He is a football player by profession. I love the film Love & Basketball. Sanaa attended Beverly Hills High School for her basic education before joining Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. Lathans net worth is $5 million as of 2022. Sanaa Lathan Says Filming Love And Basketball Was Miserable [laughs] And I thought that was a perfect song. [music: Love and Happiness by Al Green]. I got the job and I think Gina finally got to the point where she had to hire somebody. She continued, It was really hard to keep kind of investing and trying to prove myself and keep kind of being shot down. 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. Sanaa completed her schooling from theManhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. Percy: One of the reasons why its so sincere. Those are your words. I just took the movie in, the first time I saw it. Sanaa Lathan makes her like "Love & Basketball," "Succession" and "A Raisin In The Sun." Shes living a life of her own, one she created. There wasnt a lot of joy, and there wasnt a lot of trust in me. She was recognized off-Broadway and on the Los Angeles stage. I worked in marketing. And I wonder how Prince-Bythewoods filmmaking changed. Love & Basketball (2000 The same year saw her do back-to-back turns in The Best Man and The Wood films. And I think about yourself and what you had to go through in order to really understand your identity as a writer. We went on to do Disappearing Acts and Shots Fired and I love her. And without having the bravery to at least move in that direction, that discovery doesnt take place. Epps is one of Sanna's boyfriend who by profession is a actor, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. 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. 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. Love & Basketball Liara Tamani She ended up training five hours a day for a while before actually getting the job. Sanaa was 5 years oldwhen she met the legendary singer-songwriter. In August 2021, during an interview, Sanaa revealed that she had stopped drinking 3 years ago. No. And every time, I ask myself, How can I be more free? We had other Black love movies at the time, like Love Jones and even Brown Sugar. But what was I supposed to do, drop out and find myself? It might have crossed my mind to yank my head away from my mother as a child, but I wouldnt have dared. 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. Scott, is on vacation.) Her mother is Eleanor McCoy, an actress and dancer well known for performing on Broadway with Eartha Kitt. Producers of the film also wanted a real basketball player to play the female lead. And I feel like most of my adult life has been reminding myself not to be afraid. And the fact that she was female and that she was Black and I wasnt using words like representation or feminism back then, but its like, you feel the energy just the same. Its funny, when youre growing up, people dont emphasize to you, Hey you, and only you, can create the life you want for yourself. And watching Monica up on the screen, it kind of made me realize that. How Old Was Sanaa Lathan in Love and Basketball? It was a big deal for her, and nobody knows me then, really. Her typical diet plan is as follows . At times, I felt alone and scared. Love & Basketball | Moviepedia | Fandom She holds an MFA in writing from Vermont College and lives in Houston. The "Love and Basketball" star. [laughs] When you say that, its like, its so not true, though. 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. Didnt curse, drink or smoke. And its one of the reasons why, no matter what the dialogue is, she just brings such depth to it. And she has to go through it. My favoritestill. Another commented, Great message and I cannot picture anybody else in that role! Im gonna be the first girl in the NBA, she says. Sanaa McCoy Lathan was born on September 19, 1971, in New York City, New York, the U.S. An American actor and former fashion model, Shemar is one of Lathan's boyfriend. In 2018, her net worth was estimated at$4 million. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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. And then what you experienced was really personal. But unlike a lot of relationships that I normally see between men and women, where its kind of expected that the woman would just say, OK, no, honey, were gonna follow your career. Tamani: And thats a part of her strength. I was uncomfortable inside her sad, confused and anxious. Tamani: Some of my favorite scenes I definitely love the first-kiss scene when theyre kids, [laughs] when Quincy decides to ask Monica to be his girlfriend, and then they count to five well, he counts to five on his hand while they kiss. As an actor, she does this for me in every role that she takes on even when the movies arent very good, shes still fantastic. #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. Actor Age Check - How old was Sanaa Lathan in It wasnt in vain, all these different things. And I was just at that point where this motivated me to start doing that. Theres only one game left in the season, andunlike Quincy (Omar Epps), who has his choice of colleges to play forMonica hasnt been recruited yet. But nobody ever emphasizes it,to most kids, I think. On top of that, Quincy will be playing there, too. WebMonica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have wanted to be professional basketball stars since they were kids. Sanaa Lathan (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images North America) *Sanaa Lathan has revealed that she almost turned down the role of Monica in 2000s [laughs] Its funny now, but it wasnt, then. Percy: I know. People talk about Harvard like its the pinnacle thing you can achieve. What song would we cue up right here for you? Its a beautiful thing. 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. Comments will be open until 12 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday so please swing by, we need everyone off the bench. | In order to maintain a calm and level-headed state of mind, she practicesTranscendental Meditation for 20 minutes on a daily basis. 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 Sanaa Lathan Height, Weight, Age Id gone to law school because my father was a lawyer and expected me to become one, too. And I love what you say here. She is primarily famous for being married to a professional baseball player, Justin Turner. Tamani: I would say, now that Im a writer, I have an appreciation for Gina Prince-Bythewood as an artist, as a storyteller. As a voice actress, she made her TV show debut as Donna Tubbs inThe Cleveland Show in 2009. Some of the richest actresses like Sanaa Lathan have a classy lifestyle. Following the recognition, she appeared in Life film in 1999, together with co-stars Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy. Selena tells the true story of the iconic Tejano singer, played by Jennifer Lopez, who broke barriers in music and fashion until her untimely death at age 23. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Not easybut possible. Sanaa had been exposed to celebrities and entertainment since her childhood years as both her parents are well-known in the entertainment industry. Percy: Youre a parent too. A Love and Basketball film without Sanaa Lathan seems almost unimaginable. Tamani: Yes. Liara Tamani: That I was completely lost. While the basketball players were being taught to act in the hopes of filling the role, Sanaa, for some time, was left on her own to learn basketball. Stan worked behind the scenes for PBS television. And if those fears and insecurities are alive within us, and especially if we are unaware of them, of course theyre gonna be passed on to our children. The entertainment industry has continued to be among the best paying industries. 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. Well, Im very excited, as I told you, to be here talking about a movie that I love, Love & Basketball. They start to fall in love with each other. Sanaa Lathan Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. Release Dates I got this. It feels so right that we end this podcast by talking about a movie that I love dearly, Love & Basketball, with the wonderful writer Liara Tamani. How has it changed for you as youve gotten older, as youve become this well, youve become a mother, first of all. And I was like, I cant live like this. An American music entrepreneur, Steve started dating the gorgeous Lathan in 2009 and broke up in early 2010. She wanted a basketball player who could act the role. Parental pressure is something that the writer Liara Tamani knows very well. The first time that I saw it, I was in college, and I was so struck by the relationship at the center of the movie the love story. OK. I was starting to get that feeling. Shes the author of the books All the Things We Never Knew and Calling My Name. But the gray gloominess that hung over New England was becoming hard to distinguish from the gloom I felt in myself. For me, I cant go any further without just talking about Sanaa Lathan, who I absolutely love. So it is very important to me that my daughter not have that fear. Shes always been a sensitive director of actors, but she also knows how to move the camera. It was a situation where Gina [Prince-Bythewood], the director, did not want an actress who could play basketball. 22 of the Best Black Romance Movies That Put a Spotlight on It took dismissing the pressures from everyone else and standing strong in herself. It was a big deal for her and nobody knows me then really. She is a big user of coconut oil and uses it on her hair, her skin, as a makeup remover, and for cooking. 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. Love & Basketball (2000) Official Trailer - Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps Basketball Movie HD. I can laugh about it now, she said. Lets All Watch Love & Basketball, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/23/movies/love-basketball-sanaa-lathan-omar-epps.html. When she did, she said she felt like she was somewhat unwanted, which is why filming, for her, wasnt as enjoyable as people might have thought it was. Its just going in the direction of things you love, youll discover things about yourself. 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: No, those are your words! ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM: Snowfall Withdrawal: See The Original Actors That John Singleton Casted, Simone Biles Responds To Trolls After They Criticize Her Edges In Her Wedding Photos, Chrisean Rock Shows Off New Hair, New Smile, And Her Growing Baby, Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who Weve Lost In 2023, Prom Rundown: Erica Dixon And Tammy Riveras Daughters Nailed Their Prom Looks, Pusha Ts Wife, Virginia Williams, Reveals She Felt Like An Oddball Compared To Other Rappers Wives, Janet Jackson & Jermaine Dupri Get Touchy Backstage of ATL Concert [Video], Phil Jackson Says He Stopped Watching NBA Games Because Of Black Lives Matter Politics, Twitter Roasts Him, Rickey Smiley Morning Show Featured Video. Tamani: Oof, yes. What kind of fool drops out of Harvard Law School? Love The accolades include: The actress has been in various relationships throughout her life. Tamani: But its hard when it gets embedded in you, in a sense, when your early self is constructed around it. What is Sanaa Lathans ethnicity? Talking about her persona life, she is yet unmarried and is single at the moment. Gabrielle Union and Sanaa Lathan Reunite 15 Years After Love But the older that I get, the more that I marvel at all of the things that I didnt see then the way in which the character of Monica is a star and a role model for all of us as women, of what we can become even from a young age. Sanaa Lathan Describes Miserable Process Behind Love And Ive spent a whole lifetime, really, trying to break free from fear. Ive worked really hard, Percy: Is it like, Do we all have this, as women? When he watches it now, he finds new lessons on parenthood in the relationship between Selena and her father, played by Edward James Olmos. No way Monica would let that happen to her. She gets to the point where she makes this decision with me, but I felt like the default., Fans were shocked to hear this news, but also voiced that they were happy the actress didnt give up including one Instagram user who wrote, I am so glad you did not give up! I distinctly remember at the end, after seeing that, I felt like, literally when she 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? [laughs] Like, I got here, so what you bout to do? And that was a beautiful and inspiring thing. She cant play! So there was a lot of crying, a lot of crying behind the scenes for me.. Liara Tamani is the author of the upcoming novel All The Things We Never Knew (Greenwillow/HarperCollins). They were giving the basketball players acting coaches.. Its been years since Ive seen Love & Basketball, and Im eager to revisit it. The 49-year-old said she thought hard about quitting and even was suggested to by several people in my life, including some of my representation said, Just drop out. Lathan revealed that the stress of chasing her acting dreams was getting to her, but at the advice of a close confidant in her inner circle, the actress realized there were other options.