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 an American actress. She is the daughter of actress Eleanor McCoy and film director Stan Lathan. Sanaa started her acting career in TV shows like In the House and Family Matters.

She became more well-known after starring in the superhero movie Blade in 1998. She also had important roles in films such as The Best Man (1999) and Love & Basketball (2000). In 2004, Sanaa was nominated for a Tony Award for her work in the play A Raisin in the Sun on Broadway. She also played a main character in the movie Alien vs. Predator.

Sanaa Lathan is also a talented voice actress. She voiced the character Donna Tubbs in The Cleveland Show and Family Guy. She also voiced Catwoman in the animated series Harley Quinn. In 2022, she directed her first film, On the Come Up.

About Sanaa Lathan's Early Life

Sanaa Lathan was born in New York City. Her mother, Eleanor McCoy, was an actress and dancer. Her father, Stan Lathan, worked behind the scenes in television. He produced shows like Sanford & Son. Sanaa's brother, Tendaji Lathan, is a well-known DJ.

Sanaa went to Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. She also attended Beverly Hills High School. She later studied at the University of California, Berkeley. There, she earned a bachelor's degree in English. After that, she went to Yale University and got a master's degree in drama.

Sanaa Lathan's Acting Career

After finishing her studies at Yale, Sanaa Lathan began her acting career. She performed in many Shakespeare plays. Her father encouraged her to work in Los Angeles. She soon found roles in TV shows like In the House and NYPD Blue.

Lathan at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Wonderful World

In 1998, Sanaa became more recognized. She played the mother of Wesley Snipes' character in the movie Blade. The next year, she appeared in Life with Martin Lawrence. She also starred in The Best Man and The Wood. The Best Man was a very successful film. It was one of the highest-grossing African American films. Sanaa was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her role.

Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps starred together in Love & Basketball. They played a couple who loved basketball. Her performance earned her the 2001 NAACP Image Award. She was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.

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

In 2002, Sanaa starred in Brown Sugar. This was a romantic comedy with Taye Diggs and Queen Latifah. Sanaa's acting earned her another NAACP Image Award nomination. In 2003, she co-starred with Denzel Washington in Out of Time.

In 2004, Sanaa Lathan starred in the play A Raisin in the Sun on Broadway. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her role. She played the same role in the 2008 TV movie. That same year, she had the main role in Alien vs. Predator. This movie was a big success. It made over $171 million 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 movie The Family That Preys.

In 2009, Sanaa co-starred with Matthew Broderick in Wonderful World. From 2009 to 2013, she voiced Donna Tubbs in The Cleveland Show. In 2011, Sanaa was in the thriller Contagion. She also starred in Repentance. She was a regular cast member in the TV series Boss.

In 2013, Sanaa returned for the sequel to The Best Man, called The Best Man Holiday. In 2016, she was in Now You See Me 2. This movie was also a big hit. In 2017, she starred 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 movie Nappily Ever After.

In 2021, Sanaa was cast in season 3 of Succession. She played Lisa Arthur, a high-profile lawyer. For this role, she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series nomination. In 2021, Sanaa directed the film On the Come Up. The movie was shown at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

Sanaa Lathan's Filmography

Movies Sanaa Lathan Has Been In

TV Shows Sanaa Lathan Has Been In

Video Games Sanaa Lathan Has Voiced

Music Videos Sanaa Lathan Has Appeared In

Awards and Nominations Sanaa Lathan Has Received

See also

In Spanish: Sanaa Lathan para niños