Tatyana Ali
Tatyana Marisol Ali (born January 24, 1979) is an American actress and singer. She's best known for her role as Ashley Banks on the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. 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. In 1985, as a 6-year-old, she began her acting career as a regular performer on the PBS children's educational program Sesame Street. 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 and won twice, receiving a four-star rating when she appeared for a second time. At age 11, she moved from New York to Los Angeles to establish her career and not long afterwords landed her breakthrough role as Ashley Banks, Will Smith's character's cousin, on the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996). While filming The Fresh Prince, she also had side projects, including guest roles in television shows such as The Cosby Show (1984), The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1989) (aka The Mickey Mouse Club), Kyno's Storytime (1992), Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990), and Foster's Field Trip (1994). Her 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, she 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. "Boy You Knock Me Out" featuring Will Smith—which peaked at No. 3 and is her biggest hit to date. She made an appearance on Smith's album Willennium on the track "Who Am I" with MC Lyte. 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, she released an EP titled Hello. Apart from her musical career, she 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. She 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, she received the Living Legacy Award from the Caribbean Heritage Organization in Los Angeles.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Perimeter as Connie Dawn
- 2023 · The Holiday Proposal Plan as Sonny Kravitz
- 2023 · Giving Hope: The Ni'cola Mitchell Story as Ni'cola Mitchell
- 2022 · Vanished: Searching for My Sister as Jada Stallworth/Kayla Davis
- 2021 · Abbott Elementary as Crystal
- 2021 · A Picture Perfect Holiday as Gaby
- 2021 · Celebrity Wheel of Fortune as Self - Contestant
- 2020 · The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion as Self
- 2020 · The Reason as Macey
- 2020 · Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Contestant / Chakra 7
- 2019 · Christmas Hotel as Erin
- 2019 · Deadly Match as Professor Savoy
- 2018 · Jingle Belle as Belle Williams
- 2018 · Christmas Everlasting as Lucy Toomey
- 2018 · Doe as Rachel Hutton
- 2018 · Fancy Nancy as Bree’s Mom (voice)
- 2018 · Fancy Nancy as Bree's Mom (voice)
- 2017 · Wrapped Up In Christmas as Heather Nash
- 2017 · The Good Nanny as Monica Thorne
- 2016 · Second Sight as Clara
- 2015 · Dancing Man the Documentary as Self
- 2015 · Supermodel as Lauren
- 2015 · Fatal Flip as Roslyn
- 2015 · November Rule as Leah
- 2015 · Light Girls as Self
- 2015 · My Big Fat Fabulous Life as Self - Event Host
- 2014 · Comeback Dad as Nima
- 2014 · Locker 13 as Lucy
- 2014 · The Divorce as Victoria
- 2013 · A Very Larry Christmas as Nicole
- 2013 · The Last Letter as Jillian
- 2013 · Dear Secret Santa as Jennifer
- 2013 · 23rd Psalm: Redemption as Stacey Wayne
- 2013 · 24 Hour Love as Simply
- 2013 · Second Generation Wayans as Maya
- 2012 · Home Again as Marva Johnson
- 2012 · The Eric Andre Show as Self
- 2012 · Dysfunctional Friends as Alex
- 2010 · Pete Smalls Is Dead as Cocktail Waitress
- 2010 · Love That Girl! as Tyana Jones
- 2009 · Mother and Child as Maria
- 2009 · Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- 2008 · Hotel California as Jessie
- 2008 · Nora's Hair Salon II: A Cut Above as Lilliana
- 2007 · The List as Cynthia
- 2006 · Glory Road as Tina
- 2005 · Back in the Day as Alicia
- 2005 · Domino One as Laeticia Richards
- 2004 · Nora's Hair Salon as Lilleana
- 2003 · National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze as Claire
- 2002 · Half & Half as Olivia
- 2002 · Fastlane as Shelly
- 2001 · The Brothers as Cherie Smith
- 2000 · Brother as Latifa
- 2000 · Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi Kitano as
- 1999 · Teen Choice Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1999 · Jawbreaker as Brenda
- 1998 · The Magic Hour as Self
- 1998 · The Clown at Midnight as Monica
- 1997 · Kiss the Girls as Janell Cross
- 1997 · Fakin' Da Funk as Karyn
- 1996 · Fall Into Darkness as Sharon McKay
- 1996 · Kidz in the Wood as Rita
- 1995 · In the House as Ashley Banks
- 1993 · Living Single as
- 1993 · Getting By as
- 1992 · Name Your Adventure as Host
- 1992 · Are You Afraid of the Dark? as
- 1990 · The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Ashley Banks
- 1988 · Wow, You're A Cartoonist! as Child Cartoonist
- 1988 · Crocodile Dundee II as Park Girl
- 1987 · Eddie Murphy Raw as Singing Child
- 1984 · The Cosby Show as Girl
- 1958 · Brains & Brawn as Host