Queen Latifah Speaks On ‘Bessie’ Nude Scene: “That Was Bessie’s Body”

Queen Latifah has partnered with Novo Nordisk to bring awareness to obesity and heart health, and the seriousness behind the disease as it affects the Black community. “This is something that has affected my family firsthand and something that continues to challenge us Queen opened up about her own health journey, self-confidence, and the mental shift required to show up as your fullest self — something she embodied in one of her most vulnerable, career-defining roles: Bessie Smith in HBO’s 2015 biopic Bessie. She recalled the emotional weight of that mirror scene: sitting fully nude, looking at her reflection after a grueling day in the life of the legendary jazz singer. “I had completely blocked that out,” she said with a laugh. “All that mental work I did to remove that from my brain, and there it is, immortalized on film. Forgot all about that scene.” Despite the initial discomfort, Latifah said the moment ended up being far more meaningful than awkward. “I didn’t think of my body at that point as my body. That was Bessie’s body,” she explained. “The look of it was Bessie’s body, and the emotion of it was Bessie’s mind and her emotions. As a woman with “a little more to love,” she credited director Dee Rees for creating a safe, intimate space to allow her to feel fully present. “There were only maybe three of us in the room: me, her, the camera operator, a lighting person. And then they all stepped out,” she remembered. “That wasn’t probably the hardest thing. That was actually one of the more relaxing days of that shoot, because Bessie lived a rough life… all in one day I got three lovers, I’m getting thrown off a truck, and my baby’s getting snatched out my arms. And I said, ‘Well, shoot, I just need a bath. Queen spoke to how weight and body image specifically impacts the Black community. “I’ve always felt a connection to my community and to my family — which is a big family — a very big, diverse group of people,” she said. She didn’t mince words when it came to the reality of obesity in America. “Two out of five Americans are living with obesity, and 70 percent of people living with obesity die from cardiovascular disease,” she shared. But she emphasized that these aren’t just numbers — these are our aunties, our cousins, our best friends. “This is something that can affect your family,” she said. “Obesity is a serious chronic disease associated with at least 60 other serious health conditions. It’s important for people living with obesity to talk to a healthcare professional to understand their risks and partner on the best way to approach their weight and health.” She added, “In fact, in one study, people who partnered with a healthcare professional lost more weight than individuals who did it alone. Even losing 5 percent or more of your body weight can improve certain heart disease risk factors.

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