
Tatyana Ali
Acting • Born 1979-01-24
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.
Filmography
80 credits
Brother
Movie • 2000
Latifa

A Picture Perfect Holiday
Movie • 2021
Gaby

The Brothers
Movie • 2001
Cherie Smith

Giving Hope: The Ni'cola Mitchell Story
Movie • 2023
Ni'cola Mitchell

Kiss the Girls
Movie • 1997
Janell Cross

Back in the Day
Movie • 2005
Alicia

Mother and Child
Movie • 2009
Maria

Eddie Murphy Raw
Movie • 1987
Singing Child

National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze
Movie • 2003
Claire

Jawbreaker
Movie • 1999
Brenda

Vanished: Searching for My Sister
Movie • 2022
Jada Stallworth/Kayla Davis

Wow, You're A Cartoonist!
Movie • 1988
Child Cartoonist

Nora's Hair Salon II: A Cut Above
Movie • 2008
Lilliana

The Holiday Proposal Plan
Movie • 2023
Sonny Kravitz

Nora's Hair Salon
Movie • 2004
Lilleana

Dysfunctional Friends
Movie • 2012
Alex

Domino One
Movie • 2005
Laeticia Richards

Fall into Darkness
Movie • 1996
Sharon McKay

24 Hour Love
Movie • 2013
Simply

Locker 13
Movie • 2014
Lucy

Dear Secret Santa
Movie • 2013
Jennifer

The List
Movie • 2007
Cynthia

Hotel California
Movie • 2008
Jessie

The Clown at Midnight
Movie • 1998
Monica

Light Girls
Movie • 2015
Self

Crocodile Dundee II
Movie • 1988
Park Girl

Home Again
Movie • 2012
Marva Johnson

Fatal Flip
Movie • 2015
Roslyn

November Rule
Movie • 2015
Leah

Fakin' Da Funk
Movie • 1997
Karyn

A Very Larry Christmas
Movie • 2014
Nicole

Second Sight
Movie • 2016
Clara

Supermodel
Movie • 2015
Lauren

The Good Nanny
Movie • 2017
Monica Thorne

Wrapped Up In Christmas
Movie • 2017
Heather Nash

Christmas Everlasting
Movie • 2018
Lucy Toomey

Jingle Belle
Movie • 2018
Belle Williams

Dancing Man the Documentary
Movie • 2015
Self

Deadly Match
Movie • 2019
Professor Savoy

23rd Psalm: Redemption
Movie • 2013
Stacey Wayne

Doe
Movie • 2018
Rachel Hutton

Christmas Hotel
Movie • 2019
Erin

Pete Smalls Is Dead
Movie • 2010
Cocktail Waitress

The Last Letter
Movie • 2013
Jillian

Comeback Dad
Movie • 2014
Nima

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion
Movie • 2020
Self

Glory Road
Movie • 2006
Tina

The Divorce
Movie • 2014
Victoria

The Reason
Movie • 2020
Macey

Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi Kitano
Movie • 2000

Kidz in the Wood
Movie • 1996
Rita

Privileged
Movie • 2010
Talia

The Jaleel White Special
Movie • 1992
Ramona

Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?
Movie
Linda

In the House
TV • 1995
Ashley Banks

Half & Half
TV • 2002
Olivia

Fastlane
TV • 2002
Shelly

Living Single
TV • 1993

Getting By
TV • 1993

Love That Girl!
TV • 2010
Tyana Jones

Are You Afraid of the Dark?
TV • 1992
Laura Turner

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
TV • 1990
Ashley Banks

Name Your Adventure
TV • 1992
Host

Brains & Brawn
TV • 1958
Host

The Eric Andre Show
TV • 2012
Self

Second Generation Wayans
TV • 2013
Maya

Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
TV • 2021
Self - Contestant

Fancy Nancy
TV • 2018
Bree’s Mom (voice)

Teen Choice Awards
TV • 1999
Self

The Magic Hour
TV • 1998
Self

Secret Celebrity RuPaul's Drag Race
TV • 2020
Chakra 7 - Contestant

Abbott Elementary
TV • 2021
Crystal

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV • 2009
Self - Guest

My Big Fat Fabulous Life
TV • 2015
Self - Event Host

The Cosby Show
TV • 1984
Girl

Bel-Air
TV • 2022
Ms. Hughes

Key & Peele
TV • 2012
Heresa

Perimeter
TV • 2024
Connie Dawn

Celebrity Weakest Link
TV • 2025
Self - Contestant

Child Star Confidential
TV • 2006
Self