Sanaa Lathan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sanaa Lathan
Lathan at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	Sanaa McCoy Lathan (1971-09-19) September 19, 1971 (age 53) New York City, U.S.
Education	University of California, Berkeley (BA) Yale University (MFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1996–present
Parent(s)	Stan Lathan Eleanor McCoy

Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is a talented American actress. She is known for her many roles in movies and TV shows. Sanaa is the daughter of actress Eleanor McCoy and film director Stan Lathan.

Her acting journey started with appearances in popular TV shows. These included In the House, Family Matters, NYPD Blue, and Moesha. Sanaa became even more well-known after starring in the 1998 superhero film Blade. She then took on roles in films like The Best Man (1999) and Love & Basketball (2000). Other notable movies include Disappearing Acts (2000) and Brown Sugar (2002).

In 2004, Sanaa performed in the Broadway play A Raisin in the Sun. Her performance earned her a nomination for a Tony Award. After this, she played Alexa "Lex" Woods in the movie Alien vs. Predator. In 2008, she had a main role in the film The Family That Preys by Tyler Perry. Sanaa returned to the stage in 2010, starring in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in London. She also returned as Robyn in the sequel The Best Man Holiday (2013). In 2022, she was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for her work on the TV series Succession.

Sanaa Lathan has also done a lot of voice acting. From 2009 to 2013, she was the voice of Donna Tubbs in The Cleveland Show. She also voiced Donna in Family Guy. She has also voiced Catwoman on Harley Quinn. Her other famous movie roles include Out of Time (2003) and Contagion (2011). She also appeared in The Perfect Guy (2015) and Now You See Me 2 (2016). In 2022, Sanaa Lathan directed her first film, On the Come Up.

Early Life and Education

Sanaa Lathan was born in New York City. Her mother, Eleanor McCoy, was an actress and dancer. She performed on Broadway. Sanaa's father, Stan Lathan, worked in television. He was a producer for shows like Sanford & Son. Her brother, Tendaji Lathan, is a well-known DJ.

Sanaa went to the Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. She also attended Beverly Hills High School. She has shared that her childhood was sometimes difficult. Her parents were often busy with their careers. However, she later built a strong relationship with them.

She studied at the University of California, Berkeley. There, she earned a bachelor's degree in English. After that, she went to Yale University. She earned a master's degree in drama from Yale.

Acting Career Highlights

After her studies at Yale, Sanaa Lathan gained recognition in theater. She performed in many Shakespeare plays. Her father encouraged her to work in Los Angeles. She soon found early TV roles. These included shows like In the House and Family Matters.

Lathan at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Wonderful World

In 1998, Sanaa became more widely known. She played the mother of Wesley Snipes's character in the movie Blade. The next year, she appeared in Life with Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy. She also starred in The Best Man and The Wood. The Best Man was a very successful comedy-drama. It was one of the highest-grossing African American films at the time. Sanaa received an NAACP Image Award nomination for her role. In The Wood, she played the love interest of Omar Epps.

Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps worked together again in Love & Basketball. They played a couple who loved basketball as much as they loved each other. For her performance, Sanaa won the 2001 NAACP Image Award. She was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.

In 2001, Sanaa was praised for her work in Catfish in Black Bean Sauce. She then worked with director Gina Prince-Bythewood again on Disappearing Acts. In this HBO film, she played a singer-songwriter. She earned an Essence Award for Best Actress for this role. Ebony magazine named her one of its "55 Most Beautiful People."

In 2002, Sanaa starred in the romantic comedy Brown Sugar. She acted alongside Taye Diggs and Queen Latifah. Her performance earned her another NAACP Image Award nomination. In 2003, she co-starred with Denzel Washington in Out of Time.

In 2004, Sanaa Lathan returned to Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun. She acted with Sean Combs and Phylicia Rashad. She received a Tony Award nomination for her role. She played the same role in the 2008 TV movie version. That same year, she took on the lead role in Alien vs. Predator. This movie was a big hit worldwide.

In 2006, she co-starred in the romantic comedy Something New. She also appeared in the TV series Nip/Tuck. In 2008, she played Andrea in Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys.

In 2009, Sanaa co-starred with Matthew Broderick in Wonderful World. From 2009, she voiced Donna Tubbs in The Cleveland Show and Family Guy. In 2011, Sanaa was in the thriller Contagion. She also starred in Repentance. She was a main character in the second season of the TV series Boss.

In 2013, Sanaa returned for The Best Man Holiday. In 2016, she joined the cast of Now You See Me 2, which was a box-office success. She also appeared in the science fiction film Approaching the Unknown. In 2017, she had a main role in the TV series Shots Fired. She also appeared in the film American Assassin. She then joined the main cast of The Affair. She also starred in the Netflix film Nappily Ever After.

In 2021, Sanaa was cast in season 3 of Succession. She played Lisa Arthur, a high-profile lawyer. This role earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. In 2021, Sanaa Lathan directed the film On the Come Up. The film premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

Music Videos

Awards and Nominations

Sanaa Lathan has received many awards and nominations throughout her career. Here are some of her notable achievements:

See also

In Spanish: Sanaa Lathan para niños