{"id":69147,"date":"2014-06-10T08:25:35","date_gmt":"2014-06-10T08:25:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2014\/06\/10\/charles-s-dutton-tika-sumpter-mike-epps-join-hbo-bessie-smith-film\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T04:02:25","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T04:02:25","slug":"charles-s-dutton-tika-sumpter-mike-epps-join-hbo-bessie-smith-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/charles-s-dutton-tika-sumpter-mike-epps-join-hbo-bessie-smith-film\/","title":{"rendered":"Charles S. Dutton, Tika Sumpter, Mike Epps Join Queen Latifah’s Bessie Smith Film"},"content":{"rendered":"

Charles S. Dutton, Tika Sumpter, Mike Epps Join Queen Latifah’s Bessie Smith Film<\/strong>Posted by Wilson Morales<\/p>\n

June 10, 2014<\/p>\n

Source: Deadline<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Charles<\/a><\/p>\n

Charles S. Dutton, Tika Sumpter<\/strong>, and Mike Epps<\/strong> have joined the cast of ‘Bessie,’<\/strong> HBO\u2019s film about Bessie Smith<\/strong>, with Queen Latifah<\/strong> starring as the iconic blues singer.<\/p>\n

Directed by Dee Rees<\/strong>, the film will be based on the life story of Smith, the project chronicles how Smith overcame her tempestuous personal life to become one of the most acclaimed performing and recording artists of the 1920s and \u201930s, earning the nickname Empress of the Blues.<\/p>\n

\"Queen<\/a>Dutton will play William \u201cPa\u201d Rainey, husband and partner to Ma Rainey (played by Oscar winner Mo\u2019Nique<\/strong>). Epps plays Richard Morgan, bootlegger and romantic interest to Bessie Smith, while Sumpter plays Lucille, a chorus girl in Bessie\u2019s troupe.<\/p>\n

Coincidentally, Charles was nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Levee Greene in the Broadway production of Ma Rainey\u2019s Black Bottom<\/strong> written by August Wilson.<\/p>\n

Sumpter is starring as Candace Young in the OWN drama series The Haves and the Have Nots<\/strong>. She was recently seen opposite Ice Cube and Kevin Hart in the hit film Ride Along<\/strong> and will next be seen in the James Brown biopic Get On Up<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Epps, last seen in the indie film Repentance<\/strong>, is shooting the Starz series Survivor\u2019s Remorse<\/strong>, and just wrapped the Universal feature Term Life<\/strong>. His next film is the comedy School Dance<\/strong>, directed by Nick Cannon.<\/p>\n

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