It took queen latifah more than 20 years to bring the life of. Queen latifah plays blues singer bessie smith in the hbo movie bessie. Queen latifah stars as bessie smith in this vivid portrait of the legendary 20th century blues singer. Hbo films presents bessie, focusing on legendary blues singer bessie smith, saturday, may 16 at 8pm. Queen latifah starred in the romantic comedy just wright, on which she produced as well. A sweet scene in the movie shows recording engineers. An evocative collection combining historic and contemporary recordings, bessie music from the hbo film debuts seven new queen latifah performances and features modern performances of. Transcript for queen latifah sings the blues in her new film bessie. Quite simply, its the finest performance shes ever given. Yeah, this project came pretty early in my career as an actress, latifah told npr. While bessie wants to provide a satisfying greatest hits collection, the actors are playing the deep cuts. Queen latifah was in the zone playing bessie smith, bryan greenberg says. Outstanding director, tv movie or limited series dee rees. Latifah was best known as a rap artist in the 1990s when producers richard d.
Besides latifah, monique as ma rainey is the other standout performance in the film. With a story by dee rees and horton foote, the film focuses on smith s transformation from a struggling young singer into the empress. Cbs news in her latest role, queen latifah adopts the persona of a. Bessie smith played by queen latifah on bessie hbo. Queen latifah brings bessie smith to life in a biopic that cant rise to. As long as the film avoids overwrought music biopic cliches, bessie looks like it will be a treat for movie fans, music fans.
It took queen latifah more than 20 years to bring the life of pioneering. This sexuallycharged, intense look at blues icon bessie smith often feels defiantly episodic, as if cowriterdirector dee rees is. No one can sing like bessie smith, but queen latifah does have a great voice and comes pretty close to smith s. Bessie, on hbo, stars queen latifah as blues singer. Queen latifah s new movie, hbos bessie, actually has been on her radar for more than 20 years. 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.
Blessed with style and substance, queen latifah has. 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. Bessie smith queen latifah is a young singer from chattanooga, tennessee. Queen latifah stars in hbos biopic of bessie smith essence. But thats what you dont know because she was alive 100 years ago. Queen latifah brings bessie smith to life in a biopic that. Bessie is an hbo tv film about legendary american blues singer bessie smith queen latifah, and focuses on her transformation as a struggling young singer into the empress of the blues. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this vivid portrait of a tenacious spirit who, despite her own demons, went on to become one of the most successful and. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this hbo films presentation, directed by acclaimed filmmaker dee rees from a. Bessie is about a blues singer, but what the movie could really use is more soul. Bessie badazzhbo and queen latifah bring bessie smith. Is it true that queen latifah had been trying to get a bessie smith movie made for over 20 years. Production value wise, it looks just like any other roaring 20s through the great depression type of flick.
Queen latifah to star as bessie smith in hbo biopic. The film, which has its premiere saturday night on hbo, stars queen latifah as bessie smith, a. Hbos bessie, with queen latifah, is ideal awards bait. Queen latifah stars in this biopic of pioneering singer bessie smith, depicting her tempestuous relationships and incomparable artistry in the. Smith, who was born in tennessee, became a star in the early days of recorded music. 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. In a new hbo movie the hip hop artist and actress recreates the life of the empress of the blues, bessie smith.
Directed by gina princebythewood, the secret life of bees won the hollywood film award at the hollywood film festival and a peoples choice award for favorite independent movie in 2009. Ok so, up until bessie queen latifah cuts this guy in a back alley for trying to get some of that big ol grit fed donk, i thought i was watching idlewild part two or something. In hbos bessie, queen latifah stars as empress of the blues. Frank masicourtesy of hbo a mississippi car accident in 1937 cut short the life of bessie smith. Queen latifah stars in bessie on hbo the new york times. Bessie was just more ballsy, says queen latifah, who plays smith in the hbo movie bessie that premieres saturday at 8 p. I was basically queen latifah, the hiphop head, queen latifah, the rapperturnedactress. Nudity, bisexuality, belting the bluesshe says none of it scared her. The film is directed by dee rees, with a screenplay by rees, christopher cleveland and bettina gilois. The biopic of the blues singer bessie smith was written and directed by. Written by bessie smith performed by queen latifah queen latifah performs courtesy of flavor unit records. With bessie smith biopic, filmmaker dee rees gets queen latifah to bare her all for an untold story about the sexually liberated blues icon.
Bessie tv movie 2015 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. 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. 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 is royal as empress of the blues in bessie. In 2015, latifah received a best actress emmy nomination for her lead role as bessie smith in bessie, an hbo film which received a total of 12 emmy nominations. Queen latifah says she worked with a singing coach who trained her to sing in smith s register. The bessie project, initially latifah s idea, languished for 22 years until hbo recruited rees to write the script.
She plays legendary blues singer bessie smith in the upcoming hbo biopic titled bessie. And, in a cast full of strong performances, queen latifah stuns. Weepin woman blues written by ma rainey performed by queen latifah and pat bass. Queen latifah sings the blues in her new film bessie. The story of legendary blues performer bessie smith, who rose. Queen latifah takes on nudity, sexuality, and the indomitable bessie smith like a boss queen latifah gives the performance of her career in hbos biopic of singer bessie smith. Best jazz albums of 2015 smith s death in a car crash is not depicted in bessie. Bessie smith queen latifah became one of the most popular female recording artists of the 1920s and 1930s as a singer of blues and jazz. Bessie, a musical biopic starring queen latifah as bessie smith, wont leave its star singin the blues come award time. Best oats for weight loss boost that metabolism every day.
And its here in the film, bessie smiths bisexuality, but its not a point of. Queen latifah did her homework to play blues singer bessie. Filmmaker dee rees gets queen latifah to bare all in bessie. Janet mock was in new york with queen latifah following the premiere of hbos bessie, in which queen latifah brings the story of legendary blues singer bessie smith to life. Khandi alexander, michael kenneth williams, mike epps, oliver platt, queen latifah, tika sumpter. Queen latifah stars in this hbo biopic chronicling the career ups and downs, as well as the stormy personal life, of the empress of the blues. Her smith is a livewire of ego and appetite, someone who thinks nothing of starting a bar fight just to get her adrenalin flowing. Queen latifah stars as blues singer bessie smith in an hbo biopic also starring michael kenneth williams. Queen latifah is making her way back to the cinematic small screen to star in bessie, an hbo biopic recounting the life of singer bessie smith, who. With queen latifah, kamryn johnson, rikki mckinney, alan t. The film doesnt shy away from smiths bisexuality, and her relationships are the strongest, least conventional moments of the movie. 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 on bessie smith, the blues, and baltimore. Bessie smith songwriter queen latifah recording artist evyen klean. Outstanding actress, tv movie or limited series queen latifah. Latifah looks and sounds as though she was born to play bessie smith. Queen latifah stars as smith, and supporting roles are played by michael kenneth williams as smith s first husband jack gee. Queen latifah chicago stars as the title character bessie smith in hbos bessie, a biopic on the life of the american legendary blues singer. The rosebud march written by scott joplin performed by peter yarin. In hbos bessie, queen latifah stars as empress of the.
Queen latifah gives the performance of her career in hbos biopic of singer bessie smith. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this vivid portrait of a tenacious spirit who, despite her own demons, went on to become one of. And while talking about the project at a television critics association panel on thursday, queen latifah. The story of legendary blues performer bessie smith, who rose to. Outstanding tv movie or limited series ron schmidt. Queen latifah is so convincing in the new hbo movie bessie, that you will find yourself googling the real empress of blues just to differentiate the two the rapper turned actress mesmerizes as. Queen latifah performs courtesy of flavor unit records. 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 film focuses on smiths transformation from a struggling young sing er into the empress of the blues, who became one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and is an enduring icon tod ay. The story of legendary blues performer bessie smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and 30s.
878 1572 1036 43 764 1360 135 31 48 367 264 1404 376 170 117 369 155 1330 1152 756 749 1283 747 277 1222 1055 115 1564 291 845 446 1019 406 47 1389 16 633 414 569 569