Queen Latifah In Essence

Queen Latifah In Essence

In her interview with Jeannine Amber, Queen Latifah talks about her business partner Shakim Compere, keeping her personal life private, and different film projects she is currently working on. She also addresses those pesky gay rumors:

Latifah says when she was cast in Set If Off--arguably one of the standout performances of her career--playing Cleo, a rough and rugged lesbian who enjoys an on-screen girl-on girl kiss, she called her siblings to warn them that they might catch some jokes. "I told them they had to be strong because I really thought I could do something special with the role." Now, a decade later, she's still getting asked about how much she and Cleo have in common.

For her part, Latifah refuses to confirm or deny. She says she has plenty of gay friends, and to deny anything about her personal life would be an insult to them. Plus, she says, the whole thing is stupid. "If I'm not going to tell you what guy I'm dating, I sure wouldn't tell you I'm dating a girl."