New trailer for Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith

A new trailer has been released showing Queen Latifah starring as blues legend Bessie Smith, in the upcoming HBO biopic Bessie.

Nicknamed the ‘Empress of Blues’, Bessie Smith was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s and 1930s. Despite marrying twice, Smith was known to have affairs with women, including fellow performer Ma Rainey, and sang songs which were laden with innuendo on the subject, such as It’s Dirty But Good.

A singer primarily, her career rocketed in the 1920s, but suffered through the Great Depression, and she experienced many personal tribulations which will form the basis of this film. She died at 43, following a car accident.

HBO are hoping to replicate the success they had with the TV movie biopic of Liberace, Behind The Candelabra, which was a huge critical success.

Queen Latifah received an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of the equally jazzy Mama Morton in 2002’s Chicago. Bessie also stars Mo’Nique, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Precious.

Watch the new trailer below.

[youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FhmzwXfgz8[/youtube]

Bessie will premiere on HBO on 18th May.