‘Star’ TV Series On Fox: 6 Things To Know Before The Show Premieres Dec. 14

From the creators of the hit Fox series “Empire” comes a new show about music and a young girl’s struggle to pursue her dreams. The show stars Queen Latifah, Benjamin Bratt, Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady and Jude Demorest as Star Davis.

Before diving into this new drama there are a few things you should know about this series before its premiere Wednesday.

1. Jude Demorest was cast for a reason

During an appearance on “The Real,” Lee Daniels admitted that he cast the white actress with current racial tensions in mind. “In the beginning, [the story] is told through a white girl’s perspective because I felt that the country instinctively, I thought needed to heal,” he told the hosts. “And I think that this white girl is so fabulous that black people will embrace her and white people will embrace her,” Daniels added.

2. Guest Stars

Aside from well-known celebrities that will be featured on the show including Naomi Campbell, Queen Latifah and Tyrese, guest stars will consist of Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz and “Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta” star Joseline Hernandez.

3. Series Premise

The series follows a young girl as she tries to make her dream of being a singer come true. The synopsis via TV Guide states: “Drama about three young women who form a group and battle to make a splash in the music industry.”

4. There will be plenty of gospel music

Daniels explained that he wanted to bring people back into church and some of that will be reflected in Queen Latifah’s character. “The type of songs that I’m singing in this, you don’t typically hear me sing — the gospel stuff. I sing them at home, maybe. But not like, for real, in front of people,” she told The Los Angeles Times about her role as Carlotta.

5. Lee Daniels wrote “Star” for Queen Latifah

The director admitted that he created the series with the multitalented star in mind. “I wrote it for her. First off, it’s hard for me to imagine her looking like this right now. Because I love her looking like my cousin. In the show, she looks like these ordinary women that I grew up loving and cherishing,” Daniels told The Los Angeles Times.

6. The music will have an old-school feel

Daniels admitted that he missed hearing songs from back in the day when stars like Aretha Franklin and Pattie LaBelle were at the height of their careers and plans to bring that sound back through the show. “What made Patti Labelle or Aretha Franklin [who they were] was that they scratch. You could hear it in the voice. There’s this imperfection that is perfection. That’s the voice, sound, that I’m trying to re-create because I think it’s lost now,” he told The LA Times.

“Star” is scheduled to premiere Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST on Fox following the season finale of “Empire.”