Actress Sanaa Lathan’s beauty first appeared on television shows, like Family Matters and Moesha, before starring in the addictive romantic drama Love & Basketball with Omar Epps.
Since then, she’s landed roles in some of the biggest Black films of our time, recognized by not only her talent but also her sweet grin, brown eyes, and blush-kissed cheekbones.
For example, at the Brown Sugar Premiere in 2002, Lathan established her stance on blush which framed her metallic eyeshadow. She doubled down on circular application at the Out of Time Premiere in her most pigmented look yet, before dusting body glitter and blush over her eyes at the 58th Annual Tony Awards the following year.
In the 2010s, she toned down the rouge, attending the 6th Annual ESSENCE BWIH Awards with frosted, blush-toned lipstick (turning up the pigment at a Beso event in 2016). As time progressed, she leaned into bronze tones to sculpt her cheeks (think: 2022’s The Best Man: The Final Chapters Premiere) for a warmer, more sensual moment— which has lasted since.
Now, on her 53rd birthday, here are all of our favorite Sanaa Lathan blush moments.
HOLLYWOOD – AUGUST 23: Actress Sanaa Lathan arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere of “Undiscovered” at the Egyptian Theater on August 23, 2005 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Sanaa Lathan during 58th Annual Tony Awards – Arrivals at Radio City Music Hall in New York, New York, United States. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 21: Sanaa Lathan arrives at the 6th Annual ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Luncheon at Beverly Hills Hotel on February 21, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
Sanaa Lathan during Brown Sugar – New York Premiere at The Ziegfeld Theater in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
Sanaa Lathan during Out of Time – New York Premiere – Outside Arrivals at Loews Cineplex Lincoln Square in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 28: Actress Sanaa Lathan arrives at the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted by Graydon Carter at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 28, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – MARCH 15: Actress Sana Lathan attends the Sanaa Lathan hosts event at Beso on March 15, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Tasia Wells/FilmMagic)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 22: Sanaa Lathan attends “On The Come Up” Dinner & A Movie With DJ Suss One at iPic Fulton Market on September 22, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 07: Sanaa Lathan attends Peacock’s “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” premiere event at Hollywood Athletic Club on December 07, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
If you or someone you love has heart failure and unresolved, seemingly unrelated symptoms such as carpal tunnel syndrome, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, or even lower back pain, it could be a sign of something more serious.1
It could be transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis, or ATTR-CM.1
Discover more about this rare and underdiagnosed condition that affects our community, and how you and your loved one can start a proactive conversation with your doctor.
What Is It? ATTR-CM is a rare, serious, and underdiagnosed type of amyloidosis that affects the heart and is associated with heart failure.2 Amyloidosis is a group of diseases in which certain proteins change shape, or “misfold,” and can build up in different parts of the body.3 When these misfolded proteins build up in your heart, it may lead to ATTR-CM.2
There are two different types.2 Wild-type ATTR-CM is the most common form and is associated with aging.2,4 There is also hereditary ATTR-CM, which is caused by a gene change, also known as a mutation.2 In the U.S., the most common type (V122I) is found almost exclusively in African Americans.5,6 Approximately 3% to 4% of African Americans in the U.S. are thought to be carriers of the mutation.5 However, not all individuals with the V122I mutation develop symptoms of hereditary ATTR-CM.6
Who is Affected? You are more likely to find hereditary ATTR-CM in our own communities, as it is primarily seen in people with Black, African American, and Afro-Caribbean heritage.7 It is a hereditary condition that affects both men and women.1 People can start to see and experience symptoms as early as their 50s or 60s.1
What Can You Do? Advocating for yourself or your loved one begins with a simple conversation with your doctor. Here are some sample questions to get you started:
Based on my symptoms, medical history, and family history, do you think ATTR-CM could be the cause of my heart failure?
Do you have experience diagnosing ATTR-CM, or can you recommend a local specialist?
I understand this condition can affect different parts of the body. Should I seek additional specialists to be a part of my care team?
Are there any patient support or advocacy groups you recommend for emotional and mental support or additional information on ATTR-CM?
1 Jain, A., & Zahra, F. (2023, April 27). Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK574531/
2 Rozenbaum, M. H., Large, S., et al. (2021). Impact of delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis for patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM): A targeted literature review. Cardiology and Therapy, 10(1), 141–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40119-021-00219-5
4 Ruberg, F. L., Grogan, M., et al. (2019). Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy: JACC state-of-the-art review. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 73(22), 2872–2891. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2019.04.003
5 Goyal, A., Lahan, S., et al. (2022). Clinical comparison of V122I genotypic variant of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy with wild-type and other hereditary variants: A systematic review. Heart Failure Reviews, 27(3), 849–856. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10741-021-10098-6
6 Buxbaum, J. N., & Ruberg, F. L. (2017). Transthyretin V122I (pV142I) cardiac amyloidosis: An age-dependent autosomal dominant cardiomyopathy too common to be overlooked as a cause of significant heart disease in elderly African Americans. Genetics in Medicine: Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics, 19(7), 733–742. https://doi.org/10.1038/gim.2016.200
7 Spencer-Bonilla, G., Njoroge, J. N., et al. (2021). Racial and ethnic disparities in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports, 15(6), 8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-021-00670-y
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