Nia Long

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 BelAir and Third Watch and the films Soul Food Love Jones The Best Man Big Mommas House and Are We There Yet   Long was born in Brooklyn New York US Her family is of AfroTrinidadian descent Her name Nia is one of the seven days of Kwanzaa which means purpose in Swahili Longs 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 Longs father currently resides in Trenton New Jersey Longs halfsister is comedienne Sommore one of the stars of The Queens of Comedy She attended the Roman Catholic school St Marys Academy and studied ballet tap jazz gymnastics guitar and acting She graduated from WestchesterHigh School in 1989 Longs acting coach was Betty Bridges better known as the mother of Diffrent Strokes star Todd Bridges Her earliest role was in the Disney television movie The BRAT Patrol alongside Sean Astin Tim Thomerson and Brian Keith Her first notable role on television was a threeyear 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 Smiths 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 20062007 season Long also starred in Big Shots from 20072008 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 Mommas 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 Adamss music video for This Too Shall Pass and codirected and appeared in Ashantis music video Baby She also appears in the video for Kanye Wests Touch The Sky Long and her former longtime boyfriend and fellow actor Massai Z Dorsey have a son Massai Zhivago Dorsey II born on November 26 2000