Years After Her MTV Debut, Beyoncé Is A Celebrated Actress With A No. 1 Movie To Her Name
Mariel Concepcion
It was just eight years ago that fans first caught sight of Beyoncé's acting talent.
At the age of 20, the singer added the new achievement to her résumé when she starred in MTV's "Carmen: Hip-Hopera," a made-for-cable movie in which she played an aspiring actress named Carmen Brown, alongside Mekhi Phifer, Mos Def, Wyclef Jean, Jermaine Dupri, Bow Wow and others.
Today, Beyoncé has gone from the small screen to the big screen, acting in six theatrical releases.
When she began her film career, Beyoncé made sure she gained as much experience as possible to be considered a solid actor. A year after filming "Carmen," the singer landed a co-starring role in the third installment of Mike Myers' Austin Powers series, "Austin Powers in Goldmember." She appeared in the role of Foxxy Cleopatra.
Then, in 2003, Beyoncé starred in the romantic comedy "The Fighting Temptations" with Cuba Gooding Jr. Next, in 2006, she co-starred with Steve Martin in a remake of "The Pink Panther."
The same year saw the release of "Dreamgirls," in which Beyoncé starred alongside Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy, in the the story of the fictionalized '60s R&B group the Dreamettes. Beyoncé co-wrote "Listen," the lead single for the film's soundtrack, which was nominated for an Academy Award.
One of her latest and most noteworthy films is 2008's "Cadillac Records," a biopic about the Chicago-based record company executive Leonard Chess and the musicians who recorded for his label, Chess Records. Beyoncé portrayed singer Etta James—one of her most celebrated roles to date—and garnered producing credits for the film, yet another notch under her belt.
"The film was initially offered to her as just an acting vehicle, and it was something she really responded to in terms of material, role and character," says Andrea Nelson Meigs, Beyoncé's film agent at International Creative Management.
"But she was drawn especially to her role because of what Etta James represented in the music world, and so she wanted to get involved in a more intricate way—both in development for casting and music."
So Beyoncé became one of the boosters for the film, helping to bring all the different elements of the movie together, Meigs says. She aided actors with their scripts, shared her thoughts on how scenes should be shot and even got involved with lighting, among other things.
And earlier this year Beyoncé co-starred in "Obsessed," which opened at No. 1; it's the second film she co-produced after "Cadillac Records." In "Obsessed" she's married to a business executive being stalked by a co-worker.
At one of the meetings during the filming of "Obsessed," Beyoncé impressed observers with her film-producing vision.
"I sat there and watched her give her notes on the script that she had outlined," Meigs says. "They were typed up and articulated how scenes could be better . . . I was so impressed and blown away.
Meigs adds, "I don't think any of us expected or anticipated that.
"Oftentimes when celebs are afforded producing titles, people think those are for vanity. But what happened in that room alone made Beyoncé deserving of her credits."
Although the film received mixed reviews, it has grossed $68.3 million at the North American box office, according to Nielsen EDI.
What's left for Beyoncé to conquer in the world of film and acting?
Meigs says Beyoncé is looking over a couple of acting and producing projects, although none can yet be announced.
"Going to Broadway and winning a Tony is also something we foresee in the near future," Meigs says