Queen Latifah to produce and star in Bessie Smith HBO biopic

Queen Latifah will star in and executive produce an untitled biopic of iconic blues singer Bessie Smith for HBO.

Dee Rees (Pariah) will write and direct the story of Smith’s personal life and rise to fame and success in the 1920s and 1930s, based in part on Chris Albertson’s biography Bessie. HBO Films is producing the film in association with Flavor Unit Entertainment and The Zanuck Company. The role seems like a perfect fit for the talk-show host, who launched a successful acting career in 2002 with an Oscar-nominated performance in Chicago after a Grammy-winning music career.