nia long

Nia Long Questions Why She’s Left Out Of Hollywood Casting Conversations

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During her recent piece on The Cut, Nia Long discussed a lot of heavy and broad topics concerning her illustrious career. While her much-publicized split from Ime Udoka turned heads, the entertainment icon also expressed frustration with her place in the industry. Moreover, Nia Long questioned a lack of consideration in Hollywood conversations when it comes to casting. Although she said she’s been in some great films, she can’t help but feel a tad blindsided. Also, she gave an example of the kind of role and visibility she feels deserving of or excited about.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 20: Nia Long attends the New Nobu Opening during the Atlantis, The Royal Grand Reveal Weekend, a new ultra-luxury resort on January 20, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)

However, Long made it clear that she’s not throwing shade or contempt at other successful actors. “I’ve felt passed over on things, for sure,” she expressed. “There have definitely been moments like, Why wasn’t I considered for that? Like, why wasn’t I considered for Avatar? I think Zoe’s amazing. But I wasn’t even a topic of discussion, you know? A lot of times, to be fair…” In addition, she tried to jumpstart a few ideas of her own recently. Recently, she said she’d love to do another romantic comedy with Eddie Murphy. They just starred together in the Netflix comedy You People.

“There’s been so many times in my career where I was close to working with Eddie and it just didn’t quite happen,” she shared. “Okay, so this time I actually got a chance to work them. I wanna do it again because I feel like there’s like a rom-com or something later on.” Still, Nia’s interview on The Cut held more pained and tough reflections on her life. For one, the cheating scandal involving her ex-husband, she recounts, took a huge toll on her and her family.

“My only focus right now is my youngest son ’cause he’s having a really tough time,” she confessed. “I’m sure I have some things that I’m suppressing, but I have to do that to take care of him first. That’s the giving. It’s natural. I’m sure I’ll have to circle back with myself several times to reconcile things. But the one thing I’m trying not to harbor is anger.” Regardless of Hollywood’s casting ignorance, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news on Nia Long’s career.

Nia Long On Ime Udoka: “I Don’t Cry As Much As I Used To”

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When it was revealed that Ime Udoka cheated on Nia Long, he came as a shock. The Boston Celtics coach was said to have carried on an affair with a team staffer, and as the scandal unraveled, everyone seemed to hound Long for a statement. The public wanted to know how she was coping with the controversy, if she would stay with her partner of 13 years, and what information she had about the other woman. The actress kept her cards close to her chest, but now, she is getting candid with The Cut about her journey.

“For the last 22 years, I’ve been pouring out. But at a certain point, you’re like, ‘Woo, I’m looking a little tired,’” said Long. “Even if I can’t see it, I can feel it. So I try to pour into myself and let everyone know this is a ‘do not disturb’ period.” In the end, Long decided to end her longstanding romance with Udoka and focus on raising her children. The mother of two shares a son with Udoka, an 11-year-old who has had to face his father’s indiscretions with the rest of the world.

CALABASAS, CA – MAY 20: (L-R) Assistant Coach for the San Antonio Spurs Ime Udoka, Kez Udoka, Actress Nia Long and Massai Dorsey II attend MANDAFEST Mandla Morris’ 13th Birthday Celebration on May 20, 2018 in Calabasas, California. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/WireImage )
Read More: Nia Long Has “No Comment” On Fiancé’s Affair

“My only focus right now is my youngest son ’cause he’s having a really tough time,” Long stated. “I’m sure I have some things that I’m suppressing, but I have to do that to take care of him first. That’s the giving. It’s natural. I’m sure I’ll have to circle back with myself several times to reconcile things. But the one thing I’m trying not to harbor is anger.” In that reflection on her relationship, Long admitted she has tried to piece together what went so wrong after 13 years.

“The Celtics made a choice to make my family business public, and I don’t understand why,” the You People star also said. “It could’ve all been handled internally. I do understand why, but I can’t talk about it. Maybe one day I will. You know, fear drives stupidity, and I’ll leave that right there. I’ve learned that I’m stronger than I ever thought I was.”

Immediately following the reveal, Long was bombarded with supportive messages from industry peers and fans alike. It was something she says helped her through dark days. “It saved my mental well-being because I felt uplifted by the community in a way that felt like my family was checking in and making sure I was okay. And that, I appreciated. I have that for people like Beyoncé. I look at her, and I’m so proud of her because I know how difficult it is to sustain and manage everything she has in her life. My life is probably a smaller version of that.”

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 17: Nia Long and Ime Udoka attend the BET’s 2017 American Black Film Festival Honors Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 17, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)
Read More: Nia Long Finds “New Places And Spaces” After Fiancé Ime Udoka’s Cheating Scandal

“I don’t cry as much as I used to,” Long said of mourning her breakup. “I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing, but I do check in with myself and let people know how I feel, for better or worse. ’Cause I’m not holding on to nonsense, and I’m also not passive-aggressive. I say it and sometimes it’s received, sometimes it’s not, but in any case, it’s my truth.”

“Black women that are dynamic and famous and there to inspire are also required to be exceptional, and sometimes I just get tired of being strong. That’s my biggest thing: I don’t want to have to be strong. I would like to just have an experience that’s pleasant. But the difference comes down to race. Race matters and makes a difference in your experiences and the way people treat you, respect you, and regard you — and the way people protect you. Malcolm X said the least protected person in America is the Black woman. That quote resonates big time in my life right now.”

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Nia Long Explains Comments On “Black Movies”

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Nia Long has explained her recent comments on not liking the term “Black movies.” She elaborated on the opinion during an appearance on The Daily Show with guest host Wanda Sykes.

“What I mean by that is, if we continue to practice this idea of separatism, we continue to divide,” Long said. “And I will always and forever hold my fist up because I understand the experience. But I also believe the more we understand about one another, and the more accepting we are of one another, this thing called art should be representative of all of us.”

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 12: Nia Long attends the Stage 6 and Screen Gems world premiere of “Missing” at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Downtown Los Angeles on January 12, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Long had originally told Buzzfeed that the idea of “Black movies” only serves to “hold us back.”

“I think terms like that hold us back,” Long said. “And I have to catch myself sometimes too, because I’m very proud of who I am.”

“When I use the word ‘Black,’ I don’t use it as a way to separate ourselves from anyone,” Long told the outlet. “I use it as a way to put an exclamation point behind our greatness, because I don’t think that it’s always been celebrated and recognized.”

She continued: “I’m here to represent who we are. And if you want to come along for the ride, everyone’s welcome!”

Nia Long’s latest film, You People, was released on Netflix on Friday. She stars alongside Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and more. The story follows a young couple who deal with cultural clashes and generational divides.

Long recently revealed that she wants to work with Murphy on another rom-com at some point in the future.

Check out Nia Long’s comments on The Daily Show below.

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Nia Long Says She’d Do Another Rom-Com With Eddie Murphy

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Nia Long says that she sees herself working with Eddie Murphy again on a rom-com in the future. The two recently starred alongside one another in the Netflix comedy, You People.

Speaking about the opportunity with Essence, Long reflected on realizing her long-time goal of working with Murphy.

“And there’s been so many times in my career where I was close to working with Eddie and it just didn’t quite happen. Okay. And so this time I actually got a chance to work them,” Long said. “I wanna do it again because I feel like there’s like a rom-com or something later on.”

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 12: Nia Long attends the Stage 6 and Screen Gems world premiere of “Missing” at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Downtown Los Angeles on January 12, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

You People hit Netflix back on January 27. In addition to Murphy and Long, the film stars Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and more. It follows a young couple who deal with culture clashes, generational divides, and more.

As for Eddie Murphy, the legendary comedian recently revealed that he’s open to reprising his iconic role as Donkey from Shrek. The comments come following the success of the spin-off film, Puss in Boots.

“I’d absolutely be open if they ever came with another Shrek, I’d do it in two seconds. I love Donkey,” Murphy told Etalk. “You know, they did Puss in Boots movies. I was like, ‘They should have did a Donkey movie. Donkey is funnier than Puss in Boots.’ I mean, I love Puss in Boots, but he ain’t funny as the Donkey.”

Check out a trailer for You People below and be on the lookout for the film streaming on Netflix.

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Nia Long Speaks On Dating After Split From Ime Udoka

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Nia Long shared her thoughts on dating weeks after she broke up with NBA coach Ime Udoka. While dating rumors continued to hit her left and right since, the actress set the record straight. Overall, from what she said on The Drew Barrymore Show, she’s not in any rush.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 25: Nia Long attends Fotografiska & Mass Appeal Celebrate Opening Of ‘Hip Hop: Conscious, Unconscious’ In Collaboration with Chase Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards and Sony Music Entertainment’s Certified at Fotografiska New York on January 25, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for Fotografiska New York)

Moreover, this news comes after Udoka’s public cheating scandal, which exploded in September of 2022. The coach had a consensual but inappropriate relationship with a staffer for the Boston Celtics, and Long split with him months later. However, when she spoke to Barrymore, she shared that she’s got her “eye on one person.

“I’m not saying,” she joked. “I’m never telling.” Afterwards, the host shared that she enjoys the dating process. Then Nia admitted that she’s a bit anxious about the prospect. “You do? I’m so nervous,” she stated. “Are you on the dating apps? We gotta talk about this.”

Also, the 52-year-old said confirmed that she’s “so single” at the moment. Still, rumors recently spread of a potential romance between her and R&B singer Omarion. Moreover, The Shade Room shared a video of them on a red carpet where they took pictures together and Long grabbed his hand. “The smile on Omarion’s face says it all!” TSR captioned the post.

However, Nia Long even went to the lengths of commenting on that post to get her say in all the gossip. “Everybody simmer down…” she wrote. “I’m single AF.” With all these people breathing down her neck, she might relate to what she said about Will Smith carrying a burden.

“I will always love him,” she said to Yahoo. “He’s had an incredible career, and he’s carried a burden for many years to try — to represent what perfection looks like. Or what achievement looks like… I don’t think that — at least when we were growing up — there was room to be human. I think he’s now able to be human.

“We all have our moments in life where we need to reconcile things that we suppress,” she continued. “And I think — it’s hard growing up in this business and being front and center every day, all day. I’ve had some pretty devastating moments in my life over the last couple of months, and I’ve had to just say ‘It’s alright. You’ll pick yourself back up’ — oh, my God I’m about to cry. You pick yourself back up, and you keep it moving.”

Still, what do you think of Nia Long’s thoughts on dating after her split from Ime Udoka? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, check back in with HNHH for the latest pop culture gossip and relationship rumors.

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Omarion on Potential Romance With Nia Long: ‘You Never Know’ and ‘Nothing but Respect for the Queen’

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Omarion on Potential Romance With Nia Long: ‘You Never Know’ and ‘Nothing but Respect for the Queen'

Omarion is leaving the door open for a potential romance with Nia Long.

Over the weekend, both stars were on the red carpet for the You People film premiere. Posing together, the two created some murmurs online.

Stomping out the fire of “The smile on Omarion’s face says it all!”, Long entered the comments and set the record straight. “Everybody simmer down… I’m single AF.”

The Shade Room hit Instagram with an update, revealing a video where O was asked did he get Long’s number. His response, “I can’t tell you that.” He added both “you never know” and “nothing but respect for the queen.”

The SOURCE also caught up with Nia Long earlier this month. You can read more on that here.

The post Omarion on Potential Romance With Nia Long: ‘You Never Know’ and ‘Nothing but Respect for the Queen’ appeared first on The Source.

Omarion Dodges Nia Long Questions In Awkward Exchange With Paparazzi

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She’s newly single and it’s unclear if she’s ready to mingle, but all eyes have been on Nia Long. The actress ended her 13-year relationship with Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka following an explosive cheating scandal that rocked the franchise. She remained silent through the pop culture chatter, but now, Long is back to promote not one but two film projects.

Long has been busy jet-setting from red carpets for Missing and You People, to popping up in Dubai with Terrence J. At the You People premiere in Los Angeles, she ran into Omarion as photographers captured their interaction. The innocent exchange turned into a viral moment after the former B2K singer shared a post on social media.

Read More: Nia Long Says She’s “Single AF” Following Omarion Dating Rumors

Omarion added a simple smiling face emoji to the brief clip. Quickly, as social media users often do, rumors began swirling online about some romance—or sneaky link. Long returned to join in with the laughs and made it clear that she’s a single woman.

More recently, while traveling through LAX, Omarion was spotted by the paparazzi. Of course, they questioned him about his moment with the veteran actress. The singer was quick to shut down speculation about them dating.

Read More: Nia Long & Yung Miami Show Love At “You People” Premiere

The cameraperson noted that Omarion was “putting the fire out, right here, right now.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that,” Omarion replied. The photog assumed, “Oh, so there’s a little bit of a window.” O answered, “I didn’t say that. I didn’t say anything.”

It was clear that the paparazzo was looking for a soundbite to roll with, but Omarion wasn’t budging. “I just met her on the red carpet,” he added.

Check out the awkward exchange above.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 17: Nia Long and Omarion attend the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “You People” at Regency Village Theatre on January 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/WireImage)

Nia Long Talks Will Smith’s “Burden” Of Representing “What Perfection Looks Like”

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Plenty of industry’s elite who called Will Smith a friend turned their backs on him following the Oscars incident, but not Nia Long. Smith has returned to work full force with the release of Emancipation, but it will be a long road for him to regain respect from his peers. The infamous moment when he slapped Chris Rock on the Oscars stage devastated the icon’s reputation, but those who know Smith well, like Long, are commending his strength to recover.

“I will always love him. He’s had an incredible career, and he’s carried a burden for many years to try — to represent what perfection looks like,” Long told Yahoo‘s Kevin Polowy. “Or what achievement looks like.”

Read More: Tyrese Defends Will Smith After Eddie Murphy Golden Globes Joke

The actress goes way back with the Fresh Prince star, as she portrayed his girlfriend on the hit 1990s sitcom.

“I don’t think that — at least when we were growing up — there was room to be human,” Long also said. “I think he’s now able to be human.”

She’s grateful that she’s amassed the success she has while still being able to lead a somewhat regular life. According to Long, she gets recognized in the street, but no one is chasing her down.

“We all have our moments in life where we need to reconcile things that we suppress,” she said. “And I think — it’s hard growing up in this business and being front and center every day, all day.”

Nia Long and Will Smith during “ATL” Los Angeles Premeire – Arrivals at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
Read More: Will Smith Says “Emancipation” Has Helped Him Overcome Oscars Slap

Elsewhere, she discussed the rough few months she’s faced. While she didn’t name her ex Ime Udoka’s cheating scandal, viewers read between the lines. The pair split after 13 years together when news of his infidelities stormed the headlines.

“I’ve had some pretty devastating moments in my life over the last couple of months, and I’ve had to just say ‘It’s alright. You’ll pick yourself back up’ — oh, my God I’m about to cry,” Long said. “You pick yourself back up, and you keep it moving.”

Check out clips from her interview below.

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Nia Long & Terrence J Link Up After Beyoncé’s Concert In Dubai

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Nia Long’s recent heartbreak isn’t stopping her from living her best life. In the latter half of 2022, the 52-year-old uncovered the truth about her ex-fiancé, Ime Udoka’s infidelities in their relationship. Much to the pleasure of several famous figures, she left the basketball coach behind in wake of all the drama.

Since then, a number of suitors have tried shooting their shot. Back in October, Cam’ron made it known that he was throwing his hat in the ring with a flirtatious DM. It subsequently appeared on his own feed after failing to attract a response.

Nia Long attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “You People at Regency Village Theatre on January 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)

“Hey stink,” the Dipset rapper wrote at the time. “I  was giving you some time to yourself till I reached out. Your perseverance as a strong Black woman through this turbulent time has been something to behold. You shouldn’t be taken advantage of and exploited as you did nothing to deserve this. Especially all over these sports networks. You’re bigger and better [than] that.”

While nothing seems to have transpired from the New Yorker’s attempt at finding love, Long has since been spotted with several different men. Firstly, she and Omarion made headlines at the premiere of her latest film. The B2K alum shared a video of him and the black-haired beauty on the red carpet. In it, she grabs his hand, leaving him obviously blushing and smiling.

Despite the internet’s immediate speculation, she was quick to clarify that she’s “single AF” for the time being.

Long’s next big stop came after a flight to Dubai to watch Beyoncé’s extravagant return to the stage. The event was undeniably star-studded, with Chloe and Halle Bailey, DDG, and Kendall Jenner all making the trip to see the show.

Another famous face in attendance was 106 & Park‘s Terrence J, who was seen having a laugh with the often-rapped-about starlet over the weekend. In a circulating video, she giggles away while the actor helps her out of a luxury car.

Of course, the clips have caused some to tweet about Long’s ex, joking that he has to watch her virally get her lick back without being able to do anything about it.

Aside from her recent romance rumours, Nia Long has also been in the headlines lately for her work in Netflix’s You People. She stars in the film alongside Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill, and Lauren London. Within the plot, the latter two try to navigate a relationship despite their family’s distinct cultural differences.

Check out the trailer for that movie here, and let us know who you’d like to see the Friday actress link up with next in the comments.

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