Conversations with Nia Long (2016)

<p>Career retrospective with Nia Long on June 27, 2016. Moderated by Jenelle Riley, Variety.</p> <p>Since making her film debut in John Singleton’s Oscar-nominated film, “Boyz In The Hood,” Nia Long continues to cultivate a versatile resume in both film and television.</p> <p>On the big screen, Long will can be seen opposite Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele in New Line’s feature comedy “Keanu.” No stranger to box-office success, Long has been a part of three successful film franchises, including the “The Best Man,” for which she earned an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, and its 2013 follow-up, “The Best Man Holiday,” which earned critical and commercial success. Martin Lawrence’s “Big Momma’s House” and “Big Momma’s House 2” collectively earned over $300 million and earned Long an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture. Additionally, Long co-starred in the Ice Cube family comedies “Are We There Yet?” and “Are We Done Yet,” which spawned the TBS comedy series “Are We There Yet?” Most recently, Long starred in “The Single Moms Club,” which she co-starred with her son Massai, and additional film roles include “Friday,” with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker; “Made in America,” with Whoopi Goldberg; “Love Jones,” which won the Audience Award at Sundance and earned Long an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture; “Soul Food”; “Stigmata”; “The Secret Laughter of Women,” opposite Colin Firth; “Alfie,” with Jude Law; and “Premonition,” with Sandra Bullock.</p> <p>She first caught audience’s attention as Will Smith’s love interest on NBC’s “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” which garnered her first NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Long co-starred alongside Vanessa Redgrave, Sharon Stone and Ellen DeGeneres in the Emmy-nominated HBO telefilm “If These Walls Could Talk 2.” The performance earned Long an NAACP Image Award Nomination for Best Actress in a Television Movie. Her portraya