Nia Long

Nia Long, an American actress, and occasional music video director was born on October 30, 1970, in Brooklyn, New York. She hails from a family of Afro-Trinidadian descent and has a half-sister named Sommore, who is a comedienne starring in "The Queens of Comedy." Long's name 'Nia,' one of the seven days of Kwanzaa, holds the meaning of purpose in Swahili.

When Nia was just two years old, her parents divorced and she and her mother relocated to Iowa City, Iowa, before settling in a South Los Angeles neighborhood when Long was seven. Her father currently resides in Trenton, New Jersey. Growing up, Nia attended the Roman Catholic school, St. Mary's Academy, where she studied various performing arts including ballet, tap, jazz, gymnastics, and guitar, as well as acting. She completed her high school at Westchester High School in 1988 under the tutelage of Betty Bridges, known for being the mother of "Diff'rent Strokes" star Todd Bridges.

Her first significant role was in a Disney television movie, "The B.R.A.T Patrol," alongside well-known actors Sean Astin and Tim Thomerson. Nia's career continued to flourish with her notable three-year contract role as Kathryn "Kat" Speakes on the soap opera "Guiding Light." Her television work also included a stint playing Will Smith's girlfriend and fiancée, Beulah "Lisa" Wilkes in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air".

Nia Long then joined the cast of NBC's drama series "Third Watch," where she portrayed NYPD Officer Sasha Monroe from 2003 to 2005. She continued her small screen journey with appearances on "Everwood" and "Boston Legal." In 2007-2008, Long starred in the TV series "Big Shots" alongside Michael Vartan and Dylan McDermott.

Her cinematic journey has been equally impressive. From her early supporting roles in iconic films such as "Boyz n the Hood," "Friday," and "Made in America," to playing leading roles or a member of the primary ensemble in several successful movies like "Soul Food," "Love Jones," "Boiler Room," "Big Momma's House," "Are We There Yet?", and "The Best Man." Interestingly, Ice Cube has starred with her in four films, while fellow Westchester High alum Regina King has shared the screen with her in two.

Nia Long was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world in 2000 by People magazine. Her acting prowess was recognized in 2004 when she won a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for her role on "Third Watch." Besides her acting career, Long also ventured into music video directing, having directed Yolanda Adams's "This Too Shall Pass" and co-directed Ashanti's "Baby," as well as featuring in Kanye West's "Touch The Sky."

In a personal note, Nia shares a son, Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, born on November 26, 2000, with her former long-term boyfriend and fellow actor, Massai Z. Dorsey.