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The On Being Project is located on Dakota land. 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. I felt seen this girl who is like, shes gonna fight for what she wants, under any circumstances. It was her baby and it was her first time directing. 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 I was on the verge of dropping out of the audition process. Sanaa Lathan, the daughter of Actress Eleanor McCoy and Director Stan Lathan, was raised in both New York City and Los Angeles. She doesnt get there that dayher team loses the game. It was like she was showing me parts of myself Id forgotten about, ignored or maybe never knew were there. Sanaa completed her schooling from theManhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. Her second affair was with Omar Epps, an actor, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Of course, we are going to be directing them and trying to direct them, according to our fears and insecurities. Sanaa attended Beverly Hills High School for her basic education before joining Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. Sanaa Lathan is opening up about her miserable experience working on Love & Basketball considered one of the best sports rom-coms ever. But you cannot be successful if you are absolutely miserable. Shes living a life of her own, one she created. Sommerville is 6-foot-10 center who is ranked the No. 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., Tamani: You make that sound so good. And I had a mentor, a female mentor, a Black woman who really helped me back then with my kind of transition as an actress into the business. Ive spent a whole lifetime, really, trying to break free from fear. But be prepared to leave it belonging a little more to yourself. She is the daughter of Stan She was recognized off-Broadway and on the Los Angeles stage. Were gonna do what you need, she says, No. Co-stars have been best friends for a long time And, depending on how things pan out, it might be the top recruiting class in the nation. She already had more than 30 plays under her belt, and that gave her some of the confidence she needed to get through it all. Truth always rings. Its like, figuring out what you love thats freedom, living towards what you love. As always, if you havent seen the movie, dont worry. Moreover, she earned a Master's Degree in Drama at Yale University. Tamani: But its hard when it gets embedded in you, in a sense, when your early self is constructed around it. I can laugh about it now, she said. 15 Photos That Prove Sanaa Lathan Ages Backwards. So she goes to Europe, and shes so lonely. You can stream or buy Love & Basketball; heres a guide. And its one of the reasons why, no matter what the dialogue is, she just brings such depth to it. Whos about to do that? She gets to the point where she knows it, she makes this decision with me, but yet, I was like the default. 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. Allegra Edwards bio: height, husband, family, movies and TV shows. She was quite young when both her parents separated from each other and she used to part her time between Beverly Hills and New York. It took me there. 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. The "Love and Basketball" star. Viewing Party! 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. And we also produce other podcasts you might enjoy, like On Being with Krista Tippett, Poetry Unbound, and Becoming Wise. She takes her incense wherever she goes to feel at home. There was a lot of crying behind the scenes for me.. | 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. And every time, I ask myself, How can I be more free? What kind of fool drops out of Harvard Law School? Predator. They were like, OK, cool. I love the film Love & Basketball. Because its easy for other people to look at you and say, oh, how good youve done or how successful you are, and it looks all good from the outside. Its not the only thing. [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 . Shes the author of the books All the Things We Never Knew and Calling My Name. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles. First, she dated Shemar Moore, an American actor and former fashion model, from 1985, and they got married from 1991 to 1996. WebLove & Basketball (2000) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. They include: Meena Harris: biological father, husband, children, net worth. When the movie was released a few months later, the New York Times critic Elvis Mitchell voiced quibbles but largely admired it and especially Lathan. Percy: Oh, I so relate to that. Sanaa Lathan stars in the iconic indie as Monica Wright, a determined young woman who dreams of playing pro basketball. I hope you are, too. How Old Was Sanaa Lathan in Love and Basketball? So, its really about switching it in your head. Sanaas recognition happened in 1998 with her role as the mother of Wesley Snipes' title character in Blade. Tamani: I would say, now that Im a writer, I have an appreciation for Gina Prince-Bythewood as an artist, as a storyteller. 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 The other challenge was the actress had never played basketball prior to the film. And I soon found out and soon realized that she really wasnt wanting to hire me.. Throughout the movie, its song after song. Thats freedom. And really from a young age, I was a high achiever, and I was really very attached to that part of my identity. 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. Filming & Production But, going back to the theater, I was with my girls, I was with my friends we were excited to see it. No, Im gonna be in the NBA. I taught dance, which was, whoo! Talking about her persona life, she is yet unmarried and is single at the moment. Yes. Gabrielle Union and Sanaa Lathan Reunite 15 Years After Love & Basketball and Haven't Aged a DaySee the Pics! Still, during an appearance on Strong Black Leads Surviving The No, the actress revealed that her break-out role almost didnt happen. 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. 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. Gina and the producers really wanted a basketball player that could act as opposed to an actress they could teach to play basketball. This is our last episode of This Movie Changed Me, and I want to say thank you. I was miserable [laughs]. And then what you experienced was really personal. It was a big deal for her and nobody knows me then really. Flash-forward to later in the movie: shes a high school senior (played by Sanaa Lathan), sitting at the dining table, listening to her dad urge her to consider options besides playing basketball. Tamani: It was a long path, because I didnt even know I wanted to be a writer, when I was in law school. Required fields are marked *. But up on the big screen, Monica isnt letting her dad, her fear or anyone else tell her what to do. This podcast is produced by On Being Studios, which is located on Dakota Land. But even with that, the overall message of the movie is that she falls in love, and she is loved, just for who she is, not because of this kind of way of showcasing femininity. 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. I never got in trouble. Our whole lives, the totality of our lives, we have to work to balance that to achieve happiness. It rings that way, yes. And so along the way to getting to writing, I also discovered other parts of myself. The film followed the two childhood besties through four quarters of their adolescence as they fall in love (and out, and in again) all while warding off naysayers and combating family struggles to chase their shared dreams of going pro. But then I also taught yoga. 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. But a few days later, Monica gets a letter from USC. I was very lucky I did a staged reading of the script when she was still working on the script. When [Monica] 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?. Love & Basketball 20th anniversary: Gina Prince-Bythewood and Yoga and dance are a huge part of my life now. I would always get to the last step and they would throw in another basketball player, she said. Like Selena the person, writer Shea Serrano is also a Mexican American from Texas. 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? Sanaa Lathan has bagged significant roles in TV series. In order to maintain a calm and level-headed state of mind, she practicesTranscendental Meditation for 20 minutes on a daily basis. Im so curious if thats something that strikes you. They were giving the basketball players acting coaches.. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! [laughs] Its funny now, but it wasnt, then. Before she saved the summer with The Old Guard, Gina Prince-Bythewood proved that she had cinematic game with her debut feature. Its like: Me, or basketball, which is what he was asking her at the time. She has a bachelors degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley and a drama masters degree from the Yale University School of Drama. Sanaa Lathans age is 50 years old as of todays date 18th January 2022 having been born on 19 September 1971. Actress: Alien vs. And even though Im so very conscious of that, she still has people-pleaser in her. Looking up at this strong-willed girl who knew exactly who she was and what she wanted in life, a light flicked on inside me. She couldnt get my stage reading out of her head. But she holds both confidence and strength alongside vulnerability in a way that just literally leaves me speechless, each time that I watch her, and I just fall further in love with her.