Snoop Dogg praised Nia Long’s place in Black culture as she received the 2,857th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Hollywood Boulevard finally has Nia Long’s name in its concrete. After more than three decades across film and television, the actress received the 2,857th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Wednesday, surrounded by family, friends, and admirers who have watched her become one of Black Hollywood’s most familiar faces.
According to KTLA, Snoop Dogg came dressed for the occasion in a jacket covered with Long’s face. When it was time to speak, he wasted little time explaining what she has meant to audiences beyond her résumé. There was some history behind Snoop standing beside her Wednesday. Long attended his own Walk of Fame ceremony in 2018, when Dr. Dre, Quincy Jones and Jimmy Kimmel helped honor the Long Beach rapper. Eight years later, he returned the support as one of the official guest speakers for her ceremony. The Hollywood Walk of Fame also tapped Michael producer Graham King to speak with Variety correspondent Angelique Jackson serving as emcee.
Nia Long’s connection to Hollywood Boulevard began long before she worked in movies. She recently told Variety that her mother drove a city bus through Hollywood when she was young, giving Long plenty of chances to stare down at the stars and ask about the famous names underneath her feet. She has built a career that spans several eras of Black film and television. Boyz n the Hood, Friday, Love Jones, and The Best Man remain among her most revisited films, while The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air made her familiar to another generation of viewers. Long most recently portrayed Katherine Jackson in Michael, which became a major box-office success earlier this year.