It's good to be queen…Queen Latifah, that is. Not only has her music career spanned nearly 20 years, but she's acted in some uh-mazing movies, like Chicago and Hairspray. Now, Queen is starring in The Secret Life of Bees in a role that couldn't be more perfect for her if she were August Boatright herself. Read on as Queen reminisces about singing sessions on set with Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson, working with bees, and more!

What was it like working with Dakota Fanning?
For me, it was important that Dakota was locked in [to the movie before I signed on]. I don't know if I would've done it if she wasn't. Seriously, Dakota is a bona fide actor, and I respect her. Even though she's a teenager, she's proven. There was really no one else attached to it at the time except for Dakota, but Lily is so complicated that whoever was going to take over this role had to be able to play it. [There are] so many places this character has to go, and you gotta have some skills to really take her there.

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