Let’s take a moment away from the buzz around "Game Of Thrones" season five, and the chatter swirling about Alex Gibney‘s Scientology documentary, "Going Clear," and talk about another HBO project that has nothing to do with popular bestsellers or investigations into celebrity-associated cults. Instead, let’s take a look at "Bessie," an old school biopic that’s coming with lots of style.
Helmed by "Pariah" director Dee Rees, and starring Queen Latifah, Michael Kenneth Williams, Mo’Nique, Mike Epps, and more, the film tells the tale of "The Empress Of The Blues," Bessie Smith, tracking her rise from a struggling young singer to the icon and one the most successful artists of the 1920s that she became. It’s not often that old school blues artists get this kind of treatment, but few of them match the legend of Bessie Smith, and this looks like it hits all the right notes.
"Bessie" premieres on HBO on May 16th. Watch the trailer below, along with character spots and lots of new images.