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Nia Long Profile |
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Birth Date: October 30, 1970
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Birth Place: Brooklyn, New York, USA
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Birth Name: Nitara Carlynn Long
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Height: 5'2"
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Biography |
Born October 30, 1970, in Brooklyn, New York, Nia Long (nee
Nitara Carlynn Long) showed an interest in acting at an
early age. Nia, whose name comes from one of the seven days
of Kwanzaa and means "life purpose," was instructed by Betty
Bridges, better known as the mother of Diff'rent Strokes
child star Todd Bridges.
Nia's acting career began on television in 1991, with a role
on the soap opera Guiding Light which lasted for two years.
In addition to daytime roles, Long appeared on primetime
television in sitcoms such as 227, Silver Spoons and My Two
Dads.
While on Guiding Light, Nia had her big screen debut in
1990's Buried Alive. One year later, she landed a role in
Boyz N the Hood, John Singleton's powerful drama also
starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Laurence Fishburne.
Although Boyz N the Hood received critical acclaim, it was
Nia's 2-year role as Will Smith's girlfriend and fiancée on
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that gained her recognition.
Working with Will Smith again, Nia was cast in 1993's Made
in America. In 1995, continuing in her tradition of comedic
roles, Nia appeared in the film Friday, where she shared the
big screen with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. As for additional
television appearances, Nia had guest roles on Living
Single, ER, and Brandy's Moesha.
Her breakthrough role arrived in 1997 as the lead female in
Love Jones. That same year, Nia had a role in Soul Food,
co-starring Vanessa Williams and Vivica A. Fox, as well as
in The Best Man in 1999, for which she won an Image Award
for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.
Proving to be an actress who can successfully cross over
many movie genres, Nia also had a supporting role in the
1999 thriller Stigmata, In Too Deep (both in 1999), and
Boiler Room (2000), starring Ben Affleck and Giovanni
Ribisi.
While her stint in Boiler Room did get her noticed, it was
2000's surprise summer hit Big Momma's House, which
co-starred Martin Lawrence, that gained Nia even more
recognition. That same year she was listed as one of the 50
Most Beautiful People in the World by People magazine, and
gave birth to her son, Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, with fiancé
Massai Dorsey (whom she married in June 2001).
After a 2-year hiatus, Nia Long returned to television in
2002, in the made-for-TV movie Sightings: Heartland Ghost
and had a recurring role in the Amy Brenneman vehicle
Judging Amy.
Nia became much busier in 2003, as she began starring in the
hit NBC drama Third Watch, for which she won an NAACP Image
award for Best Dramatic Actress, and the big screen movie
How To Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass (a.k.a. Baadasssss.
And although Nia still stars in the weekly NBC show, she
made time to star in two films for 2004: What's It All
About, Alfie?, co-starring Jude Law, and Are We There Yet? |
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Other
Information |
Voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the World 2000
by People Magazine
Nia & beau, Massai Dorsey, have announced that they are
expecting their first child in November 2000. They also
announced that they will wed in June 2001.
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.
Was a registered Girl Scout.
Nia is of Trinidadian descent.
Career got started by Betty A. Bridges, mother of actor Todd
Bridges. Betty was her acting coach for 15 years.
She and Massai Z. Dorsey were to wed in June 2001, but ended
their relationship before marrying.
She beat out Jada Pinkett (Will Smith's future wife) for the
role of Lisa on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air".
Half-sister of comedian Sommore. |
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