Queen Latifah is to star as Bessie Smith in the upcoming HBO biopic of her life, simply entitled Bessie.

Bisexual blues singer Bessie Smith was the most popular female singer of the 20s and 30s, up until her death at the age of 43. By the 1920s, Smith was the highest paid African American entertainer of her time.

The biopic will show Queen Latifah as the successful singer while telling the tale of Smith’s troubled childhood,  turbulent marriage, her numerous affairs and her rise to stardom.

Watch the teaser trailer below: