Nia Long

Nia Long (born October 30, 1970) 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 Soul Food, Love Jones, The Best Man, Big Momma's House, and Are We There Yet?   Long was born in Brooklyn, New York, U.S. Her family is of Afro-Trinidadian descent. Her name, Nia, is one of the seven days of Kwanzaa, which means purpose in Swahili. Long's parents divorced when she was two years old, and she and her mother moved to Iowa City, Iowa. They subsequently moved to a South Los Angeles neighborhood when Long was seven. Long's father currently resides in Trenton, New Jersey. Long's half-sister is comedienne Sommore, one of the stars of The Queens of Comedy. She attended the Roman Catholic school St. Mary's Academy and studied ballet, tap, jazz, gymnastics, guitar, and acting. She graduated from WestchesterHigh School in 1989. 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 portrayed Kat from 1991 to 1994, then f rom 1994 - 1995, she played Will Smith's girlfriend and fiancée Beulah "Lisa" Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. In 2003, she joined the cast of the drama Third Watch, where she played NYPD Officer Sasha Monroe, continuing until the series finale in 2005. In 2005 and 2006, Long appeared on Everwood, and appeared on Boston Legal during its 2006-2007 season. Long also starred in Big Shots from 2007-2008 alongside Michael Vartan and Dylan McDermott. She also made a guest appearance on the successful sitcom Living Single during its first season. Long appeared in supporting roles in a number of movies including, Boyz n the Hood, Friday, and Made in America. She played a leading role, or a member of the primary ensemble, in several films, including Soul Food, Love Jones, Boiler Room, Big Momma's House, Are We There Yet?, and The Best Man. Ice Cube has starred with her in four films, while (fellow Westchester High alum) Regina King has starred with her in two. Long was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the World in 2000 by People. She won a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 2004 for her performance on Third Watch.   In addition to her film credits, she directed Yolanda Adams's music video for "This Too Shall Pass" and co-directed and appeared in Ashanti's music video, "Baby". She also appears in the video for Kanye West's, "Touch The Sky". Long and her former long-time boyfriend and fellow actor Massai Z. Dorsey have a son, Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, born on November 26, 2000.

Organised, relentless, productive with high willpower, determination and an intense need to be constantly ‘on the go,’ the ENTJ personality type will not sit back and see what life brings but will proactively go make it happen. Rarely intimidated and with a restless desire to achieve and with no problems going against the grain or being very direct with people. This is of course not intentional, but they can display a lack of patience with those who don’t grasp things as quickly as they do, or who appear to be blocking the plan, and can be seen at times as intimidating overbearing and a bit of a ‘know-it-all.’

The ENTJ is the natural leader - just ask them! They are confident, authoritative and will take the lead in situations, especially one which calls for organisation and marshalling the troops. They don’t hesitate, and their directness can often leave others reeling in their wake as the ENTJ will have little time for anything they see as woolly or obtrusive. As their least developed function is ‘F’ they may not truly comprehend the impact their behaviour has on others, often coming across as overly task driven, insensitive and impatient, and a bit bossy. (The ENTJ would take these as compliments!) Their desire to get the job done, moving from A-Z in the shortest possible time-frame, and using the quickest possible route may mean that the ENTJ may neglect the niceties of thanking people and showing them that they are in fact appreciated, again not intentionally, it is just another part of the ENTJ focus and robustness. The masters of change, ENTJs see what needs to be done and have the confidence and capability to get on and do it, often taking harsh or courageous decisions even against the grain; the ENTJ has no problems bucking authority, indeed they’d secretly (or perhaps not so secretly), relish it! Rarely intimidated or feeling out of their depth, the ENTJ is always looking at ways of doing it better and in so doing increasing their own store of knowledge and experience.

Always on the go, ENTJs have a restless and unquenchable desire to fill the unforgiving minute. This particular trait means that the ENTJ is often difficult to push off-course once they are running towards the goal. Any deviation would have to be eloquently and robustly argued and even then, may not be enough to turn the juggernaut around so determined are they to get there. If you want to find the ENTJ then go where the action is, and you’ll probably find they’re leading it! Others may disagree with that direction, but no-one will be in any doubt where the future lies. This can, at times, make the ENTJ appear confrontational and overly dominant. However, enjoying intellectual debate, the best way to resolve this would be to challenge back. Being an ‘N’ and a ‘J,’ the ENTJ is the action-oriented, conceptualist, almost a contradiction in terms. They love theories and ideas, abstracts and concepts, but then want to move quickly to implement. They clearly articulate the vision of the future but have the 'J' quality to relentlessly make sure it gets done. This can be a handicap as the ENTJ may not take time to understand the smaller issues, the nuances, as they want to get on with it.

Suggesting that, 'this is the way it's always been done,' will not push an ENTJ's buttons. Indeed, it would be seen as a challenge and provoke an energetic robust response. ENTJs love the new, the untried, the unexplored, as they are essentially future-oriented. ENTJs are decisive - boy are they decisive! They are tough-minded and resolute in their beliefs (because their beliefs are ‘of course’ based on what ‘obviously’ needs to be done) I asked an ENTJ at a job interview if he upsets folk. ‘Of course I do, you have to if you want to get things done!’ No equivocating there then!