buzzz worthy. . .
QUEEN LATIFAH STARS IN HBO FILMS’ BESSIE,
THE STORY OF ICONIC BLUES SINGER BESSIE SMITH,
DEBUTING THIS SPRING
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Directed By Dee Rees;
Screenplay By Dee Rees And Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois;
Story By Dee Rees And Horton Foote
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Cast Includes Michael Kenneth Williams, Khandi Alexander, Mike Epps, Tika Sumpter,
Tory Kittles, Oliver Platt, Bryan Greenberg, With Charles S. Dutton And Mo’Nique
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Oscar® nominee Queen Latifah (“Chicago”) stars as legendary blues singer Bessie Smith in the HBO Films drama
BESSIE, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Dee Rees (“Pariah”) from a
screenplay by Rees and Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois. With a
story by Rees and Horton Foote, the film focuses on Smith’s
transformation from a struggling young singer into “The Empress of the
Blues,” one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and an
enduring icon today.
Debuting this spring, BESSIE
is executive produced by Queen Latifah, Shakim Compere, Lili Fini
Zanuck, Richard D. Zanuck, Shelby Stone and Randi Michel. Ron Schmidt
produces.
The talented cast includes Michael Kenneth Williams (HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”; “12 Years a Slave”) as Bessie’s husband, Jack; Khandi Alexander (“Scandal,”
HBO’s “Treme”) as Bessie’s older sister, Viola; Mike Epps (“The
Hangover,” “Soul Men”) as Richard, a bootlegger and romantic interest;
Tika Sumpter (“Ride Along,” “Sparkle”) as Lucille, a performer and
romantic interest;
Tory Kittles (HBO’s “True Detective”; “Olympus Has Fallen”) as Bessie’s
older brother, Clarence; Oliver Platt (“X-Men: First Class,” “Fargo,”
“Chef”) as famed photographer and writer Carl Van Vechten; Bryan
Greenberg (“Friends with Benefits,” HBO’s “How to Make It in America”)
as renowned record producer and music critic John Hammond; with Charles S. Dutton (“Longmire,” “Alien 3”) as Ma Rainey’s husband, William “Pa” Rainey; and Oscar® winner Mo’Nique (“Precious”) as blues legend Ma Rainey.
BESSIE offers an intimate look at the determined woman whose immense
talent and love for music took her from anonymity in the rough-and-tumble world of vaudeville to the 1920s blues scene and international fame.
Capturing Bessie’s professional highs and personal lows, the film
paints a portrait of a tenacious spirit who, despite her own demons,
became a celebrated legend.
Throughout the years, Bessie Smith has served as an inspiration for
such illustrious singers as Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Janis
Joplin and Nina Simone, among others.
A labor of love for the filmmakers, BESSIE has been 22 years in the
making. The first draft was written by celebrated playwright Horton
Foote. Queen Latifah was approached by producers Richard and Lili Fini
Zanuck to take on the role of Bessie when she was just launching her
acting career. She eventually came on board as an executive producer,
along with producing partner Shakim Compere.
Says Latifah, “I have been excited about this project since the very
beginning. When HBO got involved, we were thrilled and we worked
together to make something that would capture Bessie’s life honestly and
respectfully.”
BESSIE marks a return to HBO for the star, following her Golden Globe-
and SAG Award-winning performance in HBO Films’ “Life Support.”
Director Dee Rees, whom the New York Times selected as “One of the 20 Directors to Watch” and Filmmaker Magazine called one of “25 New Faces of Independent Film,” caught
HBO’s attention with the buzz around her award-winning film, “Pariah,” a
much-talked-about hit at the Sundance Film Festival. Rees brought that
same power of a raw and personal perspective to the writing of the
script for BESSIE. Her singular sensibility and passion made Rees the
perfect choice to direct the film.
BESSIE, an HBO presentation of A Flavor Unit Entertainment Production
and A Zanuck Company Production, was filmed in Atlanta.