Rapper and actress Queen Latifah is set to be recognised as an Entertainment Icon at the upcoming American Black Film Festival Honors.
The Oscar-nominated actress is set to receive the award at this year’s ceremony, to be held in Los Angeles tonight (February 17).
“It means so much to me coming from fellow entertainers and my peers,” the actress said, according to The Associated Press.
Latifah, real name Dana Owens, got her start as a rapper almost three decades ago. Besides her Oscar nod for Chicago, she’s also been nominated twice for Emmy acting categories and won an Emmy for producing the HBO movie Bessie. She has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Latifah joins fellow honorees including Denzel Washington, who will receive the Hollywood Legacy Award, while Empire star Terrence Howard and director F. Gary Gray, who directed Latifah in classic movie Set It Off, will both be hailed with the Excellence in the Arts Award. Insecure writer/actress Issa Rae will pick up the Rising Star Award.
Meanwhile, busy actress and producer Latifah recently announced she is developing a modern-day Bible-themed TV series. The Scroll will feature new versions of stories from the Bible told through the perspective of a group of friends, based on historical figures in the religious tome.
Latifah will serve as an executive producer on the project, which TV bosses are planning to put into production later this year.
The new series is Latifah’s latest foray into TV – she appears on Lee Daniels’ music drama Star and she is also planning a reboot of her show Living Single.
The American Black Film Festival Honors, which celebrates entertainment in black culture, will be hosted by actress Regina Hall.
