Tatyana Ali

Born: 1979-01-24

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.


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Kiss the Girls

as Janell Cross
Released: 1997-09-29

Forensic psychologist and detective Alex Cross travels to North Carolina and teams with escaped...

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Jawbreaker

as Brenda
Released: 1999-01-30

When an exclusive clique of teenage socialites accidentally murder their best friend on the...

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Crocodile Dundee II

as Park Girl
Released: 1988-05-19

Australian outback expert protects his New York love from gangsters who've followed her down under.

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Brother

as Latifa
Released: 2000-12-13

A Japanese Yakuza gangster's deadly existence in his homeland gets him exiled to Los Angeles,...

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National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze

as Claire
Released: 2003-09-26

When a foreign-exchange student and a hooker - both named Dominique - show up on a college...

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Glory Road

as Tina
Released: 2006-01-13

In 1966, Texas Western coach Don Haskins led the first all-black starting line-up for a college...

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Mother and Child

as Maria
Released: 2009-11-07

The lives of three women have a commonality: adoption. Karen is a physical therapist who regrets...

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Eddie Murphy Raw

as Singing Child
Released: 1987-11-25

Eddie Murphy delights, shocks and entertains with dead-on celebrity impersonations, observations...

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The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion

as Self
Released: 2020-11-18

Join Will Smith, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Daphne Maxwell Reid, Alfonso...

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The Brothers

as Cherie Smith
Released: 2001-03-23

This is the story of four African-American "yuppies" (a banker, a doctor, a lawyer, and a...

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Vanished: Searching for My Sister

as Jada Stallworth/Kayla Davis
Released: 2022-01-22

Jada gets pulled into a world of drugs and deceit in order to learn the shocking truth about...

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Giving Hope: The Ni'cola Mitchell Story

as Ni'cola Mitchell
Released: 2023-04-09

The story of Ni'cola Mitchell, a victim of unspeakable sexual violence who grew up to be a...

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The Good Nanny

as Monica Thorne
Released: 2017-05-14

After accepting a nannying job for a young girl named Sophie, Summer Pratt starts to notice just...

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Light Girls

as Self
Released: 2015-01-19

From the creator and director of the critically acclaimed documentary Dark Girls, award-winning...

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Back in the Day

as Alicia
Released: 2005-05-24

A young man slides back into a life of crime after reuniting with a shady acquaintance from his...

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The Clown at Midnight

as Monica
Released: 1998-01-01

Upon the reopening of the opera house where her mother was murdered, a teen and her friends...

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Pete Smalls Is Dead

as Cocktail Waitress
Released: 2010-09-17

Two old pals attend an old friends funeral and find there is more to his death than him being dead.

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November Rule

as Leah
Released: 2015-02-14

Up-and-coming sports shoe entrepreneur Steve, who is still reeling from the death of his dad,...

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Dear Secret Santa

as Jennifer
Released: 2013-12-01

Beverly Hills banker/workaholic Jennifer comes home to her small Northern California town just...

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The Reason

as Macey
Released: 2020-09-12

The film, based on the William Sirls book, follows a small-town pastor, his wife and their sick...

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Wrapped Up In Christmas

as Heather Nash
Released: 2017-11-25

With Christmas just around the corner, 8-year-old Molly asks the mall Santa to find a boyfriend...

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Fakin' Da Funk

as Karyn
Released: 1997-07-20

Chinese kid Julian, who was adopted by the black family of Joe and Annabelle Lee and Asian...

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23rd Psalm: Redemption

as Stacey Wayne
Released: 2013-05-21

Five years have passed and Luther still blames Detective John Smith for destroying his life, as...

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Fatal Flip

as Roslyn
Released: 2015-06-13

When a young couple hires a carpenter to help renovate a home they’ve purchased to flip, they...

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Fall Into Darkness

as Sharon McKay
Released: 1996-11-25

Teenager Ann resents the arrival of Sharon and the fact that her brother Jerry has a crush on...

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Doe

as Rachel Hutton
Released: 2018-09-27

John is a brilliant linguistic scientist with a loving wife and daughter but with a massive gap...

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Home Again

as Marva Johnson
Released: 2012-09-12

Returning to a "home" they hardly know after being deported from their adopted countries for...

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Kidz in the Wood

as Rita
Released: 1996-05-25

A class field trip to the Oregon Trail that results in the class and teacher getting lost.

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Christmas Everlasting

as Lucy Toomey
Released: 2018-11-24

Christmas is fast approaching and years of long workdays employed at New York’s top corporate...

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Christmas Hotel

as Erin
Released: 2019-12-21

A big city hotelier's boss informs her that she will receive a promotion if she can pull off a...

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Jingle Belle

as Belle Williams
Released: 2018-11-25

Every year, Isabelle (Tatyana Ali) and her high school sweetheart Mike (Cornelius Smith Jr.),...

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The Last Letter

as Jillian
Released: 2013-12-17

Catharine Wright struggles with a debilitating sleep disorder. Her husband Michael struggles to...

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Locker 13

as Lucy
Released: 2014-03-29

The story of Skip, a young ex-convict who takes a position as a night janitor at an old-west...

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24 Hour Love

as Simply
Released: 2013-03-19

The greatest feeling in the world is when you learn to love! Follow the stories of seven...

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Dysfunctional Friends

as Alex
Released: 2012-02-03

A group of college friends are reunited after the death of their very successful friend. The...

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Hotel California

as Jessie
Released: 2008-07-25

When TROY turned on crime boss DMITRI DEBARTOLLA he was forced to leave Los Angeles and lay low...

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Nora's Hair Salon

as Lilleana
Released: 2004-05-25

Welcome to Nora's Hair Salon. Leave your troubles outside and get set for neighborhood drama,...

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A Picture Perfect Holiday

as Gaby
Released: 2021-11-13

Gaby Jones, fashion photographer, takes a holiday retreat against her desire by advise of her...

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The List

as Cynthia
Released: 2007-05-05

Ever been dumped? In front of 20,000 people at a stadium, on live television!? LEWIS BOND, a...

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The Holiday Proposal Plan

as Sonny Kravitz
Released: 2023-12-16

When travel columnist Sonny Kravitz and her ex-boyfriend Kip are forced to team up to help their...

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The Divorce

as Victoria
Released: 2014-02-04

Successful TV anchorwoman, Yolanda Massey, is celebrating her recent divorce by throwing herself...

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Deadly Match

as Professor Savoy
Released: 2019-01-20

To pay for college, Business major Trina goes live with her unique dating website Let's Date....

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Wow, You're A Cartoonist!

as Child Cartoonist
Released: 1988-10-12

Wow, You're a Cartoonist! is a title in the 1988 Play-Along Video series. Hosted by Muppet...

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Comeback Dad

as Nima
Released: 2014-06-21

A man tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter.

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Nora's Hair Salon II: A Cut Above

as Lilliana
Released: 2008-05-13

Simone arrives in Los Angeles after inheriting her late aunt's hair salon where she soon clashes...

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Supermodel

as Lauren
Released: 2015-06-15

A young girl from the Brooklyn housing projects goes from the subway to the runway becoming one...

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Second Sight

as Clara
Released: 2016-04-23

Cursed with horrifying visions of the future, Tatyana Ali stars as a woman looking to save a...

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Domino One

as Laeticia Richards
Released: 2005-03-11

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Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi Kitano

as uncredited
Released: 2000-05-05

First major English-language documentary profile of the cult Japanese actor/director, Takeshi...

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Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

as Self - Guest
First aired: 2009-07-16

Bravo network executive Andy Cohen discusses pop culture topics with celebrities and reality...

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The Cosby Show

as Girl
First aired: 1984-09-20

The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for...

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Abbott Elementary

as Crystal
First aired: 2021-12-07

In this workplace comedy, a group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf...

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The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

as Ashley Banks
First aired: 1990-09-10

Will, a street-smart teenager, moves from the tough streets of West Philly to posh Bel-Air to...

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Are You Afraid of the Dark?

as uncredited
First aired: 1992-08-15

This spooky anthology series for kids recounts ghost stories told by the young members of the...

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Half & Half

as Olivia
First aired: 2002-09-23

Half & Half is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from September 23, 2002, to May 15, 2006....

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Living Single

as uncredited
First aired: 1993-08-29

Living Single is an American television sitcom that aired for five seasons on the Fox network...

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Fancy Nancy

as Bree’s Mom (voice)
First aired: 2018-07-13

Meet Nancy Clancy, a high-spirited young girl whose imagination and enthusiasm for all that is...

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The Eric Andre Show

as Self
First aired: 2012-05-20

A comedic talk show from an alternate reality featuring unstable hosts, a variety of...

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Celebrity Wheel of Fortune

as Self - Contestant
First aired: 2021-01-07

Hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White, celebrity contestants spin the wheel and solve word puzzles...

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My Big Fat Fabulous Life

as Self - Event Host
First aired: 2015-01-13

Dancing her way through the haters, Whitney Way Thore is embracing her body in a world that...

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Fastlane

as Shelly
First aired: 2002-09-18

Fastlane is an American action/crime drama series that was broadcast on Fox from September 18,...

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In the House

as Ashley Banks
First aired: 1995-04-10

In the House is an American sitcom

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Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race

as Self - Contestant / Chakra 7
First aired: 2020-04-24

Secret celebrities - from all walks of life - compete in full drag as they try to impress Emmy...

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Getting By

as uncredited
First aired: 1993-03-05

Getting By is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from March 5, 1993 until May 21, 1993, and on...

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Fancy Nancy

as Bree's Mom (voice)
First aired: 2018-07-13

This entry is for episodes with two stories per episode. Meet Nancy Clancy, a high-spirited...

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The Magic Hour

as Self
First aired: 1998-06-08

The Magic Hour is an American talk show hosted by basketball player Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The...

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Love That Girl!

as Tyana Jones
First aired: 2010-01-19

Love That Girl! is an American sitcom created by Bentley Kyle Evans and starring Tatyana Ali.

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Second Generation Wayans

as Maya
First aired: 2013-01-15

Damien Dante Wayans and Craig Wayans, nephews of the famous Wayans brothers, decide to start...

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Perimeter

as Connie Dawn
First aired: 2024-02-29

The series revolves around the Dawn family: Paige (Monet), a Spelman College sophomore whose...

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Teen Choice Awards

as Self - Presenter
First aired: 1999-08-01

The Teen Choice Awards is a teen awards show presented annually by Fox. The first awards were...

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