As soon as celebs accomplish A-list status, they get to cherry-pick projects and sign contracts that they want. It’s not uncommon to hear an in-demand star or singer make specific– and in some cases odd– needs in their agreements for different factors.
Queen Latifah has actually been in the entertainment industry for decades which has given her the grace to choose what she performs in films. Latifah’s characters do not die in her movies anymore. Here’s why.
Queen Latifah|Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
Queen Latifah got her performing breakthrough in ‘Set It Off’
Although Latifah had actually received honor before mainly due to her music, the 1996 criminal activity action movie Set It Off put her on the map as an actor. The film information a quartet of friends who plan and perform a string of bank burglaries for personal factors however with a common goal, to much better their lives.
Although the majority of the break-ins go off without a hitch, their last one leads to a vicious bloodbath, with only one of the pals enduring and running to Mexico.
Set It Off was a commercial success earning $41 million against its budget plan of $9 million. It was also a vital success and holds a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film stars Jada Pinkett Smith as Stony, Latifah as Cleo, Vivica A. Fox as Frankie and Kimberly Elise as T.T. Latifah’s character, Cleo, was the 2nd person in the buddy group to pass away.
Queen Latifah’s agreement states that she can’t die in her motion pictures
Stars sometimes have otherworldly needs baked into their contracts before they do motion pictures. For instance, Uma Thurman when demanded that she get three cellphones and a three-bedroom hotel suite to movie a motion picture that never even got made.
After appearing in Set It Off, Latifah understood dying in motion pictures seals the deal shut for a star. Once an actor dies in a motion picture, they can not return for a sequel, and Latifah found a way to bypass this. She told James Corden in 2017 that she “put a death stipulation” in her contract after Set It Off.
She stated, “I always had these deaths scenes- and obviously, I passed away too well. I resembled, ‘Hold on. Wait a minute. If I pass away in these films, I can’t be in the follow up.'” After that, Latifah decided she won’t be dying any longer in her tasks.
Queen Latifah started out in the music industry
Latifah didn’t begin her career as the movie star we know her to be today. The rapper got her start in the market through music. She beatboxed for a hip-hop group called Ladies Fresh. At the same time, she became part of the group Taste System.
Latifah was discovered by Fab 5 Freddie, who hosted Yo! MTV Raps, after getting his hands on a recording of Latifah’s music. After a music executive at Tommy Young boy records heard her music, they used the rapper a record deal.
The singer released her first studio album, All Hail the Queen, in 1989. All Hail the Queen peaked at No. 6 on the U.S. R&B chart, resulting in the hit song “Ladies First.” Latifah dropped her 2nd album, Nature of a Sista, two years later on. Latifah grew in prominence because her music highlighted her battles as a Black female.
Her songs covered numerous social topics such as harassment on the streets, domestic violence, and relationship issues. Latifah released numerous albums, consisting of Black Reign, Order in The Court, Trav’lin Light, and Persona.
In 1991, Latifah began taking on supporting functions in films and television shows, appearing in House Party 2, Jungle Fever, Hanging’ With Mr. Cooper, and Juice. She appeared in two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, playing various characters.
RELATED: ‘Set It Off’: Jada Pinkett Smith Wanted to Play Queen Latifah’s Character
Source: https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/queen-latifahs-characters-dont-die-movies-anymore.html/