Queen Latifah

Born in Newark, N.J., on March 18, 1970, Queen Latifah (born Dana Elaine Owens) was raised in a family of police officers. She had turned her childhood knack for rhyming and beat-boxing into a successful career as a hip-hop artist.

The rapper made her first on-screen appearance in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever (1991). Soon after, she debuted as part of the ensemble cast of the sitcom "Living Single." Over the years, Queen Latifah has made memorable supporting appearances in Set It Off (1996), Living Out Loud (1998) and the musical-turned-movie Chicago (2002), for which she received an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actress.

Soon after, the bona fide actress made the leap to leading roles in the comedy Bringing Down the House and the drama Last Holiday. Next, came a starring, Emmy-nominated role in the TV movie Life Support and another mic-grabbing turn in Adam Shankman's Hairspray (both in 2007).

Filmography