Tag Archives: Queen Latifah

Dee Rees Teams With ‘Get Out’ Producer For Horror About Black Lesbians In Rural America

Screenwriter Dee Rees and Get Out Producer Jason Blum are joining forces for what should be a one-of-a-kind movie that speaks to the terror of homophobia, sexism and racism, at the very least.

Blum made a name for himself as one of Hollywood’s most prolific horror producers, having recently worked on Get Out, Split, and The Purge.

Rees directed the Pariah, which centres on a young black lesbian coming to terms with her sexuality and familial rejection. She also earned a Golden Globe nomination for the biopic Bessie, about 1920s queer blues singer Bessie Smith staring Queen Latifah.

The duo apparently met at the Sundance Institute while giving speeches, Rees approaching Blum and offering a movie pitch:

You’ve got me and my wife, two black lesbians, and when we first moved in, we fought every day over all these little things: ‘Why is this over there? Did you move that?’

Maybe it was a ghost. Or maybe it was some other force — like us not wanting to be there or fitting in. Anyway, that’s my horror-movie pitch.”

Blum immediately replied the two should work together, with The Tracking Board confirming they had indeed signed a deal soon after the initial meeting.

Queen Latifah Says Playing A Lesbian Character Was A ‘Hard’ Decision

Queen Latifah’s role as lesbian bank robber Cleo Sims in Set It Off jumpstarted her film career but accepting the role wasn’t easy.

In an interview with Tracee Ellis Ross for InStyle, Ross asked if there were any career decisions that were hard to make.

For Latifah, Cleo was a role that she had to discuss with her family.

When I got the role of amateur bank robber Cleo Sims in Set It Off, I sat down with my younger siblings and told them, ‘Listen, I’m playing a gay character. Your classmates might tease you or say negative things about it.

’But I’m doing it because I believe I can bring positive attention to the gay African-American community, and I believe that I can do a great job as an actor.’ They understood, and when those things inevitably happened in school, they were OK with it.”

Queen Latifah’s instincts turned out to be right. Set It Off, which also starred Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox and Kimberly Elise, was a hit, and is often referenced alongside Thelma and Louise as a cinematic ode to female empowerment.

Latifah has been famously quiet about her own personal life. In a 2008 interview with The New York Times, Latifah made it clear she wasn’t going to get candid about her sexuality.

I don’t have a problem discussing the topic of somebody being gay, but I do have a problem discussing my personal life… I don’t care if people think I’m gay or not. Assume whatever you want. You do it anyway.”

Her 2012 appearance at Long Beach Pride in California prompted some fans to assume that she’d use the event to make a statement about her private life. Though Queen Latifah reportedly referred to the crowd as “her people,” she later told Entertainment Weekly that she “definitely” wasn’t speaking about any matter pertaining to her sexuality.

Queen Latifah currently plays the mother of a transgender woman on FOX’s Star.

 

Daily Juice: Jodie Foster Says 2013 Golden Globes ‘Coming Out’ Speech Was Scripted, Plus How #LesbianVisibilityDay Was Celebrated On Twitter.

Here’s a snippet of how we all celebrated #LesbianVisibilityDay on Twitter.

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Jodie Foster talked with the New York Times, but won’t say much about her wife or family.

I never will talk about marriage and friends. There are only so many steps I can take to protect people I love. There’s only so much I can do to keep them safe. It’s kind of a horrible feeling to know that if somebody’s close to you, you put them in danger of being hurt, of being sullied — trivialized — just by virtue of knowing you.”

When Foster accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures, she used her speech to address rumors about her sexuality and to plead for her privacy.

Queer singer / song writer Mary Lambert is hopeful for the future of pop music.

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Talking to Northwestern University this week, she said

For me, I know that that outlet was so integral to my survival. So for me, songwriting is a way of survival. I wouldn’t be as stable and as grounded as I am now without those outlets.”

The prank war rages on between Ruby Rose and Nina Dobrev, with Rose hiring a gorilla impersonator to scare Dobrev.

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The Fosters have casts Faking It transgender star Elliot Fletcher for season 4.

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OITNB star Jackie Cruz is talking about journey to success – going from homeless to Hollywood.

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Fox has ordered a new series from Queen Latifah – the musical drama ‘Star’

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And finally Bustle is asking if the U-Hauling real between lesbians.

Daily Juice: Cara Delevingne Gets Photobombed By Jean-Claude Van Damme, Plus Kristen Stewart Turns 26 By Rocking Channel

Love it! Cara Delevingne was photobombed by action star Jean-Claude Van Damme in LAX, as he blasts paparazzi for ignoring him – ‘Excuse me, I’m more famous’.

Talking of Cara, she joined Hannah Hart, Halsey, and Queen Latifah at the MTV Movie Awards on Saturday.

Kristen Stewart turns 26 and struts a pose for Karl Lagerfeld Chanel’s latest Metiers d’Art campaign. The new ads will target Italy and promote the brand’s pre-fall 2016 line. Stewart has been repping for the brand for about three years now.

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Talking of cover girls, Angel Haze cover for Manual – *swoon*

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Abby Wambach talks feminism and equality.

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PayPal and Bank of America among companies voicing opposition to Mississippi and North Carolina laws, as states learn there’s money in progressive values

The UK government is worried that too many young people are trying anal sex. No seriously.

Also, the BBC has a great article to read ‘My secret life as a gay ultra-Orthodox Jew’

Carol, Sense8, And Bessie Win At The 2016 GLAAD Media Awards

TransparentSense8, and Carol took home some of top prizes at this years annual GLAAD Media Awards.

The award show – held this weekend – honoured TV, film, and journalism that offer “fair, accurate and inclusive representations” of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities.

Demi Lovato, received the Vanguard Award, while Orange Is the New Black‘s Ruby Rose received the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which was presented by Taylor Swift in a surprise appearance.

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Queen Latifah also won an award for her role in Bessie and thanked lesbian aunt who raised her.

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The night also marked Lilly Wachowski’s first public appearance since she announced her transition last month.

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In her acceptance speech for Sense8, Wachowski thanked the “fabulous people at GLAAD” and then added a jab at the reporter who attempted to force her outing:

Love is a crucial thing for transgender people. It’s a tether. When faced with a rather simple proposition of whether you’re unlovable, our imagination falters. Too many of us end up on the wrong side of the existential question of love or oblivion. And so we ring that bell. Not just for everyone else’s sake, but our own.”

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The Los Angeles ceremony will air on Logo on April 4. More awards will be presented in New York on May 14. See the full list of winners below.


 

Outstanding Film — Wide Release

Carol

Outstanding Comedy Series

Transparent

Outstanding Drama Series

Sense8

Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series

Bessie

Outstanding Documentary

Kumu Hina

Outstanding Reality Program (tie)

I Am Cait

I Am Jazz

Outstanding Daily Drama

The Bold and the Beautifu

Special Recognition

Beautiful As I Want to Be, Logotv.com

This Is Me, Amazon Instant Video

Outstanding Music Artist

Troye Sivan

Outstanding Comic Book

Lumberjanes

Outstanding Talk-Show Episode

“Janet Mock,” Super Soul Sunday

Outstanding Novela

Rastros de Mentiras, MundoMax

Outstanding Television Interview (Spanish-Language)

“Orientación Sexual y Acoso Escolar” Realidades en Contexto, CNN en Español

Outstanding Local Television Interview (Spanish-Language)

“La nueva Transgeneración,” Enfoque Los Ángeles, KVEA-Telemundo 52 [Los Ángeles]

Outstanding Local-TV Journalism (Spanish-Language)

“Cada 29 Horas,” Noticias 19, KUVS-Univision 19 [Sacramento]

Outstanding Newspaper Article (Spanish-Language)

“Padres transgénero – El único requisito para ser papá es el amor por los hijos” por Virginia Gaglianone, La Opinión

Outstanding Digital-Journalism Article (Spanish-Language)

“Perú: violaciones correctivas: El terrible método para ‘curar’ a las lesbianas” por Leire Ventas, BBCMundo.com

Outstanding Music Artist (Spanish-Language)

Ricky MartinRuby Rose’s post about overcoming depression might be the most inspiring thing you read today

Daily Juice: Karma Explains That Kiss, Disney Accused Of ‘Declaring War’ On Religion, & Kristen Stewart Heading to Cannes

All the latest celebrity and lesbian news, gossip, photos and videos.


You heard right, a Christian group has accused Disney of declaring war on religion after the company threatened to boycott the state of Georgia if a bill restricting the rights of LGBT people was signed into law.

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Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg’s new movie Café Society, directed by Woody Allen, is set to open Cannes Film Festival this year. Stewart and Eisenberg play two 1930’s Hollywood aspirers who fall in love. Steve Carell, Blake Lively and Parkey Posey also star, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

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Stewart, in an interview last year, said she was “exceptionally nervous” during her audition for the film. (ah, bless)

He [Woody] wasn’t in the room, but I did audition for it,” she said. “I wanted to take that tape with me. I walked out of that room and I was like, ‘Uhhh.'”

Award-winning, media mogul Queen Latifah is continuing to add more pieces to her growing entertainment portfolio by launching a new TV series. ‘The Best Place To Be’ will be travel show that will air on the Travel Channel.

Malina-Gulino has written a great piece for the Columbia Spectator ‘Last Call: Columbia’s Queer Women and the End of the Lesbian Bar Era’

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Park Cannon – a queer black millennial – is planning to shake up Georgia politics.

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Sweden is flying a flag for LGBT rights with new stamp.

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In Faking it news we finally find out the truth comes out about why Karma kissed Amy (And boy, does the truth hurt).

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After warring it out in the halls of Hester High, Amy and Karma were forced to confront their elephant-sized friendship demons. However, ladies let their pain flags fly — hurling statements of who hurt who more (and who kissed who), which culminated in the truth about that smooch.

Karma humbly says,

Maybe I kissed you in the pool because maybe a small part of me does want you to be in love with me. Because it feels good. I know, it’s so selfish. I don’t want to keep hurting you, Amy. But I don’t know how to be your friend without hurting you.”

Ouch

And finally loads of your straight friends have had gay sex, just FYI


Be sure to also read…


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Queen Latifah Teams Up w/ Juliette Binoche & Others To Launch Company To Empower Women In Entertainment

Queen Latifah has teamed up with actresses Jessica Chastain and Juliette Binoche, and Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke to launch a production company called We Do It Together (WDIT), which will focus on producing films and TV programming by and about women.

The non-profit company is planning to develop a number of “inspiring” films that they hope will help ensure future opportunities for known and emerging women voices within the industry.

The company’s first film will be announced in May at the Cannes International Film Festival.

WDIT will raise capital from grants, governments, corporate sponsors and individual donations to invest in the production of films. The proceeds will be reinvested in the company to create a self-sustaining organisation to invest in additional films.

The organisation is scheduled to participate at the United Nations’ Third Annual Power of Collaboration Global Summit on February 29.


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‘Diversity Reigns’ At This Years Screen Actors Guild Awards

The 22nd annual SAG Awards took place in LA on Saturday, and a number of diverse shows – some portraying LGBT characters – picked up the main awards.

Queen Latifah led the field, picking up the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries – for her role as bisexual blues singer Bessie Smith in HBO’s Bessie.

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The actress and singer, started her speech with a few arm curls of the heavy trophy and then paid tribute to the Bessie team.

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But it was when she was wrapping up that her speech really sang. ‘Don’t let others put you in a box’, she told viewers.

“I hope that anyone out there who doesn’t come in a package that anyone says you should. Knock that thing away and do you.”

The cast of Orange is the New Black also had a very good night.

Uzo Abuda picked up her second award for Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her role as Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren.

The show’s entire cast also picked up the Best Ensemble award, and as the cast was accepting the win, Laura Prepon said, gesturing around her,

Look at this stage, this is what we talk about when we talk about diversity. Different race, color, creed, sexual orientation—I mean, thank you so much.”

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Valiantly, most of the show’s ensemble managed to make it onto the stage, but sadly Rose could not join.

She did however post a touching tribute.

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Meanwhile, two actors were honoured for their transgender-themed work.

Alicia Vikander picked up the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role award, for playing Gerda Wegener in Eddie Redmayne drama the Danish Girl.

On top of that, Jeffrey Tambor took home the award for Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of trans woman Maura Pfefferman in Amazon show Transparent.

Tambor said:

I’d just like to dedicate this award to the non-Maura Pfeffermans, who don’t have a lot of cash, for their operations, for their medicine, for their freedom.”

Tough Choice! Cate Blanchett & Rooney Mara Nominated In Same Category For Movie ‘Carol’ At Golden Globes

Hurrah, the nominations for the 2016 Golden Globes Awards, have been announced and leading the charge is Carol – a lesbian romance set in the 1950s – with both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara being nominated in the same category for Best Actress.

Also vying for the award is Brie Larson (Room), Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) and Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)

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Carol is also nominated for Best Director, Original Score and Best Motion Picture.

Lily Tomlin has been nominated for two awards, Best Actress in a Television Comedy for her role in Frankie and Grace, and Best Actress in Comedy Movie for her role in Grandma.

She will be competing with Jennifer Lawrence, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, Maggie Smith for  The Lady in the Van.

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Queen Latifah (Bessie) competes with Lady Gaga (American Horror Story: Hotel), for Best Actress, Mini-Series or TV Movie.

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The Danish Girl lead Eddie Redmayne is also in contention for leading Best Actor Drama. He goes up against Bryan Cranston, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender, and Will Smith.

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Orange is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba is nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The show is also nominated for Best TV Series, Comedy/Musical alongside Transparent.

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The winners will be announced in a live televised ceremony on January 10, hosted by Ricky Gervais. This year will be the first since 2012 that is not hosted by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, but Gervais is no stranger to the stage; next year will be his fourth time as host.

See below the full list of nominees who made the cut for this year‘s awards:

MOVIES

Best Picture, Drama

Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Best Picture, Comedy or Musical

The Big Short
Joy
The Martian
Spy
Trainwreck

Best Director

Todd Haynes, Carol
Alejandro Innaritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian

Best Actor, Drama

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Will Smith, Concussion

Best Actress, Drama

Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Rooney Mara, Carol
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Best Actor, Comedy

Christian Bale, The Big Short
Steve Carell, The Big Short
Matt Damon, The Martian
Al Pacino, Danny Collins
Mark Ruffalo, Infinitely Polar Bear

Best Actress, Comedy

Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Melissa McCarthy, Spy
Amy Schumer, Trainwreck
Maggie Smith, The Lady in the Van
Lily Tomlin, Grandma

Best Supporting Actor

Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress

Jane Fonda, Youth
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Screenplay

Emma Donoghue, Room
Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, Spotlight
Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, The Big Short
Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs
Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight

Best Original Score

Carter Burwell, Carol
Alexandre Desplat, The Danish Girl
Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight
Daniel Pemberton, Steve Jobs
Ryuichi Sakamoto & Alva Noto, The Revenant

Best Original Song

“Love Me Like You Do,” Fifty Shades of Grey
“One Kind of Love,” Love & Mercy
“See You Again,” Furious 7
“Simple Song #3,” Youth
“Writing’s On the Wall,” Spectre

Best Animated Feature Film

Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

Best Foreign Language Film

The Brand New Testament
The Club
The Fencer
Mustang
Son of Saul

TELEVISION

Best TV Series, Drama

Empire
Game of Thrones
Mr. Robot
Narcos
Outlander

Best TV Series, Comedy/Musical
Casual
Mozart in the Jungle
Orange is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Veep

Best TV Miniseries or Movie

American Crime
American Horror Story: Hotel
Fargo
Flesh and Bone
Wolf Hall

Best Actor, Drama

Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Wagner Moura, Narcos
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Liev Schrieber, Ray Donovan

Best Actress, Drama

Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Eva Green, Penny Dreadful
Taraji P. Henson, Empire
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Best Actor, Comedy

Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
Rob Lowe, The Grinder
Patrick Stewart, Blunt Talk
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Best Actress, Comedy

Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Jamie Lee Curtis, Scream Queens
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

Best Supporting Actor

Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall
Tobias Menzies, Outlander
Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot

Best Supporting Actress

Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Regina King, American Crime
Judith Light, Transparent
Maura Tierney, The Affair

Best Actor, Mini-Series or TV Movie

Idris Elba, Luther
Oscar Isaac, Show Me A Hero
David Oyelowo, Nightingale
Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall
Patrick Wilson, Fargo

Best Actress, Mini-Series or TV Movie

Kirsten Dunst, Fargo
Lady Gaga, American Horror Story: Hotel
Sarah Hay, Flesh and Bone
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Queen Latifah, Bessie

The Wiz Live! Teaser Stars Queen Latifah, Uzo Aduba and More

Twice now, American television network NBC has tried its hand at live Broadway productions. In 2013, the network aired The Sound of Music Live! (starring country music singer Carrie Underwood as Maria von Trapp) and in 2014 it followed that up with Peter Pan Live! which featured Girls’ actress Allison Williams in the titular role.

The two telecasts brought in over 18.62 and 9.1 million viewers each, giving NBC its highest Thursday night (non-sports) ratings since 2004.

With all of that success, the network was keen to give viewers yet another Broadway experience and so on December 3, NBC will air The Wiz Live!.

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The Wiz Live! is based on The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical “Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, which is itself based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz novel.

However, this particular take on the iconic story is special as it’s actually a “urbanized retelling” of the original plot, done whiten the scope of African-American culture.

As such, The Wiz Live! will feature some of the most well-known African-American performers, singers and actors in its production.

Grammy Award winning actor and musician Queen Latifah stars as The Wiz, Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black) plays Glinda the Good Witch, Elijah Kelley (Hairspray) plays the Scarecrow, nine-time Grammy Award winner Mary J. Blige is Evillene, Common (who is also a Grammy winner) plays the Bouncer, Amber Riley (Glee) is in as Addaperle, while Ne-Yo and David Alan Grier are in as Tin Man and The Lion (respectively).

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Also, Dorothy is being played by newcomer Shanice Williams, while Stephanie Mills (who played Dorothy in the original Broadway cast) is in the show as Auntie Em.

Despite The Wiz Live! being a three hour live telecast where anything and everything could potentially go wrong, those names are all experienced and talented enough to b able to pull it off without a hitch.

It’s also worth noting that the Emmy-nominated duo of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will be executively producing The Wiz Live! (they also produced The Sound of Music and Peter Pan’s live telecasts) and the Cirque Du Soleil team is also on board so this could really be a rather special night of entertainment.

The Wiz Live! airs on December 3 at 8PM EST on NBC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzPnU6NtCHQ

What This Year Emmy’s Meant For Queer Female Visibility?

This year Emmy’s always looked to be promising, with a number of queer shows and female artists being nominated across the board.

However, the actually results showed a true turning point in viewing habits and awarding winning roles out there.

No-longer do white, straight, male-heavy shows dominate our air ways – hurrah.

The highlights were many, starting with Actress Uzo Aduba taking home the Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series, her second consecutive Emmy for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black.

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Because the show was categorised as a comedy in 2014 and a drama in 2015, Aduba’s win makes her the first actress to win both a drama and comedy award for the same role — an honour previously held only by the actor Ed Asner.

As she thanked a long list of people, Aduba broke down in tears.

I love you mostly because you let me be me.”

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Viola Davis also made history by becoming the first black woman to win the best lead actress prize for her role in How To Get Away With Murder.

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Accepting her award, she said:

The only thing that separates women of colour from anyone else is opportunity.”

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Amazon’s comedy-drama Transparent won awards for best director in a comedy and for its lead actor, Jeffrey Tambor, who plays a transgender college professor.

In Jill Soloway acceptance speech, she noted that 32 states can legally discriminate against her Moppa, and urged viewers to visit transequality.org to show their support for the Equality Act.

We don’t have a trans tipping point. We have a trans civil rights problem.”

The show also picked up best guest actor in a comedy for former West Wing star Bradley Whitford, for his trans character, Marcie

Out writer/director/producer Jane Anderson (who you probably remember from If These Walls Could Talk 2) won Outstanding Writing For A Limited Series, Movie Or A Dramatic Special for Olive Kitteridge.

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Another out women to win was director Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All RightHigh ArtLaurel Canyon) who worked with Jane on Olive Kitteridge, which also won star Frances McDormond Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie, meaning that two out of three Directing trophies awarded to individual people were won by women.

Queen Latifah’s bisexual epic Bessie won Best Television Movie.

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Jane Lynch won Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program for Hollywood Game Night. And Inside Amy Schumer was named best variety sketch series.

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Political comedy Veep was the winner in the best comedy series category.

 

Queen Latifah Looks To Quash Sexuality Rumours

Ah a celebrity lesbian rumour. They always catch our attentions; and one woman always on our radar is Queen Latifah.

In a new interview for Variety, Latifah addressed her sexuality, or rather the lack of clarity about it on it.

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Since she starred earlier this year, as bisexual blues icon Bessie Smith in her HBO biopic, questions have surfaced once more about who she is bedding.

At the time, Latifah, as usual, refused to open up about her sexuality. Now, she’s explaining why neither fans nor bloggers nor tabloids will ever hear a word from her about whom she’s bedding.

I know what I’m doing in my private life, and I know what I’m not, and I know me. And people who are not privy to that don’t know; they don’t know what they think they know. This is Bessie’s story. It has nothing to do with my life. There’s a difference for me between being honest and sharing my business with people who don’t need to know my business. So why would I start doing anything differently now because of ‘Bessie’?”

Although Latifah refuses to open up about her sexuality, she explains that she understands why people talk about it so much.

Also read: Queen Latifah Says Homophobia is Still Widespread in the Entertainment Industry

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I think it’s human nature. People have curiosity about people’s sexuality, because we’re curious about sex. I think the problem is we don’t talk about it enough. We act like sex is bad sometimes. We act like love is bad sometimes, or makes you weak somehow.”

To be fair, it’s not just an issue of being interested in sex. Fans have also had their interest piqued because of a number of photos of Latifah in intimate settings with a few of her alleged girlfriends.

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However, Latifah explains that she tries not to focus on what the tabloids are saying about her.

At some point I told all my friends, ‘Don’t come to me with negative stuff in a magazine.’ Let them write whatever they want to write. I can’t control it,”

Although Latifah has gotten used to tabloid talk about her sex life, she says there’s one area of her life where she refuses to let the tabloids pry.

Don’t write about her family.

Then I’m ready to not only sue you, but put a knuckle sandwich in your mouth. That’s where my Jersey roots come out!”

Queen Latifah Says Homophobia is Still Widespread in the Entertainment Industry

Queen Latifah – the Grammy winning rapper, and Emmy nominated actress – says she thinks homophobia is still as prevalent in the entertainment industry as it was half a century ago.

Talking to the Metro, about her recent role as legendary bisexual blues singer Bessie Smith, Latifah said:

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I think she was probably more open then than people are now. It was a different era, but people weren’t as politically correct as they are now.”

However, the actress thinks that although people claim to be more open-minded, they are still as bigoted as they were fifty years – they have just learnt to “hide it” better.

They can be just as racist, sexist and classist [sic] now as then but they just won’t say it in the same way now. They’ll kind of hide it.”

Talking of why she took the part of Smith, she added

I’ve kind of been through some of the things that Bessie has been through. I’ve lived a little bit of her and I can speak from a more authentic place.”

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She also said that she wishes more fellow rappers would “say more” about serious subjects and “go against the grain to keep things interesting.”

It takes a little courage – people have to be brave enough to use their voices, not to be the status quo.”

She previously said of the film:

People’s ideas in general are antiquated when it comes to who you love. We haven’t moved as quickly as we probably should. The reality is that there’s always been gay people in the black community, so it’s not foreign to us. And not just as a black community but just a society as a whole.

Who you choose to marry is really up to you and it’s not something you should be judged on. I don’t find being gay or lesbian to be a character flaw. Couples should be protected under the laws of this country period.

It actually angers me. It’s not unusual so let’s be adults and let’s move forward.”

LGBT Women and Shows Come Out Strong For Emmy Nominations

There are tons of LGBT women, characters, and shows with queer themes nominated at this years Emmy’s.

Here are the highlights:


Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Tatiana Maslany (finally!) for Orphan Black. Stiff competition: Taraji P. Henson (Empire), Claire Danes (Homeland), Robin Wright (House of Cards), Viola Davis (How to Get Away with Murder) and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men).

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Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or A Movie

Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith in Bessie. She’s up against Felicity Huffman (American Crime),Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Freak Show), Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Honourable Woman), Frances McDormand (Olive Kitteridge) and Emma Thompson (Sweeney Todd).

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Outstanding Television Movie

Bessie has fierce competition in Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Curtain, Poirot’s Last Case, Grace Of Monaco, Hello Ladies: The Movie, Killing Jesus and  Nightingale.


Outstanding Writing For A Limited Series, Movie Or A Dramatic Special

Dee Rees for Bessie and Jane Anderson for Olive Kitteridge. Against: American Crime, Hello Ladies: The Movie, The Honorable Woman and Wolf Hall.


Outstanding Directing For A Limited Series, Movie Or A Dramatic Special

Dee Rees for Bessie and Lisa Cholodenko for Olive Kitteridge. Taking on: Ryan Murphyfor American Horror Story: Freak Show, The Honorable Woman, The Missing and Wolf Hall.


Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Lily Tomlin in Grace and Frankie. Other nominees include Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback), Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep).

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Outstanding Comedy Series

Transparent. Other shows in the category include Louie, Modern Family, Parks And Recreation,Silicon Valley, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Veep.

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Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series

Jill Soloway for the pilot of Transparent. Taking on: Jeffrey Klarik (Episodes), Will Forte (The Last Man On Earth) Louis C.K. (Louis), Alec Berg (Silicon Valley) and Tony Roche (Veep).


Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series

Jill Soloway for “Best New Girl” episode of Transparent. Up against: Phil Lord (The Last Man On Earth) Louis C.K. (Louie), Mike Judge (Silicon Valley) and Armando Iannucci (Veep).


Outstanding Drama Series

Orange is the New Black. Taking on Better Call Saul, Downton Abbey, Game Of Thrones, Homeland, House Of Cards, Mad Men.


Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

Portlandia and  Saturday Night Live face contenders Drunk History, Inside Amy Schumer and Key & Peele.

Portlandia


Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Uzo Aduba faces Downton Abbey’s Joanne Froggatt, Lena Headey and Emilia Clarke on Game Of Thrones, Christine Baranski (The Good Wife) and Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris on Mad Men.

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Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series

Rachel Brosnahan as Rachel Posner in House of Cards. Other nominees: Margo Martindale as Claudia in The Americans, Diana Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell (Game of Thrones), How To Get Away With Murder‘s Cicely Tyson, Masters Of Sex‘s Allison Janney as Margaret Scully, and Scandal‘s Khandi Alexander.

Rachel Brosnahan


Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

Kate McKinnon in SNL and Gaby Hoffmann as the queer Ali Pfefferman in Transparent. Other nominees: Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory), Niecy Nash (Getting On), Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Allison Janney (Mom), Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Anna Chlumsky(Veep).

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Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or A Movie

Sarah Paulson as Dot and Bette Tattler in American Horror Story: Freak Show and Mo’nique asMa Rainey in Bessie. Competitors: Regina King (American Crime) Kathy Bates (American Horror Story: Freak Show) and Denise Thibodeau (Olive Kitteridge).


Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program

Jane Lynch for Hollywood Game Night. Taking on: Tom Bergeron for Dancing With The Stars,Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn for Project Runway, Cat Deely for So You Think You Can Danceand Anthony Bourdain for The Taste.

Jane Lynch Angel From Hell


The 67th Emmy Awards will air on Sunday, September 20 (8:00 PM ET /5:00 PM PT) on FOX. Start planning your viewing parties, because this is going to be a good one.

‘Bessie’ Director Dee Rees Discusses How the Fearless Bisexual Singer Inspired Change (Video)

Fearless filmmaker Dee Rees discusses how Bessie Smith challenged her to challenge audiences and inspire change. Watch her critically acclaimed film Bessie on HBO NOW.

Queen Latifah gives the most impressive performance of her film career in the movie Bessie. Last month she talked to to BET’s Clay Kane,  and opened up about the lesbian love scenes in the film, and says people shouldn’t be caught off guard by what they see.

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People feel a type of way when they see any sexuality on-screen. I think its almost human nature. People are so fascinated by it. It shouldn’t even be a discussion. But it is, because people are still curious, and people still wonder how they feel about things. At the end of the day I don’t really care if someone feels uncomfortable about it. It is what it is, and it’s life. So you either deal with it or not. It’s just part of who she is, and I had to tell the story honestly.”

Queen Latifah Defends Lesbian Love Scenes in ‘Bessie’

Queen Latifah gives the most impressive performance of her film career in the upcoming HBO original movie Bessie.

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Talking to BET’s Clay Kane, Latifah opened up about the lesbian love scenes in the film, and says people shouldn’t be caught off guard by what they see.

People feel a type of way when they see any sexuality on-screen. I think its almost human nature. People are so fascinated by it. It shouldn’t even be a discussion. But it is, because people are still curious, and people still wonder how they feel about things. At the end of the day I don’t really care if someone feels uncomfortable about it. It is what it is, and it’s life. So you either deal with it or not. It’s just part of who she is, and I had to tell the story honestly.”

There are several scenes in the film where Latifah’s character makes out with other women, and at one point viewers see Latifah completely nude.

I had to go to a lot of different layers, I had to let it all hang out. People will see me in a different way than they have as an actor.”

Bessie premieres on HBO Saturday at 8/7c.

 

Queen Latifah: ‘I Don’t Find Being Gay or Lesbian to Be a Character Flaw’

Queen Latifah has spoken up for marriage equality and gay rights in a recent interview with Uptown Magazine, saying there’s always been gay people in the black community, but stopped short putting herself in that category.

The actress and former talk show host, whose sexuality has long been subject to speculation, has never commented on her orientation.

People’s ideas in general are antiquated when it comes to who you love. We haven’t moved as quickly as we probably should. And the reality is that there’s always been gay people in the black community, so it’s not foreign to us. And not just as a black community but just a society as a whole.

Who you choose to marry is really up to you and it’s not something you should be judged on. I don’t find being gay or lesbian to be a character flaw. Couples should be protected under the laws of this country period. It actually angers me. It’s not unusual so let’s be adults and let’s move forward.”

Latifah is starring in HBO’s Bessie, a biopic of blues icon Bessie Smith, which delves into the singer’s bisexuality during her heyday in the 1920’s.

I’m not really sure how people will feel about [Bessie’s bisexuality]. It’s not like it’s a secret with her story. She was just free.”

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Latifah also touches on life after the cancelation of her talk show, The Queen Latifah Show, in late November of last year, saying “obviously it was disappointing,” but that she looks forward to continuing work with her production company, Flavor Unit Entertainment.

 

Queen Latifah Discusses Racial Profiling and Her Journey to Sucess

Queen Latifah and Keke Palmer have joined forces for the new film Brotherly Love. The family-centric film explores the lives of several Philadelphia residents as they pursue their dreams and deal with harsh reality.

BET sat with Latifah, who produced the film, and Palmer, who stars, to talk about their mentor-protege relationship, the sacrifices each made to get where they are, and about a particular scene in the film — in which a Black kid is harassed by a white cop — that rings tragically true in the wake of so many instances of police brutality splashed across headlines.

Also read: First Look At Queen Latifah As Queer Jazz Icon Bessie Smith

On that last topic, Latifah had a lot to share.

As a daughter of a police officer, I knew more stories of things happening in the right way rather than the wrong way, but you don’t really hear those stories.”

Palmer adds that the film aims to “humanise” the young Black men so often perceived to be a threat by law enforcement and vigilantes.

The multi-talented music icon hopes the film will help put things in perspective when it comes to cops pulling guns on teenagers. “We have to see kids as kids, not as big, scary adult men,” she says.

Brotherly Love is out in theatres on April 24.

First Teaser Released for ‘Bessie’, the Biopic of Bisexual Blues Singer Bessie Smith

Few people know the story of American jazz and blues singer Bessie Smith; but they should. Bessie Smith was easily the most popular female blues singer during the 1920s and the 1930s and she also happened to be bisexual.

You don’t get queer women of colour on television very often so it’s a very big deal that US cable TV network HBO will be bringing Bessie’s story to life later this year in a biopic called ‘Bessie’.

The biopic will cover the most important parts of Bessie’s life as she became and maintained her crown as the “Empress of the Blues” (as some called her during her era). This includes the relationship with her husband Jack Gee who is portrayed in the biopic by Michael Kenneth Williams, who some will recognise from HBO’s other shows, The Wire and Boardwalk Empire. As shown in the trailer, Gee and Smith don’t have the happiest of relationships and their marriage was troubled at best. It may be hard to sit through those scenes then but at least the biopic will be realistic.

Furthermore, viewers will also see her relationship with Ma Rainey (played by Mo’Nique), the woman who reportedly got into Bessie into blues singing and helped her discover her bisexuality. We don’t know how far the biopic will delve into Bessie’s bisexuality, especially as the trailer for the movie is just 30 seconds long but so far it’s making all the right noises.

For example, the filmmaker behind Bessie is Dee Rees who is the writer-director responsible for the other brilliant queer movie, Pariah, which dealt with identity, heartbreak and sexual expression. Plus, Bessie is being played by Queen Latifah who has played a queer woman before (she played a lesbian in Chicago and received an Oscar nom for it) and she’s earned Grammy nominations for her jazz singing too, so we know she has the singing chops to pull this one off.

Bessie will air on HBO on May 16th, 2015.

First Look At Queen Latifah As Queer Jazz Icon Bessie Smith

The first photos of Queen Latifah as jazz icon Bessie Smith in HBO’s Bessie have been release. The new Biopic focuses on Bessie Smith’s transformation from a struggling young singer into The Empress of the Blues and recounts her career successes, drinking problem and affairs with both men and women.

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Queen Latifah film will also stars Mo’Nique as Ma Rainey, and Bryan Greenberg as John Hammond, the Columbia Records rep who signed Smith, as well as Khandi Alexander,  Mike Epps, Oliver Platt and Charles S. Dutton. It’s being directed by queer filmmaker Dee Rees, whose lesbian coming-of- age film, Pariah, earned her critical acclaim in 2012.

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Latifah admits she was glad the film took more than two decades to get made.

“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.”

Queen Latifah

Bessie Smith was born in 1894 in Tennessee. Her career began in 1912 when she sang in a show with Ma Rainey. Her first recording, Downhearted Blues, established her as the most successful black vocalist of her time. More than any other performer, she was responsible for introducing the blues to mainstream of American.

She recorded regularly until 1928, touring both the North and the South, and appearing in the 1929 film St. Louis Blues. The Great Depression of the 1930’s was tough on the recording and entertainment industry, and Smith’s career went into a decline. Matters weren’t helped by her increasingly frequent episodes of binge drinking. She made her last recording in 1933. After a three year hiatus in performing, she again began to appear in clubs and shows, but died before another recording session could be arranged. In all, she made over two hundred recordings, including some famous duets with Louis Armstrong.

It was commonly asserted that Ma Rainey introduce Bessie Smith to saphic love, though there is no hard evidence for this. What is known is the Smith frequently got into trouble with her jealous second husband, Jack Gee, over her affairs with women such as Lillian Simpson, a chorus girl in Smith’s touring show, Harlem Frolics. Like Rainey, Smith sang songs with explicit lesbian content such as It’s Dirty But Good from 1930.

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Bessie debuts Saturday, May 16 at 8 p.m. on HBO.

Queen Latifah Plans to Make Changes to her Daytime Talk Show for its Second Season

Queen Latifah is making changes to her daytime talk show.

“Everything at the end of the day comes down to me being myself. My whole goal this year is to be more loose, more playful, more fun, more provocative… it’s having a good old time and being La,”

Queen Latifah

Her first year with ‘The Queen Latifah Show’, which returns this week, provided a lesson in what worked and what didn’t. The show has a new executive producer, Todd Yasui, to steer it.

Celebrities, of course, remain part of the equation. Reese Witherspoon, Toni Braxton, Goldie Hawn, Kristen Bell and Snoop Dogg are among those appearing in week one. The “get” Latifah still is angling for: President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama.

During the first season, the 44-year-old singer and actress said, audiences responded to the show’s motivational, upbeat elements, and they’ll be more prominent this time around.

An initiative dubbed “One Step Further” will help empower people to pursue their dreams, she said, with a segment Wednesday focused on children in Camden, New Jersey.

“Queen Screen” will beam Latifah via big-screen to public venues such as malls, surprising people with both the host and prizes. “The High Note” is a recurring segment in which Latifah, guests and studio audience members share good news for a cheery ending to the hour.

Her unique status as a pioneering rapper is key to another goal.

“While I have a show, I can help female rappers have a voice and be heard. Hip-hop is such a big genre of music with such big influence that it can change the world. But it can’t change the world without a woman’s voice in it.”

Queen Latifah

“Queen Latifah” is competing for viewers with entrenched series including “Dr. Phil” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” as well as newcomer “The Meredith Vieira Show,” hosted by the former “Today” personality.

Bill Carroll, an expert on the syndication market for Katz Media, said “Queen Latifah” did “good, not great” in its debut year, trailing “Dr. Phil,” “The Steve Harvey Show” and others in the ratings. Improving its numbers represents a challenge.

“The most difficult thing for any show, even in a second season where there’s some reinvention, is that the audience has already sampled the show. And for the most part, if it’s not in a new time period they’ve already made their decision.”

Bill Carroll

Latifah said she’s ready for battle, with all due respect to her rivals.

“We all know what this (competition) is and we all go hard,” she said. “I wish everybody the best of luck, but I’m focused on making this show a hit and building our audience.”

Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah to Star as Bessie Smith in HBO Biopic

HBO also announced yesterday it would be airing Queen Latifah’s Bessie Smith biopic in 2015. The Bessie Smith project marks the latest small-screen endeavor for Latifah, who is both producing and playing the lead role.

Bessie will be Written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Dee Rees. Rees was critically acclaimed for her feature film “Pariah,” about a teen who struggles with her sexual identity. It won Best Independent Film from the African-American Film Critics Association and Best Cinematography Award at Sundance 2011, and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. The film and Rees also received multiple nominations from the Black Reel Awards and Black Film Critics Circle.

This new film Bessie will focuses on Bessie Smith’s transformation from a struggling young singer into “The Empress of the Blues” and one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s.

Bat027 Smith, Bessie

Bessie Smith was born in 1894, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her career began in 1912 when she sang in a show with Ma Rainey. Her first recording, “Downhearted Blues”, established her as the most successful black vocalist of her time. More than any other performer, she was responsible for introducing the blues to mainstream of American.

She recorded regularly until 1928, touring both the North and the South, and appearing in the 1929 film St. Louis Blues. The Great Depression of the 1930’s was tough on the recording and entertainment industry, and Smith’s career went into a decline. Matters weren’t helped by her increasingly frequent episodes of binge drinking. She made her last recording in 1933. After a three year hiatus in performing, she again began to appear in clubs and shows, but died before another recording session could be arranged. In all, she made over two hundred recordings, including some famous duets with Louis Armstrong.

It was commonly asserted that Ma Rainey introduce Bessie Smith to saphic love, though there is no hard evidence for this. What is known is the Smith frequently got into trouble with her jealous second husband, Jack Gee, over her affairs with women such as Lillian Simpson, a chorus girl in Smith’s touring show, Harlem Frolics. Like Rainey, Smith sang songs with explicit lesbian content such as “It’s Dirty But Good” from 1930.

Smith was famous for her excessive appetites – for home-cooked Southern food, for moonshine, and for the tenderloin districts of the cities she performed in. Bessie Smith died in an automobile accident on September 26, 1937 in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Lesbian Icon: The Reign of Queen Latifah

The Reign of Queen Latifah – The entertainment industry produces a lot of filler for fads. Names and faces come and go, with the only talent seeming to be just plain luck.

This is not so for Queen Latifah: singer, songwriter, actress, producer (television and records), comedienne, and talk show host. With her skills, talents, and presence, she is a true star.

In the arena of identity politics, too, she has been met with direct aggression and retained gracefulness and class with her own rebuttals. The mid-nineties found Queen Latifah in a musical feud with Foxy Brown, the latter relying mostly on homophobic slurs against the former over the course of several exchanges of “diss album” releases.

la-et-ct-queen-latifahs-talk-show-makes-a-soli-001Latifah continued to enjoy a successful career, in direct defiance of the safe conventions and formulas for success in the entertainment industry. In a culture over-saturated with the appearance of youth or superficial naivety, especially with women; in an industry that elevated slender bodies and reedy voices almost to the exclusion of any diversity. Latifah has been one of the rare and preciously constant reminders of how to appreciate the sight, sound, and presence of a real woman.

Movie musicals saw a revival in popularity at the turn of the millennium, and Latifah with her many talents stepped up to such challenging roles as Mrs. Morton (a morally ambiguous prison warden) in Chicago, and Motormouth Maybelle (the owner of a record shop, and civil rights protestor in 1960’s Baltimore) in Hairspray. The latter lent her powerful voice to not just one but two empowerment ballads, “Big, Blonde, and Beautiful” and “I Know Where I’ve Been”. While the musical genre shifts are a far cry from her records, Latifah so fully embraced the songs and roles and has proven to be versatile in her craft as well as multi-talented.

Queen Latifah’s personal life and sexual orientation does remain a point of persistent speculation. Regardless, we can only be so glad to have such a vocal ally. In May of 2012, during the 29th annual Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival in California, Queen Latifah announced to the LGBT community that, “Y’all my peeps. I love you!”