Rap star Queen
Latifah will star opposite Katie Holmes and Diane Keaton in the upcoming heist
movie titled Mad Money. The
movie centers around three female employees of the Federal Reserve, who plot to
steal money that is about to be destroyed. Latifah
will play a character named "Liz" in the movie, which is based on a
British television show titled Hot Money, which aired in 2001.The
updated version was written by Glen Gers (Cybill, Off Season) and
is being shot by Callie Khouri, who directed Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
(2002) and Hollis & Rae (2006). Khouri
also wrote 1991’s#### movie Thelma & Louise. Production
on Mad Money starts in March in Shreveport, LA. The movie is due in theaters
in 2008. In
related news, Queen Latifah will host the swanky "Touching a Life" gala
during the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, NV on Feb. 16, 2007The
annual event is presented by CoverGirl, Latifah’s Queen Collection, Ciroc and
Behind The Bench, a non-profit organization of active and retired wives of NBA
basketball players. This
year’s gala will honor philanthropists Cookie Johnson of the Magic Johnson Foundation,
NBA veteran Dikembe Mutombo of the Houston Rockets and Elaine Wynn of Wynn Resorts
and the Stephen A. Wynn and Elaine P. Wynn Foundation.The
event will feature a dinner reception with music provided by world renowned DJ,
DJ Irie, the official DJ of the NBA’s Miami Heat.R&B
artist Robin Thicke will highlight the evening with a live performance. This
year’s beneficiaries of the "Touching a Life" charity event are Greater
Las Vegas After-School All-Stars and Communities in Schools of Southern Nevada.
After-School
All- Stars is a national charity, which was founded by Elaine Wynn and actor/California
Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The
organization provides comprehensive after school programs and summer camps for
at risk middle school children. Communities
in Schools is a community based organization that connect schools and students
with various resources, with the focus of helping children stay in school and
prepare for adulthood.Tickets
to the event can be purchased for $1000 each or for $1750 per pair and tables
for 10 guests are available at $25,000. For
more information visit: http://www.behindthebench.org/
