As bessie smiths mentor, ma rainey is every bit as fiery as bessie, demanding respect as an artist and as a woman and breaking gender and sexual norms. May 16, 2015 queen latifah who plays the title role in the hbo movie bessie, which premieres tonight has been working for more than 20 years to bring bessie smiths life to the screen and finally. The film, which has its premiere saturday night on hbo, stars queen latifah as bessie smith, a woman who is. Queen latifah to star in bessie smith biopic by amanda dobbins honoree queen latifah c speaks during the 2014 matrix awards at the waldorf astoria on april 28, 2014 in new york city.
Queen latifah, michael kenneth williams, khandi alexander, mike epps, tika sumpter, tory. Hbo released a movie about smith, bessie, starring queen latifah, on may 16, 2015. Queen latifah sings the blues in the bessie trailer for hbo. A sweet scene in the movie shows recording engineers. The film focuses on smiths transformation from a struggling young singer into the empress of the blues, who became one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and is an enduring icon today. The story of legendary blues performer bessie smith, who rose to. As bessie smith s mentor, ma rainey is every bit as fiery as bessie, demanding respect as an artist and as a woman and breaking gender and sexual norms. The 44yearold actress discussed the project at the television. In hbos bessie, queen latifah stars as empress of the blues. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this hbo films presentation, directed by acclaimed filmmaker dee rees. Queen latifah who plays the title role in the hbo movie bessie, which premieres tonight has been working for more than 20 years to bring bessie smiths life to the screen and finally. The film is directed by dee rees, with a screenplay by rees, christopher cleveland and bettina gilois. Queen latifah returned to television this weekend as the lead actress in the premiere of the bessie smith biopic.
No one can sing like bessie smith, but queen latifah does have a great voice and comes pretty close to smith s. In the new aprilmay issue of uptown magazine the awardwinning powerhouse opened up on one of the biopics most compelling scenes. Latifah was best known as a rap artist in the 1990s when producers richard d. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this hbo. Queen latifah arrives to screening of hbo movie bessie. May 10, 2015 queen latifah did her homework to play blues singer bessie smith in hbos movie bessie, airing saturday at 8 p. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this hbo films presentation, directed by acclaimed filmmaker dee rees from a screenplay by. Queen latifah brings bessie smith to life in a biopic that cant rise to.
And regular tv cinematographer jeffrey jur shoots too much of the film like a tv movie. May 18, 2015 bessie character spot queen latifah bessie hbo films. Queen latifah sings the blues in her new film bessie. Queen latifahs new movie, hbos bessie, actually has been on her radar for more than 20 years. New york many viewers come to the hbo biopic bessie which premiered saturday night with scant knowledge of its subject, blues legend bessie smith. I was basically queen latifah, the hiphop head, queen latifah, the rapperturnedactress.
Queen latifah stars as smith, and supporting roles are played by michael kenneth williams as smith s first husband jack gee. May, 2015 a star vehicle and then some, bessie casts queen latifah as blues singer bessie smith, in a big, bold movie thats as vibrant, raw and musical as it is unfocused and messy. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this vivid portrait. May 15, 2015 bessie is about a blues singer, but what the movie could really use is more soul. Not only does she star shes also an executive producer of the new hbo movie bessie. I feel like bessie smith is one of the best singers i ever. Queen latifah sings the blues in her new film bessie video. Queen latifah to star in bessie smith biopic vulture. And queen latifah was positively glowing on wednesday when she arrived at the new york screening of. Is it true that queen latifah had been trying to get a bessie smith movie made for over 20 years.
Apr 14, 2017 queen latifah gives the performance of her career in hbos biopic of singer bessie smith. The film, which has its premiere saturday night on hbo, stars queen latifah as bessie smith, a. Queen latifah opens up on nude bessie scene huffpost. May 16, 2015 queen latifah was a young rapper just beginning to dabble in acting when she was first approached about the possibility of playing the lead in a film about singer bessie smith. Queen latifah is so convincing in the hbo biopic of blues singer bessie smith that youll find yourself googling the real empress of blues just to differentiate the two. Watch bessie starring queen latifah in this drama on directv.
Queen latifah stars as bessie smith in this vivid portrait of the legendary 20th century blues singer. In hbos bessie, queen latifah stars as empress of the. Hbo has released a fulllength trailer for bessie, in which latifah. Queen latifah did her homework to play blues singer bessie smith in hbos movie bessie, airing saturday at 8 p. Bessie, on hbo, stars queen latifah as blues singer. Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer 2015 remix bessie smith featuring queen latifah plot synopsis.
Hbo films presents bessie, focusing on legendary blues singer bessie smith, saturday, may 16 at 8pm. No one can sing like bessie smith, but queen latifah does have a great voice and comes pretty close to smiths. Bessie is about a blues singer, but what the movie could really use is more soul. This hbo biopic about legendary blues singer bessie smith queen latifah doesnt shy away from smith s bisexuality, and shows her relationship with her lover lucille, who serves as a. Queen latifah plays blues singer bessie smith in the hbo movie bessie. With a story by dee rees and horton foote, the film focuses on smith s transformation from a. With queen latifah, kamryn johnson, rikki mckinney, alan t. Queen latifah stars in this biopic of pioneering singer bessie smith, depicting her tempestuous relationships and incomparable artistry in the downanddirty world of southern blues. Occupation singer songwriter rapper actress voice actress model producer talk show host years active 1989present home town east orange, new jersey, u.
Jun 23, 2015 queen latifahs new movie, hbos bessie, actually has been on her radar for more than 20 years. With a story by dee rees and horton foote, the film focuses on smiths transformation from a struggling young singer into the empress. Bessie smith queen latifah is a young singer from chattanooga, tennessee. Queen latifah is heading to hbo the rapper, actress, and talk show host will star in and exec produce a bessie smith biopic for the premium cable network the telepic revolves around iconic. The official bessie music from the hbo film soundtrack is. Queen latifah sings the blues in the bessie trailer for. Hbos bessie, premiering saturday on the network, is a flawed drama that nonetheless warrants a look simply because of the bright spotlight it gives the underrated talents of star queen latifah, who does quite easily the best work of her career here. Life lessons from the queen, was released in may 2010. Blues singer bessie smith queen latifah rises to fame in the 1920s to become a musical legend. Apr 03, 2015 check out the new trailer for bessie, the hbo biopic of blues singer bessie smith starring queen latifah, michael kenneth williams, and monique. Queen latifah to star as bessie smith in hbo movie.
Bessie aired on the hbo network and drew a wide audience. May 03, 2015 in a new hbo movie the hip hop artist and actress recreates the life of the empress of the blues, bessie smith. In a new hbo movie the hip hop artist and actress recreates the life of the empress of the blues, bessie smith. The nbc show timeless features bessie smith briefly in the season 2 episode the. May, 2015 queen latifah is so convincing in the hbo biopic of blues singer bessie smith that youll find yourself googling the real empress of blues just to differentiate the two. Queen latifah is bringing bessie smith to life in hbos forthcoming biopic on the legendary bluesjazz singer. Queen latifah on bessie smith, the blues, and baltimore. Queen latifah latifah at the 2008 toronto international film festival born dana elaine owens 19700318 march 18, 1970 age 50 newark, new jersey, u. Bessie is an hbo tv film about the american blues singer bessie smith, and focuses on her transformation as a struggling young singer into the empress of the blues. Queen latifah talks bessie smith portrayal billboard. Its available to watch on tv, online, tablets, phone. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this hbo films presentation, directed by acclaimed filmmaker dee rees from a.
Over fifty years of published art schiffer book for collectors by karen choppa, bessie pease gutmann. Queen latifah to star as bessie smith in hbo biopic. Bessie smith played by queen latifah on bessie hbo. Queen latifah bares b00bs in new movie photo naijavibe. In september 20, queen latifah became the host of her very own talk show which she produced with partner shakim compere, and overbrook entertainments will smith, jada smith and james lassiter. Nudity, bisexuality, belting the bluesshe says none of it scared her.
Queen latifah goes nude in bessie smith biopic video. Queen latifah stars in this biopic of pioneering singer bessie smith, depicting her tempestuous relationships and incomparable artistry in the. This sexuallycharged, intense look at blues icon bessie smith often feels defiantly episodic, as if cowriterdirector dee rees is. She plays 1920s blues legend bessie smith in the upcoming hbo biopic. And queen latifah was positively glowing on wednesday when she arrived at the new york screening of bessie in a stylish black. And queen latifah played queen latifah just like she does in all her movies.
Queen latifah takes on nudity, sexuality, and the indomitable. The first half of bessie feels a bit too calculated, too episodic in a way designed to give latifah and her costars including the great michael k. Bessie character spot queen latifah bessie hbo films. Watch the trailer for the hbo biopic, starring queen. Each june, the bessie smith cultural center in chattanooga sponsors the bessie smith strut as part of the citys riverbend festival.
All about legendary blues singer bessie smith s rise from obscurity to international fame in this clip, oh. The film focuses on legendary blues singer bessie smiths transformation from a struggling young singer into the empress of the blues, who became one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and is an enduring icon today. The story of legendary blues performer bessie smith, who rose. Besides latifah, monique as ma rainey is the other standout performance in the film. Smith, who was born in tennessee, became a star in the early days of recorded music.
Williams the right number of big moments without linking them together in the arc of a life. May 17, 2015 new york many viewers come to the hbo biopic bessie which premiered saturday night with scant knowledge of its subject, blues legend bessie smith. The story of legendary blues performer bessie smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and 30s. Queen latifah really got to know bessie smith in ways that other. Queen latifah was a young rapper just beginning to dabble in acting when she was first approached about the possibility of playing the lead in a film about singer bessie smith. Queen latifah bares b00bs in new movie photo posted by.
The film doesnt shy away from smiths bisexuality, and her relationships are the strongest, least conventional moments of the movie. Check out the new trailer for bessie, the hbo biopic of blues singer bessie smith starring queen latifah, michael kenneth williams, and monique. Ive been hoping for years that queen latifah would play bessie smith. All about legendary blues singer bessie smiths rise from obscurity to international fame in this clip, oh. Bessie character spot queen latifah bessie hbo films teaser trailer. The film focuses on smiths transformation from a struggling young sing er into the empress of the blues, who became one of the most successful. It took queen latifah more than 20 years to bring the life of. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this hbo films presentation, directed by acclaimed filmmaker dee rees named one of 20 filmmakers to watch by the new york times. Yeah, this project came pretty early in my career as an actress, latifah told npr.
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