Sanaa Lathan

Clutch caught up with our favorite Hollywood starlet Sanaa Lathan. Read on as we talk fashion, love, friendship, and the sun with Sanaa!

Clutch: We absolutely love you, Sanaa! We truly believe you are one of the top fashionistas in entertainment today. How do you stay on top of trends and continue to be fashion-forward? Wow . . . thanks! Well, I love to shop! I love to cruise boutiques and look for original pieces. So, I guess I would credit it to that.

Clutch: We love to see you, Gabrielle, Essence, and Regina out on the town together. A lot of us live out our Hollywood dreams through you ladies. What’s a typical day like with the girls? Aww . . . I am really fortunate to have such good friends! A typical day with my girls consists of shopping, going to the movies and out to eat, reading scripts together and other regular friend stuff. We are very supportive of each other and always make sure we push each other to do our best.

Clutch: When you’re not working on projects, what do you do to unwind and relax? I visit family and friends, spend time with my pets, and exercise. One of my favorite ways to unwind is to hike. Yes . . . I love to Hike!

Clutch: What TV shows do you have to watch or TIVO on a regular basis? I really like Larry King Live, Intervention and Oprah.

Clutch: So many people feel like they know you because of the roles you have played and your everyday personality. How do you stay so down to earth? Remaining humble and understanding that my job is a privilege and a public service. It’s a great feeling to be doing what you love and get paid for it.

Clutch: Who are some of your favorite designers—and are you aware of any up-and-coming designers that you love and are waiting for the world to be exposed to? You know, honestly I really don’t wear lots of designer labels. I usually wear most high-end designers when I have an event, but not too much for every day. But, I do love Tracy Reese and Marc Jacobs.

Clutch: When shopping could we ever spot you in Target, Forever 21, H&M or a vintage shop? (laughs) Oh, yes . . . I love H&M! A lot of my everyday wardrobe consists of pieces from H&M or boutiques.

Clutch: The ladies here at Clutch notice that you rock Clutch bags on a regular basis. If you were to let us rumble through your bag, what would we find? Lipgloss! I really love my lipgloss, Trident gum, I.D., money, you know . . . the necessities.

Clutch: Your skin is always so beautiful and has such a healthy glow. What are some of your beauty staples?
I love LeMer Moisturizer for my face. I also use a Vitamin C Facial Wash from the health store. I just always make sure stay moisturized.

Clutch: So, you know everyone wants to know if you are . . . Happily Single? Attached and loving it? Or are you letting love find you? (laughs) Attached and loving it!

Clutch: Since you are out on the scene regularly, I know that lots of guys approach you all of the time. What’s the worst pick up line you have ever heard? The best? (laughs) Hey girl got a minute . . . I say no . . . he says I got two I’ll lend you one. And that wasn’t bad—It kinda made me laugh. The best? Well, luckily I haven’t had a pick-up line in a long time.

Clutch: When a guy approaches you what’s the first thing you notice? It’s so many things—teeth, eyes, if they can speak well, and humor.

Clutch: What’s the biggest relationship lesson you’ve learned? The biggest relationship lesson I’ve learned is that love is an action not just a feeling.

Clutch: If you weren’t an actress, what do you think you would be doing right now?I would be teaching! I really love working with kids. I am always reading and learning new things—so I would be a teacher.

Clutch: In the movie Something New it states that the statistics for married African American women are pretty low. Why do you think that is? Unfortunately, a lot of our men are either incarcerated or have other things against them. Black women are going up the corporate ladder much faster and as a result they don’t have the male counterparts that are on their level. And honestly, for our men a lot of it is not their fault.

Clutch: If you came out with a book on dating what would be the number one tip you would give to women seeking a mate? The number one tip would be “cool as a cucumber”—a relative told me that once. When you like someone, it’s not that big of a deal. When you like a guy and he’s acting up—the cooler, the better it will go. Also, never put your eggs in one basket without the commitment.

Clutch: What are some suggestions you would give to a young, black female interested in becoming an actress? Get in an acting class immediately and see if it’s something you really like. In this country, people don’t value acting as much as they should. It’s truly an art and needs to be studied like a student would study engineering—those are the best things you could possibly do.

Clutch: How do you stay motivated to do your work? I love what I do and I feel very happy to be able to make a living doing it! I am always just trying to contain my excitement if anything.

Clutch: We really miss you on the big screen! Do you have any projects in the works?
Yes! I just finished taping the movie version of “A Raisin in the Sun” with Diddy, Phylicia Rashad and I actually got nominated for a Tony award! It will be airing on March 1st on ABC.