Nitara Carlynn Long (born October 30, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American actress. Nitara (Nia), whose name comes from one of the seven days of Kwanzaa and means life purpose, was instructed by acting coach Betty Bridges, better known as the mother of Diff'rent Strokes child star Todd Bridges. Nia Long was born to Doc and Talita Long. Nia's parents divorced when she was a little over two years old. She moved with her mother to Iowa City, Iowa, where her mother studied fine arts, and then to a lower-middle-class South Los Angeles neighborhood when Nia was seven. She attended Catholic school for a while and studied ballet, tap, jazz, gymnastics, guitar and acting. Due to the lack of employment opportunities in the Arts in Los Angeles when Nia and Talita first arrived there, Talita took various low-paying jobs, in spite of being equipped with two master's degrees, that resulted in financial straits for the mother and daughter. Nia's motivation to be successful was driven by her desire to help ease her mother's financial burden. |
