Nia Long on being turned down for 'Charlie's Angels' (2000)

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https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...195638684.html

On the internet tidbit that she passed on a lead role in the 2000 action movie Charlie's Angels for the Martin Lawrence comedy Big Momma's House, released that same year

"That is the biggest fattest lie. Charlie's Angels did not want me because they said I looked too sophisticated and too old next to Drew Barrymore… But listen, I thought Lucy Liu was great in that role. When I went back and looked at it, I was like, 'Whoa, she's really doing some stunts.' I don't know if I was quite ready for that. I don't, you can't do everything, and every opportunity isn't for you. And as much as it would've been fun to play that character, I think Big Momma's House was probably more fun for me. And working with Martin Lawrence, another genius comedian who I have so much respect for… You know, the turnover [in this industry] is so frequent that we forget about the guys that really just came and allowed Black people to have success in television. Do you know how many people worked because of Martin Lawrence? Do you know how many people worked because of Tichina Arnold? Just that whole group on [Martin]. Tisha Campbell is a legend. When you go back and you watch Tisha Campbell in School Daze, I was mesmerized by her growing up, her dancing, her singing. She's a triple threat. She does it all. Like these are the women that I admired and we're the same age, but they were the ones that kind of got their breaks before I got my breaks. And so I look at them and I just go, 'Wow, they need to be celebrated more.'"

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Drew Barrymore sits down with Nia Long to address the bizarre rejection note Long received after auditioning for "Charlie's Angels" and deeper impact this had on the "You People" actress.