Queen Latifah as Pearl Bailey

[emssf03]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 2:41pm

Re-watched Chicago last night, can anyone else see this? Maybe it's already been discussed - i'm rather new here. Just thought I would throw it out as a "one woman show" idea Whoopi did a fantastic show based on Moms Mabley, I think Pearl has the definate makins of a life work retrospective.

Updated On: 8/20/04 at 02:41 PM

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 3:27pm

Thats an interesting idea - and the Queen can sing...anyone else see her in Living Out Loud (one of my all-time favorite films)? She plays a club singer with a penchant for dating gay men...its a great movie with some wonderful scenes (I live for the moment that she and Holly Hunter's character get high and go dancing at a lesbian club - one of the hottest dance sequences I've seen on film yet...)...see it if you can - I own my copy already!

[WOSQ]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 3:48pm

This is very good casting.

Too bad Pearl was such a bitch. The kind you hear about but rarely encounter.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 3:49pm

I still want to see the Queen as Mama Rose one day.

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 3:55pm

was pearl a bitch?

[eyeonbroadway]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 3:55pm

I've been very impressed with Queen Latifah and I think she would do a great Pearl.

I don't know much about Pearl Bailey other than what I remember from television...How did she get a reputation for being such a bitch? She always came across as being so laid back and genuine...

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:00pm

Eye - it's called acting. Some of the most self-involved, nasty horrors come across beautifully in interviews. Most of them, in fact. They don't want to alienate their fans.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:01pm

*coughmarisatomeicough*

[emssf03]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:02pm

Wow - the Queen as mama rose! I would love to see that. Interesting too that Pearl did Dolly with an all african american cast. I never heard too much about Pearl and being a bitch, could be the strong woman identity or possibly being a minority in the business.

[eyeonbroadway]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:05pm

Oh no, Rath...You've shattered one of my childhood illusions! You mean I can't believe everything I saw on TV?? Seriously, though, I'd never heard this before. There must be some stories out there...

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:05pm

did pearl and carol channing get along? i saw their show and their relationship sometimes seemed sort of strained, maybe that is just the vibe i got though

[emssf03]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:10pm

Actually I worked with Miss Channing on the awful play " Legends"
and she spoke very highly about Pearl in her stories.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:19pm

Matt! Yes, yes, yes! Queen Latifah as Momma Rose!!! What a brilliant idea.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:44pm

There is the story, and maybe someone can correct me if I mess up the details: David Merrick wanted Pearl to do "Hello Dolly". Pearl told Merrick (who was known to be tight with money) about a nice diamond ring she had seen. Pearl got the ring and David got a Dolly.

[eyeonbroadway]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:46pm

Well....one might say that wouldn't make her a bitch (other than to Merrick) but just a good negotiator...

[emssf03]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:52pm

I have never heard the Diamond story, I always understood that it was Carol Channing who suggested Pearl for Dolly, because she needed a break from the run, and they decided they would totally have to re-work the show to stop the show from losing at the box office once Channing left.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 7/21/17 at 1:45am

I never heard anything but good about Pearl. I've always thought Queen looked just like her. How neat would it be for her to take on Dolly like Pearl did

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 7/21/17 at 1:50am

So Pearl should've just taken the role without voicing her own needs and wants? She did what she should and what every performer should do in this business. 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 7/21/17 at 4:37am

Does anyone know what Queen Latifah is like as a person? Is she known for being a decent person or a bit of a bitch? Her characters are always likable so I'd hate to think she wasn't a nice person.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/21/17 at 5:59am

Dancingthrulife2 said: "So Pearl should've just taken the role without voicing her own needs and wants? She did what she should and what every performer should do in this business. 

 

"

You are yelling at posters that wrote THOSE comments nearly THIRTEEN years ago. Most of them, maybe all, aren't even here anymore. 

[devonian.t]

Posted: 7/21/17 at 9:20am

Time flies!  Thirteen years!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/21/17 at 9:42am

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/21/17 at 10:30am

Queen Latifah has already tackled to acclaim the legendary Bessie Smith in HBO's 2015 bio film BESSIE.  I doubt she'd want to be typecast as playing another bio film of another famous heavy set performer.  Plus she's mentioned numerous projects playing Pearl Bailey have been considered for her throughout the years.  There's a reason none happened.  

[TNick926]

Posted: 7/21/17 at 11:17am

The reason I've always heard is that really the story of Pearl Bailey's life isn't very dramatic...there's no great struggle with addiction or tumultuous love affairs or tangles with directors on a scale that would be much interest.  However, I would DIE to see Queen Latifah as Dolly once Bette steps down from her throne... :)

[darreyl102]

Posted: 6/22/20 at 5:28pm

eyeonbroadway said: "I've been very impressed with Queen Latifah and I think she would do a great Pearl.

 

I don't know much about Pearl Bailey other than what I remember from television...How did she get a reputation for being such a bitch? She always came across as being so laid back and genuine..."

 I know I'm bumping this up after years BUT Regardin being a B or mean- I read a PEOPLE magazine article interview with Maya Angelou's son Guy Johnson, who said his mother auditioned for the understudy for Pearl in DOLLY. :

“The director and the producer both loved her,” Johnson said. “But Pearl Bailey came back and said ‘Oh no — I ain’t gonna have this big old ugly girl be my understudy.’ ”

https://people.com/tv/maya-angelous-pearl-bailey-hello-dolly-and-still-i-rise-exclusive-clip

I've always loved Pearl, but if true does come off rather mean. IDK