At age seven, Long and her mother relocated to Los Angeles. Although her mother initially planned to marry again, the wedding did not take place. However, they chose to remain in Los Angeles, a city her mother had grown fond of. Nia attended St. Mary's Academy, a Roman Catholic school, where she developed diverse skills in performing arts. She studied acting, guitar, gymnastics, jazz, tap, and ballet, laying a strong foundation for her future career in the entertainment industry.

Acting Career and Breakthrough Roles

Long's acting talent was nurtured under the guidance of Betty Bridges, best known as the mother of actor Todd Bridges from the television series Diff’rent Strokes. Nia made her acting debut in the Disney Channel television movie B.R.A.T. She gained wider recognition through her role as Kat Speakes on the soap opera Guiding Light, which she starred in from 1991 to 1994.

Her breakout role came as Brandi in the critically acclaimed film Boyz n the Hood (1991). This performance bolstered her confidence and helped establish her in Hollywood. A notable role followed on the hit sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, where she portrayed Lisa, the girlfriend of Will Smith’s character. Originally, the part was considered for Jada Pinkett-Smith, but she was deemed too short to be paired with Smith, leading to Long’s casting instead.

Long continued to appear in a string of popular films, including Friday, Love Jones, Soul Food, Boiler Room, The Best Man, In Too Deep, and Big Momma’s House. She also joined the cast of the NBC television drama Third Watch, where her performance earned her a NAACP Image Award.