Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe NEW YORK, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Whether it is with her singing voice, acting ability or flair for comedy, Queen Latifah can really bring down the house. Sassy, brassy and at the top of her game, the 32-year-old Jersey girl just nabbed a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of the prison matron Mama in the acclaimed film musical, "Chicago." Advertisement She will be seen next month seducing Steve Martin in the comedy "Bringing Down the House" and has a "soulful, melodic" new album, "First Love," coming out on her own label, Latifah Records, later this year. Asked if she is enjoying her multi-faceted success, Latifah admits with a smile that it's good to be the queen. "All of this is a blessing," the singer-actress tells United Press International. Co-starring in "Chicago" with Richard Gere and Renee Zellweger was a blast, Latifah says, adding that she hopes the film's success will translate into a revival of the film musical. Advertisement "I really do hope so because it's just fun filmmaking," she says. "I loved 'Moulin Rouge,' but not only did I like it, it did well and it made some money. For the dollar and cents side of it, that's a lot of what Hollywood needs, but really, that's why I'm really proud of ('Chicago' producer) Harvey (Weinstein) and those guys because they're not worried about the money. They just wanted to make the movie." The cast member with the most singing and dancing experience, Latifah recalls fondly a read-through the players did for Miramax executives long before production began. While Gere and Zellweger remember the dry run as a daunting experience, Latifah says she enjoyed the chance to strut her stuff for the suits and to see how capable her castmates were. "Everyone sang, and that's when I knew, 'OK, we're all right,'" she explains. "And everyone was totally different from the next. Everyone sounded different. Like, John (C. Reilly) has got this precious, little sweet voice and it's so clear and I almost cried. I mean, it was so tender just hearing the ending of 'Mr. Cellophane,' like, I was just drawn into it and Catherine (Zeta-Jones) is just belting all this attitude and this sass, and then, you know, Renee (Zellweger) has this kind of ditzy part, but she's doing this song like in a softer kind of way and Richard (Gere) was just totally into the 1920s of it all, from day one, and I like that guy. I was like, 'Alright then.'" Advertisement Nominated for several critics' and guild awards, Latifah insists the only prize she would like is the pretty fan she waved during one of "Chicago"'s many showstoppers. "I want the fan," she laughs. "You keep the Oscar, give me the fan." Next up for Latifah is the ensemble comedy, "Bringing Down the House," a project that breaks Latifah up just to talk about. Noting the trailer for the movie is in theaters now, she declares: "That s--- is funny. Can I say that? That s--- is funny. It's hilarious. Did you see that trailer? Yo, I'm telling you that the movie is crazy, and then, Eugene Levy is so funny in it. Betty White is hysterical and it's just one of those good comedies. It's like Steve Martin at his best, getting to ham it up and do all of that stuff we loved about him in 'The Jerk' and we loved about him on 'Saturday Night Live.' It was like, 'this is the Steve Martin that I grew to love ... ' and he got to be that guy in this movie again." Asked how she fit in with that group of legendary comics, Latifah replies: "I was totally comfortable. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm way more of a joker than I am a serious person. That's why 'Living Single' was so fun for me because up until that point, everyone thought that Queen Latifah was this serious, serious person and I'm like, 'That's so not me,' but you guys keep asking me serious questions, I'm going to give you a serious answer -- or because I came out with this strength in this African garb, initially, you know, people kind of took me seriously, but we had a lot of fun." Advertisement Latifah hints that, like her prison matron Mama in "Chicago," audiences will again see her brassy, sensual side in "Bringing Down the House." But she warns any sexiness is tinged with comedy. "The thought of me freaking Steve Martin was enough to crack me up. I mean, I was looking good, but it was funny to me," she laughs. "Chicago" is in theaters now and "Bringing Down the House" opens March 7.
