Nia Talita Long was born on October 30, 1970, she is an actress from the United States. She has won numerous awards, including three NAACP Image Awards and a Black Reel Award.

Long is most known for her appearances in the films Boyz n the Hood (1991), Love Jones, Soul Food (both 1997), The Best Man (1999) and its sequel The Best Man Holiday (2013), Big Momma’s House (2000), and Big Momma’s House 2 (2000).

She portrayed Beullah “Lisa” Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1991–1995) and Sasha Monroe on the crime thriller series Third Watch (2003–2005) on television.

Long’s acting coach was Betty Bridges, better known as the mother of Diff’rent Strokes star Todd Bridges. Her earliest role was in the Disney television movie, The B.R.A.T. Patrol alongside Sean Astin, Tim Thomerson and Brian Keith. Her first notable role on television was a three-year contract role as Kathryn “Kat” Speakes on the soap opera Guiding Light.

Long was born in Brooklyn, New York, to teacher and printmaker Talita Long (née Gillman) and high school teacher and poet Doughtry Long. Her mother is Trinidadian, Grenadian, and Bajan. She has an older half-sister, Sommore, who is an actress and comedian.

Long has a son from a previous relationship, born in 2000. She has been in a relationship with Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka since 2010. They have a son who was born in 2011. Long has indicated that she has no aspirations to marry after the couple became engaged in 2015.

Long volunteers as a motivational speaker at the Sterling Children’s Home in Barbados.