*The buzz on Queen Latifah’s performance in HBO’s upcoming original movie “Bessie” is strong as critics are praising the entertainer for delivering a strong piece of work.
Chatting with BET’s Clay Kane, Latifah detailed how she was able to fully capture the essence of legendary blues singer Bessie Smith for the biopic.
“I had to go to a lot of different layers, I had to let it all hang out,” Latifah said. “People will see me in a different way than they have as an actor.”
Viewers will literally see a bit more of Latifah as “Bessie” is marked with several scenes of her character making out with other women, in addition to appearing completely nude. Nevertheless, Latifah mentioned that folks shouldn’t be caught off guard by what they see in the movie.
“People feel a type of way when they see any sexuality on-screen. I think its almost human nature,” Latifah said regarding the lesbian love scenes in “Bessie” while making it known her motivation for staying true to the film’s story.
“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.”
“Bessie” is set to premiere at 8/7c Saturday (May 16) on HBO.To see Latifah’s interview with Kane, click here. To watch scorching scenes from “Bessie,” check out the video below:
