It’s fitting that Emmy-nominated actress Sanaa Lathan is making her feature directorial debut with a drama about the power of legacy. The veteran performer is the child of both another actress (Eleanor McCoy) and another filmmaker (Stan Lathan). She is likely well-acquainted with the pressures and pleasures of having great things expected of her because of her name and lineage. She doesn’t need to worry, because
Based on the best-selling YA novel by Angie Thomas, “On the Come Up” follows a rising rap star intent on making a name for herself while honoring her late father. “On the Come Up” embraces its fairy-tale feeling early on, opening with a title card that tells us it’s set “somewhere in America,” before zooming in on the fictional, mostly Black community of Garden Heights. But this fairy tale doesn’t have a happy start, as we meet young Bri (played...
Based on the best-selling YA novel by Angie Thomas, “On the Come Up” follows a rising rap star intent on making a name for herself while honoring her late father. “On the Come Up” embraces its fairy-tale feeling early on, opening with a title card that tells us it’s set “somewhere in America,” before zooming in on the fictional, mostly Black community of Garden Heights. But this fairy tale doesn’t have a happy start, as we meet young Bri (played...
- 9/11/2022
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
When you’ve been in the entertainment industry for more than 25 years, there aren’t a lot of “firsts,” but it’s been a busy week of them for Sanaa Lathan.
On Sunday night, she attended the Creative Arts Emmys, where she was nominated for her first Emmy award. And just four days later, she’s celebrating the world premiere of her feature directorial debut “On the Come Up” at the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival.
“It was surreal and just so fun,” Lathan told Variety about attending the awards as a nominee. “The timing of it was kind of perfect because I have so much on my mind about bringing ‘On the Come Up’ out into the world that I haven’t had any time to stress over the whole award show drama.”
Lathan’s date for the big night was her little sister Colette Lathan.
On Sunday night, she attended the Creative Arts Emmys, where she was nominated for her first Emmy award. And just four days later, she’s celebrating the world premiere of her feature directorial debut “On the Come Up” at the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival.
“It was surreal and just so fun,” Lathan told Variety about attending the awards as a nominee. “The timing of it was kind of perfect because I have so much on my mind about bringing ‘On the Come Up’ out into the world that I haven’t had any time to stress over the whole award show drama.”
Lathan’s date for the big night was her little sister Colette Lathan.
- 9/8/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
To hear Sanaa Lathan tell it, she was quite literally born to perform.
The actress from The Affair and Contagion, now appearing in season three of HBO’s Emmy-winning hit Succession, notes her earliest exposure to acting was being on the Broadway stage thanks to her actress-dancer mother, Eleanor McCoy.
“I was in her stomach when she was a dancer in the original Alvin Ailey company,” says Lathan, 50, whose first name means “art” in Swahili. “Then she plopped me out and put me under the piano during dance rehearsals — I was running around backstage at The Wiz; I was ...
The actress from The Affair and Contagion, now appearing in season three of HBO’s Emmy-winning hit Succession, notes her earliest exposure to acting was being on the Broadway stage thanks to her actress-dancer mother, Eleanor McCoy.
“I was in her stomach when she was a dancer in the original Alvin Ailey company,” says Lathan, 50, whose first name means “art” in Swahili. “Then she plopped me out and put me under the piano during dance rehearsals — I was running around backstage at The Wiz; I was ...
- 10/29/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
To hear Sanaa Lathan tell it, she was quite literally born to perform.
The actress from The Affair and Contagion, now appearing in season three of HBO’s Emmy-winning hit Succession, notes her earliest exposure to acting was being on the Broadway stage thanks to her actress-dancer mother, Eleanor McCoy.
“I was in her stomach when she was a dancer in the original Alvin Ailey company,” says Lathan, 50, whose first name means “art” in Swahili. “Then she plopped me out and put me under the piano during dance rehearsals — I was running around backstage at The Wiz; I was ...
The actress from The Affair and Contagion, now appearing in season three of HBO’s Emmy-winning hit Succession, notes her earliest exposure to acting was being on the Broadway stage thanks to her actress-dancer mother, Eleanor McCoy.
“I was in her stomach when she was a dancer in the original Alvin Ailey company,” says Lathan, 50, whose first name means “art” in Swahili. “Then she plopped me out and put me under the piano during dance rehearsals — I was running around backstage at The Wiz; I was ...
- 10/29/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Sanaa Lathan is the star of Fox’s new murder mystery show, Shots Fired, in which she plays expert investigator Ashe Akino. You probably recognize her — but do you know where from? Here’s a bit of background… Sanaa came into the world on September 19, 1971. Her mother, Eleanor McCoy was a dancer and actress, and her father, Stan Lathan worked in the TV industry. You also might have heard of her DJ brother, Tendaji Lathan. The name “Sanaa” means “art” in Swahili and “shining light” in Arabic. Possessing brains as well as beauty, Sanaa has a bachelor’s degree in English...read more...
- 3/22/2017
- by David Inglis
- Monsters and Critics
Since 1999, the cast of Malcolm D. Lee's "The Best Man" has been around the world and back again.
Now, fourteen years later, the cast has reunited for its sequel in "The Best Man Holiday" -- and why not? Written and directed by Lee, "Holiday" doesn't miss a beat, picking up 15 years after its predecessor, and the rivalries, romance, and all-around camaraderie have not been lost among the longtime friends.
"The Best Man Holiday," starring Nia Long (Jordan), Regina Hall (Candace), Morris Chestnut (Lance), Terrence Howard (Quentin), Monica Calhoun (Mia), Harold Perrineau (Julian), Taye Diggs (Harper), Melissa De Sousa (Shelby), and Sanaa Lathan (Robyn), hits theaters today, and we've assembled 20 things you probably don't know about its cast to celebrate the long-awaited sequel.
1. Nia Long played Will Smith's girlfriend and fiancée on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" from 1994 through 1995. Interestingly enough, Jada Pinkett-Smith -- Smith's current wife -- was...
Now, fourteen years later, the cast has reunited for its sequel in "The Best Man Holiday" -- and why not? Written and directed by Lee, "Holiday" doesn't miss a beat, picking up 15 years after its predecessor, and the rivalries, romance, and all-around camaraderie have not been lost among the longtime friends.
"The Best Man Holiday," starring Nia Long (Jordan), Regina Hall (Candace), Morris Chestnut (Lance), Terrence Howard (Quentin), Monica Calhoun (Mia), Harold Perrineau (Julian), Taye Diggs (Harper), Melissa De Sousa (Shelby), and Sanaa Lathan (Robyn), hits theaters today, and we've assembled 20 things you probably don't know about its cast to celebrate the long-awaited sequel.
1. Nia Long played Will Smith's girlfriend and fiancée on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" from 1994 through 1995. Interestingly enough, Jada Pinkett-Smith -- Smith's current wife -- was...
- 11/15/2013
- by Jonny Black
- Moviefone
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