Dec 07 2008
Film, Music Continue to Merge For Beyonce
Doing her best Etta James in the new film Cadillac Records, Beyonce Knowles may be courting some awards recognition this season. (image courtesy of Associated Press/Sony TriStar Pictures)
After hitting the top of the music charts in recent weeks, Beyonce Knowles entered the box office sweepstakes this weekend with her latest musical film endeavor.
Cadillac Records- also starring Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright- depicts the 1940s-late 1960s musical era, focusing on the life of exec Leonard Chess, and those acts who recorded for Chess Records, such as Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry. Knowles portrays Etta James, best known for the classic “At Last.”
The film played in just 686 theaters, but managed a No. 9 debut, taking in an estimated $3.5 million. Only No. 1 Four Christmases- which grossed an estimated $18.2 million from 3,335 theaters- had a higher per-theater take.
Unlike some other musicians’ ventures into film, Knowles has scored pretty well at the box office. Cadillac marks the former Destiny’s Child frontwoman’s’s fifth film, following 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember ($213.3 million gross); 2003’s The Fighting Temptations ($30.25 million); and 2006’s The Pink Panther ($82.2 million) and Dreamgirls ($103.36 million).
However, Knowles’ three most successful projects were based on material that had a built-in audience. While Cadillac Records’ didn’t come roaring out of the box office gates, it could benefit from film awards nominations in upcoming weeks.
Not that Knowles needs to rely on box office receipts for success. Her third solo album I Am… Sasha Fierce recently topped the Billboard 200 with nearly half a million copies sold in its first week. And, she occupies the No. 1 and No. 3 slots on the Hot 100, with “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) and “If I Were a Boy.”
Nonetheless, there’s little doubt that Knowles wouldn’t mind snagging some attention for her acting. Despite earning a Golden Globe nomination, she failed to score an Oscar nod for her turn in Dreamgirls, while co-star Jennifer Hudson not only received a nomination for Supporting Actress, but took home the prize.
Will Knowles reprise “At Last” once the Oscar nominations are revealed? If one believes the buzz, she may be as good as gold.
