Tatyana Ali
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 24, 1979 (age 47)
- Birthplace
- Long Island, New York, USA
Biography
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
Photos
Filmography
Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?
Movie · as Linda Nelson
Celebrity Weakest Link
TV · as Self - Contestant · 1 ep
Perimeter
TV · as Connie Dawn · 4 eps
Giving Hope: The Ni'cola Mitchell Story
Movie · as Ni'cola Mitchell
The Holiday Proposal Plan
Movie · as Sonny Kravitz
Vanished: Searching for My Sister
Movie · as Jada Stallworth/Kayla Davis
Bel-Air
TV · as Ms. Hughes · 4 eps
A Picture Perfect Holiday
Movie · as Gaby
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
TV · as Self - Contestant · 1 ep
Abbott Elementary
TV · as Crystal · 6 eps
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion
Movie · as Self
The Reason
Movie · as Macey
RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race
TV · as Chakra 7 - Contestant · 8 eps
Deadly Match
Movie · as Professor Savoy
Christmas Hotel
Movie · as Erin
Christmas Everlasting
Movie · as Lucy Toomey
Jingle Belle
Movie · as Belle Williams
Doe
Movie · as Rachel Hutton
Fancy Nancy
TV · as Bree’s Mom (voice) · 123 eps
The Good Nanny
Movie · as Monica Thorne
Wrapped Up In Christmas
Movie · as Heather Nash
Steve
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Second Sight
Movie · as Clara
Light Girls
Movie · as Self
Fatal Flip
Movie · as Roslyn
November Rule
Movie · as Leah
Supermodel
Movie · as Lauren
Dancing Man the Documentary
Movie · as Self
My Big Fat Fabulous Life
TV · as Self - Event Host · 1 ep
Locker 13
Movie · as Lucy
A Very Larry Christmas
Movie · as Nicole
Comeback Dad
Movie · as Nima
The Divorce
Movie · as Victoria
24 Hour Love
Movie · as Simply
Dear Secret Santa
Movie · as Jennifer
23rd Psalm: Redemption
Movie · as Stacey Wayne
The Last Letter
Movie · as Jillian
Second Generation Wayans
TV · as Maya · 10 eps
Dysfunctional Friends
Movie · as Alex
Home Again
Movie · as Marva Johnson
The Eric Andre Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Key & Peele
TV · as Heresa · 1 ep
Pete Smalls Is Dead
Movie · as Cocktail Waitress
Privileged
Movie · as Talia
Love That Girl!
TV · as Tyana Jones · 30 eps
Mother and Child
Movie · as Maria
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV · as Self - Guest · 2 eps
Nora's Hair Salon II: A Cut Above
Movie · as Lilliana
Hotel California
Movie · as Jessie
The List
Movie · as Cynthia
Glory Road
Movie · as Tina
Child Star Confidential
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Back in the Day
Movie · as Alicia
Domino One
Movie · as Laeticia Richards
Dancing with the Stars
TV · as Self - Contestant · 10 eps
Nora's Hair Salon
Movie · as Lilleana
National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze
Movie · as Claire
Half & Half
TV · as Olivia · 1 ep
Fastlane
TV · as Shelly · 1 ep
The Brothers
Movie · as Cherie Smith
Brother
Movie · as Latifa
Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi Kitano
Movie · as Self
Jawbreaker
Movie · as Brenda
The Clown at Midnight
Movie · as Monica
Teen Choice Awards
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Magic Hour
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Kiss the Girls
Movie · as Janell Cross
Fakin' Da Funk
Movie · as Karyn
Fall into Darkness
Movie · as Sharon McKay
Kidz in the Wood
Movie · as Rita
In the House
TV · as Ashley Banks · 1 ep
Living Single
TV · 1 ep
Getting By
TV · 1 ep
The Jaleel White Special
Movie · as Ramona
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
TV · as Laura Turner · 1 ep
Name Your Adventure
TV · as Host · 1 ep
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
TV · as Ashley Banks · 148 eps
Wow, You're A Cartoonist!
Movie · as Child Cartoonist
Crocodile Dundee II
Movie · as Park Girl
Eddie Murphy Raw
Movie · as Singing Child
The Cosby Show
TV · as Girl · 1 ep
Brains & Brawn
TV · as Host · 1 ep