Tatyana Ali

Birthday: 24 January 1979, North Bellmore, Long Island, New York, USA

Birth Name: Tatyana Marisol Ali

Height: 163 cm

On January 24, 1979, Tatyana Marisol Ali was born to Sonia, who was a nurse from Panama, and Sheriff Ali, a retired police officer from Trinidad. At the age of four she started singing and got a taste of fame when she begged her mother to take her to an audition for Sesame Street (1969).She went on to perform in many productions in her native city, New York, including the Broadway show "Fences"--with James Earl Jones and, later, Billy Dee Williams--and the off-Broadway show "Orfeo del Campo". When she was seven she appeared on Star Search (1983) and won twice, receiving a four-star rating when she appeared for a second time. At age 11 Tatyana moved from New York to Los Angeles to establish her career and not long afterwords got her breakthrough role--Will Smith's cousin, "Ashley Banks", from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990).While filming "The Fresh Prince" she also had interesting side projects, including guest roles in television shows such as The Cosby Show (1984), MMC (1989) (aka "The Mickey Mouse Club"), Kyno's Storytime (1992), Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990) and Foster's Field Trip (1994).The public saw her grow on "Fresh Price" from an adorable little girl to a stunning young woman, and she sang in several episodes of the show, most notably her rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and an original song, "Make Up Your Mind". Smith was so impressed with her singing that he asked if she would consider doing it professionally. Tatyana began preparing for her singing career during the last year of the show as she began training her vocal chords, recording demos and publicly performing on television and in various informal live concerts. Her performances on "The Fresh Prince" actually helped her build a fan base that anxiously waited for her first album launch. On August 25 she released her album, "Kiss the Sky", and her single, "Daydreamin'". Her single was certified gold within weeks of its release and it quickly rose into the Billboard 100 Hot Singles, where it reached #6 and stayed there for two weeks. She also contributed to major movies such as 'Crocodile' Dundee II (1988) and Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987). Since then, she has had large roles in two movies, Fall Into Darkness (1996) and Fakin' Da Funk (1997). She has also guest-starred in several sitcoms, including In the House (1995), and had a cameo role in the film Kiss the Girls (1997). She also went to Harvard and graduated with a degree in Anthropology in June 2002. She is now working on her new album, as well as starring in more movies. Show less «

I believe in fate, I believe in hard work, and I feel like if I just keep marching, the path will ki...Show more »

I believe in fate, I believe in hard work, and I feel like if I just keep marching, the path will kind of appear before me. Talking about her future Show less «

I wanted to go to school because I had been in entertainment for so long, I wanted to socialize with...Show more »

I wanted to go to school because I had been in entertainment for so long, I wanted to socialize with people my age. I wanted to explore other fields and see what else was out there, but after sitting at my computer and being in the library you know that bug kind of. I graduated early because I wanted to get back out and do what I like to do. Show less «

I had short hair for a while, but I ended up loving it.

I do get jacked up. I'm known more for lighter stuff, obviously for comedy, but this is really very ...Show more »

I do get jacked up. I'm known more for lighter stuff, obviously for comedy, but this is really very dramatic. And my character experiences a lot of violence and gets caught up in a situation where she has to fight for her life. - On making the movie Hotel California Show less «

Right now I prefer film. I like being totally immersed in a world for a few months and living some p...Show more »

Right now I prefer film. I like being totally immersed in a world for a few months and living some place for a while and I think this is because of music too, having been on tour with a group of people. I like the intensity of it. Show less «

Believe in yourself and your talent 100% and never let anyone discourage you from following your dre...Show more »

Believe in yourself and your talent 100% and never let anyone discourage you from following your dream. Show less «

It's kind of like the Wild West out there, and not just for black Hollywood. In a traditional sense,...Show more »

It's kind of like the Wild West out there, and not just for black Hollywood. In a traditional sense, things look bad-there are people out of work, shows aren't going up and a lot of films aren't being made, because of the fear of actors going on strike. But I think it's a real fertile time to stake your claim. With things up in the air, it creates new space for people who are trying to break through, business-wise. - Her thoughts on Black Hollywood Show less «

I always want to entertain people and sing and dance.

I actually studied political studies and Afro-American studies in school, which was my major. I'm ve...Show more »

I actually studied political studies and Afro-American studies in school, which was my major. I'm very interested in politics privately, but I think that each individual should be politically active. It's really important because politics affects your everyday life; it affects how much we pay for gas. Hello? Those are the things you're voting for in the booth, and I think people forget that. The next big fight is to get people to come out in the general election against McCain. Show less «

Sure, they did, but they also did that to the Latin scholars across the hallway and the number-one m...Show more »

Sure, they did, but they also did that to the Latin scholars across the hallway and the number-one math student who was walking down the street. In Harvard, everybody was extraordinary in the town that they came from. When you get there, nobody is more extraordinary than anyone else. - On being approached in college for being famous Show less «

"I found it challenging, but a lot like I expected. A lot of independent study. It was weird at firs...Show more »

"I found it challenging, but a lot like I expected. A lot of independent study. It was weird at first because I think everyone thought maybe that I thought I was some sort of diva. It took a couple weeks before anyone got the nerve to talk to me and word got around that I was normal. I used to get stopped for little interviews and starting meeting people." (On going to Harvard) Show less «

I'm going to go to school. It doesn't matter what the outcome is as long as I did it. I can say I di...Show more »

I'm going to go to school. It doesn't matter what the outcome is as long as I did it. I can say I did it. Show less «

I even lived on campus to get the college experience. I had five roommates and I still keep in touch...Show more »

I even lived on campus to get the college experience. I had five roommates and I still keep in touch with them while I'm on the road. Show less «

I've been working as a surrogate for his campaign. Surrogates can be politicians, actors, musicians ...Show more »

I've been working as a surrogate for his campaign. Surrogates can be politicians, actors, musicians or private citizens-anyone who volunteers in the campaign. Since the Iowa caucuses, I've been going to colleges and speaking to students, not just about Obama but about the importance of participating in the process. The notion that one vote doesn't matter really is a lie. - On working on the Barack Obama campaign Show less «

I found my voice with this album, The Light. I can never stop singing. Remember, I recorded my first...Show more »

I found my voice with this album, The Light. I can never stop singing. Remember, I recorded my first album [1998's Kiss the Sky, MJJ Music] when I was 16, and other people wrote most of the songs. I really wanted the next album that I did to express who I am. And the only way I can do that is to write it myself. So in that sense, I found my voice. - On her second album The Light Show less «

I'm almost done with it. I started recording it a year ago. I was really scared-even with my first a...Show more »

I'm almost done with it. I started recording it a year ago. I was really scared-even with my first album, I was really hesitant about doing it because at that time JLo hadn't come out yet and an actor turned singer seemed so corny. But while I was at school, people would stop me and be like "Are you coming out with a new album? I really liked the first one." And I was like, "Really? I wanted to." And I was writing while I was in school. I love music. So I started about a year ago. We're almost done. Show less «

I'm very, very good at time management. That's been a real big benefit.

"After that episode, I would meet people on the street and they'd ask me 'When is your album coming ...Show more »

"After that episode, I would meet people on the street and they'd ask me 'When is your album coming out?' This was before I'd even thought about pursuing a record deal" (After her singing performances on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air) Show less «

Before high school ended, I started applying to college. It really wasn't even a choice because of t...Show more »

Before high school ended, I started applying to college. It really wasn't even a choice because of the brainwashing of my parents. Show less «

College was my opportunity to be around my peers, which you don't get to do when you're a child acto...Show more »

College was my opportunity to be around my peers, which you don't get to do when you're a child actor. And I wanted to be normal and see what else was out there, see what else I was good at. And there are some other things that I'm good at. - On not falling into the child star trap Show less «

Videos are more like photography. It's not as much about trying to tell a story as it is creating im...Show more »

Videos are more like photography. It's not as much about trying to tell a story as it is creating images. Show less «

I am grateful to all my family for all the support and sacrifices over the years.

I'm doing a play, a musical. The musical follows the Mamma Mia concept. It's my first LA theater pro...Show more »

I'm doing a play, a musical. The musical follows the Mamma Mia concept. It's my first LA theater project. Show less «

"Working with Bill Cosby was incredible. That was the show. It was the only show that they filmed in...Show more »

"Working with Bill Cosby was incredible. That was the show. It was the only show that they filmed in New York, as far as I knew, at that time, and I was lucky to be a part of that" (On being on The Cosby Show (1984)). Show less «

Will Smith said if I ever need some help, he was there for me.

Why do I have to choose? Sure, I love to record. I love being in the studio but no. I love to sing f...Show more »

Why do I have to choose? Sure, I love to record. I love being in the studio but no. I love to sing for people. I'm making an album so I can perform my songs, you know? Shoot, I don't know why do I have to choose? Show less «

It's not my goal. But it certainly stretched me as an actor. That's why there's something about the ...Show more »

It's not my goal. But it certainly stretched me as an actor. That's why there's something about the art itself, and performing, that I truly love. That still drives me. I've been in this business for 24 years, so there are a lot of things that I know intuitively. If I'm in the position to bring up an incredible writer, director or producer, I'll do it in some way. - On evolving as an actress Show less «

In music, you don't need an award. I mean in acting you don't need an award, either, but in film you...Show more »

In music, you don't need an award. I mean in acting you don't need an award, either, but in film you do your work and then it's sent out to people in theaters all over the place and you have no idea how people feel about what you're doing. Okay, so maybe if you need to know you're doing well, you get an Oscar and you know, well, I'm entertaining people. But music, you know if you're entertaining people because they either get up and dance with you or they don't. - On Awards in show business Show less «

When I was 18, I was at the set for my video, and I felt really responsible. I'm used to being part ...Show more »

When I was 18, I was at the set for my video, and I felt really responsible. I'm used to being part of an ensemble. Show less «

Just because people have done us wrong doesn't mean we should give up. One of the reasons I did volu...Show more »

Just because people have done us wrong doesn't mean we should give up. One of the reasons I did volunteer was because I was pissed at what happened in 2000 and in 2004. It made me cry. I needed to be hands-on and help, so I signed up to volunteer. You can't let the past dictate the future. This is a fight worth fighting. - On why she volunteered to support the Barack Obama campaign Show less «

I was very blessed to be asked to be a part of it, so subject not even having to do with it, I wante...Show more »

I was very blessed to be asked to be a part of it, so subject not even having to do with it, I wanted to do it. - On making Glory Road Show less «

I've always wanted to produce. Our company's mandate, [for] Anastasia and I, is to bring varied cont...Show more »

I've always wanted to produce. Our company's mandate, [for] Anastasia and I, is to bring varied content to the urban space-across the board. Our first project is a Web series called Buppies, which touches on black Hollywood and has a little bit of a Sex and the City and Entourage vibe. It's about the characters, both women and men, figuring out who they are. - On her production company Hazrah entertainment Show less «

Being on Disney, a lot of young people look up to me.

It took me two weeks to decide to do the tour instead of going right back to school. An album is sho...Show more »

It took me two weeks to decide to do the tour instead of going right back to school. An album is short-lived and college is four years. Show less «

"I was only eleven when we filmed the pilot. I didn't really expect anything to come out of it. I me...Show more »

"I was only eleven when we filmed the pilot. I didn't really expect anything to come out of it. I mean, the idea of a rapper being a star on a sitcom just wasn't heard of" (On The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)). Show less «

"Will never told me he was doing this, but I think he kept distance to let me explore and really fee...Show more »

"Will never told me he was doing this, but I think he kept distance to let me explore and really feel like it was mine - and not like someone was holding my hand." (On making her album Kiss The Sky) Show less «

"I never set out to be one, but I guess parents like it because I am dedicated to school. With being...Show more »

"I never set out to be one, but I guess parents like it because I am dedicated to school. With being on Disney, a lot of young people look up to me and I'm becoming more aware of it, especially because of all the responses I get." (On being a role model) Show less «

If you don't have fun with what you are doing, then it's not worth doing at all.

Tatyana Ali

Tatyana Ali's FILMOGRAPHY

Tatyana Ali'S roles

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