HBO film BESSIE set to star Queen Latifah as legendary blues singer Bessie Smith. From the Press Release Oscar® nominee Queen Latifah (“Chicago”) stars as legendary blues singer Bessie Smith in the HBO Films drama BESSIE, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Dee Rees (“Pariah”) from a screenplay by Dee Rees and Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois. With a story by Dee Rees and Horton Foote, the film focuses on Smith’s transformation from a struggling young singer into “The Empress of the Blues,” one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and an enduring icon today. Debuting SATURDAY, MAY 16 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO, BESSIE is executive produced by Richard D. Zanuck, Lili Fini Zanuck, Queen Latifah, Shakim Compere, Shelby Stone and Randi Michel. Ron Schmidt produces. Other HBO playdates: May 16 (1:15 a.m.), 17 (7:00 p.m.), 20 (10:30 a.m., 8:00 p.m.), 24 (1:30 p.m., 4:00 a.m.), 26 (3:00 p.m., 11:45 p.m.) and 30 (9:45 a.m., 4:00 p.m.), and June 1 (9:30 p.m.), 5 (1:00...