Latifah to Become Female Jesse Jackson

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno

      Queen Latifah is just now finishing up the film version of “Hairspray” with John Travolta, but she already has her next project in her sights. Latifah and producer Adam Shankman have announced that they will do a remake of “All of Me”, Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin’s hilarious 1984 comedy, for New Line Cinema.

      In the original film, Tomlin plays a dying spoiled heiress whose soul ends up in the body of Steve Martin’s lawyer character. She controls the right of his body while he controls the left side. In the new version, Latifah will play a Jesse Jackson-type politician/activist whose soul enters the body of a conservative politician.

      "When New Line told us that they wanted to remake it with an African-American actress in the role, we said it’s got to be Latifah," said Jennifer Gibgot, Shankman’s producing partner. "Adam adores her and thinks she’s great with physical comedy, and as it happens, she wants to go back to doing physical comedy."

      Shankman is also producing “Hairspray” and produced the Latifah and Steve Martin 2003 flick, “Bringing Down the House.”