Nia Long has had a long and prosperous career, including a current run of famous titles, but she still has doubts about roles she was passed up for in the past.
Long was asked whether she believes she is ignored for parts in an interview with The Cut, which was published on Friday. The actress is most known for her roles in sequels such as The Best Man, Big Momma’s House, and Are We There Yet? Her most recent performances include Missing, You People, and The Best Man: The Final Chapters. In the interview she talked about how often she gets passed on for roles, the actress is bothered by this and often spirals down.
Nia Long was shocked she was not considered for Avatar
Nia Long is slamming Hollywood for excluding her from casting discussions. In a new interview with The Cut (via IndieWire), the You People star wondered why she was never considered for the role of Neytiri in James Cameron’s Avatar.
“I’ve felt passed over on things, for sure. There have been moments like, ‘Why wasn’t I considered for that?’ Like, why wasn’t I considered for Avatar? I think Zoe’s amazing. But I wasn’t even a topic of discussion, you know? A lot of times, to be fair, directors know in their minds who they want. It’s happened to me, and it’s not happened to me.”
She continued,
“I would love to do a film like Avatar because I’m a fan and obsessed. I would even do a supporting role in a film like that because it’s so magical and beautiful, and there are so many lessons and a connection to Mother Nature, humanity, and race. I just think it’s fantastical.”
The actress expressed her love for the movies and the world created by Cameron, however, she cannot get past the fact that the director would not even consider her for the role. She admits that sometimes directors already have an image of the people they want to cast. Long was then asked if she recently auditioned for roles, and she said she hasn’t but that she would be open to it,
“Right, for ‘Avatar 5,’ I would [audition],I would if it was something that someone thought I wasn’t right for that I know I could do. I’ve spent a lot of time inspiring others, which has been a blessing in my career, but I would like to feel more inspired by the projects that come my way and the things that I work on.”
The actress continues to shoot her shot, even though the director has shot Avatar 3 and parts of Avatar 4 it is only in Avatar 5 that Long has any chance. She voiced her opinions on the franchise and said that she is open to auditions.
Also Read: Avatar: The Way of Water Review – An Immersive, Beautiful Vision
Nia Long talks about having a child at 40
Talking to The Cut, the actress opened up about her pregnancy at 40, she said it came as a surprise and was very exciting in the beginning. After she had her first child doctors informed her that she could not conceive another one.
“I think we should talk about it. We should talk about menopause. We should talk about what happens when you’re of a certain age and your body changes. We should talk about things for anti-aging but not where it’s like,’ I want to be forever young.’ Let’s remove ‘anti-aging’ and talk about what you can put into your body to preserve your quality of life.”
When asked about the regrets or mistakes she made at that time, Nia Long candidly said how she was never perfect, and has learnt from her mistakes.
“I’ve made plenty of mistakes as a mother. I’ve learned about myself through my parenting. Do I have regrets? Of course. But they’re not regrets that were life-changing and devastating. They’re like, had I thought about it before I got emotionally charged, I probably could have handled this more delicately.”
She continued,
“I also know that the world is tough. And if you prepare your boys for that, they can assert themselves in difficult situations without seeming like spoiled brats but like young men who are not afraid to lead the way and are gentlemen and respectful of women. That’s my biggest thing right now.”
The actress is now mother to two sons, one is 22, and the other is 5 years old. Her focus is completely on raising them to become gentlemen who strive for success and respect women. She wishes to raise them in the best way possible.
Source: TheCut
