Entertainment

Actress got the 'Holiday' she wanted

10:22 AM CST on Friday, January 13, 2006

By CHRIS VOGNAR / The Dallas Morning News

Queen Latifah helped open the door for female rappers with her 1989 debut album, All Hail the Queen. Now she's known primarily as an actress, and a good one: She picked up an Oscar nod for her role as Matron Mama Norton in 2002's Chicago. This week Latifah, 35, stars in Last Holiday as Georgia Byrd, a New Orleans retail worker who learns she has a fatal illness and decides to cut loose (and help others do the same). We talked about the film in a recent phone conversation:

Question: How did you come to star in 'Last Holiday'?

Answer: I went up to Paramount and said, "Stick 'em up!" No, the script had been floating around for a while. We had been looking to do something together for a long time. They had this project over there, and my agent kept asking them to change it for me. I guess they thought it was a good idea.

Question: How was the script changed for you?

Answer: This script was originally for an Alec Guinness movie [released in 1950]. Then it was rewritten for John Candy. Then they changed the character to a black female from New Orleans. Everything was changed about it.

Question: The movie was obviously shot before Katrina. But what were your thoughts as you saw what was happening on the news?

Answer: It broke my heart. I'm just looking at these people, and saying, "Where the hell is the help?" I got as involved as I could. I hosted a telethon on BET, and I got on the phone to figure out how to raise money. I donated $100,000 to the Red Cross. I have some friends there who worked on the film; I'm putting them up now, taking care of their housing in Atlanta. I had a wonderful time in New Orleans. I walked my dog every morning in the French Quarter and really got to know the people. Everybody has a wonderful time in New Orleans. It's frightening to think of what people are going through.

Question: You frequently play the role of a woman who helps to loosen up other people. Is that something you're conscious of, or that you look for?

Answer: Well, I love being able to do that. I even do that in real life. People are way too wound up, and they don't even want to be. They want someone like me to come along and help them get loose and give them an excuse to do it. I find that people have more in common than they think. We just allow all this petty stuff like race and class and religion to separate us. If you just cut through the crap to who's underneath, you can make a connection.

Question: What kinds of roles would you like to take on that you haven't been able to do yet?

Answer: I'd like to do some of those fun thrillers like Nicole Kidman does, like The Interpreter. I'd love to do a big sci-fi movie, or a fantasy. I'd love to play a villain. Or maybe a biopic, about someone who helps kids see the potential in themselves and overcome obstacles.

Question: Is that kind of stuff available for you?

Answer: Yeah, it's just a matter of finding the right scripts and the right people.

E-mail cvognar@dallasnews.com