Nona Gay is the heiress of a creative musical and acting dynasty, daughter of singer Marvin Gay and actress Janice Gay, granddaughter of the great Cuban jazz musician Slim Gallard. Known to the domestic audience for the role of Zee in the science fiction films "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix: Revolution".
Childhood
Nona Gay was born in Washington DC in the very early fall of 1974. Her father Marvin at this time was still married to his previous wife Anna Gordy, a relative of Michael Jackson, and Slim's 17-year-old daughter was his mistress. Janice gave birth to her second child to her famous lover in 1975, and in 1977 they finally got married. The legendary musician Rick James became the girl's godfather. From early childhood, she performed with her father on stage, visited the sets with her mother, in a word, her future was predetermined.
At first, Nona and her younger brother grew up in New York, Los Angeles, and then the family settled in the Belgian town of Ostend due to financial and tax reasons. Nona's parents' marriage, which lasted from 1977 to 1981, was problematic. Both Janice and Marvin were substance abusers and fought a lot.
She was only 9 years old when her father died in 1983, Marvin Gaye received two Grammy awards, and then was shot by his father by a minister. Despite Marvin's high fees, after the settlement of all tax debts, his children had nothing left. The mother, left alone with her two children, plunged into depression and her drug problems worsened. Nona herself began to take drugs from the age of 14.
Youth
After dropping out of school, Nona landed a small role in the 1989 Eddie Murphy film Harlem Nights, and a month after her 18th birthday in October 1992, she released her first album, Love for the Future. And although the song from it took quite high positions in the charts, the album sold poorly. Soon, the girl was lucky - she signed a contract with the stage star Prince, and then became his mistress. For three years, Prince and Nona were together, but then, upon learning that he was engaged to another, she left the business and, like her mother, went into drugs, especially since the personal life of the star was in the center of public attention and Nona was at the center of an extremely ugly scandal.
In the mid-nineties, realizing that life was heading for the abyss, Nona found the strength to begin treatment for addiction. At this time, she disappeared from show business and came to grips with solving health problems. During this difficult time, the girl was supported by her school friend Justin Martinez, and after she completely recovered from addiction, in 1997 the couple had a son, Nolan.
Film career
After the birth of the child, Nona thought about work and began to try herself in the modeling business. But with her data, despite her bright and attractive appearance, it was very difficult for her to stay slim. Nona's agent invited her to try herself as an actress and arranged to audition for a biopic about boxing "Ali" directed by Michael Mann. After the casting, Nona sobbed in the car, convinced that she had failed the audition and ruined her Hollywood career forever. But, to her joyful surprise, she got this role, and then also received a prestigious award in the nomination "Best Supporting Actress".
In 2003, she was invited to play the role of Zee in the sequel to the cult "Matrix", and the actress was hit by popularity. This was followed by roles in the films Crash, The Polar Express, XXX: State of the Union, where Nona worked side by side with prominent movie stars - Tom Hanks, Van Diesel, Rob Cohen and others. Life got better, and in 2008 Nona released her second music album entitled "The Language of Love".
Present time
Nona Gay lives with her son in Los Angeles and enjoys the fact that she hears her father's songs on the radio every day. She actively supports social movements against alcohol, smoking, drugs, by her own admission, she tries to stay away from all this, which could destroy her life in her youth.
