Sidney and Dre can attribute their lifelong friendship and the launch of their careers to one single childhood instant... witnessing the birth of hip-hop on a New York street corner. Now some 15 years later, she is a revered music critic at a national magazine and he is a successful, though unfulfilled, hip-hop record company executive. Both come to realize that their true life passions will only be fulfilled by remembering what they learned that day on the corner.
10-05-2002
1h 49m
THIS
HELLA
Doesn't have an image right now... sorry!has no image... sorry!
Main Cast
Movie Details
Production Info
Director:
Rick Famuyiwa
Production:
Fox Searchlight Pictures, Evergreen Productions, Heller Highwater Productions, Magic Johnson Entertainment, 20th Century Fox
Revenue:
$27,362,712
Budget:
$8,000,000
Key Crew
Screenplay:
Michael Elliot
Stunts:
G.A. Aguilar
Unit Production Manager:
Trish Hofmann
Sound Recordist:
Matt Colleran
Musician:
Robert Hurst
Locations and Languages
Country:
US
Filming:
US
Languages:
en
Main Cast
Sanaa Lathan
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.
Taye Diggs (born Scott Leo Diggs, Taye comes from the playful pronunciation of Scotty as "Scottay") is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals Rent and Hedwig and the Angry Inch; the TV series Private Practice (2007-2013), Murder in the First (2014-2016), and All American (2018-); and the films How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), The Wood, The Best Man (both 1999), Brown Sugar, Chicago (both 2002), Malibu's Most Wanted, Basic (both 2003), The Best Man (1999) and its sequel, The Best Man Holiday (2013), and Baggage Claim (2013).
He had a recurring role as Jackson Duper on Ally McBeal, Dean Levine-Wilkins on The Good Wife, Mike Boyce on Rosewood starring real life friend Morris Chestnut, and Councilman Angelo DuBois on Empire.
He starred in the lead role on the series Kevin Hill, and as Detective Brett Hopper on Day Break.
Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def, is an American retired rapper, singer-songwriter, and actor.
Regarded as one of hip hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def, has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. With the release of "Universal Magnetic" (1996), he became an underground favorite in the hip-hop world, leading to his legendary collaboration with Talib Kweli. The two formed Black Star whose debut album, Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, would become one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums. He followed with his 1999 solo debut, Black On Both Sides, which was certified gold and credited by critics as bringing hip hop back to its soapbox roots.
He was a former child actor in television films, sitcoms, and theater, and continued acting as an adult after launching his rap career. He appeared in Spike Lee's Bamboozled, MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera, 2002's critically acclaimed Monster's Ball, Showtime, and the 2002 romantic comedy Brown Sugar, for which he received an NAACP Image Award nomination. He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 to 2007.
He completed his Broadway debut in 2002 in the Tony-nominated, Pulitzer Prize-winning, Topdog/Underdog. He then re-teamed with Topdog playwright, Suzan Lori Parks and director George Wolfe for the off-Broadway play Fucking A, for which he earned an Obie Award.
In 2003, he starred in The Italian Job alongside Ed Norton, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. In 2004, he starred opposite Alan Rickman in the critically acclaimed HBO movie Something the Lord Made, for which he received a 2004 Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie. He was also nominated for both a Golden Globe Award (Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture) and Golden Satellite Award (Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television) for the same role.
He continued his music career by releasing his highly anticipated and critically acclaimed sophomore solo release, The New Danger (2004). The first single, "Sex, Love and Money" earned him a 2005 Grammy nomination for Best Alternative/Urban Performance, and the album has been certified gold by the RIAA.
The following year, he appeared alongside Bruce Willis in the crime thriller 16 Blocks (2006), in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, and had a cameo appearance in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Also in 2006, he released his third solo album, True Magic.
The next year, he appeared in the 2007 PBS historical documentary, Prince Among Slaves, and in 2008 he played the role of Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records. In 2009, he released the album The Ecstatic, which proved to be his second highest-charting album to date. He then appeared in the urban comedy Next Day Air, and (as himself) in the 2010 mockumentary film I’m Still Here, starring Joaquin Phoenix.
Mos Def announced in September of 2011 that he changed his name to Yasiin Bey, and would go by it henceforth. In the first month of 2016, Bey declared his retirement from both the film and music industries.
In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on its "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time".
Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe (born October 7, 1970) is an American actress and model.
Early in her career she appeared in several critically-acclaimed independent films including The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995), Boogie Nights (1997), 200 Cigarettes (1999), and the 1999 Sundance Film Festival winner The Adventures of Sebastian Cole.
She has starred in several television shows including Second Time Around, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and The Deep End; but her breakthrough television role was on Showtime6 drama Soul Food, which she starred in from 2000-2004. Her big screen credits include such popular films as Blue Streak (1999), Brown Sugar (2002) and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008).
She is married to fellow model turned actor, Boris Kodjoe, and they have two children.
Boris Frederic Cecil Tay-Natey Ofuatey-Kodjoe is a German-born actor, producer, and former model best known for his roles as Kelby in the 2002 film Brown Sugar, the sports-courier agent Damon Carter on the Showtime drama series Soul Food, Dr. Will Campbell on CBS's Code Black and a recurring character on FOX's The Last Man on Earth. He co-stars on BET's Real Husbands of Hollywood and the Grey's Anatomy spin-off, Station 19 as Robert Sullivan.
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album All Hail the Queen on November 28, 1989, featuring the hit single "Ladies First". Nature of a Sista' (1991) was her second and final album with Tommy Boy Records.
Latifah starred as Khadijah James on the Fox sitcom Living Single from 1993 to 1998. Her third album, Black Reign (1993), became the first album by a solo female rapper to receive a RIAA certification, and spawned the single "U.N.I.T.Y.", which was influential in raising awareness of violence against women and the objectification of Black female sexuality. The record won a Grammy Award and peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. She then starred in the lead role of Set It Off (1996) and released her fourth album, Order in the Court, on June 16, 1998, with Motown Records. Latifah garnered acclaim with her role of Matron "Mama" Morton in the musical film Chicago (2002), receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Latifah released her fifth album The Dana Owens Album in 2004. In 2007 and 2009, she released two more studio albums – Trav'lin' Light and Persona. She created the daytime talk show The Queen Latifah Show, which ran from 1999 to 2001, and again from 2013 to 2015, in syndication. She has appeared in a number of films, such as Bringing Down the House (2003), Taxi (2004), Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2005), Beauty Shop (2005), Last Holiday (2006), Hairspray (2007), Joyful Noise (2012), 22 Jump Street (2014) and Girls Trip (2017) and provided voice work in the Ice Age film series. Latifah received critical acclaim for her portrayal of blues singer Bessie Smith in the HBO film Bessie (2015), which she co-produced, winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie. From 2016 to 2019, she starred as Carlotta Brown in the musical drama series Star. In 2020, she portrayed Hattie McDaniel in the miniseries Hollywood.
Queen Latifah has been referred to as the "Queen of Rap" by several media articles, as well as "rap's first feminist". Latifah became the first hip hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2006). Latifah's work in music, film and television has earned her a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, and an Academy Award nomination.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Queen Latifah, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Wendell Edward Pierce (born December 8, 1962) is an American actor and businessman. Having trained at Juilliard School, Pierce rose to prominence as a character actor, portraying roles on both stage and screen. He first gained recognition for portraying the role of Detective Bunk Moreland in the acclaimed HBO drama series The Wire from 2002 to 2008.
His other notable television roles include the trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme (2010-2013), James Greer in Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan (2018-2023), the attorney Robert Zane in Suits (2013-2019), and Clarence Thomas in Confirmation (2016). He earned Independent Spirit Awards nominations for his film roles in Four (2012) and Burning Cane (2019), on which he also served as a producer. Other notable film roles include Malcolm X (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995), Ray (2004), Selma (2014), The Gift (2015), and Clemency (2019).
Pierce made his Broadway debut in John Pielmeier's 1985 play The Boys of Winter, followed by Caryl Churchill's Serious Money in 1988. As a theatrical producer, he earned a Tony Award for Best Play nomination for August Wilson's Radio Golf (2007), then won for Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park (2012). He performed the lead role of Willy Loman in the revival of Death of a Salesman on the West End in London in 2019 and on Broadway in New York in 2022, for which he earned Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award nominations.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Wendell Pierce, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
One of the more famous hip hop radio personalities Angie have been around and remained relevant since the 90's. She's also released her own music as a rapper as well as acted in numerous films.
Venida Evans was born on September 2, 1947 in Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA. Venida is an actor, known for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), I Origins (2014) and The Adjustment Bureau (2011).
Donna DuPlantier is a New Orleans native. Her family's history in the city has been traced back as far as the 1800s. Her father was one of the first African American geologists at Texaco oil and her mother was a nurse for over 30 years throughout the metropolitan city. She graduated from George Mason University with a BA in theater. - IMDb Mini Biography By: DD
Sterling Kelby Brown (born April 5, 1976) is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Awards, an Academy Award nomination, and a Golden Globe Award. He was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018.
After graduating from college, Brown acted in a series of roles in the regional theater. He has also appeared on numerous television shows such as ER, NYPD Blue, JAG, Boston Legal, Alias, Without A Trace, Supernatural, and Third Watch. He was a regular in the Starved comedy and has also appeared in films, including Stay with Ewan McGregor, Brown Sugar with Taye Diggs and Trust the Man with David Duchovny and Julianne Moore.
He appeared in the television series as a recurring Supernatural, where he portrayed vampire hunter Gordon Walker. Brown played Dr. Roland Burton in Army Wives. He also represented Detective Cal Beecher in Person of Interest. In 2008, he played David Mosley in the episode of "Patience" by Eli Stone. In 2016, Brown starred in the FX miniseries The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story as Christopher Darden, for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Antonio Monterio Hardy (born September 10, 1968) better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs in Hip Hop. Regarding the name Big Daddy Kane, he said: "The Big Daddy part and the Kane part came from two different things. The Kane part came from my fascination with the Martial Arts flicks when I was young. The Big Daddy came from something that happened on a ski trip one time involving a young lady".
Description above from the Wikipedia article Big Daddy Kane, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Tariq Luqmaan Trotter, better known as Black Thought, is an American rapper and the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group, The Roots, as well as an occasional actor.
Ahmir Khalib Thompson (born on January 20, 1971), known professionally as ?uestlove or Questlove (also known as BROther ?uestion, Questo or Brother Question), is an American drummer, DJ, music journalist and record producer. He is best known as the drummer for the Grammy Award-winning band The Roots, which is now the in-house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He has produced for artists such as Common, D'Angelo, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Bilal, Jay-Z, Nikka Costa and more recently, Al Green, Amy Winehouse and John Legend. He is a member of the production teams the Soulquarians, The Randy Watson Experience, and The Grand Wizzards.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Questlove,licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Toks Olagundoye, whose full name is Olatokunbo Susan Olasobunmi Abeke Olagundoye, was born on September 16, 1975, in Lagos, Nigeria. She holds Nigerian nationality and has a diverse educational background, having attended schools in Nigeria, Switzerland, and England before completing high school in England. She later earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Smith College in the USA.
Olagundoye is widely recognized for her roles in popular TV series such as "The Neighbors," where she played Jackie Joyner-Kersee, "Castle," portraying Hayley Shipton, and "Frasier," where she took on the role of Olivia Finch. In addition to her live-action roles, she has lent her voice to animated characters, including Nanefua Pizza in "Steven Universe" and Mrs. Beakley in "DuckTales." Her career also spans writing and producing, showcasing her multifaceted talents in the entertainment industry.
Toks Olagundoye's heritage is a blend of Norwegian and Nigerian, with her mother being Norwegian and her father Nigerian. She has been married to actor Sean Quinn since 2015, and together they have one child.
Douglas Davis (born September 17, 1966) known professionally as Doug E. Fresh, is a Barbados-born American rapper, record producer, and beatboxer, also known as the "Human Beat Box". The pioneer of 20th-century American beatboxing, Fresh is able to accurately imitate drum machines and various special effects using only his mouth, lips, gums, throat, tongue and a microphone. In the early 1980s, he formed the Get Fresh Crew with DJs Chill Will and Barry B and later added rapper Slick Rick. Two of their songs "The Show" and "La Di Da Di" are considered early hip hop classics. "La Di Da Di", in particular, is one of the most sampled songs in music history.
Richard Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), professionally known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer.
He rose to prominence with Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. Their songs "The Show" and "La Di Da Di" are considered early hip hop classics. "La Di Da Di" is one of the most sampled songs in history.
In 1986, he became the third artist signed to Def Jam Records. He has released four albums: The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988), The Ruler's Back (1991), Behind Bars (1994) and The Art of Storytelling (1999). His music has been sampled and interpolated over 1,000 times, in dozens of songs by artists, including Eminem, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Beastie Boys, TLC, Nas, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, MF DOOM, Czarface, Black Star, The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, MC Ren, Montell Jordan, Tech N9ne, and Color Me Badd. In the process, Slick Rick has become one of the most-sampled hip-hop artists ever. Many of these songs based on Slick Rick samples went on to become hit singles.
He has been a VH-1 Hip Hop Honors honoree, and About.com ranked him No. 12 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time, while The Source ranked him No. 15 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. He has acted and cameo-ed in 10 movies and videos.
American record producer, songwriter and rapper.
Dupri got his start as a dancer for the hip hop group Whodini when he was twelve. He made an appearance in their music video for the song "Freaks Come Out At Night".
David Jude Jolicoeur (September 21, 1968 – February 12, 2023), also known as Trugoy the Dove, Plug Two, and Dave, was an American rapper best known as one third of the hip hop group De La Soul.
Kelvin Mercer (born August 17, 1969), also known by his stage name Posdnuos, Plug 1 and occasionally Pos, is an American rapper and record producer best known for his work as one third of the hip hop trio De La Soul. Through his work with the group, Mercer is considered to be one of the most consistent and underrated MCs of all time. Beginning with the highly acclaimed 3 Feet High and Rising in 1989, Mercer has gone on to release nine albums with De La Soul.
Kimora Lee Simmons (née Perkins; May 4, 1975) is an American model, fashion designer, venture capitalist, entrepreneur, TV personality, philanthropist, and author. She was signed with the house of CHANEL as a teenager where she became a model and has walked the runway for fashion houses such as Fendi and Valentino and appeared on the covers of Vogue and Elle. In 1999, she launched the global lifestyle brand Baby Phat to huge success around the world. Outside of fashion and modeling, she received a Tony award in 2003 for her work as a producer on Def Poetry Jam on Broadway. In 2007, she, alongside her family, ventured into reality television and starred in Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane on E! Network which aired 4 seasons.
She was married to record executive Russell Simmons from 1998 to 2009; they have 2 daughters: Ming and Aoki. She dated actor Djimon Hounsou from 2007 to 2012; they have a son, Kenzo. She married investment banker Tim Leissner in 2015; they have a biological son, Wolf, and adopted a son, Gary.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, and creator of the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and American Classics.
Russell Simmons is the third richest figure in hip-hop, having a net-worth estimate of $340 million.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Russell Simmons, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Dwight Grant (born on March 6, 1974), also known as Beanie Sigel, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is in talks with 50 Cent to sign with G-Unit Records and had formed a close association with rappers Jay-Z, Freeway and other former and current artists on the Roc-A-Fella roster. His stage name comes from a street in South Philadelphia, the rapper's former stomping grounds where he worked alongside Senior Durham in the projects. He has sold more than two million albums worldwide.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Beanie Sigel, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Lonnie Rashid Lynn (born March 13, 1972), known by his stage name Common (formerly Common Sense), is an American rapper and actor. He has received three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award.
He debuted in 1992 with the album Can I Borrow a Dollar?, and gained critical acclaim with his 1994 album Resurrection. He maintained an underground following into the late 1990s. He achieved mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians.
His first major-label album Like Water for Chocolate (2000), received commercial success. In 2003, he won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for the Erykah Badu single "Love of My Life". His 2005 album Be was also a commercial success and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Common received his second Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Southside" (featuring Kanye West), from his 2007 album Finding Forever. His best-of album, Thisisme Then: The Best of Common, was released in late 2007. In 2011, Common launched Think Common Entertainment, his own record label imprint, having previously released music under various other labels including Relativity, Geffen, and GOOD Music.
Common won the 2015 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Academy Award for Best Original Song, for his song, co-written and performed with John Legend, "Glory" from the 2014 film Selma, in which he co-starred as Civil Rights Movement leader James Bevel. Common's acting career also includes roles in the films Smokin' Aces, Street Kings, American Gangster, Wanted, Terminator Salvation, Date Night, Just Wright, Happy Feet Two, New Year's Eve, Run All Night, Being Charlie, Rex, John Wick: Chapter 2, Smallfoot and Hunter Killer. He also narrated the documentary Bouncing Cats, about one man's efforts to improve the lives of children in Uganda through hip-hop/b-boy culture. He starred as Elam Ferguson on the AMC western television series Hell on Wheels.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Common (rapper), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Clifford Smith (born April 1, 1971 in Staten Island, New York), better known by his stage name Method Man or Meth is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man & Redman along with fellow rapper Redman. He won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" with Mary J. Blige.
He appeared in the motion pictures Belly, How High, Garden State as well as a minor role in The Wackness. On television, he and hip-hop collaborator Redman co-starred on the short-lived Fox sitcom Method & Red, and he had a recurring role as Calvin "Cheese" Wagstaff on the acclaimed HBO drama series The Wire.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Method Man, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Liza Lapira (born December 3, 1981) is an American actress, known for her roles as Melody 'Mel' Bayan on the CBS series The Equalizer, Helen-Alice on the sitcom Super Fun Night, Topher Brink's assistant Ivy on Dollhouse, Maggie Del Rosario on the series Huff, Special Agent Michelle Lee on the CBS series NCIS, Alva in Repo Men (2010), Trinh in Fast & Furious (2009), Kianna in the film 21 (2008), and Heather in Cloverfield (2008).
She also co-starred in the short-lived sitcoms Traffic Light, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, Con Man, and 9JKL.
Lamman Rucker (born October 6, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in Tyler Perry's films Why Did I Get Married?, Why Did I Get Married Too?, and Meet the Browns, and its television adaptation.
Rucker began his career on the daytime soap operas As the World Turns and All My Children before his film career.
In 2016, he began starring as Jacob Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf. As of 2022, he stars in BET+ drama The Black Hamptons.
Joan Marie Laurer was a former American professional wrestler, actress, bodybuilder and pornographic film actress who was under contract to Vivid Entertainment. Chyna first rose to prominence upon debuting in the professional wrestling promotion WWE in 1997, where she performed under the ring name Chyna and was billed as the "Ninth Wonder of the World" (André the Giant was already billed as the eighth). A member of the stable D-Generation X, she held the WWE Intercontinental Championship (the first female wrestler to do so) and WWE Women's Championship, and was the first female wrestler to participate in the Royal Rumble and King of the Ring events. Since leaving the WWE in 2001, Chyna had wrestled sporadically, most notably with New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2002 and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2011. Laurer had a strained relationship with her family. She last saw her mother at the age of sixteen, and she claimed that her father never got over her decision not to join the FBI. She also alleged that her father took out several student loans in her name and without her knowledge, leaving her with $40,000 in debt. On an episode of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew in 2008, Laurer claimed to have a bad relationship with all of her family members, including her siblings. In September 2010, Laurer was hospitalized after overdosing on sleeping medication. As of February 2015, Laurer had reestablished a good relationship with her mother; her father died in May 2014.
Laurer taught English in Japan.
On February 9, 2015, during a WWE Network podcast with Steve Austin, Triple H mentioned that Chyna deserved to be in the WWE Hall of Fame but that problems with children Googling her prohibited it. After being in contact with Vince Russo she claimed in an interview that Triple H had hit her, which he later called a false statement.
Death
On April 20, 2016, Laurer was found dead at her home in Redondo Beach, California. She had been taking medication for anxiety and sleep deprivation. An official statement was posted to her Twitter account, saying "It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero ... She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her."
