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Sanaa was born in New York City to Eleanor McCoy, who performed on Broadway with the likes of Eartha Kitt and her father is Stan Lathan who worked behind the scenes in television for PBS, as well as a producer for the likes of shows as Sanford & Son, and Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam. Being exposed to the life of entertainment and stars at a very early age, had a profound impact upon her life. As a child, she was very athletic and was into the arts through training in Gymnastics and Dance. Her parents divorced when she was young, however she kept in close relationships with both of her parents moving between both Los Angeles and New York.

Following her training at Yale, where she performed in a number of Shakespeare's plays, Lathan earned acclaim both off-Broadway and on the Los Angeles stage. Encouraged by her father to make Los Angeles her professional base, the young actress found early television roles on episodes of such shows as In the House, Family Matters, NYPD Blue, and Moesha. During that same period, she won raves and a Best Actress nod from the Los Angeles NAACP Theatrical Award Committee for her performance in To Take Arms.

In 1998, Lathan earned a degree of recognition with her role as the mother of Wesley Snipes' title character in Blade. She followed this the subsequent year with back-to-back turns in The Best Man and The Wood. The Best Man was a comedic ensemble film, starring Taye Diggs, Nia Long and Morris Chestnut. The Wood, another ensemble film starring Diggs and Omar Epps, cast her as the love interest of Epps, who at the time was also her real-life boyfriend. The relationship fell apart due to infidelity and they both moved on with their careers.

Lathan and Epps were reunited onscreen in Prince-Bythewood's Love & Basketball, this time playing a couple as passionate about basketball as they are about each other. The film served as a break-out role for Lathan, who played a leading character instead of the girlfriend of one. Her work in Love & Basketball earned her "Best Actress" nominations for both the NAACP Image Award and the Independent Spirit Award. That same year, Lathan earned additional acclaim for her work in the multicultural comedy Catfish in Black Bean Sauce and for her second collaboration with Prince-Bythewood, Disappearing Acts. Based on a novel by Terry McMillan, the HBO movie cast Lathan as an aspiring singer/songwriter in love with a carpenter, played by her Blade co-star Wesley Snipes. For her work in the film, Lathan earned an Essence Award for Best Actress, as well as the added assurance of a very busy work schedule. That year, she was named by Ebony magazine as one of its 55 Most Beautiful People and was honoured by Essence magazine and Black Entertainment Television.

Lathan subsequently starred in several major Hollywood films, including Alien Vs. Predator which was Lathan's biggest role to date. Alien Vs. Predator was a major success grossing over $171 million dollars worldwide. Out of Time was also an important role for Lathan as she played the bad girl.

In 2006, Lathan co-starred with Simon Baker in Something New, a romantic comedy about an interracial relationship. Lathan appeared in a recurring role as Michelle Landau in another interracial relationship as the much younger wife of a Texas businessman (Larry Hagman) during the fourth season of the television series, Nip/Tuck.

Lathan is scheduled to act in a Tyler Perry film, "A Family That Prays Together" also featuring Jennifer Hudson, Kathy Bates, and Alfre Woodard due to release in 2009.

Generally private, Lathan has never been married but had been involved with actor Omar Epps, but is now currently dating Chicago Bears Defensive End Adewale Ogunleye. Gabrielle Union, Nia Long, and Regina Hall are among her closest friends.

Daughter of Stan Lathan.

Sanaa was raised partly in Beverly Hills with her father, director Stan Lathan. She lived the other part in New York with her mother, Eleanor McCoy, a Broadway stage actress.

Yale School of Drama graduate.

Her name is Swahili for "work of art".

Says her name is pronounced Sa-NA, "like Sinatra without the tra".

Voted one of Ebony magazine's 55 Most Beautiful People. [2000]

Daughter of actress/dancer Eleanor McCoy.

Gained twenty pounds for her role in "Disappearing Acts".

Was nominated for Broadway's 2004 Tony Award as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) for her performance as Beneatha in a revival of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun."

She also has Native American ancestry.

• BET Award

• 2001, Best Actress: (Winner)

• Black Movie Awards

• 2006, Best Actress: Something New (Nominated)

• Black Reel Award

• 2006, Best Actress: Something New (Nominated)
• 2004, Best Actress: Out of Time (Winner)
• 2003, Best Actress: Brown Sugar (Nominated)
• 2001, Best Actress: Love & Basketball (Winner)
• 2001, Best Actress in a TV Movie/Mini-Series: Disappearing Acts (Nominated)

• Image Awards

• 2007, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Something New (Nominated)
• 2007, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Nip/Tuck (Nominated)
• 2004, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Out of Time (Nominated)
• 2003, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Brown Sugar (Nominated)
• 2001, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Love & Basketball (Winner)
• 2000, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: The Best Man (Nominated)

• Independent Spirit Awards

• 2001, Best Female Lead: Love & Basketball (Nominated)

• Theatre World Award

• 2004 A Raisin in the Sun (Winner)

• Tony Award

• 2003, Best Featured Actress in a Play: A Raisin in the Sun (Nominated)