Queen Latifah has discussed her past body image fears that almost stopped her pursuing a career in music and acting.
The 54-year-old Grammy award-winning rap sensation has sold millions of records around the world and won an Oscar nomination and Golden Globe wins for her acting.
But the star admits she feared she never thought she would make it in the creative industries due to the size of her body.
Deadline reports her discussing her early career fears while attending the Cannes Lions event in France, quoting the star saying, “I watched this idea of what beauty was supposed to be – size two, blue-eyed. That was being pushed on everyone as I was growing up. I thought that was a bar I was never going to meet.”
She explained body image played on her mind, recalling, “Can I move into Hollywood in a way I would like to, and accomplish what I would like to in this business, being me? It was about finding people who understood that was the vision.”
The Chicago actress encountered struggles, revealing, “Of course there was push back. People are stuck in their mindsets – it’s not just actors, it’s producers, people at studios, people who’ve gone through their own weight loss journeys – who’ve heard different messages within their own homes, so they’re putting that out to other people and they’re creating the media and the imagery we see.”
She went on to praise Oprah Winfrey for changing the public dialogue about body image as her own weight has fluctuated over the years.
Queen Latifah said, “When I think of her and what she’s been through on that journey, I love the idea that someone will not have to endure the same journey today, that they will be able to walk into their doctor’s office and just have a conversation.”
