Queen Latifah Explains Why Playing A Gay Character Was Her Hardest Role

Queen Latifah is one of the most respected women not just in hip hop, but the entertainment industry as a whole. 

The accomplished rapper, singer, actress and producer recently sat down for an interview with Instyle, and shared one very interesting thing about herself. "Black-ish" star Tracee Ellis Ross did the honors of interviewing her. During the interview, Latifah admitted why it was so difficult to play a gay character in "Set It Off."

"When I got the role of amateur bank robber Cleo Sims in 'Set It Off,' I sat down with my younger siblings and told them, 'Listen, I’m playing a gay character. Your classmates might tease you or say negative things about it. But I’m doing it because I believe I can bring positive attention to the gay African-American community, and I believe that I can do a great job as an actor,' Latifah said. "They understood, and when those things inevitably happened in school, they were OK with it."

For years now, fans of hers have been wondering whether or not Latifah was homosexual. She's even been spotted getting PDA heavy with women in paparazzi-snapped photos. But, she's never confirmed these rumors, herself. In a previous interview discussing these claims with The Hollywood Reporter, Latifah said: "I don’t feel the need to discuss my private life on this show or any other show. There’s the part of my life that the public and I share together. And there’s the part that’s mine to keep for myself. And that’s mine. For me."

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