Beyonce is Etta James in CADILLAC RECORDS

Posted by Matt Holmes

Singers who can act to a certain degree will always find work in Hollywood these days because of the constant music biopics that are being churned out which need their vocal talents to play the icons of music’s past.

Though to be fair to Beyonce, I actually think she’s pretty talented. She was the only one of the DREAMGIRLS female cast that didn’t make me wanna claw my eyes out and she’s smart enough to turn down THE PINK PANTHER 2 after appearing in the awful original.

Black Voices has heard that Beyonce has been cast in CADILLAC RECORDS, the movie biopic of Leonard Chess and his famed R & B label Chess Records. She will be playing the role of Etta James, a R & B singer and soul singer who would have the most successful period of her career after signing onto that record label in the 1950’s.

knowles-james.jpg

Adrien Brody recently replaced Matt Dillon for the lead role of Leonard Chess and Jeffrey Wright has the role of Muddy Waters, presumably a role that won’t require that he can sing. Also on board are Cedric the Entertainer, Columbus Short, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Tammy Blanchard in unknown roles.

Other face icons such as Elvis Presley are expected to appear in the film, whose role is yet to be cast.

Darnell Martin writes and directs the feature for Sony BGM which will take place in New Jersey and Mississipi in the upcoming weeks.

source - coming soon

categories - Beyonce Knowles, Darnell Martin, Movie News, cadillac-records

Matt Holmes

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11 Comments »

  1. Beyonce is to acting what tofu is to food–flimsy, artificial and tasteless. I wish these producer and director morons would get over their “I’d love to put some cream in her coffee” fantasies and stop pretending she or Alicia Keyes can act. They can NOT!

    Comment by JaySmack | January 26, 2008
  2. If acting was my craft and someone like Beyonce got the role to play Legendary ICON like Mrs. Etta James I would be HEATED, Beyonce is not an actor I wish she would recognize it and stick to singing. I can name other actress that could have played this role and blew it out the box, like Tisha Campbell with some weight would have been a dead ringer for Ms. James, Tisha can sing and act. Popa Knowles has put in his daughters head that she can walk on water, sorry she was awful in Dreamgirls and I don’t think she will fair well in this role…sorry BEY!

    Comment by Sade | October 24, 2008
  3. Etta James deserved to be protrayed by someone that has not sang the words my body is too bootylicious for you baby. that’s all i have to say about that.

    Comment by forevadiamond | November 19, 2008
  4. I agree with all of the above statements. I just think that “Team Bey”…which consists of “The Parents Knowles” and who eva else…desperately want this girl to win an Oscar. They are barking up the wrong tree with this Etta James thing though. Beyonce is not tough enough to portray Etta convincingly.

    Comment by yourroyalhighness | November 20, 2008
  5. I really think Hollywood has lost it’s mind this time for real! Why in the hell do the have Beyonce’s non singing and non acting ass play the LEGENDARY AND O.G. BAD GIRL MS. ETTA JAMES in this movie ? Beyonce dos not have even a tap of BAD GIRL in her to even act as Ms. James**************************************************************************************************************************************

    Comment by JUICY REDD | December 2, 2008
  6. ITO ALL OF YOU ABOVE I JUST SAW THE MOVIES WITHIN TWO HOURS AGO. AND I MUST SAY BEYONCE PLAYED A DAMN GOOD JOB,. SHE REALLY WENT OUT OF HER ELEMENT TO BE ETTA JAMES. YOU WOULDNT EVEN BELIEVE THE SKILLS SHE HAS. ONLY SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF. SHE IS AWESOME AND SHE SANG THE HELL OUT OF THEM SONGS TOO..LOL SHE IS GREAT. BUT YOU ALL NEED TO STOP HATING AND GIVE HER A CHANCE, CUS AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU NOT GETTING PAYED, AND YOU WERE NOT EVEN CONSIDERED..

    HOLLLLAAAAA!!!

    Comment by N BENNET | December 14, 2008
  7. I think Beyonce was great in Dreamgirls as well as Cadillac records. I think everybody is hating on her.. Her career is soaring. She is taking over music and now movies. Etta James was honored to have Beyonce act as her in the movie. So all yall haters need to get off her. She has what is takes. So you know how the sayin goes those that can’t do hate. So Beyonce says “Hi Haters”

    Comment by b. clark | December 20, 2008
  8. Thank you N Bennet.. At least sombody sees it my way.. Beyonce has really stepped up.. She is GREAT!!!

    Comment by b. clark | December 20, 2008
  9. I think that it’s wonderful that Beyonce has the fame to make a movie, but I have to agree that she is not an actress. Maybe with some lessons and some more practice she could one day become an actress. I love Beyonce and am very excited about her success in other areas, but so far an actress she is not. Not hating, just truthful.

    Comment by Lady TI | December 21, 2008
  10. Beyonce was incredible as Etta James. That heroin scene was deep. She certainly is good a singer/actor as Frank Sinatra was. She just is one of these people God blessed to an extreme: bootyful, very good dancer, singer, and can act.

    Comment by Marcellus | December 26, 2008
  11. What is wrong with this haterism world. Every one that watched Cadillac Records know damn well Beyonce sung her heart out, especially “something told me it was over” made me cry! U GO GIRL!!

    Comment by Precious J | January 8, 2009

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