La La Anthony
La La Anthony | |
|---|---|
 La La Anthony for Motives | |
| Born | Alani Nicole Vázquez June 25, 1979 |
| Other names | "La La" |
| Alma mater | Howard University |
| Occupation | Television personality, actress, author, businesswoman |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Spouse(s) | Carmelo Anthony (m. 2010) |
| Children | 1 |
Alani Nicole "La La" Anthony (née Vázquez; born June 25, 1979)[1][2] is an American television personality, New York Times best-selling author, businesswoman, producer and actress. In the early 2000s, La La came to prominence as an MTV VJ on Total Request Live. She was the host of the VH1 reality television reunion shows Flavor of Love, I Love New York, For the Love of Ray J, and Real Chance of Love, and was a dean on Charm School with Ricki Lake.
Anthony ventured into acting; her subsequent film roles include Two Can Play That Game (2001), You Got Served (2004), Think Like a Man (2012), Think Like a Man 2 (2014), November Rule (2015) and Destined (2015). After guest roles in several television shows, Anthony can be seen in the Starz original drama series Power, executive produced by 50 Cent and starring Omari Hardwick and Naturi Naughton. Anthony has also starred in the American reality television series La La's Full Court Wedding and La La's Full Court Life. She married NBA player Carmelo Anthony in 2010.
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Early life[edit]
Anthony was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents are of Puerto Rican heritage born and raised in New York City. Anthony (who describes herself as an Afro-Puerto Rican[3]) has a younger brother and two younger sisters. As a young child, she was involved in many activities, but music was her main interest.[4] She went to Howard University, where she studied communications.
Career[edit]
At the age of 15, Anthony began her entertainment career in radio at WQHT-FM, HOT 97.5 in Georgia. After a short internship at that station, and while still in high school, she was given her own show, the wildly popular Future Flavas, alongside rapper/actor Ludacris.
At 19, Anthony got an offer from Los Angeles's 92.3 The Beat to co-host her own radio show, The B-Syde. After a successful run on radio, Anthony left the station in 2001 and joined the MTV family. Although she had no previous on-TV experience, Anthony became one of the network’s premiere talents and went on to co-host two of their most popular shows, Direct Effect and Total Request Live. During her time at MTV, Anthony interviewed many high-profile stars including Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Will Smith and Angelina Jolie, among others.
In 2003, Anthony left the network to launch her own production company Krossover Productions and was a producer on Mike Tyson’s critically acclaimed documentary, Tyson. Directed by Oscar and Golden Globe nominee writer/director James Toback, Tyson was named the winner of the Regard Knockout Award in France and debuted to a standing ovation in 2009’s Cannes Film Festival. Anthony and Krossover Productions also produced a feature film with director/producer Brett Ratner, and a starring role in The Gun.
Anthony made her film debut in 2001 in romantic comedy Two Can Play That Game. She starred in the 2012 film, Think Like a Man, alongside Gabrielle Union and Taraji P. Henson and the 2013 film Baggage Claim alongside Paula Patton and Derek Luke. Anthony had guest starring roles in the CBS crime drama, "NYC 22" and the popular VH1 scripted show, Single Ladies. Other film credits include Urban Massacre (2002), Monster Island (2004), and You Got Served (2004).
In October 2011, Anthony made her stage debut in the off-Broadway production of Love Loss and What I Wore. Anthony also starred in and executive produced five seasons of La La's Full Court Wedding, one of VH1’s highest rated shows, which chronicled the time leading up to her wedding to NBA star Carmelo Anthony.
On February 2, 2012, she launched MOTIVES by La La, at the Market America World Conference held at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. Inspired to create a cosmetic line for women of color ranging in color variation, her cosmetic line consists of multiple mineral-based products for face, cheeks, eyes, lips and nails.[5]
In 2013, Anthony created a clothing line, "5th & Mercer", a capsule collection exclusive to Shopbop.com and she continues to work on new designs for the line.
On January 28, 2014, Anthony released her debut book titled The Love Playbook in which she shares how she found love and success on her own terms. The book climbed to #1 on the Barnes & Noble Best Seller list and on February 7 hit #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list. Anthony’s second book, entitled The Power Playbook was released in May 2015.
Anthony co-produced the Broadway production of Danai Gurira's Eclipsed in 2016.
Personal life[edit]
On Christmas Day 2004, Lala became engaged to basketball player Carmelo Anthony.[6][7] Their son, Kiyan Carmelo Anthony, was born on March 7, 2007.[8][9] They were married by Michael Eric Dyson on July 10, 2010, at Cipriani's in New York before 320 guests.[10][11] The ceremony was filmed by VH1 and aired as part of a reality series on the couple, titled La La's Full Court Wedding.[12][13][14] The couple's life together is chronicled on their continuation series, La La's Full Court Life.[15]
In April 2017, Anthony filed for separation from her husband after he was publicly accused of impregnating a woman employed at a gentlemen's club. However, in a June 2017 interview on The Wendy Williams Show, Anthony said that she and Carmelo are not officially divorcing at the moment. As of January 2019 she and Carmelo were back together again.[16]
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Two Can Play That Game | DJ | |
| 2002 | Urban Massacre | Pam Jackson | |
| Total Request Live | Herself | TV series | |
| 2002–2006 | Direct Effect | Host | TV series |
| 2003 | 50 Cent: The New Breed | Herself | Documentary |
| Sex and the City | MTV Interviewer | TV series; episode: "The Post-it Always Sticks Twice" | |
| The Real World: Paris | Host | TV series; episode: "French Kissing and Telling, The Real World: Paris Reunion" | |
| 2004 | You Got Served | Herself | |
| Monster Island | Herself | TV movie | |
| One on One | Kendra | TV series; episode: "Phatheadz" | |
| Soul Plane | Herself | ||
| Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno | Host | TV series; episode: "Montezuma's Revenge: Inside the Inferno Reunion Show" | |
| 2005 | Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes 2 | TV series; episode: "Battle of the Sexes 2: Reunion - Secrets from Elimination Hill" | |
| 2006 | Da Jammies | Angelique | Voice |
| Flavor of Love | Host | TV series; episode: "Reunion: After the Lovin" | |
| Chappelle's Show | Herself | TV series; episode: #3.2 | |
| Flavor of Love 2 | Host | TV series; episode: "Reunion: After the Lovin" | |
| 2007 | I Love New York | TV series; episode: "Reunion Show" | |
| Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School | TV series; episode: "Reunion Show" | ||
| 2008 | I Love New York 2 | TV series; episode: "Reunion Show" | |
| Flavor of Love 3 | TV series; episode: "Reunion: After the Lovin" | ||
| 2009 | For the Love of Ray J | TV series; episode: "Reunion Show" | |
| Charm School with Ricki Lake | Judge/Dean | ||
| Real Chance of Love | Host | TV series; episode: "Reunion Show" | |
| 2010 | La La's Full Court Wedding | Herself | TV series |
| For the Love of Ray J 2 | Host | TV series; episode: "Reunion Show" | |
| Gun | Mona | Movie | |
| 2011–2014 | La La's Full Court Life | Herself | TV series |
| 2012 | Think Like a Man | Sonia | Film |
| 2013 | Baggage Claim | Tanya | |
| 1982 | Neecy | ||
| Keeping Up with the Kardashians | Herself | Episode: "Agree to Disagree" | |
| Law and Order: Special Victims Unit | Ana | Episode: "Poisoned Motive" | |
| 2014 | Think Like a Man Too | Sonia | Film |
| 2014–present | Power | Lakeisha Grant | TV series |
| 2015 | Chi-Raq | Hecuba | Film |
| Unforgettable | Delina Michaels | TV series | |
| 2015 | November Rule | Stacey | |
| 2017 | The New Edition Story | Flo DeVoe | TV movie |
| Destined | Jada | ||
| Double Play | Micha | ||
| Daytime Divas | Isabel Carlisle | Recurring role | |
| Deuces | Detective Sonya Diaz | ||
| 2018 | Star | Angel’s mom | Season 2 |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "In My Feelings" | Kiki | Drake song |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Quenqua, Douglas (July 8, 2011). "La La Anthony the first lady of the NBA". New York Times.
- ^ Kieu, Ana (December 17, 2017). "10 things you didn't know about Carmelo Anthony and Lala's marriage and 5 things about their separation". The Sportster.
- ^ "*Exclusive Updated* La La Vazquez Settles Controversy "Is She Black Or Latina?"". bossip.com. December 13, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- ^ "Meet the VJs: La La". VH1. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ "La La Anthony Launches Makeup Line, Continues to Be Completely Flawless". Glamour. February 1, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ "Nuggets' Anthony Proposes to MTV Host". Associated Press. January 1, 2005.[dead link]
- ^ "Hill collided withv cameraman during game". ESPN. January 2, 2005.
- ^ Margaret, Mary (March 7, 2007). "LaLa Vazquez Has a Boy with NBA's Carmelo Anthony". People. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ Margaret, Mary (March 7, 2007). "LaLa Vazquez Has a Boy with NBA's Carmelo Anthony". People.
- ^ "LaLa Vazquez, Carmelo Anthony Say "I Do"". Us Weekly. July 10, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ D'Zurilla, Christie. "Carmelo Anthony, Lala Vazquez get married in New Yor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ Wihlborg, Ulrica (July 10, 2010). "LaLa Vazquez Weds Carmelo Anthony". People. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ "Melo, La La wedding series comes to VH1". The Denver Post. September 19, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ Roberts, Fletcher (February 24, 2011). "La La Vazquez, the Wife of Carmelo Anthony, Gets VH1 Show". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ Zaldivar, Gabe (February 23, 2011). "Just As We Thought, Melo and LaLa Vazquez Will Get New Series". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ Taylor, Derrick Bryson (June 27, 2017). "La La Has No Current Plans To Divorce Carmelo". Page Six. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
External links[edit]
- LaLa Vasquez on IMDb
- MTV.com-Onair- Meet the Vjs
- Read MTV's profile of La La on MTV.TV
- LaLa Vazquez interview with DJ Whoo Kid, Sirius Radio/RadioPlanet.tv
