• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Power 40
    • Money & Career
    • SOKO MRKT
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
    • Essence Holiday Gift Guide 2023
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Power 40
    • Money & Career
    • SOKO MRKT
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
    • Essence Holiday Gift Guide 2023
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home • News

5 Questions with Tatyana Ali on 'Love That Girl!' and Working with Martin Lawrence

She's all grown up and starring in TV One's 'Love That Girl'
5 Questions with Tatyana Ali on ‘Love That Girl!’ and Working with Martin Lawrence
Tatyana B 1
By Dreux Dougall · Updated October 28, 2020
The original girl-next-door, Tatyana Ali, is all grown up, and turning a new TV chapter in her life. She returns to the small screen in the third season of the sitcom, “Love that Girl,” the first scripted television show to air on TV One.

Recently honored at Black Girls Rock, the actress is no stranger to hard work. She runs her own production company, Hazrah Entertainment, with her sister Anastasia Ali, and recently starred in the first webisode series on BET, “Buppies.”

ESSENCE.com talks to her about ‘Love That Girl’, Martin Lawrence as the ‘godfather’, and whether or not they’ll be an album in her future!

ESSENCE.com – ‘Love That Girl’ is in Season 3 now! What’s the feedback that you’ve gotten back from the show so far?
Tatyana Ali: Well we’ve gone up on every level in terms of production, writing, what’s going on with the characters and the guest stars. I’m excited for people to see it.

ESSENCE.com: What can we expect from your character ‘Tyana Jones’ this season?
Ali: Well her infamous ex-husband enters the scene. So there’s a healthy dose of drama between all of the members of the family. And some of the things mentioned in the previous season, the backdrop really gets explained and flushed out this season.

ESSENCE.com: Martin Lawrence is the executive producer of the show, and he’s notoriously hilarious. What’s it been like working with him?
ALI: Well he’s worked with the creator of the show Bentley Evans for years, so he’s really kind of hand off, in the sense that I think he really trusts what we’re doing and everyone’s capabilities. So when he comes, he’s kind of like the godfather! And you know, he laughs with us, he’ll come up with better jokes with us and stuff like that. But it’s really nice, you feel comfortable, that he’s so happy with what we’re doing.

ESSENCE.com: Do you find people still see you as ‘Ashley Banks’ from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?
ALI: People still recognize me, but I don’t know! I think that’s a part of my life that’s pretty concrete, in the sense that, that show and the characters, people related to her so much. So it’s funny when women and men my age — and we’re in our early thirties now – they still say that character meant a lot to them. So yea!

ESSENCE.com: Describe a day in the life of Tatyana Ali and describe a day in the life of ‘Tyana Jones’, how are you similar/different?
ALI: My day starts off when emails and calls and calls and emails! It’s pretty hectic. And I think with ‘Tyana’ her life is pretty hectic, I think one of the similarities is that we’re both really doing our best to achieve our dreams, which is one thing I love about her. The differences exist in how we go about doing that! Not that Tyana isn’t smart, she is. But I’m much more reserved than she is, and I try to think things through before acting and with her, she’s all action, and thinks, or regrets rather, afterwards!

Watch the premiere of ‘Love that Girl!‘ tonight at 8pm on TV ONE.

fall-tv-launch-icon
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now