Thats hard., They also surrounded me in all of the basketball scenes with real ball players, she added. No way Monica would let that happen to her. Gina and the producers really wanted a basketball player that could act as opposed to an actress they could teach to play basketball. The two dated during the, Did Sanaa Lathan have a baby with Denzel Washington? I dont think Id ever, before that point, I really dont think Id ever seen a character like her on the screen. [laughs]. Sanaa Lathan Says Filming Love And Basketball Was Miserable But you cannot be successful if you are absolutely miserable. In the films most memorable scene, Quincy challenged Monica to a steamy game of one-on-one strip basketball. Thank you for listening, for your emails, for your support, and for learning and growing alongside us. Though most people who watch Love and Basketball see it as the role that made Sanaa Lathan a star, looking back at it now, 19 years after the films release, the And I soon found out and soon realized that she really wasnt wanting to hire me. The 49-year-old said she She likes to eat her salty popcorn by mixing it with some Raisinets (chocolate-covered raisins). Unfortunately, no. Parental pressure is something that the writer Liara Tamani knows very well. WebSanaa Lathan is currently 51 according to her birthdate September 19, 1971 Sun Sign Virgo Born Place New York City, New York, United States Residence Los Angeles, California, United States Nationality Education Sanaa completed her schooling from the Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. Percy: Harvard, no less. Sometimes its hard to remove that from you, even as an adult. And it not only has to do with work or even her relationship in general, but I think its relevant to every part of our humanity, what we believe and what we value. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Thank you for subscribing! She holds an MFA in writing from Vermont College and lives in Houston. I had a dance background, but I had never picked up a basketball. As one of my prophets, Roger Ebert, famously said, Ill see you at the movies., [music: Love and Happiness by Al green]. PAY ATTENTION: Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme. According to her, she has one of the tastiest recipes for macaroni and cheese because that is her grandmothers. Love & Basketball pays homage to idea that anything boys can do, girls can do better, and it and ends with Quincy and Monica engaging in a final game of double or nothing with very high stakes: She challenges him to one-on-one. Man, girls cant play no ball! huffs her neighbor, Quincy. (Yes, teenage boys worshipped his game, on and off the court.). I couldnt even entertain the question without the fear of judgment in my ear: Have you lost your mind? Actor Age Check - How old was Sanaa Lathan in She was hugely inspirational in that way, to see such a strong woman, a strong girl. That scene, to this day, its so groundbreaking and unexpected. Work is not the only thing. Here I am, nobody knows me really, and she has to hire me. But at the end of the movie, Monicas running onto the court in a Los Angeles Sparks uniform with Quincy cheering her on from the sidelines. If I had been an actress who hadnt really done a lot, just a couple of acting classes, I would have probably been terrified. 92 player in the nation perRivals. I love that. 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? Required fields are marked *. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. I was lost in ittrapped inside an impossible cloud of other peoples opinions and expectations. It rings that way, yes. [laughs] When you say that, its like, its so not true, though. Percy: because this movies set in the mid-90s. She became famous as a voice actress from 2009 to 2013. As a voice actress, she made her TV show debut as Donna Tubbs inThe Cleveland Show in 2009. And I love what you say here. As she has dated a lady, so she definitely is not straight in terms of her sexuality. Its almost like she hired me because she couldnt find somebody else, so there wasnt a lot of joy and there wasnt a lot of trust in me. That Blonde Though: Sanaa Lathan Wows Fans with Stunning Selfies of the Many Hairstyles Shes Rocked Since Her 2017 Big Chop, Dont Say Anything to Your Agents, I Wasnt Suppose to Tell You: Fans In Stitches After Regina Hall Reveals Sanaa Lathan Once Told Her She Landed a Role Only to Learn It Actually Went to Regina King, I Had to Curse Out the Camera Crew: Sanaa Lathan Reveals How Method Mans Superstar Status Left Members of On the Come Up Production In Awe. Tamani: Yes. Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme. Wisdom Practices and Digital Retreats (Coming in 2023). It took me there. Tendaji Lathan, Colette Lathan, Lilane Lathan, Arielle Lathan. Sanaa Lathan makes her like "Love & Basketball," "Succession" and "A Raisin In The Sun." Growing up, she took part in gymnastics and dance and also indulged in performing arts and athletics. Impossible. Tamani: Shes new to the neighborhood, yeah. Percy: And you wrote about that in your really just beautiful essay for Time magazine, called Love & Basketball Was More Than a Movie. [laughs] And I learned that the consequences of not obeying had severe consequences hell, essentially. Sanaas recognition happened in 1998 with her role as the mother of Wesley Snipes' title character in Blade. Tamani: You cannot. What is Sanaa Lathan doing now? No, she concentrated on building her career first and creating a future for other young black actors. If she could have dinner with any one person (dead or alive), she would like to do it with James Baldwin. SANAA LATHAN is a well-established American actress. I was living in Cambridge, in my first year at Harvard Law School, but I did not want to be a lawyer. Sanaa McCoy Lathan was born on September 19, 1971, in New York City, New York, the U.S. The On Being Project is located on Dakota land. Her lovely essay for Time magazine, which inspired this conversation, is called: Love & Basketball Was More Than a Movie. Monica Wright (played by Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy McCall (played by Omar Epps) are sometimes friends, enemies, lovers, and competitors. However, she has read the holy scriptures of several religions like The Bible, Quran, Hindu scriptures. And without having the bravery to at least move in that direction, that discovery doesnt take place. After that, she went on to study acting under the careful guidance of professional acting teacher Earle R. Gister. Copyright 2023. Tamani: Its at the center of the movie, this girl who is going after her dreams. So she goes to Europe, and shes so lonely. Filming & Production 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. Gina Prince-Bythewoods Love & Basketball tells the story of two talented athletes who weave in and out of each others lives as they pursue big dreams. Her brother Tendaji Lathan is a well-known DJ. Growing up, I was a good girl. | Release Dates 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. I got the job and I think Gina [Prince-Bythewood] finally got to the point where she had to hire somebody. Watch on. Definitely, looking back, Im grateful to be able to see her intention. Love & Basketball | Moviepedia | Fandom It was a message I really needed to hear at that time. Sanaa Lathan is opening up about her miserable experience working on Love & Basketball considered one of the best sports rom-coms ever. Percy: I think its the connection to yourself that youre describing, right? The role for me was easy. Ive spent a whole lifetime, really, trying to break free from fear. With many theaters closed and the industry on effective hold, audiences have been streaming and often yawning the hours away. Sanaa Lathan Percy: And thats one of the things that even watching this movie now I struggle with, and Im so glad that the message that comes out of it is that you are beautiful, if youre wearing your hair up in a ponytail and youre wearing a basketball uniform you dont have to be made up. Magazines, Digital 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. In August 2021, during an interview, Sanaa revealed that she had stopped drinking 3 years ago. Prince-Bythewood, who started out writing for TV, developed the script for Love & Basketball at the Sundance labs. Despite being in many relationships, Lathan is still single. And like you said, when she went on to play overseas, its probably not just Q, Quincy she was missing, its her friends and family from home. During her youth she was fully immersed in the entertainment industry and learned early on that she wanted a career in the Arts. But her vision of herself as a ball player holds strong. 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. For those seeking summertime movie fun, this has been an interminable season of discontent. Co-starring Omar Epps and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the story centers on a young Black couple navigating the challenging worlds of romance and athletics. Menu. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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. Thank you for subscribing! 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. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Its important to be able to stand in the truth of yourself and to be able to fight for that, even when its unpopular or other people disagree with you. HEAD BACK TO THE BLACKAMERICAWEB.COM HOMEPAGE, 'Snowfall' Withdrawal: See The Original Actors That John Singleton Casted, Prom Rundown: Erica Dixon And Tammy Riveras Daughters Nailed Their Prom Looks, The Fall Of Franklin: 'Snowfall' Finale Told Its Best Life Lesson With Lead Star's Demise, North Carolina Police Investigating Viral Fight Between Student and Substitute Teacher, Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who Weve Lost In 2023, Janet Jackson & Jermaine Dupri Get Touchy Backstage of ATL Concert [Video], Simone Biles Marries Houston Texans Jonathan Owens, Bitter Twitter Arrives With Hate, Protect Our Recipes: Black Twitter Forms Like Voltron To Keep Oxtail Out of Colonizers Freezers. Watch Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan in the famously steamy scene from their 2000 romance film. 'We Are Perpetual Foreigners.' Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Flash-forward to later in the movie: shes a high school senior (played by Sanaa Lathan), sitting at the dining table, listening to her dad urge her to consider options besides playing basketball. Tamani: And thats a part of her strength. 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. To maintain this lifestyle, they work hard to get good money from the roles their play. I dont know!, Tamani: But I think its part of the human condition. I got the job and I think Gina finally got to the point where she had to hire somebody. Anyone can read what you share. An American Football wide receiver, Owens is one of Lathan's boyfriend. Lily Percy, host: Hello, fellow movie fans. I felt seen this girl who is like, shes gonna fight for what she wants, under any circumstances. Shes a superstar, playing in Spain people know her on the street, people come up to her; she has, in so many ways, the dream that shes always wanted but shes completely alone. Its been years since Ive seen Love & Basketball, and Im eager to revisit it. Gina [Prince-Bythewood] really wanted, and the producers, they really wanted a basketball player who could act as opposed to an actress who they could teach to play basketball, she told LAs KCAL, the CBS affiliate. The two were co-casts and dated during the filming of Love & Basketball. The "Love and Basketball" star. They were giving the basketball player acting coaches. Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan in 'Love & Basketball'. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Yeah, I dont even know. Other things in my life at the time just the misery, too [laughs] was making me feel like that. Karim Kharbouch, better known as French Montana is one of Lathan's boyfriend who is an American rapper. I never got in trouble. It could be a plaything, oh, deciding youre gonna study this or this. 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. Find those wherever you like to listen, or visit us at onbeing.org to find out more. What song would we cue up right here for you? But the gray gloominess that hung over New England was becoming hard to distinguish from the gloom I felt in myself. An American actor and former fashion model, Shemar is one of Lathan's boyfriend. Percy: No, those are your words! And I was starting to get this terrifying sense that if I stayed in law school, I could get trapped in her the rest of my life.. This site uses cookies to serve you better. WebShemar Moore and Sanaa Lathan were married in 1991 the couple filed for divorce in 1996. A young, brown-skinned girl wearing an L.A. Lakers cap and a cant-tell-me-nothing attitude. There was a lot of crying behind the scenes for me.. Tamani: So good. Stan worked behind the scenes for PBS television. Sanaa Lathan is an American actress. Technical Specs, See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro, Crenshaw High School Girl's Basketball Team, key hair stylist (as Brian Andrew Tunstall), assistant director: additional photography / second assistant director, supervising sound designer / supervising sound editor, camera operator: "b" camera / steadicam operator, assistant location manager (as Judy Heinzen), production coordinator: Spain (as Maxine Parker). Percy: Theres such intention behind it, because Gina chooses that song at the beginning as this kind of entryway into this childhood, this suburban childhood that these kids are experiencing. I just took the movie in, the first time I saw it. (My partner-in-cinema, A.O. I love the film Love & Basketball. Sanaa Lathan has bagged significant roles in TV series. [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 . Sanaa was 5 years oldwhen she met the legendary singer-songwriter. So you have to start defining that for yourself. 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. 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. Image by Grace J. Kim, All Rights Reserved. And so along the way to getting to writing, I also discovered other parts of myself. Later, she went to the University of California, Berkeley, where she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in English. Sitting there in that darkened theater, I didnt even have a dream. Prince-Bythewood: We'd go back and forth on the lot. And Sanaa looked great in the movie and she could do things really well, like dribbling [two] basketballs at the same time. Lathan: That two-ball scene that I'm in -- one of my bones to pick with Gina is that she put it in a silhouette. And because of that people don't think it's really me. And then what you experienced was really personal. Theres still a chance! she yells, defending her dream. And Im just gonna ask you to do that for ten seconds, and Ill chime back in. Lathan later dated high-profile men, including: Jessica Tarlov: husband, family, nationality, books, Fox News. Sanaa has appeared in numerous films and television series, taking great acting and voicing roles. Even when you recognize it and youre trying to fight against it and say, No, Im gonna be free, its hard. Percy: And shes new to the neighborhood; they just moved there. OK. You say, At the end of the movie, Monicas running onto the court in a Los Angeles Sparks uniform with Quincy cheering her on from the sidelines. And then one night, I sat down at my drafting table and started writing. And shes going through such a difficult period in her life that ultimately helps her to understand what it is thats missing. What would be the perfect song to cue up for freedom? Tamani: Just Love & Happiness, because that is what its about. Its about figuring out who you are and who you want to be at the core. And she does this through the character of Monica. Official Sites Viewing Party! Lets All Watch Love & Basketball - New York Times [music: Love and Happiness by Al Green]. 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. Sanaa Lathan is opening up about her miserable experience working on Love & Basketball considered one of the best sports rom-coms ever. Love & Basketball Liara Tamani Tuko.co.ke shared an interesting article about Kourtney Pogue's nationality, net worth, career, and Justin Turner's relationship. My latest is the love story of two high school basketball players. How Old Was Sanaa Lathan In Love And Basketball? They gave me an assistant coach for the LA Sparks and she had me training five hours a day before I got the job.. Writer Liara Tamani first saw the movie in 2000 when she was a reluctant student at Harvard Law School. 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. 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. But as a baller herself she balled, growing up she was sharing her own truth with that movie, which is a beautiful . Unfortunately, no. Liara Tamani: That I was completely lost. When Gina Prince-Bythewoods Love & Basketball was released 20 years ago, it was celebrated as a mainstream romantic film featuring Black characters, but I treasured it for so much more. 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. I was very lucky I did a staged reading of the script when she was still working on the script. That mastery had led me to the most prestigious law school in the country. Its like, figuring out what you love thats freedom, living towards what you love. Sanaa in Swahili means work of art and beauty. And it was my first time being in that place, a place I didnt know really how to name, but I felt a deep darkness. They would always do a basketball audition for me, which was just the worst. First, she dated Shemar Moore, an American actor and former fashion model, from 1985, and they got married from 1991 to 1996. Tamani: I think its such an important message, maybe the ultimate message, even, is to do you, be you; to fight for what you love even when its hard, even when you have to stand alone in yourself. Now I write books for young adults. Viewing Party! 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. Unlike Monicaa ball player at heart, who knows exactly what she wantsmy heroine hates basketball and has no idea what to do with her life after graduation. WebActress Sanaa Lathan confessed recently that Love and Basketball made her miserable. However, she got through it all by totally mastering Monica when it came to the actual acting. It was the basketball.. Percy: So it sounds like when you went to see it for the first time, you went really to have this lovely, celebratory experience with your girlfriends. Adewale dated the gorgeous Lathan from the year 2007 till 2008. Following the recognition, she appeared in Life film in 1999, together with co-stars Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy. Sanaa used to do roller skating daily when in third grade. It wasnt in vain, all these different things. And, as expected, people called me crazy. And I absolutely love love, love, love that that film begs that question, that it asks that question of me. But I really started to look out into my future at that point and see misery. #doubleornothing., Years later, the Shots Fired star says there was a powerful lesson throughout all of this, stating, Even at this stage of my career, I know at every level, you know, some of the most famous people in the world youre dealing with, not only having to prove yourself over and over again, but you are dealing with being rejected, but I dont see it as rejection anymore., She added, I see these opportunities as experiences to see if its something that fits me. Epps is one of Sanna's boyfriend who by profession is a actor, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. The same year saw her do back-to-back turns in The Best Man and The Wood films. Percy: Youre a parent too. | On top of that, Quincy will be playing there, too. I worked in marketing. And she said to me, she was like, do you love acting? and I said, Yes. And shes like, Are you having fun learning basketball? And I thought about it and was like, Yeah. She was like, Are you getting a good workout when youre playing basketball. I said, Yeah. She was like, Then just do it for that. Stop worrying about getting the job.
Dead Body Found In Chicago Yesterday,
Are Scorpions Crustaceans,
Gwendolyn Ann Turnbough Obituary,
Are Alexis Linkletter And Billy Jensen Married,
Articles H