Growing up, she took part in gymnastics and dance and also indulged in performing arts and athletics. Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Well, Im very excited, as I told you, to be here talking about a movie that I love, Love & Basketball. What would be the perfect song to cue up for freedom? Before she saved the summer with The Old Guard, Gina Prince-Bythewood proved that she had cinematic game with her debut feature. Liara Tamani: That I was completely lost. And its one of the reasons why, no matter what the dialogue is, she just brings such depth to it. And it not only has to do with work or even her relationship in general, but I think its relevant to every part of our humanity, what we believe and what we value. But its hard. Percy: So how did you go from watching this movie, realizing I cant keep doing this; I cant go down the path to be a lawyer, and then dropping out of Harvard? Tamani: And thats a part of her strength. Shes the author of the books All the Things We Never Knew and Calling My Name. 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. Percy: Harvard, no less. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. But the gray gloominess that hung over New England was becoming hard to distinguish from the gloom I felt in myself. Its just like you ended your essay, because you said in your essay, Dont think Im preaching this message from the mountaintop. Id been trying to become a lawyer for so long that I had no idea what I wanted for my future. Im just curious, what are the scenes or lines that stand out to you, even after all these years, after 20-something years of watching this movie? Im curious to see if I like it as much now as I did then. She tries to take regular breaks from social media. The comedy-drama The Best Man became one of the top ten highest-grossing African Americans with Sanaa in the film, together with Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau Jr., and Morris Chestnut films in history. No. [laughs]. She couldnt get my stage reading out of her head. Writer Liara Tamani first saw the movie in 2000 when she was a reluctant student at Harvard Law School. They would always do a basketball audition for me, which was just the worst. And that was a beautiful and inspiring thing. And so, for me, becoming a lawyer equaled guaranteed success. Love & Basketball, written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, is a movie that gets better and better with each viewing. But I knew I could do the role, she said. She holds an MFA in writing from Vermont College and lives in Houston. Percy: So Im curious, as we end our conversation Im sure youve seen this movie many more times since that first time. And really, this could go on forever, because much like yourself, I love the movie. (Yes, teenage boys worshipped his game, on and off the court.). And along the way, the things that I tried on, I still incorporate them in my life. I cant my future cannot be here. Thats how I felt. It was her baby and it was her first time directing. I was uncomfortable inside her sad, confused and anxious. Predator, Love & Basketball, Brown Sugar and The Family That Preys. There wasnt a lot of joy, and there wasnt a lot of trust in me. I hope you are, too. (The WNBA didnt exist yet.). As one of my prophets, Roger Ebert, famously said, Ill see you at the movies., [music: Love and Happiness by Al green]. And I remember, with Love & Basketball, Love and Happiness by Al Green playing even before the first shot was up on the screen. The story of April Bowlby, PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Kenyas #1 news app. I got the job and I think Gina [Prince-Bythewood] finally got to the point where she had to hire somebody. Was sanaa lathan ever married? Co-starring Omar Epps Finally I demanded that if you want me to continue, youll have to get me a basketball coach. Learn how your comment data is processed. [laughs]. But, going back to the theater, I was with my girls, I was with my friends we were excited to see it. But nobody ever emphasizes it,to most kids, I think. Shes like a sister to me. One of my all time favorites! Karim Kharbouch, better known as French Montana is one of Lathan's boyfriend who is an American rapper. We had other Black love movies at the time, like Love Jones and even Brown Sugar. Ball better than you, Monica snaps back. And I look at, you know, if I get a no, then it wasnt a match for me. And the fact that she was female and that she was Black and I wasnt using words like representation or feminism back then, but its like, you feel the energy just the same. That song played, and I was like, ooh. WebShemar Moore and Sanaa Lathan were married in 1991 the couple filed for divorce in 1996. And even though Im so very conscious of that, she still has people-pleaser in her. Sanaa Lathan biography with personal life (affair, boyfriend , Lesbian), married info . Percy: Liara Tamani is a writer and proud Harvard Law School dropout. Im gonna be the first girl in the NBA, she says. Now I write books for young adults. Epps, now 41, and Lathan, now 43, led the romantic drama as childhood sweethearts Quincy McCall and Monica Wright, respectively. And its funny, because I think that shaped me in so many ways, and so Im the very opposite with my daughter. How can I shape my life according to what I love, even more? The decision made last Friday by four-star center Lathan Sommerville is significant for Rutgers in that it solidifies the best recruiting class in program history. In a new interview with CBS Locals DJ Sixsmith, Lathan dishes on what it was really like for her working on the project as a young actress who had to prove herself worthy of the starring role. WebMonica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have wanted to be professional basketball stars since they were kids. [laughs] But I was starting to awaken to the reality that not being connected to what I loved came at a cost, a huge cost, really happiness. Thank you for subscribing! Tamani: It was a long path, because I didnt even know I wanted to be a writer, when I was in law school. I want her to be free. My favoritestill. Another commented, Great message and I cannot picture anybody else in that role! What kind of fool drops out of Harvard Law School? As always, if you havent seen the movie, dont worry. Percy: Id love to talk about your favorite things about the movie. Its a very powerful scene, indeed. To maintain this lifestyle, they work hard to get good money from the roles their play. She is best pals with actressRegina Hall. While playing at USC and then overseas, she encounters more haters and difficulties. And I had known for years that I did not want to be a lawyer, even before I applied, really. For those seeking summertime movie fun, this has been an interminable season of discontent. Throughout the movie, its song after song. Other things in my life at the time just the misery, too [laughs] was making me feel like that. Finally I demanded, If you want me to continue, youre going to have to get me a basketball coach because I hear youre giving these basketball players acting coaches, and they did.. And even seeing this movie, theres the way in which she always knew she wanted to be a basketball player. By the end of shooting, we were cool and very close, she said. 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. 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks produced Love & Basketball, and the clips you heard in this episode are credited entirely to them. I wasnt Sanaa Lathan, I was just some actress and I could feel them being like, Why did this bh get the part? What was the trajectory in your mind, and the steps that led you to ultimately embracing your identity as a writer? A young, brown-skinned girl wearing an L.A. Lakers cap and a cant-tell-me-nothing attitude. And I was starting to get this terrifying sense that if I stayed in law school, I could get trapped in her the rest of my life.. [laughs] And I learned that the consequences of not obeying had severe consequences hell, essentially. It was the basketball.. Watch on. Anyone can read what you share. Co-starring Omar Epps and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the story centers on a young Black couple navigating the challenging worlds of romance and athletics. [laughs] When you say that, its like, its so not true, though. Shes worked steadily since, honing her craft and affirming her talent with movies like Beyond the Lights (2014) and the limited series Shots Fired (2017). All of which is to say its time to revisit Love & Basketball, Prince-Bythewoods debut feature and first screen triumph. Tamani: So good. The two dated during the, Did Sanaa Lathan have a baby with Denzel Washington? And so along the way to getting to writing, I also discovered other parts of myself. She doesnt get there that dayher team loses the game. Lathan has bagged accolades throughout her career due to her outstanding movies and TV shows roles. Worrying about your happiness instead of the expectations and opinions of others. Our whole lives, the totality of our lives, we have to work to balance that to achieve happiness. Its about figuring out who you are and who you want to be at the core. And she does this through the character of Monica. 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. The team behind This Movie Changed Me is: Gautam Srikishan, Chris Heagle, Eddie Gonzalez, Lilian Vo, Christiane Wartell, Tony Liu, and Kristin Lin. And really it wasnt even hiding its at the center of the movie. Company Credits The two dated in the year 2006. Our families are important. She was recognized off-Broadway and on the Los Angeles stage. And that says a lot about, I think, where I was, [laughs] just thinking about the love story. The free parts. Shes an amazing artist.. That Blonde Though: Sanaa Lathan Wows Fans with Stunning Selfies of the Many Hairstyles Shes Rocked Since Her 2017 Big Chop, Dont Say Anything to Your Agents, I Wasnt Suppose to Tell You: Fans In Stitches After Regina Hall Reveals Sanaa Lathan Once Told Her She Landed a Role Only to Learn It Actually Went to Regina King, I Had to Curse Out the Camera Crew: Sanaa Lathan Reveals How Method Mans Superstar Status Left Members of On the Come Up Production In Awe. When he watches it now, he finds new lessons on parenthood in the relationship between Selena and her father, played by Edward James Olmos. It took dismissing the pressures from everyone else and standing strong in herself. Fifteen years ago on Tuesday, Love & Basketball debuted in theaters. The hardest challenge was getting the job, which I think weirdly prepared me for Monica, said Lathan. 92 player in the nation perRivals. If she could have dinner with any one person (dead or alive), she would like to do it with James Baldwin. Monica Wright (played by Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy McCall (played by Omar Epps) are sometimes friends, enemies, lovers, and competitors. She obtained abachelorsdegreeinEnglish from theUniversity of California, Berkeley. Epps is one of Sanna's boyfriend who by profession is a actor, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. The actress is also known for dating high-profile men and one woman and remained single to date. 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. 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Her second affair was with Omar Epps, an actor, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. In August 2021, during an interview, Sanaa revealed that she had stopped drinking 3 years ago. I had no idea what I wanted to be. And I was like, I cant live like this. But I really started to look out into my future at that point and see misery. Sanaa Lathan is opening up about her miserable experience working on Love & Basketball considered one of the best sports rom-coms ever. If I had been an actress who hadnt really done a lot, just a couple of acting classes, I would have probably been terrified. Unfortunately, no. I love that. And without having the bravery to at least move in that direction, that discovery doesnt take place. Tendaji Lathan, Colette Lathan, Lilane Lathan, Arielle Lathan. So its amazing to think about that. Watch on. Gina [Prince-Bythewood] really wanted, and the producers, they really wanted a basketball player who could act as opposed to an actress who they could teach to play basketball, she told LAs KCAL, the CBS affiliate. How evident were her talents? 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. The boys grudgingly let her play, and she schools them. No, Im gonna be in the NBA. Watch Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan in the famously steamy scene from their 2000 romance film. Were gonna do what you need, she says, No. People talk about Harvard like its the pinnacle thing you can achieve. Thank you for subscribing! You can play. But then, when they see shes a girl she takes off her hat and she has long hair theyre like, Oh, girls cant ball, whatever. Shes always been a sensitive director of actors, but she also knows how to move the camera. Well, I feel like we cant talk about our favorite scenes without talking about the end scene. Its funny, because Im like, Where do you get this from? Become TUKO.co.ke ambassador get a branded T-shirt, hoodie or water bottle at our TUKO Shop! According to Celebrity Net Worth, Sanaa Lathan's net worth is $5 million as of 2022. They gave me an assistant coach for the LA Sparks and she had me training five hours a day before I got the job.. Menu. This podcast is produced by On Being Studios, which is located on Dakota Land. Yes, she dated and married Shemar Moore, an American actor and former. 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. Sanaa Lathan makes her like "Love & Basketball," "Succession" and "A Raisin In The Sun." When youre in college, it feels like school. I was starting to get that feeling. Tamani: Yes. Prince-Bythewood: We'd go back and forth on the lot. And Sanaa looked great in the movie and she could do things really well, like dribbling [two] basketballs at the same time. Lathan: That two-ball scene that I'm in -- one of my bones to pick with Gina is that she put it in a silhouette. And because of that people don't think it's really me. While training at Yale, Sanaa performed in several Shakespeare plays. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Tamani: It rings that way. | Its important to be able to stand in the truth of yourself and to be able to fight for that, even when its unpopular or other people disagree with you. However, she has read the holy scriptures of several religions like The Bible, Quran, Hindu scriptures. Stan worked behind the scenes for PBS television. Its been years since Ive seen Love & Basketball, and Im eager to revisit it. Tamani: Its funny; because I grew up in the church, and so I grew up in kind of a strict religious household, I was introduced to fear very early. Were Sanaa Lathan and Regina Hall in a relationship? Co-starring Omar Epps and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the story centers on a young Black couple navigating the challenging worlds of romance and athletics. Official Sites It might have crossed my mind to yank my head away from my mother as a child, but I wouldnt have dared. Sanaa made her theatrical film debut asCarolyn Brody in Drive in 1997. Scroll up and hear her tell it via the clip above. Tamani: Yeah, because you can certainly lose the connection to yourself, when things get out of whack, for sure. She continued, It was really hard to keep kind of investing and trying to prove myself and keep kind of being shot down. No, I love the way that ended, because its like she fought for what she wanted, and she got what she wanted. After finishing my first year of law school, I didnt go back. There was a lot of crying behind the scenes for me.. I was miserable. When have we seen that since? With The Old Guard, she became the first Black woman to direct a big comic-book movie. On top of that, Quincy will be playing there, too. Tamani: [laughs] That is exactly how I felt. Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan in 'Love & Basketball'. Still, during an appearance on Strong Black Leads Surviving The No, the actress revealed that her break-out role almost didnt happen. Percy: I know. Percy: No, those are your words! I arranged flowers, which I love still, arranging flowers. Debut Album 25 Years Later: 'A True Homecoming', Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes' Relationship Timeline, The Cast of 'Outer Banks' : Everything to Know, The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video to Stream Now, Madonna's Dating History: From Sean Penn to Guy Ritchie, The Cast of 'Yellowjackets': Everything to Know, The Best Super Bowl Commercials of All Time. However, that was very difficult to do, so while they worked hard to find basketball players who could possibly play Monica, they kept Sanaa around because they liked her reading of the part. You can stream or buy Love & Basketball; heres a guide. But then the song Candy Girl plays, New Editions [sings] Candy Girlwhen shes schooling them like, she schools them. Percy: Yeah, and one of the things that the movie shows, which honestly Im your same age, and so I saw the movie and had this very all I focused on was the love story, at the time. I love that scene. But then I also taught yoga. And she has to go through it. Monica Wright (played by Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy McCall (played by Omar Epps) are sometimes friends, enemies, lovers, and competitors. The "Love and Basketball" star. I never got in trouble. Not easy but possible.. The On Being Project I love the film Love & Basketball. She cant play! So there was a lot of crying, a lot of crying behind the scenes for me.. Tamani: Just Love & Happiness, because that is what its about. The accolades include: The actress has been in various relationships throughout her life. We bonded quickly thereafter. She says Monicas dedication was a revelation to her. Tzi Ma Talks, How Black Filmmakers Are Reclaiming Their History Onscreen. Its like: Me, or basketball, which is what he was asking her at the time. Sanaa used to do roller skating daily when in third grade. OK. 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 Predator(2004). And I had to try on many things. Sanaa Lathan is opening up about her miserable experience working on Love & Basketballconsidered one of the best sports rom-coms ever. It felt like being united with a huge piece of my identity. An American music entrepreneur, Steve started dating the gorgeous Lathan in 2009 and broke up in early 2010. Shes a superstar, playing in Spain people know her on the street, people come up to her; she has, in so many ways, the dream that shes always wanted but shes completely alone. [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 . Actress Sanaa Lathan is a show stopper and head turner that has fans swooning over a pic of her in a nearly nude swimsuit. Gina Prince-Bythewoods Love & Basketball tells the story of two talented athletes who weave in and out of each others lives as they pursue big dreams. Tamani: Some of my favorite scenes I definitely love the first-kiss scene when theyre kids, [laughs] when Quincy decides to ask Monica to be his girlfriend, and then they count to five well, he counts to five on his hand while they kiss. She went straight to 7th grade after she completed her 5th grade. It feels so right that we end this podcast by talking about a movie that I love dearly, Love & Basketball, with the wonderful writer Liara Tamani. And really from a young age, I was a high achiever, and I was really very attached to that part of my identity. the two were co-stars in the 2003s. Percy: Youre a parent too. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. Her lovely essay for Time magazine, which inspired this conversation, is called: Love & Basketball Was More Than a Movie. Percy: I think its the connection to yourself that youre describing, right? And I was already feeling like, I have to, because you know, when you get to that low point, its like, I cant stay here. Im gonna keep playing.. Your email address will not be published. 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. Sanaa believes more in spirituality than religion. How has it changed for you as youve gotten older, as youve become this well, youve become a mother, first of all. Percy: Poetic Justice, I remember going with my girlfriends to see that. Tamani: But my father was a lawyer, and I was expected to follow in his footsteps. What is Sanaa Lathan doing now? WebSanaa Lathan. The role for me was easy. [laughs] Its funny now, but it wasnt, then. Percy: Theres such intention behind it, because Gina chooses that song at the beginning as this kind of entryway into this childhood, this suburban childhood that these kids are experiencing. Does Sanaa Lathan have kids? And theres a line in the movie that I feel like summarizes so much of what weve been talking about, when she says, When youre a kid, you see the life you want, and it never crosses your mind that its not gonna turn out that way. And again, I dont think anyone else delivering that line wouldve been able to give it the depth that she does; its just so much who Sanaa Lathan is. Her mother is Eleanor McCoy, an actress and dancer well known for performing on Broadway with Eartha Kitt. But unlike a lot of relationships that I normally see between men and women, where its kind of expected that the woman would just say, OK, no, honey, were gonna follow your career. Magazines, Digital It Changed My Whole Life.. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Im still working to be free, still learning how to live outside of fear as I shape my professional space as an author. All Rights Reserved. Featured Image by Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0. But yeah. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. Im Lily Percy. But the freedom and aliveness that came with being more at home in myself kept me pushing forward.
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