Percy: One of the reasons why its so sincere. Sanaa Lathan on Why She Almost Quit Love & Basketball Role But a few days later, Monica gets a letter from USC. And I soon found out and soon realized that she really wasnt wanting to hire me.. Shes worked steadily since, honing her craft and affirming her talent with movies like Beyond the Lights (2014) and the limited series Shots Fired (2017). Yoga and dance are a huge part of my life now. And Id love for you to just close your eyes and think about where you were when you first saw that movie, how you were feeling, who you were with any memories that come to mind. 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. Love & Basketball, written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, is a movie that gets better and better with each viewing. Shes an amazing artist.. Im Lily Percy, and welcome to our last episode together. Tamani: Exactly. Not easy but possible.. All Rights Reserved. Tamani: I would say, now that Im a writer, I have an appreciation for Gina Prince-Bythewood as an artist, as a storyteller. She wasnt auditioning a lot of actresses. Tamani: Yes. And, depending on how things pan out, it might be the top recruiting class in the nation. Sanaa completed her schooling from theManhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. Actress Sanaa Lathan is a show stopper and head turner that has fans swooning over a pic of her in a nearly nude swimsuit. I never got in trouble. Your email address will not be published. They would always do a basketball audition for me, which was just the worst. Love & Basketball (2000 Debut Album 25 Years Later: 'A True Homecoming', Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes' Relationship Timeline, The Cast of 'Outer Banks' : Everything to Know, The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video to Stream Now, Madonna's Dating History: From Sean Penn to Guy Ritchie, The Cast of 'Yellowjackets': Everything to Know, The Best Super Bowl Commercials of All Time. They were like, OK, cool. It rings that way, yes. 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. 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. What was the trajectory in your mind, and the steps that led you to ultimately embracing your identity as a writer? Sanaa Lathan Monica Wright: Omar Epps Quincy 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. Im gonna be the first girl in the NBA, she says. But for me, Monica Wright will always be a shining example of whats possible when we have the courage to stand alone in the truth of ourselves. She doesnt get there that dayher team loses the game. 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. Shes feminine simply by being who she is. So its amazing to think about that. Finally I demanded that if you want me to continue, youll have to get me a basketball coach. I got the job and I think Gina finally got to the point where she had to hire somebody. Warning, Ladies: If You Give These to Omar Epps, Hell Throw Them Out, Who Is Bubba Watson's Wife? Monica may know what she wants in life, but getting it isnt easy. Tamani: Yeah what I was not ready for was the gem hiding inside of that romance. And I look at, you know, if I get a no, then it wasnt a match for me. We went on to do Disappearing Acts and Shots Fired and I love her. Its not the only thing. I went on a winding path through the sports and entertainment industries and the interior design field. But the familiar songs; I think of, when you say Poetic Justice, the braids, the hairstyles you know. It was a big deal for her and nobody knows me then really. While playing at USC and then overseas, she encounters more haters and difficulties. (Terms and conditions). And when you are so focused or when I was so focused on success, success, achievement, achievement, and worried about what other people would think of me if I dropped out, or if I went down a path that was less traveled and less set up for the type of success that society thinks is successful, there was a great fear in departing from that, because its about setting up a version of success for yourself or defining success for yourself. Parental pressure is something that the writer Liara Tamani knows very well. By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You have reached your limit of free articles. Those are your words. And I was on the verge of dropping out of the audition process. What song would we cue up right here for you? Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. [laughs] But I was starting to awaken to the reality that not being connected to what I loved came at a cost, a huge cost, really happiness. Yeah, I dont even know. The team behind This Movie Changed Me is: Gautam Srikishan, Chris Heagle, Eddie Gonzalez, Lilian Vo, Christiane Wartell, Tony Liu, and Kristin Lin. No, Im gonna be in the NBA. In order to maintain a calm and level-headed state of mind, she practicesTranscendental Meditation for 20 minutes on a daily basis. 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. Throughout the movie, its song after song. Tamani: It was a long path, because I didnt even know I wanted to be a writer, when I was in law school. 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. And so along the way to getting to writing, I also discovered other parts of myself. Its been years since Ive seen Love & Basketball, and Im eager to revisit it. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. But youve also become so many other things as part of your identity, including a writer. As she has dated a lady, so she definitely is not straight in terms of her sexuality. There was a lot of crying behind the scenes for me.. Text RICKEY to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. [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 . Actress and comedian, Hall is the first lady partner of Lathan. Karim Kharbouch, better known as French Montana is one of Lathan's boyfriend who is an American rapper. If she wins, he calls off his wedding to his girlfriend (Tyra Banks). 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. Percy: No, those are your words! She ended up training five hours a day for a while before actually getting the job. Moreover, she earned a Master's Degree in Drama at Yale University. 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? Ive spent a whole lifetime, really, trying to break free from fear. I want her to be free. She is a big user of coconut oil and uses it on her hair, her skin, as a makeup remover, and for cooking. No, she concentrated on building her career first and creating a future for other young black actors. Made straight As. Through my novels, I hope to pass on the same message that Love & Basketball gifted me with 20 years ago: feel free to be yourself and create the life you want. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. Finally I demanded, If you want me to continue, youre going to have to get me a basketball coach because I hear youre giving these basketball players acting coaches, and they did.. Sanaas father is Stan Lathan. But up on the big screen, Monica isnt letting her dad, her fear or anyone else tell her what to do. Sanaa Lathan is black. Omar Epps, Sanaa Lathan Reunite for Love and Basketball 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. But the gray gloominess that hung over New England was becoming hard to distinguish from the gloom I felt in myself. Desperate to stop her, he shoves her into the grass. But nobody ever emphasizes it,to most kids, I think. 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! Yes, she dated and married Shemar Moore, an American actor and former. Monica wanted to play for the Los Angeles Lakers I love the film Love & Basketball. They, however, kept the relationship professional during the production and release of the movie but eventually split. It Changed My Whole Life very appropriate title. 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. Love & Basketball 20th anniversary: Gina Prince-Bythewood and That song played, and I was like, ooh. Sanaa Lathan stars in the iconic indie as Monica Wright, a determined young woman who dreams of playing pro basketball. How evident were her talents? We were looking forward to it for weeks, just because it was a love movie, and a love movie featuring Black characters. Percy: Oh, I so relate to that. You talk about how you were feeling at that time, when you first encountered Monica. New Line Cinema/Everett Collection. The comedy-drama The Best Man became one of the top ten highest-grossing African Americans with Sanaa in the film, together with Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau Jr., and Morris Chestnut films in history. I think everybody will probably have to I dont know, its not gonna be that stark. By the end of shooting, we were cool and very close, she said. Lily Percy, host: Hello, fellow movie fans. Producers of the film also wanted a real basketball player to play the female lead. As always, if you havent seen the movie, dont worry. 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. A Love and Basketball film without Sanaa Lathan seems almost unimaginable. And I had known for years that I did not want to be a lawyer, even before I applied, really. Sanaa has appeared in numerous films and television series, taking great acting and voicing roles. 22 of the Best Black Romance Movies That Put a Spotlight on 50 years old (as of 2022) Zodiac sign: Virgo; Place of birth: New York City, New York, Love & Basketball as Monica Wright (2000) The Smoker as Roxanne (2000) Brown Sugar as It was a message I really needed to hear at that time. There wasnt a lot of joy, and there wasnt a lot of trust in me. Monica Wright (played by Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy McCall (played by Omar Epps) are sometimes friends, enemies, lovers, and competitors. Actor Age Check - How old was Sanaa Lathan in Its just going in the direction of things you love, youll discover things about yourself. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Thats already stressful enough, without the added pressures that their parents bring. [laughs]. Im riding my own bike. And then a fight breaks out. Actress: Alien vs. Love & Basketball (2000) Official Trailer - Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps Basketball Movie HD. Through acting, she has accumulated beautiful wealth. And at the time, I wouldnt even have articulated it like that; I just knew that I was way more than sad. Scott, is on vacation.) We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. Sanaa Lathan is an American actress and voice actress who is best known for the characters that she has played in several films such asThe Best Man Holiday (2013),Love & Basketball (2000),Brown Sugar (2002), andAlien vs. Percy: Exactly. My favoritestill. Another commented, Great message and I cannot picture anybody else in that role! The free parts. 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. She obtained abachelorsdegreeinEnglish from theUniversity of California, Berkeley. I was starting to get that feeling. Image by Grace J. Kim, All Rights Reserved. It could be a plaything, oh, deciding youre gonna study this or this. Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Sanaa attended Beverly Hills High School for her basic education before joining Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. Just Drop Out: Sanaa Lathan Reveals She Almost Quit While I can laugh about it now, she said. 92 player in the nation perRivals. Sanaa Lathan makes her like "Love & Basketball," "Succession" and "A Raisin In The Sun." Im just curious, what are the scenes or lines that stand out to you, even after all these years, after 20-something years of watching this movie? So you have to start defining that for yourself. I worked for an interior design company. [laughs] And I thought that was a perfect song. Thank you for subscribing! Percy: You write about it in that same essay for Time. When she would go in for basketball auditions, she said it would go horribly. I was living in Cambridge, Mass., nearing the end of my first year at Harvard Law School, but I had no desire to be a lawyer. The native New Yorker has appeared in several cult classics, but after what seemed to be a difference in creative direction, Lathan revealed that she almost gave up on the role L&B altogether. Tamani: Just Love & Happiness, because that is what its about. They were giving the basketball player acting coaches. Moreover, she is well best known for her Tony Award-nominated performance in the film A Raisin. Well, I feel like we cant talk about our favorite scenes without talking about the end scene. I cant live here. Im gonna keep playing.. When he watches it now, he finds new lessons on parenthood in the relationship between Selena and her father, played by Edward James Olmos. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have entered an incorrect email address! How Old Was Sanaa Lathan In Love And Basketball? She has her career, and she has her family, and she has her man supporting her. Sanaas recognition happened in 1998 with her role as the mother of Wesley Snipes' title character in Blade. Her brother Tendaji Lathan is a well-known DJ. And really from a young age, I was a high achiever, and I was really very attached to that part of my identity. Check out this article to know more about her age, height, net worth, children, marriage and career. WebMonica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have wanted to be professional basketball stars since they were kids. Later, she graduated with a mastersdegreeindrama from Yale University. Predator(2004). Adults like to tell kids what they expect them to do or what they think is right or what they think is good, instead of encouraging them to look on the inside of themselves or to figure out what they love. 51 years old: Family Name : Lathan: Birth Country : United States: Birth Sign : Virgo : Height : 5 Feet 7 Inch: Name: Sanaa Lathan: Alien vs. Is this just our lot? Tamani: So good. 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. Percy: Harvard, no less. The other challenge was the actress had never played basketball prior to the film. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Sanaa Lathan The two have been together for a long time, having dated for a while before getting married, and are a perfect power couple. She likes the sweet-salty taste of the end product. Predator. Tamani: Shes new to the neighborhood, yeah. WebActress Sanaa Lathan confessed recently that Love and Basketball made her miserable. I dont think Id ever, before that point, I really dont think Id ever seen a character like her on the screen. Tamani: But its hard when it gets embedded in you, in a sense, when your early self is constructed around it. Before she saved the summer with The Old Guard, Gina Prince-Bythewood proved that she had cinematic game with her debut feature. Its hard, like we said, because as human beings, also, as much as we say, Oh, I dont care what anybody thinks you know those people? [laughs] I dont enjoy the marketing aspect. Co-starring Omar Epps Predator, Love & Basketball, Brown Sugar and The Family That Preys. 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. 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. All About Angie Watson, The Best Drama Movies on Netflix to Stream Now, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Friendship Timeline, The Cast of 'The Super Mario Bros Movie': All About the Voice Actors, *NSYNC Remembers U.S. Dont think Im preaching this message from the mountaintop. There wasnt a lot of joy and there wasnt a lot of trust in me. While training at Yale, Sanaa performed in several Shakespeare plays. Percy: So Im curious, as we end our conversation Im sure youve seen this movie many more times since that first time. We had other Black love movies at the time, like Love Jones and even Brown Sugar. I got the job and I think Gina [Prince-Bythewood] finally got to the point where she had to hire somebody. Awards and nominations Growing up, she took part in gymnastics and dance and also indulged in performing arts and athletics. And he was spot on when he wrote that when it came to its writer-director, the film was the first step, however unsteady, of an intriguing new talent.. I had a dance background, but I had never picked up a basketball. (Yes, teenage boys worshipped his game, on and off the court.). 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. 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. 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. That scene, to this day, its so groundbreaking and unexpected. | As a voice actress, she made her TV show debut as Donna Tubbs inThe Cleveland Show in 2009. I played basketball in high school even though it wasnt my thing. She takes her incense wherever she goes to feel at home. So thank the goddess for Gina Prince-Bythewood, whose Netflix action-adventure The Old Guard with its mysteries, kinetic action, tight set pieces and pensive superheroes has delivered the transporting pleasures we need. But then the song Candy Girl plays, New Editions [sings] Candy Girlwhen shes schooling them like, she schools them. (The WNBA didnt exist yet.). Still, during an appearance on Strong Black Leads Surviving The No, the actress revealed that her break-out role almost didnt happen. Filming & Production Sanaa made her theatrical film debut asCarolyn Brody in Drive in 1997. Tendaji Lathan, Colette Lathan, Lilane Lathan, Arielle Lathan. Featured Image by Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0. Unfortunately, no. Its funny, because Im like, Where do you get this from?
how old was sanaa lathan in love and basketball Share this content
how old was sanaa lathan in love and basketballYou Might Also Like
how old was sanaa lathan in love and basketballautozone credit balance
how old was sanaa lathan in love and basketballrussia's first national library serial killer
