On the left is Ashanti while on the right is Sanaa Lathan.
Sanaa Lathan, pronounced Sa-NAA, “like Sinatra without the tra”, was born on September 19, 1971, in New York. Sanaa Lathan was able to get notable appearances in television on shows such as In the House (1995), Moesha (1996), NYPD Blue (1993), Family Matters (1989) and the made-for-TV movie, Miracle in the Woods (1997), playing the younger character opposite Della Reese. Sanaa Lathan obtained television series regular roles in two very short-lived sitcoms Built to Last (1997), that never got national distribution, and the two seasons-canceled NBC sitcom called LateLine (1998), in the role of an aggressive talent broker for a network news show. Honing her skills and returning to her passion for the stage, Sanaa also performed at the South Coast Repertory Theatre in the play, “Our Town”, as well as other productions, while pursuing her career in television and the movies. Her first movie role came in the action movie, Drive (1997), where she played the estranged wife (“Carolyn Brody”), opposite Kadeem Hardison. Other brief, but substantial roles, came in the vampire action movie, Blade (1998), where she played the mother (“Vanessa Brooks”) of lead actor Wesley Snipes, and the comedy, Life (1999), playing the girlfriend (“Daisy”), opposite Martin Lawrence, and the comedy/drama, The Wood (1999), where she played the adult girlfriend (“Alicia”), opposite Omar Epps. This chance meeting with Epps provided the opportunity for them to build a friendship and real-life romantic relationship. Upon completion of The Wood (1999) shoot, Sanaa Lathan went to New York to join the ensemble cast for her meatiest role to date in the comedy/romantic drama movie, The Best Man (1999). Sanaa Lathan played the career eclectic yet strong girlfriend (“Robin”) role, opposite her fellow The Wood (1999) costar, Taye Diggs. In 2000, she appeared in the limited release independent comedy/drama, Catfish in Black Bean Sauce (1999), where, again, she plays a girlfriend (“Nina”), this time in an interracial relationship opposite the writer/actor director, Chi Muoi Lo. Also in 2000, she lent her acting talents under the direction of her brother, Tendaji Lathan, in his award-winning film short, The Smoker (2000). She also appeared in the acclaimed romantic drama, Love & Basketball (2000), where she played the lead role (“Monica”) opposite her real-life boyfriend, Omar Epps. Sanaa Lathan gave the performance of her life in this women- empowering breakthrough role, written by the film’s director, Gina Prince-Bythewood. The acting was no problem, but the basketball was not a skill Sanaa Lathan possessed. Having never touched a basketball and without a guarantee of getting the part, Sanaa Lathan spent several months training, with her brother and friends, with her costar/boyfriend and finally with a professional coach to look like a professional ball player for this movie. Bythewood, realizing the awesome talent of Sanaa Lathan, had her audition for the lead role in her next film direction, the made-for-television HBO movie, Disappearing Acts (2000), based on the best-selling novel by renowned author Terry McMillan. Sanaa Lathan again nailed the role, gaining 20 extra pounds to better depict the character of the book. Sanaa Lathan has also begun to extend herself in the business by co-producing a yet-to-be-released movie with Queen Latifah. The Los Angles NAACP Theatrical Award Committee rewarded Sanaa Lathan with a nomination for Best Actress for her work in the production To Take Arms. In 2000, Sanaa Lathan received the NAACP Image honor nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a motion picture for her role in The Best Man (1999). In 2001, she received the NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Actress in a motion picture for her excellent performance in Love & Basketball (2000), she would go on to win this most coveted award. During the same year, she was also nominated for the Indie Spirit Award for her role in Love & Basketball (2000). Considering the lack of color in the awarding process of the Oscars and the Golden Globes in 2001, many black organizations choose to recognize their powerful performances in 2000 among people of color. Essence Magazine awarded Sanaa the OMAR for Best Actress. BET allowed fans to select winners for which Sanaa won Best Actress for her role in Love & Basketball (2000) in the motion picture category as well as Best Actress in the television movie or mini-series category for her role in Disappearing Acts. The online magazine Reelimagemagazine.com also allowed fans and an expert panel to select winners for its awards. Again Sanaa won Best Actress for her role in Love & Basketball (2000).
Ashanti was born Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas on October 13, 1980. She is an American recording artist, record producer, dancer, and actress once signed to Murder Inc Records with Irv Gotti. She produced many hit songs under the record label in the early 2000`s doing collaboration with rapper JaRule. Ashanti is most famous for her album, which featured the hit song “Foolish”, and sold over 503,000 copies in its first week of release throughout the U.S. in April 2002. The album set a Soundscan record as the biggest opening week sales for a new female artist, outselling debuts by Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill. In the same week, she became the first female performer to simultaneously hold the top two places on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with “Foolish”, and “What’s Luv?” (with Fat Joe). Ashanti broke records again by having three top ten songs, “Foolish,” “What’s Luv?” and “Always on Time”, on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the same week, being the first woman to accomplish this feat and being second only to the Beatles. In 2003, the self-titled debut album won Ashanti her first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B album. As of 2008, Ashanti has sold over 15 million records worldwide. Ashanti ended the decade (2000–09) as the third top new R&B artist behind Alicia Keys and Beyoncé. She also ended the decade at number 38 on the Top Artist of the Decade list. She is currently on the list of The Twenty Best Selling Music Singles Since 1990 for her single Foolish for selling 7.2 million copies to-date. Ashanti wrote and sang background on Jennifer Lopez’s “Ain’t It Funny (Murder Remix)”, which reached number one on Billboard Hot 100, which was also in the top 10 chart at the same time as “Foolish”, “Always on Time” (with Ja Rule), and “What’s Luv” (with Fat Joe). Later that year, she was acclaimed as the “Princess Of Hip-Hop & R&B” by her label and capped off her successful debut by winning eight Billboard awards and two American Music Awards. Within seven years of Ashanti‘s career, she has scored 16 top 40 hits on the Hot 100. Ashanti has endorsed numerous products including Gap, Herbal Essences and Mudd Jeans. Ashanti appeared in the 2006 movie John Tucker Must Die. She was in a relationship with rapper Nelly for several years before they broke up.
Sanaa Lathan and Ashanti can pass as sisters but they are not. These two lovely black women certainly look alike from their smile to their skin color. They are famous people that look alike or celebrity twins.