. Were Sanaa Lathan and Regina Hall in a relationship? Of course, we are going to be directing them and trying to direct them, according to our fears and insecurities. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! I got the job and I think Gina finally got to the point where she had to hire somebody. The siblings are Tendaji Lathan, Colette Lathan, Lilane Lathan, and Arielle Lathan. I was uncomfortable inside hersad, confused and anxious. Released in 2000, it stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps as childhood friends turned young adults bound by feelings for each other and a shared passion for basketball. Copyright 2023. Pay attention: Become TUKO.co.ke ambassador get a branded T-shirt, hoodie or water bottle at our TUKO Shop! But youve also become so many other things as part of your identity, including a writer. And that says a lot about, I think, where I was, [laughs] just thinking about the love story. But even with that, the overall message of the movie is that she falls in love, and she is loved, just for who she is, not because of this kind of way of showcasing femininity. Tamani: So good. Required fields are marked *. I cant live here. Its not the only thing. 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. She holds an MFA in writing from Vermont College and lives in Houston. | She takes her incense wherever she goes to feel at home. She is best pals with actressRegina Hall. Parental pressure is something that the writer Liara Tamani knows very well. Now I write books for young adults. Its been years since Ive seen Love & Basketball, and Im eager to revisit it. Percy: One of the reasons why its so sincere. 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. And she has to go through it. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. In a new interview with CBS Locals DJ Sixsmith, Lathan dishes on what it was really like for her working on the project as a young actress who had to prove herself worthy of the starring role. I got this. Text RICKEY to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. 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Watch on. 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. Lathan has bagged accolades throughout her career due to her outstanding movies and TV shows roles. I love that. Id gone to law school because my father was a lawyer and expected me to become one, too. I was lost in ittrapped inside an impossible cloud of other peoples opinions and expectations. Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Percy: Youre a parent too. She cant play! So there was a lot of crying, a lot of crying behind the scenes for me.. She continued, It was really hard to keep kind of investing and trying to prove myself and keep kind of being shot down. You say: 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. There wasnt a lot of joy and there wasnt a lot of trust in me. Ive worked really hard, Percy: Is it like, Do we all have this, as women? Im so curious if thats something that strikes you. [laughs], Percy: No, I really do care a lot. [laughs], But theres something about the struggle and the pain that you were going through that you describe back in your freshman year that was necessary to your own I hate using the word journey now, because it sounds so silly when people use it, but it was it was really necessary , Percy: And I think about, for Monica, breaking up with Quincy, the person that she loved the most in her life outside of her family, going and playing basketball in the womens league in Europe, because at the time this is the other thing that blew my mind at the time, the WNBA didnt exist . Gabrielle Union and Sanaa Lathan Reunite 15 Years After Love & Basketball and Haven't Aged a DaySee the Pics! Shes feminine simply by being who she is. Although she was born in a family of parents in the entertainment industry, Sanaa Lathan did not have a passion for acting until her father coaxed her. 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. She was recognized off-Broadway and on the Los Angeles stage. But the familiar songs; I think of, when you say Poetic Justice, the braids, the hairstyles you know. And even though Ive seen this movie at least, like, probably eight times, Im always caught off guard by the fact that Gina Prince-Bythewood decided to write a scene in which the woman is the star, and shes watching her man take care of their kid.
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