If you’ve been keeping tabs, black women have been covering the September issue of many high-profile publications.
Ciara showed off her trim figure for Shape magazine, while Kerry Washington put her dancer’s physique on display for Self. Serena Williams almost broke the Internet when her pictures for her New York Magazine spread began to surface and Beyonce became the first black woman to cover Vogue‘s September issue, while Misty Copeland sparkled on Essence.
READ: Kerry Washington Serves Fit and Fab On The Cover of ‘Self’
Following suit is Queen Latifah as she covers Variety and discusses the many bold moves she’s made in her career. The Academy Award nominated rapper/actress/mogul attributes her success to being hands on and never backing down.
“I’ve always been a bit of a fighter,” she says. “I’ve always had an opinion about things.”
The New Jersey native who has successfully created a brand, knew she was going to always be in charge, but also knew she’d make mistakes along the way.
READ: Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige Sign On For “The Wiz Live”
“And when I saw the positive ways it could be used, I was like, OK. Just know every once in a while I’m going to eff up,” the 45 year old said.
One of the best nuggets of unknown information about Queen Latifah was her journey to her HBO film Bessie, which began early on in her career. Producers Lili and Richard Zanuck asked Latifah to audition for the film when she was just 22 year old.
“She hadn’t done much yet, but she screen-tested and she was incredible,” Lili Zanuck recalls. “At a very young age, she had this gravitas and incredible pride. And Bessie is not a victim in any way. This woman was like a rock ’n’ roller of her time; she drank, she did drugs, she was bisexual. She was so empowered.”
To read more about Queen Latifah rise from humble beginnings to Hollywood stardom, CLICK HERE