At this stage in her career, is there really anything that can be said or written about Queen Latifah that hasn’t alrea dy made its way to print? Probably not. Yet, that was the challenge facing this writer as I sat down in front of my lap top and prepared to cleverly craft a story that would make the world believe that my time with Latifah was one of the coolest experiences imaginable … cooler than having Beyoncé and Gabrielle Union engaged in a violent wrestling match to win my love … and way cooler than taking Theo’s place as the lone son on “The Cosby Show.” Yeah, I needed this piece to be epic.
So what could I write about? Well, I could begin with the details that led to our encounter. We both found ourselves in Manhattan at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel for a press day to support her latest film, Just Wright, a romantic comedy co-starring Common. For two days, Latifah was holed up on the 40th floor where sh
e conducted hundreds of interviews to spread the word about the movie. By her own account, she was “very proud of the film, and believed that it had something for everyone.”
After seeing it for myself, I understood her point. If you’re into romantic comedies, then this will be right up your alley when date night rolls around. And even if your significant other dreads those types of mushy movies, but gets a rise out of sports-themed cinema, then there’s a steady diet of basketball action sequences built in to whet their appetite. Finally, if you’re anything like me and enjoy watching movies with beautiful people, then the stunning Paula Patton (along with Common and Laz Alonzo for the ladies) certainly satisfies that requirement.
See, there’s something for everyone.
But even with those essentials in mind, I was still at a loss as to how I could reveal a side of Queen Latifah that the world didn’t already know. Thankfully, I was saved by Latifah herself, who in many ways would write the story without even knowing it.
The Introduction of Dana Owens
Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with Queen Latifah on more
occasions than I have time to recount. In many ways, we’ve managed to develop a rapport that allows her to let down her guard and be herself when I’m around. So as we sat down and shot the breeze — while admiring the breathtaking view of the New York City skyline — something struck me.
At that moment, I was no longer speaking to Queen Latifah. I had somehow managed to earn her confidence enough that I was being introduced to Dana Elaine Owens, a woman that may look, talk and act like Queen Latifah, but who in many ways was the polar opposite of her more famous persona.
The differences between the two are stark. While Queen Latifah is always no-nonsense, and keenly focused on advancing her personal brand and her Flavor Unit Production Company; Owens is far different. She stops to admire the beauty of God’s creations, laughs and jokes continuously, and even felt the impulse to interrupt our conversation to jump up and dance to the house music playing in the background. For Owens, the comfort in being herself without letting the Queen Latifah brand dictate her life, came as a result of finally understanding that Queen Latifah and Dana Owens didn’t have to be the same person.
“Queen Latifah outgrew me a long time ago,” she carefully explains. “The brand has turned into something that is way bigger than I am, so I’ve just let it go and let it blossom into what it’s supposed to be. There was a time when Queen Latifah and Dana were the same person, but as Queen Latifah continued to grow, I continued to stay the same. So now, the world can enjoy all that Queen Latifah is, and all that Queen Latifah represents. And while they’re doing that, I will continue to be sitting here in the corner enjoying life as Dana.”
You could also say that such a liberating epiphany has done wonders in her ever-evolving understanding of self. “I can’t tell you how happy I am right now,” she continued, just as the blooming flowers on the balcony of the hotel suite caught her eye.
”Wow, it is such a beautiful day,” she interjected. “I get lost in this kind of stuff, so you’ll have to excuse me. Like I was saying though, I’m really happy right now. I’m completely comfortable with who I am as a woman and as an artist. That allows me to operate in the realm of Queen Latifah with total confidence, and then be able to go home and enjoy myself with the people that are close to me.”
This separation between Latifah and Owens has also eased her frustrations with tabloid journalists who — as they do with many celebrities — target her personal life for scrutiny and dissection. “I had to stop reading my headlines a long time ago, because there are so many people out here that print stories without my best interests at heart,” she shares. “Sometimes they just print blatant lies, and other times, it’s obvious that they just decided to plug my name into a story that they already wanted to write. So I stopped reading stories about me, and I stopped worrying about it. As long as I know who I am, and I continue to have good people around me that love me, then I’ll be fine.”
A Mother’s Love
Rita Owens (Dana’s mother) is perhaps the one loved one that stands above the rest. Whether it’s in a personal or professional sense, the impact that Rita has had on both Owens and Queen Latifah has proven to be immeasurable. So when her mother’s name came up, it was almost as if Dana was teleported to an awards ceremony dais as she passionately lavished endless amounts of praise on the woman that gave her physical life, and who also breathed life into her career.
“My mother is my everything,” Owens thoughtfully shares. “She never hindered me from growing and discovering who I was, and she always supported my brother and me in everything that we wanted to do. When my career was first starting out, she was with me every step of the way, and she continues to be with me every step of the way. I just love her so much, and I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have half of the success that I have today. The only thing that she probably regrets is that she had to share me with the world so soon. Now don’t get me wrong, my mother’s happy for me and my success, but I think that there’s a part of her that wishes she could have kept me to herself a little bit longer.”
As she uttered those final words, her publicist walked in to share the rest of that day’s schedule. As she reeled off a long list of press outlets that were pining for her time, Dana Owens began to slowly fade away. She took a deep sigh, stood up, and offered me a final hug. It was time to be Queen Latifah again … it was time to go conquer the world.
