Actress Nitara Carlynn Long, better known as “Nia Long” has graced many movie screens in some of Black America’s most iconic movies: Love Jones, Soul Food, Friday, The Best Man, the list goes on and on. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 25 years since her role on the classic film, Boyz N The Hood. Now, the star is a mother of two and has learned to appreciate her journey to where she is now.
“We were all young and just trying to make a great movie, but we were pretty naive,” confesses Long. “The people with the most experience were Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne. I truly relied on Laurence. I watched him and the way he worked, especially the way he supported our young, first-time director, John Singleton. Laurence really helped to shepherd the project along. For me as a young girl, it was beautiful to watch because he never made John feel like he didn’t know what he was doing. Laurence would just gently make suggestions.”
“There’s even a key moment in the film where I run across the street to tell Laurence’s character [Jason “Furious” Styles] that Ricky has been shot. The first time I did it, I was really worried I would overact. I didn’t want to seem overly dramatic. So I guess I was underacting. Laurence said, “No, this has to be explosive and big and hysterical. Go for it.” And he just whispered it in my ear. He didn’t make me feel like I was terrible, and he made me feel that I was capable. And I think for a young actor, for a young artist, that’s really important.”
“I have taken that lesson with me. I try to do the same thing when I’m with young actors who are new and unsure. I try to do the same thing for them that I saw Laurence and Angela do for all of us on Boyz n the Hood. More than anything, I took away that spirit of collaboration and just being open. It is important not to be married to a single choice. You have to be open, to be in the moment.”
On Making Breast Health A Priority
“More than 200,000 women in the U.S. were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. Also, black women diagnosed…
… with breast cancer are more likely to die from the disease than white women.”
“Unfortunately, the health challenges we face don’t stop there: Black women have higher rates of many preventable diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and HIV/AIDS.”
“I am very concerned about what I see happening in our community — women and girls who don’t have access to the affordable, quality healthcare services that they need. As a result, my community — our community — is literally dying.”
On Making Women A Priority
“What our mothers and grandmothers fought so hard for could be taken away too easily, and I know how hard it has been to make these gains for women. For example, my mother was a public school teacher. She made so many sacrifices for me to have the life that I have today. But when she retired, the cost of the health care options presented to her was astronomically high, and we had to investigate other options to ensure that she was covered.”
On Being A Black Woman In Hollywood
“It’s tough, because it’s Hollywood. It’s tough, because we’re women. It’s tough, because we’re not in our 20s,” she admitted. “It’s tough no matter how you look at it. I’m not one of these people who walks around…
… and goes ‘Oh my God, it’s soo hard being a black actress,’ but this business is hard.”
“It’s hard behind the scenes, in front of the scenes. black, white, whatever it is, it is an industry that there’s a quick turnover. There’s always someone younger, more talented, and more beautiful.”
On Making Health Care A Priority
“We need health care reform so women don’t have to struggle to find affordable care the way my mother had to. I am shocked that some politicians want to roll back the gains afforded to women under healthcare reform and prevent access to critical healthcare providers like Planned Parenthood.”
“Both my mother and grandmother, who is in her 90s, firmly believe that a woman should have access to the type of care she deserves, and should have the right to make her own health decisions. I couldn’t agree more.”
“I refuse to allow those rights to be taken away — not on my watch.”
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