Queen Latifah Announces New Role as Blues Singer Bessie Smith in HBO Film

Queen Latifah has had her fair share of time on the small and silver screen alike, and has recently announced that she will be playing a new role in a musical biopic. She will be playing the role of blues singer Bessie Smith in an upcoming film for HBO.

The announcement is a nice positive contrast to the recent news that The Queen Latifah Show will come to an end in March of this year due to not making good ratings.

As reported, Queen Latifah was first offered this role 22 years ago, and declined playing the role due to feeling that she did not have enough life experience.

If anything, I came to have a little more story," she said, when discussing her decision to turn down the part. "When the project came my way, I don't think I had the life journey that went along with it. I got to live more of the blues."

The biographical film showcases the rise to fame for Smith, who was known as the most popular blues singer in the '20s and '30s.

Smith was nicknamed "The Empress of the Blues" due to her success, and she passed away at the young age of 43 due to a car accident.

"I had no idea who Bessie Smith was, to be honest with you," Queen Latifah admitted. "I had to become familiar with who she was in particular. I've gained such a great amount of respect for the blues. The blues are just as stunning to me now as when this first came to me. If anything, I feel like I have a little more of the story of what Bessie had to say."

As reported, the film, titled Bessie, will air sometime this spring, although a date is still to be announced. The film also stars Michael Kenneth Williams, Khandi Alexander, and Mike Epps, to name a few.

What do you think about Queen Latifah finally accepting this part? Do you think her past experiences in music and in life will help this to be one of the best portrayals Queen Latifah has done? Are you looking forward to seeing the film for yourself?

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