Page 19 - Real Style March 2018

So, how does this on-screen bombshell balance her acting career with her duties as a parent? for Long, her children and her relationship with San Antonio Spurs assistant coach ime Udoka have always come rst. however, she’s a big advocate of a bit of alone time, to regain her energy. “my kids and my family always come rst, but there are times when i have to put myself rst, in order to be working from a place of really being able to do good work.”
in her free time, the busy star enjoys doing “ab- solutely nothing” and focusing on her passion for skincare and beauty. Long is also a fashionista who describes her personal style
as modern, and likes sim- plicity. But at the end of the day, her life is certainly more substance than style. family is a number one priority, and Long even expresses relief at recently misplacing her phone, and being temporar- ily cut off from constant so- cial media. “Life is so sweet. if you just take ve minutes away from your phones, a day from your phones, you will really be able to recon- nect with yourself,” she ad- vises.
in a simpler pre-smart-
phone time as a rising actress
in the 1990s, Long was solely focused on her career goals. Today, she is revisiting that era, with her re- cent role on a pilot of a spinoff of the ABC comedy series The Goldbergs, which is set in the decade. Comedy is actually a genre that Long would like to explore further, and as all ’90s kids know, the star famously played Will’s girlfriend Lisa Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. As she once again tackles funny business, Long looks back on the ex- periences that have brought her here. What would she tell her younger self?
“i would probably say have more fun. Don’t get me wrong, i had my moments of hanging out in the clubs of new York. But when you come from where i came from, in my mind at least, i didn’t think i had a lot of time. i felt like i needed to really set these goals for myself, and help my mother and move my family forward.”
With all those early struggles behind her, Long has truly arrived. The star even travelled to Tanza- nia last year as a celebrity ambassador for nothing But nets, and helped hang mosquito nets to guard against malaria in refugee camps. “it was the most life changing experience,” she says.
nCIS: LoS AnGeLeS
Whether she is pursuing philanthropy or steal- ing the screen, Long today has evolved from her Fresh Prince days to an inspiring woman in her own right.
“i think i’ve gotten a little bit older, and people don’t see me as the 20-year-old sassy girl. i am now a woman, and other opportunities are coming to me. Every day i thank god, because i know how dif cult this can be.” Those are certainly words to live by, and if one thing is clear, this star will keep living, laughing and loving, all the way.
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