Queen Latifah

Played the wife of a woolly mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano) in the animated film "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs"

Co-starred with Dakota Fanning in the feature adaption of "The Secret Life of Bees"

Co-starred with Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes in "Mad Money"

Cast as Motormouth Maybelle in the big screen version of the Tony-winning Broadway musical "Hairspray"

Portrayed (also produced) an HIV-positive woman in the HBO movie "Life Support"; earned an Emmy nomination for Best Actress

Co-starred as Emma Thompson's stern assisstant in the Marc Forster comedy, "Stranger Than Fiction"

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (January)

Starred in "Beauty Shop" a spin-off of the successful "Barber Shop" films

Made screenwritting debut with the comedy "The Cookout"; also produced

Received a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album The Dana Owens Album

Starred as a Beauty salon owner in "Barbershop 2: Back in Business"

Co-starred with Steve Martin in the comedy "Bringing Down the House"

Partnered with Curvations the lingerie line that applauds women with curves and confidence; also appeared as the face and body behind the new line of intimate apparel

Received grammy nomination for "Best Female Rap Solo Performance" for the song "Go Head"

Appeared in the CBS mini-series "Living With the Dead" about real-life psychic detective James Van Praagh

Cast as Glenda the Good Witch in "The O.Z." a hip-hop TV adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz"

Cast as Matron Mama Morton in the musical feature adaptation of "Chicago"; earned Golden Globe and Oscar nominations

Cast in a supporting role in "Brown Sugar" starring Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan

Had recurring role as a psychic on the ABC sitcom "Spin City"

Hosted the syndicated talk show "Queen Latifah"

Profiled on "Intimate Portrait" (Lifetime)

On July 16 the car in which she was a passenger was car-jacked in NYC; bodyguard was shot

Cast as a regular on the Fox sitcom "Living Single"; also wrote and performed the theme song

First substantial feature dramatic role, "My Life"

Feature acting debut, Spike Lee's "Jungle Fever"

First major supporting role, "House Party 2"

First series guest spot, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"

TV debut, "Time Warner Presents the Earth Day Special" (ABC)

Released her debut album, All Hail the Queen

Had her demo tapes placed in circulation by a deejay friend

"Discovered" by MTV host Fab 5 Freddy

Formed a rhyming group, Ladies Fresh, with two high school friends; won high school talent contest

Grew up in East Orange, New Jersey

Trained in karate and use of firearms by her policeman father

Was a power forward on two state championship basketball teams in high school

Worked as a cashier at the Wiz in Newark, New Jersey

Worked at a Burger King fast-food restaurant