Sanaa Lathan Had Boyfriends but Never a Husband — Her Dating History

Sanaa Lathan's boyfriends have stirred curiosity and headlines, offering a glimpse into her fascinating love life. The actress's dating history is a captivating tale marked by notable relationships with high-profile people.

Born on September 19, 1971, in New York City, Sanaa Lathan grew up surrounded by artists – thus her name, which can be interpreted as "work of art" in Swahili. Her mother is actress Eleanor McCoy, and her father is director Stan Lathan.

Sanaa's on-screen credits go back to the mid-1990s when she landed minor roles in "Moesha" and "Family Matters." However, "Love & Basketball" shot her to stardom when she won a BET Award and an Image Award for Best Actress for the film. Her love life has also attracted attention, and people keep wondering if she is married.

Is Sanaa Lathan Married?

The short answer is no; Sanaa is not married and has never been. The actress has been open about her decision to invest in herself instead of trying to find someone to marry.

She explained that some fairy tales like "Snow White" and "Cinderella" deliver the wrong message that a woman wins when a man chooses her, but that is not true. She prefers to choose herself first.

Sanaa added that the high divorce rates prove that many relationships don't work. She doesn't want to invest time and effort in a romance with a high probability of failure. It is not like she is entirely against falling in love, though. Sanaa believes in it and wants a beautiful relationship, but she knows loving herself first would attract a "better quality of the situation."

Did Sanaa Lathan and French Montana Date?

While Sanaa has never been married, she has been romantically involved with a few high-profile celebrities throughout the years. One of them is Moroccan-American rapper French Montana.

They sparked dating rumors for the first time in September 2015 when a source close to Montana claimed they met through fellow rapper Sean Combs. Sanaa and Montana were supposedly getting to know one another and having fun together.

When asked about the speculation, the "Shots Fired" actress said she didn't like talking about her personal life. However, Sanaa confirmed she was dating but never named anyone.

French Montana added fuel to the rumors by posting a promotional image of Sanaa's film "The Perfect Guy" on social media. In October 2020, the two made headlines again, thanks to DJ Khaled.

Denzel Washington also made it to Sanaa's alleged boyfriends' list.

Khaled took to Snapchat to share a clip asking Montana to introduce his "beautiful queen." When he turned the camera to Montana, he was next to Sanaa, who smiled and blew kisses at the camera.

A few days later, Montana appeared on "The Real" and revealed that the craziest rumor he heard about himself was that he got Sanaa pregnant. He then described her as a great friend, shutting down the dating speculation.

Sanaa Lathan and Tyrese Gibson

Before Montana, Sanaa allegedly dated "Fast and Furious" star Tyrese Gibson. In October 2014, Gibson and Sanaa supposedly had dinner at Pizzeria Mozza in Hollywood. Two days later, they went to a Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Topanga.

When Gibson walked back to his vehicle from the Cheesecake Factory, a person asked if he and Sanaa were dating. He declined to answer, but she was in the passenger seat of his truck.

Later that night, Sanaa posted a photo showing her new pair of blue jeans on social media. However, that image heightened the allegations because it was reportedly taken in Gibson's home. They never confirmed their relationship, though.

Were Sanaa Lathan and Denzel Washington Together?

Denzel Washington also made it to Sanaa's alleged boyfriends' list. Their case raised more eyebrows because Washington had been married to his wife, Pauletta, for 20 years when the allegations started, but Sanaa eventually shut them down.

["Love & Basketball"] director Gina Prince-Bythewood did not know that Sanaa and Epps were dating.

She said everything started in 2003 after working with Washington in "Out of Time." They had a love scene together, and people used that to create rumors about a possible real-life romance. Sanaa added:

"They said I was pregnant with Denzel's child, and people were calling my mother, saying I'm having his baby. It's frustrating. People are going to talk no matter what."

Sanaa Lathan Dated Omar Epps While Filming "Love & Basketball"

"Love & Basketball" holds a special place in Sanaa's heart for more than one reason. Apart from catapulting her to worldwide fame, she got the chance to work with her then-boyfriend Omar Epps.

Sanaa portrays Monica, and Epps plays Quincy, two neighbors from Los Angeles trying to make it big as basketball players who eventually fall in love.

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood did not know that Sanaa and Epps were dating when she cast her. The actors did a chemistry read before Prince-Bythewood cast Sanaa, and their connection was "off the hook."

Epps and Sanaa decided not to tell Prince-Bythewood about their relationship to avoid "a beef." The director learned about their off-screen romance on set, but she regrets nothing as it would have affected the casting process.

Prince-Bythewood revealed that although real-life couples frequently don't have on-screen chemistry, Epps and Sanaa were different, and she just wanted to watch them. We are glad Prince-Bythewood didn't know about it because "Love & Basketball" would have been very different without Sanaa Lathan and Epps.

Steve Rifkind was Sanaa Lathan's Boyfriend

Sanaa Lathan and Steve Rifkind's relationship made headlines, drawing attention and speculation from various media outlets. Rifkind, a music mogul, opened up about the challenging times he faced as the media began spreading rumors about their relationship.

In an interview posted on YouTube, Rifkind shared the difficulties of dealing with untrue speculations and the impact it had on both him and Sanaa. Rifkind disclosed that some media outlets were falsely reporting that he and Sanaa were living together and even married, which added strain to the situation, especially as he was still navigating a divorce.

Recalling the challenging time, Rifkind admitted that the intense scrutiny and misinformation from blogs made him want to disappear.

Terrel Owens was rumored to be Sanaa Lathan's Boyfriend

The rumors surrounding a romantic involvement between former football wide receiver Terrell Owens and Sanaa were addressed by Owens himself in a 2023 interview. When questioned by talk show host Jason Lee about whether he and the actress dated or ever got intimate, the NFL star clarified that they were simply friends.

Sanaa's Relationship with Adawale Ogunleye

Sanaa Lathan's dating history includes a relationship with former football player Adawale Ogunleye. Their connection, which spanned several years, brought unexpected interests into Sanaa's life.

Notably, she found herself becoming a football enthusiast, particularly for Ogunleye's team, the Chicago Bears. Despite initially having limited knowledge about the sport, Sanaa evolved into a passionate fan during their relationship.