dbinia
Sanaa Lathan

Sanaa Lathan

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.

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

2024

as Barbara Jean Maxberry

Young. Wild. Free.

Young. Wild. Free.

2023

as Janice Huffman

The Best Man: The Final Chapters

The Best Man: The Final Chapters

2022

as Robyn

On the Come Up

On the Come Up

2022

as Jay

With/In Volume 2

With/In Volume 2

2022

Hit & Run

Hit & Run

2021

as Naomi Hicks

With/In Volume 1

With/In Volume 1

2021

as (segment "Leap")

Solos

Solos

2021

as Nia (voice)

Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn

2019

as Catwoman (voice)

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone

2019

as Nina Harrison

Native Son

Native Son

2019

as Trudy Thomas

Nappily Ever After

Nappily Ever After

2018

as Violet Jones

Succession

Succession

2018

as Lisa Arthur

American Assassin

American Assassin

2017

as Irene Kennedy

Shots Fired

Shots Fired

2017

as Ashe Akino

Approaching the Unknown

Approaching the Unknown

2016

as Captain Emily Maddox

Now You See Me 2

Now You See Me 2

2016

as Deputy Director Natalie Austin

The Perfect Guy

The Perfect Guy

2015

as Leah Vaughn

The Affair

The Affair

2014

as Jenelle Wilson

Repentance

Repentance

2014

as Maggie

The Best Man Holiday

The Best Man Holiday

2013

as Robyn

Boss

Boss

2011

as Mona Fredricks

Contagion

Contagion

2011

as Aubrey Cheever

The Cleveland Show

The Cleveland Show

2009

as Donna Tubbs (voice)

Powder Blue

Powder Blue

2009

as Diana

Wonderful World

Wonderful World

2009

as Khadi

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys

2008

as Andrea

A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun

2008

as Beneatha Younger

Something New

Something New

2006

as Kenya McQueen

The Golden Blaze

The Golden Blaze

2005

as Monica (voice)

AVP: Alien vs. Predator

AVP: Alien vs. Predator

2004

as Alexa Woods

Out of Time

Out of Time

2003

as Ann Merai Harrison

Nip/Tuck

Nip/Tuck

2003

Brown Sugar

Brown Sugar

2002

as Sidney 'Sid' Shaw

Disappearing Acts

Disappearing Acts

2000

as Zora Banks

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Curb Your Enthusiasm

2000

as Sibby Sanders

Love & Basketball

Love & Basketball

2000

as Monica Wright

The Best Man

The Best Man

1999

as Robyn

The Wood

The Wood

1999

as Alicia

Life

Life

1999

as Daisy

Catfish in Black Bean Sauce

Catfish in Black Bean Sauce

1999

as Nina

Family Guy

Family Guy

1999

as Claire Huxtable (voice)

Family Guy

Family Guy

1999

as Muhammad Ali's Wife (voice)

Family Guy

Family Guy

1999

as Donna Tubbs (voice)

Blade

Blade

1998

as Vanessa

LateLine

LateLine

1998

as Briana Gilliam

Miracle in the Woods

Miracle in the Woods

1997

as Young Lilly

Built to Last

Built to Last

1997

as Linda

Drive

Drive

1997

as Carolyn Brody

Moesha

Moesha

1996

as Ebony

In the House

In the House

1995

as Charese

Family Matters

Family Matters

1989

as Allison

Leap

Leap