Queen Latifah ‘Would Rather Be Acting’ Than Star on ‘The Voice: Celebrity’ But It ‘Was the Best Offer’

Queen Latifah will join The Voice: Celebrity as a coach next year — and while a source tells Star that the rapper-turned-actress is happy for the paycheck, she’s still looking for bigger, worthier opportunities following the cancellation of her CBS show, The Equalizer, last May.

“Everybody who knows Latifah knows that she would rather be acting than making a reality TV show,” reveals the source, who estimates that the Golden Globe winner, 56, will earn a whopping $5 million for her participation. “But The Voice: Celebrity was the best offer in front of her and she hates sitting at home doing nothing when she could be out working.”

Hosted by KeKe Palmer, the singing competition’s spinoff series will see Latifah and her fellow mentors, Joe Jonas and Riley Green, helping actors, athletes, influencers and other celebrities rather than undiscovered musical talent make it from the blind auditions to the battle rounds to the live finale.

“Being a coach on The Voice is a good gig and the celebrity format is going to do nicely in the ratings because it’s a version of the show people haven’t seen before,” adds the source. “They can shoot an entire season in less than half the time it would take to shoot a scripted show … with an opportunity to make a lot more if everybody comes back for a second season.”

Latifah, however, “still wants to get back into movie acting and that continues to be the long-term goal,” the source explains. “The Voice: Celebrity is a detour for her, but it’s going to be a lucrative one and it’s going to get her name and face out there in the zeitgeist like nothing else can!”