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a14 people & arts
Friday 29 January 2021
Queen Latifah ‘stoked’ to land post-Super Bowl slot for show

By BETH HARRIS ma, joining Teresa Graves,
Associated Press Kerry Washington and Viola
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Queen Davis — all of whom were
Latifah thrives on going big. Golden Globe-nominated
From writing and rapping for their roles.
at the start of her career to Latifah gets to cruise on a
being an Oscar-nominated motorcycle (a passion in
actress to producing, she real life) and fight, some-
has upended expectations thing she and her brother
for years. learned as youngsters from
Her latest chapter comes their police officer-father.
in the new CBS series “The “My father taught us how
Equalizer” as the first Black to fight at a young age,
woman to portray the role how to defend ourselves,
in the franchise. taught us all these moves,
The show debuts Feb. 7 in and then told us never to
the coveted timeslot follow- use them unless you were
ing the Super Bowl, typical- defending your mother,
ly the year’s most-watched your brother, you’re stick-
program. The series settles ing up for someone who’s
into its regular Sunday night being bullied,” she said.
slot on Feb. 14. While Latifah loves action
The football game offers This image released by CBS shows Queen Latifah in a scene from the series “The Equalizer,” and fighting, she doesn’t go
the potential of a huge premiering after the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 7. in for gratuitous violence.
lead-in audience to in- Associated Press As an executive producer,
troduce Latifah as Robyn a great boost for our crew credits from the state have ries as a kid,” Latifah said. her influence extends to all
McCall, an ex-CIA officer that has been working re- helped lure TV and film proj- “What Denzel did with the areas of the show.
who uses her skills to de- ally hard under difficult ects to the sprawling site. feature films has been in- “I want to see Robyn fight,
fend those who can’t help conditions. It just gave us all “We’re across the street credible. We wanted to do not just with her hands, but
themselves while pursuing a boost around here and from Giants Stadium, for cr- something different.” with her brains. That’s what
her own redemption. Her made us go even harder yin’ out loud,” said Latifah, Latifah’s character is a di- you haven’t seen enough
co-stars include Chris Noth, and work even harder.” a self-proclaimed “huge” vorced single mom to a of, particularly from Black
Lorraine Toussaint and Latifah is getting her licks football fan. teenage daughter. On the women on television and
Adam Goldberg. and kicks in on three sets The crime drama is be- job, her character is strong, in a lead role. We’ve been
The post-Super Bowl slot has built inside Meadowlands ing reimagined, following cool and skilled, but at equalizing for centuries,
provided monstrous ratings Arena in East Rutherford, the original series from the home she’s thrown off-bal- from Hatshepsut to Stacey
over the years for shows like New Jersey, her home 1980s with a white man ance. Abrams to Kamala Harris,”
“Friends,” “Survivor” and state. The arena where fel- (Edward Woodward) in Debra Martin Chase, an she said.
“Undercover Boss.” low Jerseyites Bruce Spring- the title role. That show executive producer on the Latifah added: “Hopefully,
“I’m so stoked that we’re steen and Frank Sinatra, as spawned films in 2014 and show, said she believes Lat- they’ll start to say, ‘Damn,
coming on after the Super well as the NBA and NHL, 2018 starring Oscar winner ifah is just the fourth Black Latifah is a badass.’ The
Bowl,” Latifah said Wednes- once played closed in 2015 Denzel Washington. woman to play the lead on ego in me wants them to
day on a video call. “It was after nearly 40 years. Tax “I did watch the original se- an hour-long network dra- say that.”q
Dwayne Johnson is a contender in NBC sitcom ‘Young Rock’

Using the candidacy as a so polarizing as it is.”
device to revisit his past was Khan’s persuasive argu-
suggested by Nahnatchka ment: “She said something
Khan, executive producer to the effect of, ‘Well, you
of “Young Rock,” he told always say you’re a man
The Associated Press on of the people, and I think
Tuesday. Johnson also is an we should give it a shot,’”
executive producer for the Johnson recounted.
series, debuting Feb. 16, In a 2018 Vanity Fair inter-
with his younger versions view, the film and TV star
played by Adrian Groulx, said he’d seriously consid-
Bradley Constant and Uli ered a 2020 run for presi-
This combination of photos released by NBC shows, from left, Dwayne Johnson, left, and the Latukefu. dent but decided against
actors who portray him in the comedy series “Little Rock,” Adrian Groulx as Dwayne at 10, Bradley “We were trying to figure it. q
Constant as Dwayne at 15 and Uli Latukefu as Dwayne at 20. The series premieres on Feb. 16. out a creative way that I
Associated Press can be intertwined in ev- 7 3 9 5 4 2 8 6 1
ery episode, to be part of 6 8 5 7 3 1 2 9 4
By LYNN ELBER sidestepped the possibility son’s reflections on his life it. This was (Khan’s) idea, 2 1 4 6 9 8 5 7 3
AP Television Writer of a real-life run someday. as he stumps for office. and at first I was a little reti- 1 5 7 3 2 4 6 8 9
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A coming-of-age story in- Is Johnson cleverly prepar- cent about it because it’s 4 2 8 9 5 6 1 3 7
Dwayne Johnson’s new spired by the former pro ing America for his next political,” he said. “You just 9 6 3 8 1 7 4 5 2 2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
NBC comedy “Young wrestler’s colorful but chal- act? knew that by the time the 3 4 6 2 7 5 9 1 8
Rock” has him campaign- lenging childhood and “I think the people will pre- show was coming out, poli- 5 7 1 4 8 9 3 2 6
ing for president in 2032, youth, “Young Rock” is pare me. I can say that,” tics was gong to take yet 8 9 2 1 6 3 7 4 5
but the actor and producer framed by the adult John- he replied with a laugh. another hard turn and be Difficulty Level 1/29