The Cast Of 'Brown Sugar': Where Are They Now

This classic was released 21 years ago today.

100623-celebs-brown-sugar.jpg

1 / 9

Brown Sugar (2002) - Blending romance and hip hop (from the buppie point of view), Brown Sugar had all the ingredients of a hit romantic comedy. Rap record exec Taye Diggs, soon-to-be heading to the alter, finds he's really in love with his female bestie. Twenty-one years after its release, here's a snapshot of the players who turned hip-hop into a cinematic love thang. (Photo: FOX Searchlight Pictures)

Photo By Photo By Fox Searchlight Pictures

Taye Diggs  - Leading man Taye Diggs  was cast as Dre Romolus Ellis, the record exec who stumbles into love with his female best friend. Since then, Diggs has built a substantial TV and film career, including showing off his singing chops in the film adaptation of the musical Rent (2005).  In addition, every week he plays sexy Dr. Sam Bennett on TV's Private Practice.   (Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images)

2 / 9

Taye Diggs - Leading man Taye Diggs was cast as Dre Romolus Ellis, the record exec who stumbles into love with his BFF. Since then, Diggs has built a substantial TV and film career, most recently, he revived his role as Harper Stewart in The Best Man: The Final Chapters.

Sanaa Lathan  - Sanaa Lathan was cast as Diggs's bestie-come-love-interest, magazine editor Sydney Shaw. Lathan also landed the lead in Alien vs. Predator (2004) and the interracial love film Something New (2006). She received a Best Actress Tony nomination for her performance in A Raisin in the Sun.  Last year, she played Laurence Fishburne's wife in Contagion.  (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

3 / 9

Sanaa Lathan - Sanaa Lathan was cast as Diggs's bestie-come-love-interest magazine editor Sydney Shaw. Sanaa has steadily been working and reprised her role as Robyn in The Best Man: The Final Chapters last year. She is also the voice of Donna Tubbs in Family Guy. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Mos Def  - The role of def rhyming cabbie Chris "Cav" Anton Vichon went to Mos Def. The Grammy-winning, Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated rapper/actor has proven to be one of the most skilled actor of all hip hop thespians.  He landed roles in 2004's Something the Lord Made, 2008's Cadillac Records and 2009's Next Day Air. He has since begun going by the name Yasiin Bey.   (Photo: David Tonnessen, PacificCoastNews.com)

4 / 9

Mos Def - The role of def rhyming cabbie Chris "Cav" Anton Vichon went to Mos Def. The Grammy-winning, Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated rapper/actor has proven to be one of the most skilled actor of all hip hop thespians. However, he has stepped back from acting. In 2019, he released his fifth studio album, "ጉሥ (Negus)." (Photo: David Tonnessen, PacificCoastNews.com)

Nicole Ari Parker  - Nicole Ari Parker played Diggs's picture perfect fincée, attorney Reese Wiggam. Aside from being married to acting hunk Boris Kodjoe, Parker has starred in TV series such as Soul Food, Second Time Around and The Deep End. She was recently cast in the TV movie Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives. (photo: John Ricard / BET).

5 / 9

Nicole Ari Parker - Nicole Ari Parker played Diggs's picture perfect fiancée, attorney Reese Wiggam. Aside from being married to acting hunk Boris Kodjoe, Parker has starred in TV series such as Soul Food, Second Time Around and The Deep End. She recently starred in the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That. (photo: John Ricard / BET).

ADVERTISEMENT
Boris Kodjoe - Boris Kodjoe landed the role of Lathan's sexy fiancée, Kelby Dawson. Hubby to Nicole Ari Parker, Kodjoe is one of Hollywood's sexiest men. On TV he's starred in short-lived series Undercovers, and he's recently hit the big screen in Resident Evil: Retribution.  As the father of a daughter with spinal bifida, he's very active in raising awareness about the condition.   (Photo: Albert L. Ortega/PictureGroup)

6 / 9

Boris Kodjoe - Boris Kodjoe landed the role of Lathan's sexy fiancée, Kelby Dawson. Hubby to Nicole Ari Parker, Kodjoe is one of Hollywood's sexiest men. In the past few years, he’s done everything from his portrayal of Brett Cole in House of Cards to being himself on an episode of Lip Sync Battle, going up against his wife. (Photo: Albert L. Ortega/PictureGroup)

Queen Latifah - Lathan's cousin Francine (and eventually Mos Def's love interest) was played by Queen Latifah. The Oscar-nominated actress/rapper/singer is among Hollywood's power players, acting and producing a number of film and TV projects, including the recently aired TV version of the classic tear-jerker Steel Magnolias.  (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Lifetime)

7 / 9

Queen Latifah - Lathan's cousin Francine (and eventually Mos Def's love interest) was played by Queen Latifah. The Oscar-nominated actress/rapper/singer is among Hollywood's power players. She is currently killing in the CBS series The Equalizer. (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Lifetime)

Angie Martinez: January 9 - The actress and radio DJ turns 40

8 / 9

Angie Martinez - Radio DJ Angie Martinez played herself in Brown Sugar. Known primarily for her popular radio show on the hip hop radio station Hot 97, she left the station in 2014 and has since hosted her own show on Power 105.1 (WWPR). (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Rick Famuyiwa - Rick Famuyiwa directed Brown Sugar. But since then, he  hasn't had much of a Hollywood career, only helming one more film, Our Family Wedding in 2010. (Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

9 / 9

Rick Famuyiwa - Rick Famuyiwa directed Brown Sugar and lately he has been tackling television. Most recently, he directed and executive produced an episode of Star Wars: Ahsoka. (Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)