Sanaa Lathan

Sanaa Lathan

Known for Acting · 60 credits

Born
1971-09-19 (age 54)
Place of birth
New York City, New York, USA
Also known as
Sanaa McCoy Lathan · ثنا لیتن

Biography

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.

Known For

TV Shows (24)

Movies (36)

Blade
Movie

Blade

1998

as Vanessa

Now You See Me 2
Movie

Now You See Me 2

2016

as Deputy Director Natalie Austin

Contagion
Movie

Contagion

2011

as Aubrey Cheever

American Assassin
Movie

American Assassin

2017

as Irene Kennedy

AVP: Alien vs. Predator
Movie

AVP: Alien vs. Predator

2004

as Alexa Woods

Life
Movie

Life

1999

as Daisy

Out of Time
Movie

Out of Time

2003

as Ann Merai Harrison

Drive
Movie

Drive

1997

as Carolyn Brody

Powder Blue
Movie

Powder Blue

2009

as Diana

Love & Basketball
Movie

Love & Basketball

2000

as Monica Wright

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys
Movie

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys

2008

as Andrea

Brown Sugar
Movie

Brown Sugar

2002

as Sidney 'Sid' Shaw

Something New
Movie

Something New

2006

as Kenya McQueen

The Perfect Guy
Movie

The Perfect Guy

2015

as Leah Vaughn

The Best Man
Movie

The Best Man

1999

as Robyn

Approaching the Unknown
Movie

Approaching the Unknown

2016

as Captain Emily Maddox

The Best Man Holiday
Movie

The Best Man Holiday

2013

as Robyn

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

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

2024

as Barbara Jean Maxberry

The Wood
Movie

The Wood

1999

as Alicia

Disappearing Acts
Movie

Disappearing Acts

2000

as Zora Banks

Nappily Ever After
Movie

Nappily Ever After

2018

as Violet Jones

Native Son
Movie

Native Son

2019

as Trudy Thomas

Young. Wild. Free.
Movie

Young. Wild. Free.

2023

as Janice Huffman

On the Come Up
Movie

On the Come Up

2022

as Jay

Repentance
Movie

Repentance

2014

as Maggie

With/In Volume 1
Movie

With/In Volume 1

2021

as (segment "Leap")

Wonderful World
Movie

Wonderful World

2009

as Khadi

A Raisin in the Sun
Movie

A Raisin in the Sun

2008

as Beneatha Younger

Playing for Your Heart: The Making of “Love & Basketball”
Movie

Playing for Your Heart: The Making of “Love & Basketball”

as Self

Catfish in Black Bean Sauce
Movie

Catfish in Black Bean Sauce

1999

as Nina

Lost in America
Movie

Lost in America

2019

as Self

Miracle in the Woods
Movie

Miracle in the Woods

1997

as Young Lilly

The Golden Blaze
Movie

The Golden Blaze

2005

as Monica (voice)

A Blue Butterfly
Movie

A Blue Butterfly

as Emily

Leap
Movie

Leap

Dreams Worth While: The Journey of "A Raisin in the Sun"
Movie

Dreams Worth While: The Journey of "A Raisin in the Sun"

as Self

About 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… With 60 credits spanning from 1988 to 2024, Sanaa Lathan has appeared in 36 films and 24 TV shows.

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