Person
Tatyana Ali
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 24, 1979
- Place of birth
- Long Island, New York, USA
- Also known as
- Tatyana M. Ali, Tatyana Marisol Ali
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.
Biography from TMDB, which often draws on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
In Catlg
1 Work in the catalog credit them.
Acting (1)
Filmography
Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?Film · 2026 · as Linda Nelson
Celebrity Weakest LinkTV · 2025 · as Self - Contestant · 1 episode
PerimeterTV · 2024 · as Connie Dawn · 4 episodes
Giving Hope: The Ni'cola Mitchell StoryFilm · 2023 · as Ni'cola Mitchell
The Holiday Proposal PlanFilm · 2023 · as Sonny Kravitz
Bel-AirTV · 2022 · as Ms. Hughes · 4 episodes
Vanished: Searching for My SisterFilm · 2022 · as Jada Stallworth/Kayla Davis
A Picture Perfect HolidayFilm · 2021 · as Gaby
Abbott ElementaryTV · 2021 · as Crystal · 6 episodes
Celebrity Wheel of FortuneTV · 2021 · as Self - Contestant · 1 episode
RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag RaceTV · 2020 · as Chakra 7 - Contestant · 8 episodes
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ReunionFilm · 2020 · as Self
The ReasonFilm · 2020 · as Macey
Christmas HotelFilm · 2019 · as Erin
Deadly MatchFilm · 2019 · as Professor Savoy
Christmas EverlastingFilm · 2018 · as Lucy Toomey
DoeFilm · 2018 · as Rachel Hutton
Fancy NancyTV · 2018 · as Bree’s Mom (voice) · 123 episodes
Jingle BelleFilm · 2018 · as Belle Williams
SteveTV · 2017 · as Self · 1 episode
The Good NannyFilm · 2017 · as Monica Thorne
Wrapped Up In ChristmasFilm · 2017 · as Heather Nash
Second SightFilm · 2016 · as Clara- Dancing Man the DocumentaryFilm · 2015 · as Self
Fatal FlipFilm · 2015 · as Roslyn
Light GirlsFilm · 2015 · as Self
My Big Fat Fabulous LifeTV · 2015 · as Self - Event Host · 1 episode
November RuleFilm · 2015 · as Leah
SupermodelFilm · 2015 · as Lauren
A Very Larry ChristmasFilm · 2014 · as Nicole
Comeback DadFilm · 2014 · as Nima
Locker 13Film · 2014 · as Lucy
The DivorceFilm · 2014 · as Victoria
23rd Psalm: RedemptionFilm · 2013 · as Stacey Wayne
24 Hour LoveFilm · 2013 · as Simply
Dear Secret SantaFilm · 2013 · as Jennifer
Second Generation WayansTV · 2013 · as Maya · 10 episodes
The Last LetterFilm · 2013 · as Jillian
Dysfunctional FriendsFilm · 2012 · as Alex
Home AgainFilm · 2012 · as Marva Johnson
Key & PeeleTV · 2012 · as Heresa · 1 episode
The Eric Andre ShowTV · 2012 · as Self · 1 episode
Love That Girl!TV · 2010 · as Tyana Jones · 30 episodes
Pete Smalls Is DeadFilm · 2010 · as Cocktail Waitress
PrivilegedFilm · 2010 · as Talia
Mother and ChildFilm · 2009 · as Maria
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenTV · 2009 · as Self - Guest · 2 episodes
Hotel CaliforniaFilm · 2008 · as Jessie
Nora's Hair Salon II: A Cut AboveFilm · 2008 · as Lilliana
The ListFilm · 2007 · as Cynthia- Child Star ConfidentialTV · 2006 · as Self · 1 episode
Glory RoadFilm · 2006 · as Tina
Back in the DayFilm · 2005 · as Alicia
Dancing with the StarsTV · 2005 · as Self - Contestant · 4 episodes
Domino OneFilm · 2005 · as Laeticia Richards
Nora's Hair SalonFilm · 2004 · as Lilleana
National Lampoon Presents Dorm DazeFilm · 2003 · as Claire
FastlaneTV · 2002 · as Shelly · 1 episode
Half & HalfTV · 2002 · as Olivia · 1 episode
The BrothersFilm · 2001 · as Cherie Smith
BrotherFilm · 2000 · as Latifa
Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi KitanoFilm · 2000 · as Self
JawbreakerFilm · 1999 · as Brenda
Teen Choice AwardsTV · 1999 · as Self · 1 episode
The Clown at MidnightFilm · 1999 · as Monica
The Magic HourTV · 1998 · as Self · 1 episode
Fakin' Da FunkFilm · 1997 · as Karyn
Kiss the GirlsFilm · 1997 · as Janell Cross
Fall into DarknessFilm · 1996 · as Sharon McKay
Kidz in the WoodFilm · 1996 · as Rita
In the HouseTV · 1995 · as Ashley Banks · 1 episode
Getting ByTV · 1993 · Acting · 1 episode
Living SingleTV · 1993 · Acting · 1 episode
Are You Afraid of the Dark?TV · 1992 · as Laura Turner · 1 episode- Name Your AdventureTV · 1992 · as Host · 1 episode
The Jaleel White SpecialFilm · 1992 · as Ramona
The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirTV · 1990 · as Ashley Banks · 148 episodes
Crocodile Dundee IIFilm · 1988 · as Park Girl
Wow, You're A Cartoonist!Film · 1988 · as Child Cartoonist
Eddie Murphy RawFilm · 1987 · as Singing Child
The Cosby ShowTV · 1984 · as Girl · 1 episode- Brains & BrawnTV · 1958 · as Host · 1 episode
Filmography from TMDB. This product uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.