Biography - Sanaa Lathan

Born on September 19, 1971 in New York City, Sanaa was raised by her parents Stan Lathan, a director, and Eleanor McCoy, an actress and dancer. During her youth she took dance and gymnastics courses, and was encouraged by her showbiz family to pursue a career as a performer. While attending the University of California, Berkeley Lathan was involved with the school’s Black Theater Workshop, and though she earned a B.A. in English and considered attending law school, she ultimately auditioned for the prestigious Yale School of Drama and was accepted in 1992.

Lathan’s classical training at Yale has paid off in spades for the stunning actress, who began performing off-Broadway and in Los Angeles immediately after her graduation. Her early screen appearances included the television shows “In the House”, “Moesha”, and “Family Matters” in 1996, and around this time she won a Best Actress award from the Los Angeles NAACP Theatrical Award Committee for the play “To Take Arms”. More high-profile film parts came pouring in for the actress, including the small role of Wesley Snipes’ mother in “Blade” and large parts in the indie “Catfish in Black Bean Sauce”, “The Wood” alongside her boyfriend Omar Epps, and the ensemble dramedy “The Best Man”.

2000’s “Love and Basketball” was Lathan’s major breakthrough, earning her Independent Spirit and NAACP Image award nominations. Again acting with Epps, the charming romance chronicled a couple whose relationship is based around basketball. She followed with another film from “Love and Basketball” director Gina Prince-Bythewood, the acclaimed 2001 TV movie “Disappearing Acts”, as well as the 2002 romantic comedy “Brown Sugar” with Taye Diggs. In 2003 Lathan starred with Denzel Washington and Eva Mendes in “Out of Time”, and the following year defeated both legendary creatures in the genre mash-up “Alien Vs. Predator”. Recently Lathan headlined the well-reviewed romantic comedy “Something New”, and she is currently slated to play the role of Beneatha in a TV version of “Raisin in the Sun”. The talented star earned a 2004 Tony nomination for playing the role on Broadway.