Love & Basketball Director Reveals Her Difficulty in Casting Sanaa Lathan
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Film director Gina Prince-Bythewood shares juicy details behind the making of 'Love & Basketball.' She opens up about the initial difficulty she had with casting actress Sanaa Lathan, and why she would never create a sequel for the film.
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Before the wide release of this movie, it was shown at a film festival in Houston. I was looking through the descriptions of the movies and this was the only one with a Black cast. My friends and I went to go and see it. Omar Epps was there to introduce it and we were going crazy!!!! I loved this movie so much that I sent Mrs. Price-Bythewood a letter telling her how much I loved it and how excellent it was. A few weeks later I got a box full of Love & Basketball merchandise (bucket hats, posters, shirts etc) and a letter from her thanking me for my support!!!!!!
❤beautiful
Wow! What a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing w us 🖤
Dope
Very dope. Thanks for sharing.
what a great story!
She made the right choice, Sanaa emotionally brought something to that character that an athlete who doesnt have the acting chops probably couldnt. Sanaa nailed that role!
I think it added to the discipline Sanaa exhibited in the actual role.
Bodied it...as she does everything.
Definitely!
“Ima ball player!” 😂
@@T412-r2h first thing I thought 😂😂😂😂😂👌🏾💫
The love story was more prevalent than the basketball so her acting ability and chemistry with Epps was more important
They were an item reportedly due to this film.
@@carbar3936 they were already dating before the movie, Omar is the one who told Sanaa to audition
@@vturner IDK that. Thanks. Thought they hooked up during the movie.
That’s what I was thinking just cause they can play ball but can’t act 🤦🏾♀️
@ Erika Snow, I agree 💯!!
Hands down one of my fav movies that i could watch more than once. Sanaa was a PERFECT CHOICE!"
Yes Sanaa was a perfect fit👍
Facts! That’s one of my favorite movies till this day
The very best choice!!! Always been my favorite movie!!!❤
@@senorwavyy 🗣TIL THIS DAY
i watch it every week on netflix lol
What’s crazy is Sanaa’s basketball ended up looking better than Omar’s. 😂
Facts you could tell Omar couldn't hoop
@@autokronicles8160 exactly it always bothered me lol
Right, she looked like a true athlete. He did not 😂
FACTS
I have to watch that movie again. I haven’t seen that movie since I was a teenager 20 year ago. I don’t remember Omar looking like he couldn’t ball. However, I do remember thinking that Sanaa looked really good.
What is crazy is that I could not imagine anyone else in that role. TO DATE that is my favorite movie!
Love Conquered All😊
thats because the movie is already cemented in your consciousness, if it was Regina Hall or Halle Berry it wouldve worked too.
@@LOSTGPS what about Jemelle Hill?
Same
I think her method is a fading practice. Her persistence on looking for what she needed in the role pushed Sanaa past her limits and produced a great film! 💯
a true thespian of Sanaa's pedigree and training was willing to do whatever it took to be an authentic looking baller on screen...if you have to send an athlete to an acting coach and mill over choosing her vs a trained actor, you know you are stuck on the athlete in the role and whomever is pushing you towards one
A fading practice? What are you talking about? Directors push their actors all the time. Just because she's black and a woman don't make it some huge deal like it's the first time that's ever happened.
She was made for that role! Their chemistry was everything. Hands down still TOP 5 of my faves!
She got it right. This was one of the best movies ever made. Period🌹
She made the right decision. If she were picking teams for an actual game, then pick the athlete. But she was casting a movie. Pick the actor.
Sanaa was perfect for the role! She performed amazingly. Still one of my favorite movies of all times!
I’m glad she chose Sanaa! Not only was she perfect for the role, generally, athletes can’t act. I personally think the acting is more important in movies than athletic ability for sports movies or any other movie.
Same here. As long as an actor can pick up enough fundamentals, the choice seems like a no-brainer🤷🏽♀️
Very true.
yeah & spike lee didnt want her to cast sanaa
Absolutely
I agree. Except for musicals. I notice right away when actors can’t dance and all the little ways they try to compensate with the other cast members, hoping no one will notice
This MOVIE IS ICONIC! PERIOD!❤️ Thanks for sharing. Sanaa was SO GOOD, I would have NEVER guessed she went through such a vigorous & emotional process to get cast😳
SaNaa was so good to the point I named my daughter after her lol couldn’t imagine this movie without her!
Sanaa LaRue
@@PHlophe I gave it a twist.. it’s Za’Naa
@@parnaerue i actually think the little panache added to it make sounds even better. names starting with the letter Z are rare. I know a young woman named Zhané , it totally matches her laid back and chill personality
I almost named my daughter Sanaa. Her dad is the reason her first name isn’t Sanaa but we settled on Sanaya for middle name.
The only reason I wanted a child... to name her Sanaa!!
God blessed me with a son!😅😅😅😅
For her first movie she did an amazing job!
She got it right. I thought Sinaa was a real basketball player. That movie inspired a generation of women basketball players.
There is no one else who could’ve played this role. Sanaa is Love & Basketball.
"play me for what ? Your heart" to me it's the best love scene ever. It embodies what true love is !!!!!!!
Yes that part right there 🔥
Man y’all making me wanna go watch it right now ❤
Favorite line ever
Double or nothing🥂
How??? And still lost😂😂 but Omar was like ehhh, what the heck 🤷🏾
This movie is my all-time favorite. Definitely made the right choice, Sanaa you played that role. And not knowing that you had never played basketball, who would’ve guessed. I’m ready for a part two!
These stories are so intriguing! To think of this amazing, now classic, film and have no idea... it almost sounds upsurd as a fan! It speaks to the beauty and quality of the art, artist and production. Sanaa seemed so made for this role that you'd never know what it took - from her, her support system or the decision makers - to see what we see in Love & Basketball 🏀 Truly great art that made me feel seen & valued in such a beautiful way as a black girl coming of age...the subtle scenes and shots of black parenting, the hair-combing sister moments, the journey of Monica and her approach to womanhood 🖤
I loooooove this movie! This movie made our childhood, so it's iconic. The acting and songs that went along with the scenes was phenomenal 👏. Also, Sanaa made some of us women fall in love with her, lord I garnered a girl crush on her 🤭🤦♀️!!
Girl facts!!
No you didn't
Nobody want to comment on how Omar Epps clearly couldn't play basketball? Looked crazy out there...lol.
For real! 😂
Bro facts 💯 💀 🤣
Mekhi phifer was the original choice
@@NorthPhilly-zr7xc Can he play?
@@anonymouslakernerd7214 he played basketball in this movie called O 2001 you can look on UA-cam and you will see he looks better at basketball than omar did but yeah mekhi phifer was the original choice for quincy he read with Sanaa Lathan first
It is such passionate love story. Love in the sense of Monica being completely and totally in love with the game of basketball and people dissmising her undying LOVE/PASSION for what people view as JUST A GAME! I watched Love and Basketball soooo much as a young baller and girl and can relate on so many levels lol. I watched it again recently and realized that toward the end of movie the WNBA didn't even exist yet and just to think about how heart breaking that was, to have a love for something so deeply and it not even exist in it's full entirety yet. But you yourself are READY, it's a beautiful movie on so many levels and presents us with a lot of lessons.
This wild cuz the fact you can train someone to play ball faster than training a person to act.
Tyrone Badu , you can memorize instructions better than lines and lines of text./
you dont become a good actor by night, physical skills can be learned in a timely manner depending on the devotion
I will watch this movie over and over and over again...I don't think I could ever get tired or bored...LOVEEEE Sanaa...and because of her...this is my favorite movie of all time
Love and Basketball came out when I was in high school, so I had such a connection with the movie. And on top of that there was a boy who played basketball that I liked. I was not a baller but I did enjoy the game very much. So my imagination was like oh yes we will definitely end up together. Sadly we never even dated, lol!! But the storyline was extremely relatable. Definitely one of the greats 🥰
Reach out to him
@@nicoleharrington9086 thanks for the encouragement but I realized he wasn't the one for me.
Gabriel Union actually played basketball. Why didn't you cast her as the lead?
DIRECTOR WAS DEFINATELY TRIPPIN ..... GLAD SHE GOT HER MIND RIGHT AND PICKED HER
I wonder if she made Omar Epps go through the same audition process. I say that because he does not present as a credible basketball player, at least not even a fraction of the caliber the character he played in the movie. After Love Jones, Love and Basketball is my favourite movie, but I couldn't watch the scenes where Epps was playing ball
If you believe any of this story you are a fool. They are not gonna audition Stan Lathans daughter for the lead role and not give her the job. Especially as a first time director in Hollywood. Every producer of this movie would leave the country if she gave this job to a non actor over Stan lathans daughter. Let’s stop the lies.. and you believed her🤦🏿♂️
@@professorxaviour3649 ... Another Sanaa Lathan hater. y'all really don't like her..huh?
That movie wasn’t made for her?? That shit was beautiful 🖤
My favorite movie of all times!!! Know this movie word for word lol! Always cry at the end when Monica is losing the game to her love😩! This film is everything!!!! Everyone killed it from the actors to the director to the writers, music everything. This movie is a classic!!!
It is quite common for actors and actresses to be trained by qualified instructors for those things that are integral parts of the character that is being portrayed as there ARE SCENES WHERE A " DOUBLE" JUST WON'T DO.
When that movie came out. I was like that's my life story. But we got married and had two kids. I was like they owe us money. Lol 😆 😂 🤣
😂😂😂😂
Love the movie! And Sanaa was totally Monica!
It's smart to get an actor and not an athlete. How many of those Marvel movies do they have someone who is trained specifically in that field, none. They give the actors training such as being a police person, martial arts, etc.
Great point ❤
So what was the deal with OMAR cuz everybody could tell that OMAR sucked . He couldn’t ball at all
Damn, she played that role then! I had no idea. She embodied a female athlete perfectly. I LOVED her acting!
Sanaa always looks beautiful and classy😍
Sanaa was perfect for the part! Great movie ❤
it’s always interesting to hear about movie auditions and behind the scenes stuff!
This is one of those “ stop me in my tracks” movies! If I see this on tv, I will stop whatever I’m doing and watch it❤.
Wow. I just realized the Gina Prince-Bythewood directed The Woman King. Just a fabulous director who has directed amazing films.
A great movie with a wonderful cast, and an even more amazing soundtrack!
That movie made me fall in love with Sanaa Lathan, and see her differently as a woman
Sanaa SLAYED the part in “Love & Basketball” ❤🏀
So happy Sanaa was cast. She is my favorite actress.
Sanaa dedicated her heart and soul to this role. A true talent. Talk about commitment. Wow.
Love your interviews sista! keep doing ya thing!
So is her last name really Prince-Bythewood?? Like Bythewood is one word?? 😂
Yes, Bythewood is one word. I work with someone who has the same last name. Very odd last name.
You’re talking about not casting someone who couldn’t play ball but you chose Omar, that’s my ppls but he looked horrible in that movie during the basketball scenes
Lol his handles was trash
So true Boris or his brother could of played Q in my opinion but I get it
I believe they played bball oversees
She was literally being a bitch... why keep adding different people? It was done purposely 🙄
This is literally my favorite movie! THE MOVIE! Sanaa literally made Monica come to life. Sanaa is an amazing actor! 💜💜
Such a great story, luv my sistas man ✊🏾. I did have to Google Niesha Butler after hearing this story tho...she def passed the eye test 😆.
What’s for you is for you and nothing can block that.
Great insight. I’m just glad things worked out for both Sanaa and Niesha.
Thank GOD she cast Sanaa!!! This is a movie, so the craft is more important. The basketball can be taught and body doubles can always be added in. Such an iconic film! 🔥🔥🔥
Love and basketball is an icon movie. Will watch it now. Love that movie.
Thank you, Sanaa! Even though you won’t ever play another sports character again, we thank you for giving us Monica! 😂 Love & Basketball is definitely in the top 10 Black classics of movies. Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan gave everything! ❤️💕
This is my absolute favorite movie. Watched it every night. Watching this all I could think about is did Omar have to go through all of this?!😒
"Nah, I'm busy."...I LOVE SANAA.
A blind man can see Sanaa got the role bc of her father's influence in the industry
its the only time nepotism worked, ever
@@PHlophe except it didn't. Niesha woulda been a much better choice for so many reasons.
@@paulpressey3739 OK. so you're a Sanaa Lathan hater...got it
A classic! She made a great choice👌🏾
One of my favorite directors. You can see she loves stories.
Beautiful, well-done interview! Kudos to the host and subject. Love & Basketball is the first DVD that I ever bought by faith - without seeing it! It was my favorite movie for a long time.
Sanaa be ACTING. Can never take that away from her. But its giving entitled. Because most movies that have some sort of specialty or niche make the actors go through real training. It's not easy.
Worth it!!!! No one l mean no one could have played that role the way she did! ❤
When this movie came out, I went to the movies to see it 4 times and 4 times is being generous!
i watched it a few times but now that its currently on netflix I deff lost count lol.
Sanaa absolutely hands down killed the role.
Sanaa is soooo underrated.
Here's a quick story! Before, I tell my story... I actually understand both Gina's and Sanaa's angles. Gina's first film, so she was looking for perfection, and Sanaa is an Actress. I'm sure you feel you can accomplish any job in front of you at that level.
So, here is the story. it's a good chance if you ask me to go see a love story in the movies, it would not be my first choice. Now, 2 things helped influenced me, It was a "Black Story" and the top thing was sports were involved. Well, Sanaa's performance was "Oscar" worthy. I felt every part of her scenes. The humorous part of this story, I was not in a relationship at the time. Well, I saw the movie 3 times with 3 different women. Great Movie! That's my story and I'm sticking with it! Lol...
I Love Sanna but, it sort of sounds like you selected her because her dad called you.
💯SANAA WAS 🔥🔥🔥 @LOVE🧡 & BASKETBALL🏀‼️ 🎥 A CLASSIC💯
We'll never know if the athlete had been chosen if the movie would have been just as great. However, choosing Saana has proved to have been an excellent choice!! Love how Gina owns up to, she learned from that audition process.
That movie would’ve never popped without Sanaa period
Til this day I haven't seen an athlete, in the main cast do great in a sports movie...and yes, ray Allen was terrible in he got game
Love and Basketball is one of my favorite movies.
Let’s tell it like it is Sanaa can act and she’s beautiful.
It’s crazy how her and Ashanti look alike
I looked up the basketball player she was talking about Neish was beautiful too
Sanaa did so good!! One of my favorite movies and I would of never knew she never played at all! Hats off to you both. It's a classic!!
I’m so happy she went with Sanaa because I’ve watched this movie about 200 times . And get emotional at the end every time 😭. This is literally my favorite movie
It is good to hear behind the scene of a movie what a classic
You made the right decision! I loved her & Omar Epps in that movie!!
This is absolutely of my favs. Amazing chemistry between them seemed so authentic and real. I have followed omar and sanaa endeavour's since! Incredibly talented they both are💜👏🏾
She is the same person that directed woman king ..I wouldn't believe anything coming out of her mouth
Knowing her history NOW I'm quite surprised they didnt consider casting Gabrielle Union as Monica. She had both backgrounds. I know she played the gf but she could have killed it. Just imo
Sanaa and kyler Pratt both were amazing
Sanaa is the truth, and anyone else wouldn't have done that role justice
There's more acting than basketball in the movie, DUH!
nah, I'm busy. LOL
Thought Sanaa was Ashanti for a sec.
That is still my favorite movie
Sinaa's father called her: "You're being abusive"
This is one of my favorite movies of all-time! You definitely made the right decision Gina! I cannot imagine any other actress playing this role. Honestly I can say I don't believe we would love the movie the same way had Gina chosen someone else. So happy to hear this story and knowing that Mara Brock Akil was included for advice, I absolutely love her for creating The Game and working so hard on that reboot!
Idk a little sequel where maybe shes the mom and can just act without actually playing may work. This generation needs a love and basketball
I would have loved to see Nisha Butler in that role.
Butler is no FBA . so pass !
Sanaa is my wifey material. Class, brains, beauty, black royalty
She mad a smart choice because the majority of the movie is her acting and not playing basketball so I would have someone who could do the acting. But I get her point in wanting an athlete.
Sanaa look so good bro 🤦🏾♂️
If they make a love and basketball 2 Zia cooke should play Monica's daughter.
Sanaa is a fantastic actress. She excels in any acting role. You made the right choice. Good actors " bring it", no matter what character they embellish.