Queen Latifah is looking back on Living Single with deep affection—and a little bit of family pride.
In a new episode of the ReLiving Single podcast, hosted by original castmates Kim Coles and Erika Alexander, the hip-hop legend and actress shared what it was like to have her mother visit the set during the early days of the iconic sitcom.
“My mother loved us [referring to Alexander, Coles, and Kim Fields] so much. She was so very proud of us,” Latifah said. “And she did come visit me. She did. But as you said, my brother—I lost my brother in 1992. We started Living Single in 1993. So I was coming off of that.”
Coles gently added, “Coming off of grieving,” to which Latifah nodded. “Yeah. Definitely wasn’t through it yet,” she continued. “My remembering of these shows that my mother was on was a little nerve-wracking, ’cause I was nervous for her. My body was so tight. And when that show was over, I was like, ‘Oh! Yes!’ I could not wait for it to be over, because then I could calm down.”
Latifah also took a moment to celebrate another mother who helped shape the show—Kim Fields’ mom, Chip Fields-Hurd. “Chip was amazing,” she said. “She coached me, she coached my mother. She was brilliant.”
This latest conversation follows a teaser released earlier in the week, in which Latifah reflected on how Erika Alexander joined the cast and the natural chemistry that followed.
Alexander, who portrayed attorney Maxine Shaw, joked that her casting seemed almost random. “I did an audition. You just found me off the street, like an urchin,” she quipped. Latifah playfully responded, calling her a “professional maverick, kingdom, queendom urchin,” before clarifying that Alexander’s addition was far from accidental. “To get you was like, ‘what?!’” Latifah said, recalling how Alexander’s arrival instantly elevated the ensemble.
Their exchange underscored the lasting bond that formed among the six friends who brought Living Single to life. The series ran from 1993 to 1998 on Fox, becoming a cultural touchstone for its portrayal of young Black professionals navigating friendship, love, and ambition in Brooklyn.
The full ReLiving Single episode featuring Queen Latifah is available on all podcast platforms beginning November 12.