There are some entertainers that simply eclipse Black excellence, and Nia Long is the perfect example. For more than three decades, the actor has treated us to nearly three dozen roles that are instant classics, thanks to her charm, beauty and talent. At 51, she remains not only an it-girl but an influence for up-and-coming thespians hoping to have the same career longevity as the former Third Watch star.
However, Long is more than just the leading lady in our favorite films. Scroll on for several interesting details we found about the philanthropist, including what she thinks about being referenced in a J. Cole song.
1. She was allegedly too old to play a main character in "Charlie's Angels."
The 2000 flick Charlie’s Angels featured a superstar cast of Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu. Well, the role of Alex Munday was only given to Liu because Long turned it down. Before initially offering Long the role, casting execs thought she was “too old” to act opposite Barrymore. Mind you, Drew Barrymore is only four years younger than the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum.
“The feedback that I received from my agent was, ‘She just looked too old and sophisticated to be next to Drew Barrymore,'” Long told Insider in July 2020.
“And I’m thinking to myself, it’s an actor’s choice to walk in the room how they want to look, but it’s a director’s vision to help create and curate a character. So if you couldn’t see beyond the fact that I had on a blazer and a pair of jeans then that was clearly not the job and opportunity for me. So, no problem, I’ll keep it moving.”
For the record, Liu is two years older than Long.
2. She's also talented behind the camera.
You’re probably used to seeing long in front of the camera, but the Brooklyn-born performer is a force in the director’s chair as well. She and Irv Gotti linked up to co-direct Ashanti’s “Baby” music video in 2002.
In 2018, Long shared a throwback image of herself in the project.
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3. Long isn't the only famous face in her family.
It wasn’t always well known, but Long and comedian Sommone are actually half-sisters, sharing the same dad, poet Doughtry “Doc” Long. It wasn’t until an interview in 2016 that Sommore revealed her relation to the Soul Food actress.
“Now that I’ve solidified my spot, now I go ahead and talk about it,” she said.
4. Long's first renowned role was on a soap opera.
Fans of Guiding Light need no reminding of this. Between 1991 and 1994, before her iconic roles in Love Jones and The Best Man, and around the same time as Boyz n the Hood, Long was cast in Guiding Light. For three years, she played Katherine “Kat” Speakes as a series regular.
5. What does she think about being mentioned in so many rap lyics?
According to a 2017 article by The Source, Long is mentioned in at least 15 songs by hip-hop artists. Though all memorable, perhaps the most recognizable is J. Cole’s 2014 track “No Role Modelz.” In the single, Cole says “My only regret was too young for Lisa Bonet, my only regret was too young for Nia Long.”
In a 2016 sit down with the late Larry King, the mother of two gave an amusing response when asked about the aforementioned lyric.
“He’s really not too young, he just doesn’t know it,” Long said with a smirk.
Nia Long personifies success on and off the screen and continues to show Black women worldwide that the secret to success is to just be yourself.
