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Queen Latifah says 'Living Single' cast was told to lose weight

"We’re on the No. 1 show among Black and Latino households in America and you’re telling us we need to lose weight,” recalled Latifah in a "Red Table Talk" preview.
LIVING SINGLE, Kim Fields, Kim Coles, Erika Alexander, Queen Latifah, 1993-1998.
Queen Latifah, far right, said she and her "Living Single" co-stars were told to lose weight while the 1990s Fox sitcom was a hit.Courtesy Everett Collection

Queen Latifah is opening up about how she and her female co-stars on "Living Single" were told to lose weight.

In a preview teaser for Wednesday's episode for Facebook Watch's "Red Table Talk," the "Equalizer" star, 52, recalled the scrutiny she and her castmates — Kim Coles, Erika Alexander and Kim Fields — were subjected to while filming the hit 1990s sitcom.

"We helped create 'Living Single.' When you look at that picture, you see four different women, four different shades, four different types and we looked like four women who would live in Brooklyn. And that's who we were supposed to be representing," recalled Latifah, who was already a hip-hop superstar when the series began.

"And we loved being able to do that," she continued. "Because we rocked brands that nobody was rocking. We had all kind of guests on our show that had never been on TV before — rappers and actors and just cool people.

"But the word came down that we needed to lose weight," she recalled, irritated by the memory.

"We're on the No. 1 show among Black and Latino households in America and you're telling us we need to lose weight," she said. "Maybe you're the one with the problem."

"Living Single" aired for five seasons on Fox from August 1993 until January 1998.

Just last month, Latifah told People magazine that she takes pride in bucking Hollywood's unrealistic body standards.

While she is willing to adjust her physique for certain roles when the adjustments make sense, she refuses to drop pounds if it means sacrificing her health.

"Health is most important to me. It’s not about losing weight or gaining weight. When I want to lose weight, or gain weight, I know how to do it in a healthy way,” Latifah explained. “So if I have to do something that is going to be completely unhealthy for me, then that’s not the job for me. Someone else should have that job that’s already there. … It’s called No.”

Latifah credited her parents for teaching her to have a healthy body image, which has helped her navigate industries filled with criticism.

“I practice my no’s. I go in the mirror and I say, no, no, no, no, like 20 times. And that’s it,” said the star. “I need to be okay with me. If I’m okay then I feel like I can do anything. But if I’m not okay, I have to say something. Like, it’s time to take a break, stop, cut.”