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Sanaa Lathan

Sanaa Lathan

Known For Acting
Birthday Sep 19, 1971 (54)
Birthplace New York City, New York, USA
Popularity 1 (history)
Updated Jun 21, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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. 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

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Filmography

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

On the Come Up

On the Come Up

2022

as Jay

With/In Volume 1

With/In Volume 1

2021

as (segment "Leap")

Native Son

Native Son

2019

as Trudy Thomas

Nappily Ever After

Nappily Ever After

2018

as Violet Jones

American Assassin

American Assassin

2017

as Irene Kennedy

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

Repentance

Repentance

2014

as Maggie

The Best Man Holiday

The Best Man Holiday

2013

as Robyn

Contagion

Contagion

2011

as Aubrey Cheever

Wonderful World

Wonderful World

2009

as Khadi

Powder Blue

Powder Blue

2009

as Diana

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

Brown Sugar

Brown Sugar

2002

as Sidney 'Sid' Shaw

Disappearing Acts

Disappearing Acts

2000

as Zora Banks

Love & Basketball

Love & Basketball

2000

as Monica Wright

The Wood

The Wood

1999

as Alicia

The Best Man

The Best Man

1999

as Robyn

Life

Life

1999

as Daisy

Blade

Blade

1998

as Vanessa

Miracle in the Woods

Miracle in the Woods

1997

as Young Lilly

Drive

Drive

1997

as Carolyn Brody

No data available

With/In Volume 2

With/In Volume 2

2022

Director

On the Come Up

On the Come Up

2022

Director

With/In Volume 1

With/In Volume 1

2021

Director

Young. Wild. Free.

Young. Wild. Free.

2023

Executive Producer

Nappily Ever After

Nappily Ever After

2018

Producer

The Perfect Guy

The Perfect Guy

2015

Executive Producer

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

The Cleveland Show

as Donna Tubbs (voice)

Episodes: 88

First Aired: Sep 27, 2009

LateLine

as Briana Gilliam

Episodes: 26

First Aired: Mar 17, 1998

Family Guy

as Donna Tubbs (voice)

Episodes: 25

First Aired: Jan 31, 1999

The Affair

as Jenelle Wilson

Episodes: 11

First Aired: Oct 12, 2014

Boss

as Mona Fredricks

Episodes: 10

First Aired: Oct 21, 2011

Shots Fired

as Ashe Akino

Episodes: 10

First Aired: Mar 22, 2017

Harley Quinn

as Catwoman (voice)

Episodes: 9

First Aired: Nov 29, 2019

Built to Last

as Linda

Episodes: 8

First Aired: Sep 24, 1997

The Best Man: The Final Chapters

as Robyn

Episodes: 8

First Aired: Dec 22, 2022

Hit & Run

as Naomi Hicks

Episodes: 7

First Aired: Aug 06, 2021

Succession

as Lisa Arthur

Episodes: 4

First Aired: Jun 03, 2018

Moesha

as Ebony

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Jan 23, 1996

Curb Your Enthusiasm

as Sibby Sanders

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 15, 2000

Family Guy

as Claire Huxtable (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 31, 1999

Family Matters

as Allison

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 22, 1989

Solos

as Nia (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: May 21, 2021

Family Guy

as Muhammad Ali's Wife (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 31, 1999

In the House

as Charese

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 10, 1995

The Twilight Zone

as Nina Harrison

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 01, 2019

Nip/Tuck

Episodes: 11

First Aired: Jul 22, 2003

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

as Self - Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 13, 1993

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

as Self - Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 05, 1988

The Jennifer Hudson Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 12, 2022

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

as Self - Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 16, 2009

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 26, 2003

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 5 30 45 23
2024 6 26 34 19
2024 7 32 51 18
2024 8 26 46 15
2024 9 25 33 16
2024 10 26 38 14
2024 11 21 30 11
2024 12 19 27 13
2025 1 22 35 13
2025 2 15 37 1
2025 3 7 18 1
2025 4 2 3 1
2025 5 4 6 2
2025 6 3 6 2
2025 7 1 2 1
2025 8 1 5 0
2025 9 1 1 0
2025 10 1 1 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2024 5 682 416
2024 6 686 686
2025 2 763 582
2025 7 721 642

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