WATCH: Queen Latifah as Bisexual Blues Singer Bessie Smith in Amazing HBO Trailer

The wait is almost over for HBO's Bessie, and for some it's been an over two-decade-long journey. Queen Latifah, who stars as the bisexual blues legend Bessie Smith, was first contacted about the project when she was 22 years old and believes it's only gotten better with time. Directed and co-written by openly gay Pariah writer/director Dee Rees, this intense biopic about the woman who influenced artists like Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin is one you won't want to miss. 

Smith, born in 1912, in Chattanooga, Tenn., is widely credited with introducing the blues into popular American music. She kicked off her career performing with Ma Rainey (played by Mo’Nique in the film) and enjoyed a solid career, becoming the highest paid African American performer of the ‘20s.  Her career began to wane during the Great Depression, when the recording industry was in decline, according to the University of Illinois website. A pioneer on many fronts, Smith sang songs with explicit lesbian lyrics, including “It’s Dirty But Good.” A married woman, Smith was said to keep many female lovers.

Watch the trailer here and tune into HBO at 8pm this Saturday to finally catch Bessie in action!

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