What's the buzz on Queen Latifah? Secret Life of Bees

For this edition of Monday Night Conversation, BlackTree TV CEO, Jamaal Finkley, sits down with the Queen, to find out whats all the buzz on her new movie, her new album, and her take on the state of Hip Hop




'Secret Life of Bees' brings
issues of love, redemption and
racism to the screen.

By Jackie Burrell
Contra Costa Times

Article Launched: 10/13/2008 12:11:00 AM PDT
In 2002, Sue Monk Kidd's debut novel "The Secret
Life of Bees" buzzed up best-seller lists where it
hummed and hovered for months.




On Friday, the indie movie based on Kidd's story
about a motherless child and a trio of honey-making
sisters will finally make its way to the silver screen.
But despite its book-club-favorite status and a star-
studded cast — headed by Dakota Fanning, Queen
Latifah and Jennifer Hudson — the movie's path has
been nearly as poignant and serendipitous as the
book itself.




Sitting in a plush lounge in San Francisco's Ritz-
Carlton Hotel recently, director/screenwriter Gina
Prince-Bythewood relaxed with her young star
before the Mill Valley Film Festival opening. The
novel, which sold 4.5 million copies, is on many
schools' reading lists. Fanning, 14, calls it "a great
book for people my age."

She and her director talked about what it was like
filming a story set against powerful civil rights-era
themes just as Barack Obama was racking up his first
big triumphs. Prince-Bythewood also addressed the
motifs of motherlessness, abandonment and
redemption that run through the characters' lives —
and her own.

"The Secret Lives of Bees" tells the story of a young
girl, 14-year-old Lily Owens, who runs from an
abusive father and the deeply held belief that she is,
somehow, "unlovable."
Prince-Bythewood, a Pacific Grove native, was on a
journey of her own, seeking her birth mother and
trying to understand why she had been given up as
a child when her older brother had not. But when
she was offered the project seven years ago, she
hadn't read the book and turned the picture down.
Two years ago she heard that another director had
signed on, and suddenly she was consumed with
"this overwhelming feeling of 'That's my movie!'" She
read the novel that night.
"The book just wrecked me," she says. "Oh my God,
I gave up this opportunity. It's about motherhood,
sisters, learning to love yourself. I said those same
words — 'I'm unlovable' — when I found my birth
mother."
Then, almost miraculously, everything fell into
place. The movie's director walked, and all that was
left was the book and its star, Fanning, who was
finally old enough to play the role.
"In retrospect, it happened at the right time," she
says. "You grow a lot in five, six years. Being
adopted was part of my journey. To pour myself into
this script (helped me) get over the last vestiges of
that tough time."
In a matter of weeks, Prince-Bythewood had her
stars — all working for virtually no pay — and a
steady stream of cast and crew showing up with
dog-eared copies of the book.
Secret Life of Bees Footage Courtesy of Fox SearchLight Pictures

This is a BlackTree Media® Production

Produced by Jamaal Finkley

Host Jamaal Finkley for BlackTree TV

Shot on location, Toronto, Ontario Canada.

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Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Queen
• Latifah
• Jennifer
• Hudson
• alicia
• keys
• Dakota
• Fanning
• Will
• Smith
• Jada
• Pinkett
• Oprah
• Winfrey
• Sophie
• Okenedo

[LokiDWolf]

Great commentary. I just stumbled apon this because I'm subscribed to Blacktree. Glad I stuck around and checked out the vid.

[blacktreemedia]

LokiDWolf - Thank you for subscribing. It is people like you that continue to fuel the success of this channel. Thank you for your viewership and your subscription, we will try to 'keep them coming' for you. ;-)

[kingscub28]

I saw the movie it was great. Queen Latifa and Alicia Keys Done a great job i give it 2 thumbs up!!!!!

[blacktreemedia]

kingscub28 - agreed.

[PlayStationGamerGod]

Who care what position you came in commenting, want a medal?

Could someone please tell me the song name? :D

[blacktreemedia]

PlayStationGamerGod - Wrath of my Madness, by Queen Latifah, first album.

[kennylondon123]

She's "the" role model.Much respect to this woman! Got to love her.

[sodeserving]

Luv luv luv Queen Latifah!

[thairpee1]

YO, ALL HAILE TOO THE QUEEN.

[ModBeatnikGirl]

@zuesthelessor whats tht?

[choosenmypath5379]

queen latifah aka mrs. dana owens is the best and she a good role model for anyone who give her a chance

[MrWorldbefree]

That was a good movie

[taurgemKa]

LOL...you ain't right. Truth, we all thought about it at some point "is she...?". You are just the first to be bold enough to say it in a public forum where all her fans are gathered. I will still respect her and what she's done with her career, regardless.

I will not give you a thumbs down; cause at least you are being honest.

[1800tryf8th]

she sounds s0 educated!