Queen Latifah Opens Up About the Special Bond with Her Mother That Inspired Her Success

For Queen Latifah, the bond with her late mother, Rita Owens, remains one of the deepest influences on her life — both personally and professionally. In a series of emotional recollections, the award-winning actress and music icon, born Dana Owens, has often credited Rita as her greatest source of strength, inspiration, and love.

Rita Owens, who passed away on March 21, 2018, after a long battle with scleroderma, was far more than Queen Latifah’s parent. She was her guiding star. Their connection is woven into nearly every chapter of Latifah’s life, beginning in her teenage years. At just 17, as Queen Latifah ventured into late-night club gigs, Rita was by her side — not as a chaperone, but as a believer. Rita’s faith in her daughter’s talent helped nurture the young artist’s confidence long before fame arrived. As Queen Latifah recounted in an interview with People magazine, during the pressures of her early career, she would often “disappear and call [her] mother,” seeking the reassurance only Rita could provide.

The support wasn’t just emotional. Professionally, Rita also left her mark, appearing as Queen Latifah’s mother in the beloved FOX sitcom Living Single from 1993 to 1998. This on-screen partnership mirrored the real-world bond the two shared, one rooted in love, empowerment, and a regal sense of dignity. “Everything queenly about me came from my mother,” Queen Latifah has said, capturing how Rita’s spirit helped shape her public persona.

Outside the entertainment spotlight, Rita Owens dedicated 25 years to teaching in public high schools, instilling in thousands of students the same message she passed to her daughter: that they could be anything they dreamed of. Her impact on education and her community lives on, a testament to a life spent uplifting others.

Even after her mother’s passing, Queen Latifah continues to feel her presence in profound ways. In interviews, she has shared stories of “little signs” — blinking lights, flickering moments, unexpected kindness from strangers — that make her believe Rita is still guiding her. Visiting her mother’s cherished home in Newark, New Jersey, filled with vibrant African art and memories, Queen Latifah feels it strongly: “She’s in my fiber.”

Through her enduring love, wisdom, and spirit, Rita Owens remains a central force in Queen Latifah’s life — a queen behind the Queen.