The Best Man (1999 film)
Encyclopedia
The Best Man is a 1999 romantic
comedy-drama
film
, written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee
. It was produced by Spike Lee
's (director Malcolm Lee's cousin) production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
. The film stars Taye Diggs
, Nia Long
, Morris Chestnut
and Sanaa Lathan
, and is considered to be a male-centered answer to female-targeted films such as Waiting to Exhale
.
) is a young man living in Chicago
who is about to hit the big time professionally. His debut novel, ominously titled Unfinished Business, has been selected by Oprah's Book Club
. He has a beautiful and devoted girlfriend, Robin (Lathan
), and his best friend Lance (Chestnut
) is getting married on the weekend in New York
. In an early scene with Harper and Robin lounging in a tub, it becomes clear that all is not well. Robin merely sighs contentedly and idly mentions that she could stay like this forever. For Harper, life is just beginning, and he feels that committing to a woman now that he’s on the verge of success would be a death-knell for him.
To complicate matters further, Harper's new book, which is autobiographical, has fallen into the wrong hands. Jordan (Long
), an old woulda-coulda-shoulda flame of Harper’s, has read an advance copy that seems to be working its way through Harper’s inner circle, coincidentally the other members of the wedding party. In the novel are several unsavory fictionalized characterizations of Harper's real-life friends. These friends all take it in good stride when they talk to Harper face-to-face, but their hurt causes at least one of them to want to teach Harper a lesson. Jordan learns that Harper’s book is unabashedly flattering in its portrayal of a character based on her, however, and she decides to test the waters with Harper at this vulnerable stage.
, the film averaged a favorable 61% rating from critics. It currently holds a 72% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes
, and was deemed "impressive" by the site. Also, the film has earned a B+ average from users at the Yahoo! Movies
site. Made on a relatively small budget of nine million dollars, the film went on to make over $34,000,000, nearly four times as much as it cost to produce the picture, by the end of its theatrical run.
The film also went on to receive numerous awards and accolades. Terrence Howard
's performance in particular earned much praise from many film critics, and in hindsight The Best Man is now considered to be his breakout film. Later, he made the jump to other films and to the TV series Law and Order: Los Angeles. Jason Clark in his Allmovie review even stated that although Taye Diggs
does good in his first true starring role, Howard "commands the screen with such abandon that one secretly wishes the film could have been all about his oddly captivating character." All eight of the principal cast members received nominations for the film at the 2000 NAACP Image Awards, however only Howard and Nia Long
won. The film itself also won Outstanding Motion Picture.
(*): Indicates songs were released as singles
2000 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
2000 Independent Spirit Awards
2000 NAACP Image Awards
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee
Malcolm D. Lee
Malcolm D. Lee is an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He has directed such films as Undercover Brother, The Best Man, Roll Bounce, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, and Soul Men. He also directed an episode of the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris...
. It was produced by Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
's (director Malcolm Lee's cousin) production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks is the production company of noted American filmmaker Spike Lee .The company is named after a famous episode of early Reconstruction. In 1865, General Sherman issued "Special Field Order 15", which ordered the distribution of lots of to some freed black families on the...
. The film stars Taye Diggs
Taye Diggs
Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Broadway musical Rent, the motion picture How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and the television series Private Practice...
, Nia Long
Nia Long
Nia Talita Long is an American actress and occasional music video director. She is best known for her roles in the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Third Watch, and the films Boiler Room, Soul Food, Love Jones, The Best Man, Big Momma's House, Big Momma's House 2, Are We There...
, Morris Chestnut
Morris Chestnut
Morris L. Chestnut is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles as teenage father Ricky Baker in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood, groom-to-be Lance Sullivan in the 1999 film The Best Man, as Tracy Reynolds, NBA star in the 2002 film Like Mike, and as the Visitor Ryan in the...
and Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
, and is considered to be a male-centered answer to female-targeted films such as Waiting to Exhale
Waiting to Exhale
Waiting to Exhale is a 1995 romance film starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett, directed by Forest Whitaker. The movie was adapted from the 1992 novel of the same name by Terry McMillan. Loretta Devine, Lela Rochon, Dennis Haysbert, Michael Beach, Gregory Hines, Donald Faison and Mykelti...
.
Plot
Harper Stewart (DiggsTaye Diggs
Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Broadway musical Rent, the motion picture How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and the television series Private Practice...
) is a young man living in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
who is about to hit the big time professionally. His debut novel, ominously titled Unfinished Business, has been selected by Oprah's Book Club
Oprah's Book Club
Oprah's Book Club was a book discussion club segment of the American talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, highlighting books chosen by host Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey started the book club in 1996, selecting a new novel for viewers to read and discuss each month. The Club ended its 15-year run, along with...
. He has a beautiful and devoted girlfriend, Robin (Lathan
Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
), and his best friend Lance (Chestnut
Morris Chestnut
Morris L. Chestnut is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles as teenage father Ricky Baker in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood, groom-to-be Lance Sullivan in the 1999 film The Best Man, as Tracy Reynolds, NBA star in the 2002 film Like Mike, and as the Visitor Ryan in the...
) is getting married on the weekend in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In an early scene with Harper and Robin lounging in a tub, it becomes clear that all is not well. Robin merely sighs contentedly and idly mentions that she could stay like this forever. For Harper, life is just beginning, and he feels that committing to a woman now that he’s on the verge of success would be a death-knell for him.
To complicate matters further, Harper's new book, which is autobiographical, has fallen into the wrong hands. Jordan (Long
Nia Long
Nia Talita Long is an American actress and occasional music video director. She is best known for her roles in the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Third Watch, and the films Boiler Room, Soul Food, Love Jones, The Best Man, Big Momma's House, Big Momma's House 2, Are We There...
), an old woulda-coulda-shoulda flame of Harper’s, has read an advance copy that seems to be working its way through Harper’s inner circle, coincidentally the other members of the wedding party. In the novel are several unsavory fictionalized characterizations of Harper's real-life friends. These friends all take it in good stride when they talk to Harper face-to-face, but their hurt causes at least one of them to want to teach Harper a lesson. Jordan learns that Harper’s book is unabashedly flattering in its portrayal of a character based on her, however, and she decides to test the waters with Harper at this vulnerable stage.
Cast
- Taye DiggsTaye DiggsScott Leo "Taye" Diggs is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Broadway musical Rent, the motion picture How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and the television series Private Practice...
— Harper Stewart - Nia LongNia LongNia Talita Long is an American actress and occasional music video director. She is best known for her roles in the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Third Watch, and the films Boiler Room, Soul Food, Love Jones, The Best Man, Big Momma's House, Big Momma's House 2, Are We There...
— Jordan Armstrong - Morris ChestnutMorris ChestnutMorris L. Chestnut is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles as teenage father Ricky Baker in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood, groom-to-be Lance Sullivan in the 1999 film The Best Man, as Tracy Reynolds, NBA star in the 2002 film Like Mike, and as the Visitor Ryan in the...
— Lance Sullivan - Harold Perrineau — Julian Murch
- Terrence HowardTerrence HowardTerrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television...
— Quentin Spivey - Sanaa LathanSanaa LathanSanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
— Robin - Melissa De SousaMelissa De SousaMelissa De Sousa is an American actress. De Sousa was born in New York City, New York of Panamanian descent. She is an Afro-Latino.-Early life:...
— Shelby - Monica CalhounMonica CalhounMonica Calhoun is an American film and television actress. She is best known in her film roles such as The Players Club, The Best Man, and The Salon. She is a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts....
— Mia Morgan - Regina HallRegina HallRegina Hall is an American film and television actress known for her lead role of Brenda Meeks in the Scary Movie films and as Corretta Lipp in the FOX comedy-drama Ally McBeal.-Personal life:...
— Candy - Jim MoodyJim Moody (actor)Jim Moody is a television and film character actor. He played the tough talking counselor/teacher Gene Daniels in Bad Boys. His first feature film was in the 1980 hit film Fame, which he played Mr. Farrell, a drama teacher. Jim starred in the 1983 comedy film D.C. Cab as Arnie, a member of the...
— Uncle Skeeter - Jarrod BunchJarrod BunchJarrod Ray Bunch is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played for the New York Giants from 1991 to 1993 and the Los Angeles Raiders in 1994...
— Wayne - Victoria DillardVictoria DillardVictoria Dillard is an American actress. She is best known for her co-starring role as Janelle Cooper in the ABC sitcom Spin City.-Life and career:...
— Anita
Reception
The film received mostly positive reviews from audiences and critics. The film review website Allmovie gave the film 3/5 stars, with reviewer Jason Clark stating that while the film has "occasional moments of ripe humor, but it fails to say anything new about troubled weddings or the experience of being an upwardly mobile African-American looking for love." At MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, the film averaged a favorable 61% rating from critics. It currently holds a 72% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, and was deemed "impressive" by the site. Also, the film has earned a B+ average from users at the Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies , provided by the Yahoo! network, is home to a large collection of information on movies, past and new releases, trailers and clips, box office information, and showtimes and movie theater information. Yahoo! Movies also includes red carpet photos, actor galleries, and production...
site. Made on a relatively small budget of nine million dollars, the film went on to make over $34,000,000, nearly four times as much as it cost to produce the picture, by the end of its theatrical run.
The film also went on to receive numerous awards and accolades. Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard
Terrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television...
's performance in particular earned much praise from many film critics, and in hindsight The Best Man is now considered to be his breakout film. Later, he made the jump to other films and to the TV series Law and Order: Los Angeles. Jason Clark in his Allmovie review even stated that although Taye Diggs
Taye Diggs
Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Broadway musical Rent, the motion picture How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and the television series Private Practice...
does good in his first true starring role, Howard "commands the screen with such abandon that one secretly wishes the film could have been all about his oddly captivating character." All eight of the principal cast members received nominations for the film at the 2000 NAACP Image Awards, however only Howard and Nia Long
Nia Long
Nia Talita Long is an American actress and occasional music video director. She is best known for her roles in the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Third Watch, and the films Boiler Room, Soul Food, Love Jones, The Best Man, Big Momma's House, Big Momma's House 2, Are We There...
won. The film itself also won Outstanding Motion Picture.
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack, released October 12, 1999, peaked at number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, and number 16 on The Billboard 200 in 1999.| # | Title | Performer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "What You Want"* | The Roots The Roots The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals... , Jaguar Jaguar Wright Jaguar Wright is a soul/R&B vocalist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is part of the Okayplayer collective. She has performed along rap acts such as The Roots, Jay-Z, and Blackalicious.-Career:... |
4:16 |
| 2 | "Let's Not Play the Game"* | Maxwell Maxwell (musician) Maxwell , is an American R&B, funk and neo soul musician. He played an important role in the development of the soul sub-genre, neo-soul.-Early life:... |
4:32 |
| 3 | "After All Is Said and Done" | Beyoncé Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child... , Marc Nelson Marc Nelson Marc Nelson is an American singer. His mother was the late R&B/Dance singer Phyllis Nelson, known for the songs 'I Like You' and 'Move Closer'. He was an original member of Boyz II Men while still attending Philadelphia's High School of Performing Arts... |
4:15 |
| 4 | "Poetry Girl" | Eric Benét Eric Benét Eric Benét, is an American singer. His duet with Tamia, "Spend My Life With You" was a number one song for three weeks on the US Billboard R&B chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000.... |
5:29 |
| 5 | "Liar, Liar" | Latocha Scott Xscape (band) Xscape, was a female American R&B group that originally started out as a quintet and then became a quartet. The group had a string of hit songs during the 1990s... |
4:41 |
| 6 | "Best Man" | Faith Evans Faith Evans Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B... |
3:26 |
| 7 | "Beautiful Girl" | Kenny Lattimore Kenny Lattimore Kenny Lattimore is an American R&B singer. Among his most popular hits were "Never Too Busy" and "For You".- Early career :... |
4:04 |
| 8 | "Hit It Up" | Sporty Thievz Sporty Thievz Sporty Thievz was a Yonkers, New York hip-hop group, originally a trio, composed of King Kirk , Big Dubez and Marlon Bryant Brando... |
3:39 |
| 9 | "Turn Your Lights Down Low"* | Bob Marley Bob Marley Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers... , Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of... |
4:02 |
| 10 | "Untitled" | Me'shell Ndegeocello | 4:08 |
| 11 | "As My Girl" | Maxwell Maxwell (musician) Maxwell , is an American R&B, funk and neo soul musician. He played an important role in the development of the soul sub-genre, neo-soul.-Early life:... |
3:11 |
| 12 | "Wherever You Go" | Sygnature | 5:31 |
| 13 | "When the Shades Go Down" | Allure Allure (group) Allure is a New York-based R&B girl group that formed in the early 1990s as a quartet, now a trio. Original members were Alia Davis, Linnie Belcher, Lalisha McClean and Akissa Mendez.-Career:... |
4:56 |
| 14 | "The Best Man I Can Be The Best Man I Can Be "The Best Man I Can Be" is a 1999 song for the film The Best Man. It features four R&B singers Ginuwine, R.L. of Next, Tyrese and Case.-Charts:... "* |
Case Case (singer) Case Woodard, stage name Case, is an American R&B singer who was born in New York City.-Music career:After stints with R&B group Future and a duo called Black, Case got work co-writing and singing background for artists including Usher, Christopher Williams and Al B. Sure. Case finally felt close... , Ginuwine Ginuwine Elgin Baylor Lumpkin , better known by his stage name Ginuwine is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Signed to Epic Records since the mid-1990s, Ginuwine had released a number of multi-platinum and platinum-selling albums and singles, becoming one of R&B's top artists during the late 1990's... , R.L., and Tyrese |
6:29 |
(*): Indicates songs were released as singles
- The song playing during the scene where Harper and Jordan almost make love in college is "AsAs (song)"As" is a song written and performed by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. It reached #36 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Black Singles chart.-Covers:...
" by Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, from his classic 1976 album Songs in the Key of LifeSongs in the Key of LifeSongs in the Key of Life is the 13th album by American recording artist Stevie Wonder, released September 28, 1976, on Motown Records. It was the culmination of his "classic period" albums. An ambitious double LP with a 4-song bonus EP, Songs in the Key of Life became among the best-selling and...
. It does not appear on the soundtrack album. - Also important to the plot of the film is the 1986 song "CandyCandy (Cameo song)"Candy" is a song by funk group Cameo, released as the second single from their 1986 album Word Up!. It reached number twenty-one on the Hot 100 and number one on the R&B charts in 1987...
" by CameoCameo (band)Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
(from the group's Word Up!Word Up!Word Up! is an album by funk/R&B group Cameo released in 1986. The record made Cameo one of the most successful bands of that decade.-Track listing:*Tracks 1, 2, 3, 6 & 7 Published By All Seeing Eye Music-Better Days Music...
album). Likewise, "Candy" does not appear on the soundtrack album for the film. - Although The RootsThe RootsThe Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
' "What You Want" plays over the opening credits, the lyrics are edited slightly. This is necessary because the version which appears on the soundtrack album contains a major plot spoiler.
Awards & nominations
2000 Black Reel AwardsBlack Reel Awards
The Black Reel Awards began in 2000 and were designed to annually recognize and celebrate the achievements of black people in feature, independent and television films...
- Best Actor (Theatrical) — Taye DiggsTaye DiggsScott Leo "Taye" Diggs is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Broadway musical Rent, the motion picture How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and the television series Private Practice...
(nominated) - Best Actress (Theatrical) — Nia LongNia LongNia Talita Long is an American actress and occasional music video director. She is best known for her roles in the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Third Watch, and the films Boiler Room, Soul Food, Love Jones, The Best Man, Big Momma's House, Big Momma's House 2, Are We There...
(winner) - Best Director (Theatrical) — Malcolm D. LeeMalcolm D. LeeMalcolm D. Lee is an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He has directed such films as Undercover Brother, The Best Man, Roll Bounce, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, and Soul Men. He also directed an episode of the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris...
(winner) - Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted (Theatrical) — Malcolm D. Lee (winner)
- Best Supporting Actor (Theatrical) — Terrence HowardTerrence HowardTerrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television...
(nominated)
2000 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 2000
The 13th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, given on 26 February 2001, honored the finest achievements in 2000 filmmaking.-Winners:*Best Actor:**Tom Hanks - Cast Away*Best Actress:**Ellen Burstyn - Requiem for a Dream*Best Cinematography:...
- Most Promising Actor — Terrence Howard (nominated)
2000 Independent Spirit Awards
Independent Spirit Awards 2000
The 16th Independent Spirit Awards, given by Film Independent in 2001, honored the best in film for 2000.-Best Actor: Javier Bardem - Before Night Falls*Adrien Brody - Restaurant*Billy Crudup - Jesus' Son*Hill Harper - The Visit...
- Best Supporting Male — Terrence Howard (nominated)
2000 NAACP Image Awards
- Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture — Morris ChestnutMorris ChestnutMorris L. Chestnut is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles as teenage father Ricky Baker in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood, groom-to-be Lance Sullivan in the 1999 film The Best Man, as Tracy Reynolds, NBA star in the 2002 film Like Mike, and as the Visitor Ryan in the...
(nominated) - Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture — Taye Diggs (nominated)
- Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture — Monica CalhounMonica CalhounMonica Calhoun is an American film and television actress. She is best known in her film roles such as The Players Club, The Best Man, and The Salon. She is a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts....
(nominated) - Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture — Nia Long (winner)
- Outstanding Motion Picture (winner)
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture — Harold Perrineau (nominated)
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture — Terrence Howard (winner)
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture — Melissa De SousaMelissa De SousaMelissa De Sousa is an American actress. De Sousa was born in New York City, New York of Panamanian descent. She is an Afro-Latino.-Early life:...
(nominated) - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture — Sanaa LathanSanaa LathanSanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
(nominated)