Guide Note

Golden globe and Grammy award winning actress Queen Latifah started acting in the early 1990s. Her film debut was the 1991 film Jungle Fever, though she had a small part. Her big breakthrough came in 1993 when she landed the lead role in the series Living Single. She wrote and performed the theme music for the show. She gained mainstream success for her performance in the 2002 musical Chicago.

Fast Facts

1. Birth name: Dana Elaine Owens
2. Born: March 18, 1970
3. Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey
4. Is a spokesperson for Cover Girl cosmetics, Pizza Hut and Curvation ladies underwear
5. She is one of two hip-hop artists to receive an Academy Award nomination in an acting category with Will Smith
6. Won a Golden Globe Award for her role in HBO's Life Support
7. Became a spokesperson for Jenny Craig in January 2008 and lost 20 pounds

In 2003 Latifah starred with Steve Martin in the box office success Bringing Down the House. She also had starring roles in Taxi, Beauty Shop and Mad Money.

1. "I think it's important to create projects as an actor rather than wait for them. I love being able to take an idea and sell it to a studio."
2. "I'm pretty much the same but trying to be better every day. I don't think the success has gone to my head. I don't think I'm alienating friends or losing friends."
3. "I really don't know how to be anyone else, and whenever I try to be anyone else, I fail miserably. Or I disappoint myself. It doesn't build my self-esteem, and it doesn't help me grow me at all."
4. "I'd like to have and adopt [children]. I think I'd be a great mom, honestly. I don't think I'll have any problem giving them all the love in the world. Discipline will be the hard part."
5. "There are times you can't really see or even feel how sweet life can be. Hopefully its mountains will be higher than its valleys are deep. I know things that are broken can be fixed. Take the punch if you have to, hit the canvas and then get up again. Life is worth it."