Person Details

Birthday:

Aliases: Sanaa McCoy Lathan , ثنا لیتن

Gender: Female

Place of birth: New York City, New York, USA

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 24

TV Involvements: 8


Most Famous Work

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.

Most Famous Work

The Twilight Zone
Average
7

The Twilight Zone

(2019) Nina Harrison
In the House
Average
7

In the House

(1995) Charese
The Affair
Average
7

The Affair

(2014) Jenelle Wilson
Harley Quinn
Average
8

Harley Quinn

(2019) Catwoman (voice)
Shots Fired
Average
6

Shots Fired

(2017) Ashe Akino
Boss
Average
7

Boss

(2011) Mona Fredricks
Hit & Run
Average
7

Hit & Run

(2021) Naomi Hicks
Blade
Average
7

Blade

(1998) Vanessa Brooks

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2023 Janice Huffman
2022 Robyn
Jay
N/A
2021 Naomi Hicks
(segment "Leap")
Nia (voice)
2019 Catwoman (voice)
Nina Harrison
Trudy Thomas
2018 Violet Jones
Lisa Arthur
2017 Irene Kennedy
Ashe Akino
2016 Captain Emily Maddox
Deputy Director Natalie Austin
2015 Leah Vaughn
2014 Jenelle Wilson
Maggie
2013 Robyn
2011 Mona Fredricks
Aubrey Cheever
2009 Donna Tubbs (voice)
Diana
Khadi
2008 Andrea
Beneatha Younger
2006 Kenya McQueen
2005 Monica (voice)
2004 Alexa Woods
2003 Ann Merai Harrison
N/A
2002 Sidney 'Sid' Shaw
2000 Zora Banks
Monica Wright
1999 Robyn
Alicia
Daisy
Nina
Claire Huxtable (voice)
Donna Tubbs (voice)
Muhammad Ali's Wife (voice)
1998 Vanessa Brooks
Briana Gilliam
1997 Young Lilly
Linda
Carolyn Brody
1996 Ebony
1995 Charese
1993 Self - Guest
1989 Allison
1988 Self - Guest
N/A
N/A
Year Character Movie/Tv

Production

Year Role Movie/Tv
2023 Executive Producer
2018 Producer
2015 Executive Producer
Year Role Movie/Tv

Directing

Year Role Movie/Tv
2022 Director
Director
2021 Director
Director
Year Role Movie/Tv

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