Nia Long has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, surrounded by her family, including her sons, Massai and Kez, and co-stars Larenz Tate, Bill Bellamy, Mike Epps and Terrence Howard.
The actress received the 2,857th star in the Motion Pictures category on Wednesday, September 16.
Snoop Dogg and producer Graham King joined Long for the ceremony, where the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also declared September 16 as Nia Long Day.
Snoop Dogg made a special gesture by attending the event in a jacket featuring some of Long’s most iconic roles, leaving the actress pleasantly surprised.
Long’s acting career began in the early 1990s, when her performance in John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood introduced her to movie audiences. She later starred in films such as Friday, Love Jones and The Best Man. Her role as Lisa Wilkes in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air also made her a familiar face to television audiences.
During the ceremony, Snoop Dogg delivered a speech celebrating Long’s career and individuality.
“Hollywood has a way of trying to change you, trying to tell you how to look, tell you how to talk, tell you who you’re supposed to be, and sometimes even tell you when your time is up. But Nia? She said, ‘nah, I’m going to be Nia,’” he said. “That’s why we’re still standing here, celebrating her after all these years.”
