Still photographs from "Last Holiday
Dana Elaine Owens was born in Newark, New Jersey on March 18, 1970, the second child of Lance and Rita Owens, a police officer and a schoolteacher, respectively. The versatile entertainer first found fame in the world of hip-hop upon the release of her debut album "All Hail the Queen" while still in her teens. As Queen Latifah, she has since enjoyed an enviable recording and concert career featuring seven solo CDs plus countless collaborations with colleagues across a spectrum of musical genres.
The "Just Wright" Interview
with Kam Williams
Kam Williams: Hey, Queen Latifah, I'm honored to have this
opportunity to speak with you.
Queen Latifah: Please, just call me, La.
KW: Okay, La, what interested you in Just Wright?
QL: Actually, it was kinda something we just created from scratch. What we
wanted to do was make was a romantic comedy that was both sexy and romantic
and had some emotion, but at the same time wasn't just a chick flick. And
that had some action, some energy. And that's where the whole NBA component
came in with Leslie Wright, my character, being a big basketball fan, and a
daddy's girl. One of the ways that she and her daddy bonded was by his
taking her to the games because he didn't have a son. That made a really big
fan out of her. So, the overall goal was to make a movie that was family
friendly, but that at the same time had some action, some edge and some
sexiness to it.
KW: Children's book author Irene Smalls asks, what was it like being
directed by Sanaa Hamri and working with Common and the rest of the cast?
QL: Oh, man, it was amazing! Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better
group of people to work with. It was a true team effort. There's no way we
could have done this independently of one another. Sanaa was the perfect
choice because she had a great vision for the film from the moment she first
read the script. We interviewed a lot of different directors, but her take
on it was something that we appreciated because she assured us that she
planned to bring a certain style and taste to the production, that it would
be elevated and classy, and have cools shots that would make everyone look
really good onscreen. I think that she managed to pull it all off, and I'm
really proud of her.
KW: Erik Daniels says, "I know you used to play a mean game of basketball
back in the day." [La played power forward on a high school team that won
the NJ State Championship twice.] He was wondering whether you still find
time in your busy schedule to shoot around at all.
QL: I do. Whenever a ball is around, you can't help but pick that thing up
and shoot it. You know what I mean?
KW: Yep.
QL: I was never the best player on the team, but I do love basketball and I
have no problem shooting the rock. My body is not exactly as limber as it
used to be in high school, obviously, but I still enjoy a good game of
basketball.
KW: Erik also remembers that Spike Lee gave you your start in movies in
Jungle Fever when he cast you as a waitress at Sylvia's Restaurant. He wants
to know whether you've had an opportunity to dine there again.
QL: Oh, I've eaten at Sylvia's a million times. I ate there before I got
that job, and I've eaten there plenty of times since. She's a staple in
Harlem, and I'm happy that Harlem has enjoyed a Renaissance in recent years,
so that she could be a part of it.
KW: Recent college grad Laz Lyles asks, do you think Just Wright will help
revive the black romantic film?
QL: I think you definitely see true black love in this film. And I hope that
it helps to revive the genre, but I can't say whether it will be a catalyst
for that. But Just Wright isn't a romantic comedy just for black folks. I
think anybody who watches this movie is going to fall in love with the idea
of love again. You get to see a strong male in Common's character, Scott,
and two completely different female leads in my character, Leslie, and Paula
Patton's, Morgan. And we also get to see them sort of be family and go
through the types of things many families go through, yet still find love in
the end. That's the realistic image that we wanted to portray, not broad
stereotypes with one swipe of the brush. We're painting our pictures as
vividly as possible.
KW: Professor Mia Mask asks, what about acting do you find most challenging,
and do you think the range roles for black women in Hollywood are improving?
QL: I approach the film business the way I feel about self-esteem. It's
something that has to be maintained. That's kind of how I feel about
positive roles in Hollywood. They have to be maintained. You have to
purposefully, intentionally try to make the right type of films. And the
more people that do that, the more things will continue to improve.
Absolutely!
KW: Mary V. Bell asks, since you seem so together, she wonders if there's
anything you're insecure about?
QL: I'm not always so together. Like I said, it's not just a given, but
something that has to be maintained. I'm as flawed as anybody else. I have
my ups and downs, and people around me to help me fight through it.
KW: Bobby Shenker says, "I love Queen Latifah! She is the Empress! Tell her
I can't wait to see her bio-pic about Bessie Smith."
QL: We're working on that, Bobby. They're writing that script right now for
HBO, and we're trying to make that happen.
KW: Reverend Florine Thompson asks, what is your favorite way to express
yourself spiritually?
QL: To go to church.
KW: Her follow-up is, what cause are you most passionate about?
QL: I'm passionate about children, particularly, whether it's education, HIV
prevention, treating HIV and AIDS, or protecting young girls from being
molested.
KW: Yale Grad Tommy Russell asks, do you think the Obama administration is
doing enough for the Gulf coast in the midst of the BP oil rig disaster?
QL: Well, it's obviously a daunting challenge, but I think he's the right
guy to tackle the problem because he's very passionate about the
environment. In general, I believe our president and his administration are
doing the best they can with the mess they've inherited. I think they're
doing a pretty good job, considering how many different things in the
country need to be fixed. So, we not only need to support him now, but for
another four years so he can complete a lot of those tasks.
KW: Finally, Carmela Reimers asks, "Do you feel as beautiful as I think you
are?"
QL: I don't how beautifully she thinks I am.
KW: She says, "Very!"
QL: Well, thanks. I do think I'm beautiful after I get off the treadmill,
when I'm real sweaty with no makeup. That's when I feel I'm at my sexiest.
KW: Well, thanks again for the interview, La, and best of luck with Just
Wright and your other upcoming projects.
QL: Thank you, Kam.
Watch Just Wright - Open Your Eyes TV Spot
Related Links
Queen Latifah AALBC.com Author's Profile Page
http://aalbc.com/authors/queen_latifah.htm
Queen Latifah - The Joyfull Noise [2012] Interview
http://aalbc.com/reviews/queen_latifah1.html
