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Sanaa Lathan
Actor, Producer, DirectorBorn September 19, 1971 (53 years)
Sanaa McCoy Lathan (/səˈnɑ/ born September 19, 1971) is an American stage, film, television, and voice actress. She is the daughter of actress Eleanor McCoy and film director Stan Lathan. She earned bachelor's degree in English from University of California, Berkeley, and a master's degree in drama from Yale.
She is best known for her roles as Robyn in The Best Man films and subsequent TV miniseries on Peacock, Naomi Hicks on Netflix's Hit & Run, Violet Jones in Nappily Ever After, Ashe Akino on Fox's drama Shots Fired, Deputy Director Natalie Austin in Now You See Me 2 (2016), Leah Vaughn in The Perfect Guy (2015), Jenelle Wilson on Showtime's drama The Affair, Mona Fredricks on Starz' drama Boss, Andrea in Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (2008), Beneatha Younger in ABC's film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun (2008), Kenya McQueen in Something New (2006), Ann Merai Harrison in Out of Time (2004), Sidney 'Sid' Shaw in Brown Sugar (2002), Monica Wright in Love & Basketball (2000), Zora Banks in Disappearing Acts (2000), Alicia in The Wood (1999), Vanessa Brooks - the mother of Wesley Snipes' title character - in Blade (1998), and Briana Gilliam on NBC's sitcom Lateline.
She had recurring roles on HBO's Succession and FX's Nip/Tuck, and starred on NBC's short-lived sitcom Built to Last. In 2022, she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, for her work on the television series Succession.
Her other movie credits include With/In Vol 1 (2021) and Vol 2 (2022), American Assassin (2017), Contagion (2011), Powder Blue (2009), AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004), and more. She voiced Catwoman on HBO's animated series Harley Quinn, and Donna Tubbs on The Cleveland Show and on all Family Guy appearances.
In 2004, she starred on Broadway as Beneatha Younger in A Raisin in the Sun with Sean Combs, Audra McDonald, and Phylicia Rashad, and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress. She later reprise her role in the 2008 film adaptation. In 2010, she starred in the all-black performance of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Novello Theatre in London.
She earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her recurring role on Succession. She received an NAACP Image Award Nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance in Brown Sugar. She received a NAACP Image Award nomination for her performance in The Best Man. She earned an Essence Award for Best Actress for her performance in Disappearing Acts. She earned the 2001 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress, and a BET Award for her performance in Love & Basketball.
In 2000, she was named by Ebony magazine as one of its 55 Most Beautiful People and was honored by Essence magazine and Black Entertainment Television.
In 2022, she made her directorial debut with the film On the Come Up, in which she also has a supporting role.
She is best known for her roles as Robyn in The Best Man films and subsequent TV miniseries on Peacock, Naomi Hicks on Netflix's Hit & Run, Violet Jones in Nappily Ever After, Ashe Akino on Fox's drama Shots Fired, Deputy Director Natalie Austin in Now You See Me 2 (2016), Leah Vaughn in The Perfect Guy (2015), Jenelle Wilson on Showtime's drama The Affair, Mona Fredricks on Starz' drama Boss, Andrea in Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (2008), Beneatha Younger in ABC's film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun (2008), Kenya McQueen in Something New (2006), Ann Merai Harrison in Out of Time (2004), Sidney 'Sid' Shaw in Brown Sugar (2002), Monica Wright in Love & Basketball (2000), Zora Banks in Disappearing Acts (2000), Alicia in The Wood (1999), Vanessa Brooks - the mother of Wesley Snipes' title character - in Blade (1998), and Briana Gilliam on NBC's sitcom Lateline.
She had recurring roles on HBO's Succession and FX's Nip/Tuck, and starred on NBC's short-lived sitcom Built to Last. In 2022, she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, for her work on the television series Succession.
Her other movie credits include With/In Vol 1 (2021) and Vol 2 (2022), American Assassin (2017), Contagion (2011), Powder Blue (2009), AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004), and more. She voiced Catwoman on HBO's animated series Harley Quinn, and Donna Tubbs on The Cleveland Show and on all Family Guy appearances.
In 2004, she starred on Broadway as Beneatha Younger in A Raisin in the Sun with Sean Combs, Audra McDonald, and Phylicia Rashad, and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress. She later reprise her role in the 2008 film adaptation. In 2010, she starred in the all-black performance of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Novello Theatre in London.
She earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her recurring role on Succession. She received an NAACP Image Award Nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance in Brown Sugar. She received a NAACP Image Award nomination for her performance in The Best Man. She earned an Essence Award for Best Actress for her performance in Disappearing Acts. She earned the 2001 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress, and a BET Award for her performance in Love & Basketball.
In 2000, she was named by Ebony magazine as one of its 55 Most Beautiful People and was honored by Essence magazine and Black Entertainment Television.
In 2022, she made her directorial debut with the film On the Come Up, in which she also has a supporting role.
Known For
Featured Videos
Filmography
| 2024 | The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat · as Barbara Jean Maxberry |
| 2023 | Young. Wild. Free. · as Janice Huffman |
| 2022 | The Best Man: The Final Chapters (TV Series) · as Robyn |
| 2022 | On the Come Up · as Jay |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 2021 | Hit & Run (TV Series) · as Naomi Hicks |
| 2021 | With/In: Volume 1 · as (segment "leap") |
| 2021 | Solos (TV Series) · as Nia (voice) |
| 2019 | Harley Quinn (TV Series) · as Catwoman (voice) |
| 2019 | Native Son · as Trudy Thomas |
| 2019 | The Twilight Zone (2019) (TV Series) · as Nina Harrison |
| 2018 | Nappily Ever After · as Violet Jones |
| 2018 | Succession (TV Series) · as Lisa Arthur |
| 2017 | American Assassin · as Irene Kennedy |
| 2017 | Shots Fired (TV Series) · as Ashe Akino |
| 2016 | Approaching the Unknown · as Captain Emily Maddox |
| 2016 | Now You See Me 2 · as Deputy Director Natalie Austin |
| 2015 | The Perfect Guy · as Leah Vaughn |
| 2014 | The Affair (TV Series) · as Jenelle Wilson |
| 2013 | Repentance · as Maggie |
| 2013 | The Best Man Holiday · as Robyn |
| 2011 | Boss (2011) (TV Series) · as Mona Fredricks |
| 2011 | Contagion · as Aubrey Cheever |
| 2011 | Tilda · as Sasha Litt |
| 2009 | Powder Blue · as Diana |
| 2009 | The Cleveland Show (TV Series) · as Donna Tubbs (voice) |
| 2009 | Wonderful World · as Khadi |
| 2008 | The Family That Preys · as Andrea |
| 2008 | A Raisin in the Sun · as Beneatha Younger |
| 2006 | Something New · as Kenya Mcqueen |
| 2005 | The Golden Blaze · as Monica (voice) |
| 2004 | Alien vs. Predator · as Alexa Woods |
| 2003 | Out of Time · as Ann Merai Harrison |
| 2003 | |
| 2002 | Brown Sugar · as Sidney 'sid' Shaw |
| 2002 | Brilliant But Cancelled · as Cast |
| 2000 | Disappearing Acts · as Zora Banks |
| 2000 | Curb Your Enthusiasm (TV Series) · as Sibby Sanders |
| 2000 | Love & Basketball · as Monica Wright |
| 1999 | The Best Man · as Robyn |
| 1999 | The Wood · as Alicia |
| 1999 | Life · as Daisy |
| 1999 | Catfish in Black Bean Sauce · as Nina |
| 1999 | Family Guy (TV Series) · as Donna Tubbs (voice) |
| 1998 | Blade · as Vanessa |
| 1998 | LateLine (TV Series) · as Briana Gilliam |
| 1997 | Miracle in the Woods · as Young Lilly |
| 1997 | Built to Last (TV Series) · as Linda |
| 1997 | Drive · as Carolyn Brody |
| 1996 | Moesha (TV Series) · as Ebony |
| 1995 | In the House (TV Series) · as Charese |
| 1993 | NYPD Blue (TV Series) · as Shirley Barish |
| 1989 | Family Matters (TV Series) · as Allison |