Tatyana Marisol Ali (born January 24, 1979) is an American actress and singer best known for her role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990 to 1996. She starred as Tyana Jones on the TV One original series Love That Girl!, and played a recurring role as Roxanne on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless from 2007 to 2013. In 2023, she starred in Giving Hope: The Ni'Cola Mitchell Story on Lifetime.
Tatyana Ali | |
|---|---|
 Ali in 2012 | |
| Born | Tatyana Marisol Ali January 24, 1979 North Bellmore, New York, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (BA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse |
Vaughn Rasberry (m. 2016) |
| Children | 2 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | R&B |
| Labels |
|
Early life
editTatyana Ali was born on January 24, 1979,[1] in North Bellmore, New York.[2] She is of mixed African and South Asian ancestry or Dougla, born to an Indo-Trinidadian father and an Afro-Panamanian mother.[3]
Career
editIn 1985, six-year-old Ali began her acting career as a regular performer on the PBS children's educational program Sesame Street. Her tenure included an appearance with jazz great Herbie Hancock, who demonstrated his Fairlight CMI synthesizer using a sample of Ali's voice. She also appeared in two episodes of Star Search, one of which featured her performance of a cover of Marvin Gaye's and Tammi Terrell's hit "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".
She made her breakthrough in 1990 when she was cast as Ashley Banks on the NBC television sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a role she played throughout the series' entire run, from 1990 to 1996.
Ali's vocal talent was featured on several episodes of Fresh Prince in later seasons, prompting the show's star Will Smith to ask her if she would seriously consider pursuing a musical career. She ultimately decided, for the time being, to continue to concentrate on her acting career. In the series' final season, however, Ali performed several songs, and she began to be cleaned for her musical debut, the culmination of which was her debut album Kiss the Sky in 1998. It was certified gold in early 1999, only months after its release, and spawned the Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins-produced hit single "Daydreamin'", released July 21, 1998, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also appeared on the UK Singles Chart. The album spawned two further UK hits, "Boy You Knock Me Out" featuring Will Smith — which peaked at No. 3 and is her biggest hit to date — and "Everytime", which was her third top-20 hit in the UK, peaking at No. 20. She made an appearance on Smith's album Willennium on the track "Who Am I" with MC Lyte. She performed the title song "Sunny Valentine" along with Terrence Quaites for the indie film Rockin' Meera in 2005. In early 2008, she performed on the song "Yes We Can", a will.i.am project supporting Barack Obama's presidential campaign. She also appeared in the subsequent music video, which garnered coverage on the "What the Buzz" segment of ABC's World News Now. In January 2014, Ali released an EP titled Hello, whose first single was "Wait For It", which she performed on The Arsenio Hall Show on February 4, 2014.
Apart from her musical career, Ali continued to land roles in films such as The Brothers, Glory Road, and Nora's Hair Salon (and its sequel), among others. From 2009 to 2010, she produced and starred in the BET web series Buppies. She was on recurring status on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless as Roxanne from 2007 to 2013. Ali starred in the TV One original series Love That Girl! as Tyana (whose name was derived from Ali's given name). In 2013, she co-starred as Maya in the BET comedy Second Generation Wayans, alongside Craig Wayans and Damien Dante Wayans.
In 2011, Ali received the Living Legacy Award from the Caribbean Heritage Organization in Los Angeles.[4][5]
In July 2016, Ali sued Warner Bros., claiming that the company stole her idea for the show The Real, after she pitched the concept in December 2012.[6] The case was dismissed in February 2017.[7]
Personal life
editShe dated actor Jonathan Brandis from 1995 to 1998.[8]
Ali graduated from The Buckley School in 1997. Ali attended Harvard University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in African-American Studies and Government in 2002.[9] On a celebrity edition of the game show The Chase, which aired February 3, 2015, Ali stated that her major was political science.
She traveled the United States as a spokesperson for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, and headed voter registration drives at college campuses.[10][11]
In March 2016, Ali revealed that she was engaged to Vaughn Rasberry, an assistant professor of English at Stanford University, whom she had met on eHarmony,[12] and they announced that they were expecting their first child.[13] She and Rasberry married on July 17, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California.[14][15] The couple have two sons.[16][17] Rasberry has since become an associate professor and associate vice provost for graduate education at Stanford.[18]
Ali is an honorary member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; she was inducted on July 27, 2024 at the sorority's Boulé in Indianapolis, Indiana. [19]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Eddie Murphy Raw | Eddie's Sister | |
| 1988 | Crocodile Dundee II | Park Girl | |
| Wow, You're a Cartoonist! | Child Cartoonist | Video | |
| 1996 | Kidz in the Wood | Rita | TV movie |
| Fall Into Darkness | Sharon McKay | TV movie | |
| 1997 | Kiss the Girls | Janell Cross | |
| Fakin' da Funk | Karyn | ||
| 1998 | The Clown at Midnight | Monica | |
| 1999 | Jawbreaker | Brenda | |
| 2000 | Brother | Latifa | |
| 2001 | The Brothers | Cherie Smith | |
| 2003 | National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze | Claire | |
| 2004 | Nora's Hair Salon | Lilleana | |
| 2005 | Domino One | Laeticia Richards | |
| Back in the Day | Alicia Packer | ||
| 2006 | Glory Road | Tina Malichi | |
| A Warm Place | Clair Andrews | Short | |
| 2007 | The List | Cynthia | |
| 2008 | Nora's Hair Salon 2: A Cut Above | Lilleana | |
| Hotel California | Jessie | ||
| 2009 | Mother and Child | Maria | |
| 2010 | Pete Smalls Is Dead | Cocktail Waitress | |
| Privileged | Talia | Video | |
| 2011 | Geo n Rat | Det. Erica Anderson | Short |
| 23rd Psalm: Redemption | Stacey Wayne | ||
| 2012 | Dysfunctional Friends | Alex | |
| Home Again | Marva Johnson | ||
| 2013 | 24 Hour Love | Simply | |
| The Last Letter | Jillian | ||
| Dear Secret Santa | Jennifer | TV movie | |
| A Very Larry Christmas | Nicole | ||
| 2014 | The Divorce | Victoria | |
| The Black Bachelor | Herself | Short | |
| Locker 13 | Lucy | ||
| Comeback Dad | Nima | ||
| 2015 | Save for Now | Woman | Short |
| November Rule | Leah | ||
| Fatal Flip | Roslyn | TV movie | |
| Supermodel | Lauren | ||
| Teachers | Ms. Faith Mayfield | Short | |
| 2016 | Second Sight | Clara | TV movie |
| Samaria | Audrey | Short | |
| 2017 | Nanny's Nightmare | Monica Thorne | TV movie |
| Graham: A Dog's Story | Stella | Short | |
| Wrapped Up in Christmas | Heather Nash | TV movie | |
| 2018 | Doe | Rachel | |
| Christmas Everlasting | Lucy | TV movie | |
| Jingle Belle | Belle Williams | TV movie | |
| 2019 | College Dating App | Professor Savoy | TV movie |
| Christmas Hotel | Erin | TV movie | |
| 2020 | The Reason | Macey | |
| 2021 | A Picture Perfect Holiday | Gaby | TV movie |
| 2022 | Vanished: Searching for My Sister | Jada/Kayla | TV movie |
| It Snows All the Time | Technologist | ||
| 2023 | Giving Hope: The Ni'Cola Mitchell Story | Ni'cola Mitchell | TV movie |
| The Holiday Proposal Plan | Sonny Kravitz | TV movie |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–97 | Sesame Street | Tatyana | Guest: Seasons 16 & 18–19 & 23 & 28, Recurring Cast: Season 17 & 21 |
| 1987 | Star Search | Herself/Contestant | Contestant: Season 5 |
| 1989 | A Man Called Hawk | Michelle | Episode: "Life After Death" |
| The Cosby Show | Girl | Episode: "Shall We Dance?" | |
| 1990–96 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Ashley Banks | Main Cast |
| 1992 | Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? | Herself | Episode: "Episode #2.1" & "#2.45" |
| 1993 | Getting By | Nicole Alexander/Vanessa | Guest Cast: Seasons 1–2 |
| 1994 | Are You Afraid of the Dark? | Laura/Connie | Episode: "The Tale of the Quicksilver" |
| 1995 | Soul Train | Herself/Guest Host | Episode: "KRS-One/Dehorah Cox/Shaggy" |
| In the House | Ashley Banks | Episode: "Dog Catchers" | |
| 1996 | Living Single | Stephanie James | Episode: "Whatever Happened to Baby Sister?" |
| 1997 | 413 Hope St. | Kai | Episode: "Heartbeat" |
| 1998 | All That | Herself | Episode: "Tatyana Ali" |
| 1999 | Live & Kicking | Herself | Episode: "Episode #6.17" & "#6.19" |
| The Pop Zone | Herself | Episode: "Episode #2.5" | |
| 2002 | Fastlane | Shelly | Episode: "Girls Own Juice" |
| 2003 | Half & Half | Olivia | Episode: "The Big Condom-nation Episode" |
| 2005 | The Greatest | Herself | Episode: "100 Greatest Kid Stars" |
| 2006 | Child Star Confidential | Herself | Episode: "Primetime Princess" |
| 2007 | Boulevard of Broken Dreams | Herself | Episode: "Jonathan Brandis" |
| On the Lot | Herself | Episode: "First Sight" | |
| E! True Hollywood Story | Herself | Episode: "Will Smith" | |
| 2007–13 | The Young and the Restless | Roxanne | Regular Cast |
| 2009 | Catch 21 | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" |
| 2009–10 | Buppies | Quinci | Main Cast |
| 2010 | Running Russell Simmons | Herself | Episode: "You Only Live Once" |
| 2010–12 | Love That Girl! | Tyana Jones | Main Cast: Seasons 1–3 |
| 2011 | Unsung | Herself | Episode: "Deniece Williams" |
| Pastport | Herself | Episode: "Panama" | |
| 2013 | Anderson Live | Herself/Co-Host | Episode: "Episode #2.82" |
| Second Generation Wayans | Maya | Main Cast | |
| 2014 | The Daily Helpline | Herself/Co-Host | Episode: "Tatyana Ali" |
| 2015 | The Chase | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Episode #5.2" |
| Key & Peele | Heresa | Episode: "Hollywood Sequel Doctor" | |
| 2016 | Zoe Ever After | Ashley King | Recurring Cast |
| 2017 | 90's House | Herself | Episode: "The One With the Big Finale" |
| American Koko | N'Shay | Episode: "The Stig" | |
| 2018 | Hollywood Darlings | Tatyana | Episode: "Big White Lies" |
| The Bobby Brown Story | Sarah Flint | Episode: "Part One" | |
| 2018–22 | Fancy Nancy | Mrs. James (voice) | Recurring Cast: Seasons 1–2, Guest: Season 3 |
| 2020 | Entertainment Tonight | Herself/Guest Co-Host | Episode: "Episode #40.58" |
| 2022 | Wheel of Fortune | Herself/Celebrity Contestant | Episode: "Curtis Stone, Haley Joel Osment and Tatyana Ali" |
| RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race | Herself/Chakra 7 | Contestant: Season 2 | |
| 2023 | See It Loud: The History of Black Television | Herself | Episode: "Keeping It Real" |
| Bel-Air | Mrs. Hughes | Recurring Cast: Season 2 | |
| 2024 | Perimeter | Connie Dawn | Main Cast |
| Abbott Elementary | Krystal | Episode: "Panel" & "Smith Playground"[20] | |
| After Midnight | Herself | Guest Appearance, Episode: June 3, 2024 |
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [21] |
US R&B [22] |
UK [23] |
UK R&B [24] | |||||||||||
| Kiss the Sky |
|
106 | 47 | 41 | 6 | |||||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
Extended plays
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Hello[25] |
|
| All I Have[26] |
|
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [27] |
US R&B [28] |
BEL [29] |
FRA [30] |
IRL [31] |
NL [32] |
NZ [33] |
UK [23] |
UK R&B [34] | ||||||
| "Daydreamin'" | 1998 | 6 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | 3 | Kiss the Sky | |||
| "Boy You Knock Me Out" (featuring Will Smith) |
— | 68 | 56 | 32 | 19 | 77 | 12 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| "Everytime" | 1999 | — | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 4 | ||||
| "Wait for It"[38] | 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Hello | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
Other appearances
edit| Title | Year | Other Artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Love The Way You Love Me" | 1999 | — | More! |
| "Precious Wings" | The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland[39] | ||
| "Who Am I" | Will Smith and MC Lyte | Willennium | |
| "Getting Closer" | Kel Spencer | Wild Wild West | |
| "Candy Girl" | 2007 | Kanary Diamonds | Puro Fuego[40] |
| "Wanna Groove" | 2009 | Inverse | So Far[41] |
| "Move It, Shake It" | Just Matter and Nieve | Love N' Dancing[42] | |
| "Bathtub Gin" | The Cherokee Rhythm Section | ||
| "Joy to the World" | 2013 | — | Dear Secret Santa[43] |
| "Kiss the Sky" | 2015 | The Legacy of R&B Slow Jamz | |
| "He Loves Me" | 2016 | The Legacy of Nu Soul | |
| "Ghost Town" | 2017 | Music to Inspire[44] | |
| "U Can Call (Jossy Remix)" | 2022 | 2pac | Youtube Release[45] |
Awards and nominations
editThis section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (September 2015) |
- Caribbean Heritage Organization
- 1996: Won, Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- 1997: Nominated, Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- 2010: Nominated, Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama – The Young and the Restless
- 2011: Nominated, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Love That Girl!
- 2011: Won, Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama – The Young and the Restless
- 2012: Won, Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama – The Young and the Restless
- 2012: Nominated, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Love That Girl!
- 2013: Nominated, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Love That Girl![46]
- 1996: Nominated, Favorite Television Actress – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- 1991: Won, Outstanding Young Comedienne in a Television Series – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air[citation needed]
- 1992: Nominated, Outstanding Young Comedienne in a Television Series – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- 1993: Nominated, Outstanding Young Comedienne in a Television Series – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- 1994: Nominated, Outstanding Young Comedienne in a Television Series – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- 1995: Nominated, Outstanding Young Comedienne in a Television Series – Name Your Adventure
References
edit- ^ Rose, Mike (January 24, 2023). "Today's famous birthdays list for January 24, 2023 includes celebrities Neil Diamond, Aaron Neville". Cleveland.com. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- ^ Vasquez, Whitney (May 22, 2019). "Will Smith's 'Aladdin' Premiere Transforms Hollywood Into One Big Arabian Night". Yahoo! Entertainment. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ "Happy Birthday, Tatyana Ali". People Magazine. January 24, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
- ^ a b Ofole-Prince, Samantha (August–September 2011). Wheaton, Robert (ed.). "The talented Ms. Ali:an interview with Tatyana". CaribPress Newsmagazine. Los Angeles: 5. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ a b Wheaton, Robert (August–September 2011). Wheaton, Robert (ed.). "Caribbean Heritage Salute in Hollywood". CaribPress Newsmagazine. Los Angeles: 21. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (July 16, 2016). "'Fresh Prince' Actress Sues Warner Bros Claiming It Used Her Idea For 'The Real'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ Evans, Greg (February 24, 2017). "Court Tosses Tatyana Ali Lawsuit Claiming 'The Real' Was Her Idea". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 25, 2017.
- ^ Jewel, Dan (July 8, 1996). "Young Love". People. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "Tatyana Ali Shares Her Black Experience at Harvard University". BET. December 12, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
- ^ "Tatyana Ali wants young people to know their voice counts". 9news.com. August 8, 2008. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
- ^ Baker, Mike (April 9, 2008). "NC Voter Registrations Surge". seattletimes.com. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
- ^ Drysdale, Jennifer (April 13, 2019). "'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Star Tatyana Ali Pregnant With Baby No. 2". ETOnline. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- ^ Harrison, Lily (April 1, 2016). "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's Tatyana Ali Reveals She's Engaged—and Pregnant". E! Entertainment Television.
- ^ Dugan, Christina (July 17, 2016). "Tatyana Ali Marries Dr. Vaughn Rasberry". People.com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ^ Hautman, Nicholas (July 17, 2016). "Tatyana Ali Marries Vaughn Rasberry". Us Magazine. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ^ "Tatyana Ali Welcomes Son Edward". People.com. September 23, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ Cronin, Colleen (October 2, 2019). "Tatyana Ali Welcomes Second Son Alejandro". People.com. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ "Vaughn Rasberry named associate vice provost for graduate education". Stanford University. April 25, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated Announces Newest Class of Honorary Members
- ^ Scanlon, Claire (March 20, 2024). "Panel". IMDb. Abbott Elementary. Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Chart History: Tatyana Ali". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Tatyana Ali". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ a b "UK Charts – Tatyana Ali". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40: 14 February 1999 – 20 February 1999". Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40 Archive. Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Hello by Tatyana Ali". iTunes. January 21, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "All I Have by Tatyana Ali". Spotify. December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ "Tatyana Ali Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- ^ "Tatyana Ali Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- ^ "Belgium Charts – Tatyana Ali". Ultratop. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ Steffen Hung (March 13, 1999). "Les charts français". lescharts.com. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Search the Charts: Tatyana Ali". The Irish Charts. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "– Dutch charts portal". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "– New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^
- "Daydreamin'": "15 November 1998 – 21 November 1998". Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40 Archive. Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- "Boy You Knock Me Out": "07 February 1999 – 12 February 1999". Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40 Archive. Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- "Everytime": "13 June 1999 – 19 June 1999". Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40 Archive. Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "US certifications: Tatyana Ali". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ a b Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006. Wellington: Dean Scapolo and Maurienne House. ISBN 978-1877443-00-8.
- ^ "Search Results: Tatyana Ali". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on September 9, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Wait for It by Tatyana Ali". iTunes. January 21, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland". iTunes. January 1999. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Kanary Diamonds". iTunes. January 2007. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "So Far – the Collection". iTunes. July 6, 2009. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Love N' Dancing (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". iTunes. May 8, 2009. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Dear Secret Santa Soundtrack". iTunes. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Music to Inspire: Artists UNited Against Human Trafficking". iTunes. January 27, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "2pac ft. Tatyana Ali – U Can Call (Jossy OG Vibe Remix 2022)". YouTube. December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ "44th NAACP Image Awards Full List of Nominees" (PDF). NAACP. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 19, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
External links
edit
- Tatyana Ali at AllMovie
- Tatyana Ali on Facebook
- Tatyana Ali at IMDb