Nia Long
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 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.
Known For Acting
Popularity 32.164
Birthday 1970-10-30
Place of Birth Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Also Known As ნია ლონგი, ניה לונג, Ніа Лонг,
Boyz n the Hood
1991

Boyz n the Hood

Are We Done Yet?
2007

Are We Done Yet?

Stigmata
1999

Stigmata

Friday
1995

Friday

Gospel Hill
2008

Gospel Hill

Good Hair
2009

Good Hair

Buried Alive
1989

Buried Alive

Big Momma's House 2
2006

Big Momma's House 2

In Too Deep
1999

In Too Deep

The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy
2000

The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy

Are We There Yet?
2005

Are We There Yet?

Made in America
1993

Made in America

Alfie
2004

Alfie

Big Momma's House
2000

Big Momma's House

Premonition
2007

Premonition

Love Jones
1997

Love Jones

If These Walls Could Talk 2
2000

If These Walls Could Talk 2

Baadasssss!
2004

Baadasssss!

Boiler Room
2000

Boiler Room

The B.R.A.T. Patrol
1986

The B.R.A.T. Patrol

Soul Food
1997

Soul Food

The Best Man
1999

The Best Man

Mooz-lum
2011

Mooz-lum

Held Up
1999

Held Up

You People
2023

You People

Butter
1998

Butter

The Best Man Holiday
2013

The Best Man Holiday

Sightings: Heartland Ghost
2002

Sightings: Heartland Ghost

The Secret Laughter of Women
1999

The Secret Laughter of Women

The Single Moms Club
2014

The Single Moms Club

Michael
2025

Michael

Keanu
2016

Keanu

Roxanne Roxanne
2017

Roxanne Roxanne

Beaches
2017

Beaches

Lemon
2017

Lemon

Life in a Year
2020

Life in a Year

Hav Plenty
1997

Hav Plenty

47 Meters Down: Uncaged
2019

47 Meters Down: Uncaged

Friendly Fire: Making of an Urban Legend
2003

Friendly Fire: Making of an Urban Legend

The Enduring Significance of 'Boyz n the Hood'
2011

The Enduring Significance of 'Boyz n the Hood'

The Banker
2020

The Banker

Fatal Affair
2020

Fatal Affair

Missing
2023

Missing

Look Both Ways
2022

Look Both Ways

Third Watch
1999

Third Watch

The Tony Danza Show
2004

The Tony Danza Show

Judging Amy
1999

Judging Amy

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Everwood
2002

Everwood

106 & Park
2000

106 & Park

Big Shots
2007

Big Shots

Moesha
1996

Moesha

Living Single
1993

Living Single

Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

ER
1994

ER

Boston Legal
2004

Boston Legal

Live Shot
1995

Live Shot

The Wendy Williams Show
2008

The Wendy Williams Show

The Divide
2014

The Divide

House of Lies
2012

House of Lies

Uncle Buck
2016

Uncle Buck

America Beyond the Color Line
2004

America Beyond the Color Line

NCIS: Los Angeles
2009

NCIS: Los Angeles

The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019

The Kelly Clarkson Show

The Goldbergs
2013

The Goldbergs

Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009

Celebrity Ghost Stories

The Best Man: The Final Chapters
2022

The Best Man: The Final Chapters

Dear White People
2017

Dear White People

#blackAF
2020

#blackAF

The Cleveland Show
2009

The Cleveland Show

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

The Daily Show
1996

The Daily Show

The Wonderful World of Disney
1954

The Wonderful World of Disney