Movie

Bessie

“Survival began with a song”

★ 6.4(129)20151h 47m

Bessie is streaming on Crave and Crave Amazon Channel in Canada, and available to rent or buy on Google Play Movies, YouTube and Apple TV Store. Availability checked 19 June 2026.

Where to watch Bessie

🇨🇦 Canada

CraveStream

Crave Amazon ChannelStream

Google Play MoviesRent

YouTubeRent

Apple TV StoreBuy

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Good to know

Director: Dee Rees
Release date: 2015-05-16
Runtime: 1h 47m
Language: English
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Studio: The Zanuck Company

Bessie — trailer

About Bessie

Bessie is a 2015 movie in the Drama, Music and TV Movie genres, directed by Dee Rees, starring Queen Latifah, Mo'Nique and Mike Epps. It has a runtime of 1 hour 47 minutes. It holds an average rating of 6.4/10 from 129 viewers. Below you can see where to watch Bessie in Canada — across streaming, rental and purchase options — along with the full cast, trailer and viewer reviews.

Synopsis

The story of legendary blues performer, Bessie Smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and '30s.

Cast

Queen Latifah

Bessie Smith

Mo'Nique

Ma Rainey

Mike Epps

Richard

Tika Sumpter

Lucille

Michael Kenneth Williams

Jack Gee

Charles S. Dutton

William 'Pa' Rainey

Bryan Greenberg

John Hammond

Oliver Platt

Carl Van Vechten

Khandi Alexander

Viola

Tory Kittles

Clarence

Kamryn Johnson

Young Bessie

Rikki McKinney

Chorus Guy

Themes & keywords

blueslgbtwoman directorblack lgbtlesbian

Frequently asked questions

Where can I watch Bessie in Canada?+

In Canada, you can stream Bessie on Crave and Crave Amazon Channel. It's also available to rent or buy on Google Play Movies, YouTube and Apple TV Store.

Is Bessie on Netflix?+

Bessie is not on Netflix in Canada right now, but you can stream it on Crave and Crave Amazon Channel.

How long is Bessie?+

Bessie has a runtime of 1 hour 47 minutes (107 minutes).

Who stars in Bessie?+

Bessie stars Queen Latifah, Mo'Nique, Mike Epps, Tika Sumpter and Michael Kenneth Williams.

When did Bessie come out?+

Bessie is a 2015 movie directed by Dee Rees.

What genre is Bessie?+

Bessie is Drama, Music and TV Movie film.

Who directed Bessie?+

Bessie was directed by Dee Rees.