Naturi Naughton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Naturi Naughton-Lewis
Naughton at a performance of The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker in December 2010
Background information
Birth name	Naturi Cora Maria Naughton
Born	(1984-05-20) May 20, 1984 (age 41) East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	R&B hip hop soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actress
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1999–2002 (3LW) 2005–present (solo)
Labels	Epic Records (1999–2002)
Associated acts	3LW

Naturi Cora Maria Naughton-Lewis (born May 20, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She first became famous as a member of the R&B music group 3LW.

Naughton is also known for her acting. She played the famous rapper Lil' Kim in the movie Notorious. She also starred in the musical movie Fame. On television, she played Tasha St. Patrick in the popular drama series Power and its spin-off, Power Book II: Ghost. In 2022, she starred as Jill “Da Thrill” in the ABC show Queens.

Early Life and School

Naturi Naughton was born and grew up in East Orange, New Jersey. Her mother, Brenda, was a paralegal, and her father, Ezra, was an accountant.

Her talent for music showed up early. When she was just five years old, she joined her church choir. This was the same church where singer Whitney Houston once performed. Naughton studied music at the Newark School of the Arts. She later attended Seton Hall University.

Music and Acting Career

The Music Group 3LW

In 1999, when she was 15, Naughton joined Adrienne Bailon and Kiely Williams to create the group 3LW. Their first song, "No More (Baby I'ma Do Right)," came out in 2000 and was a big hit. Their next single, "Playas Gon' Play," was also successful.

The group's first album, also called 3LW, was released in December 2000. It sold over 1.3 million copies in the United States and went platinum.

In the summer of 2002, 3LW released the single "I Do (Wanna Get Close to You)". But in August of that year, Naughton announced she was leaving the group. She said that she was forced out after disagreements with the other members and their management. After she left, the group continued for a while with a new member before breaking up.

Solo Music

Naughton at the H-E-B Holiday Parade in 2009

Naughton sang five songs for the soundtrack of the movie Fame. Her version of the song "Fame" became a hit in the United Kingdom, reaching number 33 on the music charts. It was also popular in other countries like Finland and Portugal.

In 2010, she released a collection of songs called Fame Presents Naturi Naughton as Denise: Didn't I Tell You?. For a while, she thought about making a solo album. However, she decided to focus more on her acting career.

A Successful Acting Career

Naughton has had many successful roles in movies and on television.

Movie Roles

In 2008, Naughton was chosen to play the rapper Lil' Kim in Notorious. The movie was about the life of the famous rapper The Notorious B.I.G.. The film was released in 2009 and made over $43 million around the world.

Later that year, she starred as Denise in the movie Fame. The movie was a new version of a famous 1980 film. It was about students at a performing arts high school in New York City. The film was a box office success, making $77 million worldwide.

Television Shows

In 2010, Naughton appeared in an episode of the TV show Mad Men. The next year, she had a main role in the series The ... Club, where she played a character named Brenda. She also appeared in shows like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Client List.

Her biggest television role came in 2014 when she began starring in the drama Power. She played Tasha St. Patrick, the wife of the main character, James "Ghost" St. Patrick. Her performance was very popular, and she won two NAACP Image Awards for her role. She continued to play Tasha in the spin-off show, Power Book II: Ghost, which started in 2020.

In 2021, Naughton joined the cast of the ABC music series Queens. She starred alongside other famous artists like Brandy and Eve. The show was about a former hip-hop group that gets back together. It received positive reviews from critics.

Personal Life

In July 2017, Naughton had her first child, a daughter. In April 2022, she married Xavier "Two" Lewis, a talent manager. They welcomed their son in May 2023.

Discography

• Fame Presents Naturi Naughton as Denise: Didn't I Tell You (2010)

Filmography

Film

Television

Theater

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Naturi Naughton para niños