Actress Nia Long has been honored with the 2,857th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, adding one of Hollywood’s most recognizable performers to the landmark along Hollywood Boulevard.
Long received the star in the Motion Pictures category on September 16, 2026, at a ceremony at 6150 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. The event was hosted by Variety correspondent Angelique Jackson, with producer Graham King and rapper Snoop Dogg serving as guest speakers.
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The honor also brought renewed attention to Long’s Caribbean heritage. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Long has family roots in several Caribbean territories. Her maternal grandfather, Clyde Vernon Gillman, was born in Belmont, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, while her maternal grandmother, Pearl Miriam Gittens, was born in Grenada. Her family connections also extend to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados. Long has spoken publicly about her connection to Trinidadian culture and food.
Long has also maintained ties to the region through her support for the Sterling Children’s Home in Barbados, where she has contributed her time as a motivational speaker. Her Caribbean background has remained a recurring part of her public story as her acting career has continued to expand.
Her career spans more than three decades, with early prominence coming through John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood and her role as Lisa Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She later appeared in films including Friday, Love Jones, Soul Food and The Best Man, while building a television résumé that includes Third Watch, Empire and NCIS: Los Angeles.
More recently, Long portrayed Katherine Jackson in the 2026 Michael Jackson biopic Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Graham King. The role added another major feature to a film career that has kept Long connected to both mainstream and Black American cinema.
Long was selected for the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s Class of 2025 in the Motion Pictures category, with her ceremony taking place the following year. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said the recognition celebrates a career in which she has brought numerous characters to audiences over several decades.
For Long, the Walk of Fame honor represents not only a personal career achievement but also a moment that reflects the influence of the family and generations of women who helped shape her. Her new star places her name permanently among the performers recognized along one of Hollywood’s most famous landmarks.
