’Carmen: A Hip Hopera’ (2001)
Beyoncé’s first foray into the acting world came in 2001 through a made-for-television musical drama produced by MTV. Carmen: A Hip Hopera is a modern adaptation of the 1875 opera Carmen, which follows the story of Don Jose, a soldier seduced by a factory worker whom he helps escape. In the 2001 flick, Beyoncé plays a seductive aspiring actress who gets tangled up with a crooked cop. The story had previously been adapted for the screen in 1954 with Carmen Jones.
’Austin Powers in Goldmember’ (2002)
In her theatrical film debut, Bey starred as Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember. The third film in Mike Myers’s Austin Powers series follows Dr. Evil’s plan to travel back in time to 1975 and partner with “Goldmember,” a rich dude sans genitalia following a “smelting accident,” to achieve world domination. Back in 1975, Austin Powers reunites with his former lover (Foxxy Cleopatra aka Beyoncé) who is working as an undercover FBI agent.
’The Fighting Temptations’ (2003)
Beyoncé’s next project, The Fighting Temptations, follows Darrin Hill (Cuba Gooding Jr.) as he returns to his hometown to revive a church choir in the hopes of winning a gospel competition. Bey plays Lilly, Hill’s childhood friend and budding love interest known across town for her voice but ostracized for working as a nightclub singer and having a child out of wedlock.
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’The Pink Panther’ (2006)
2006 brought a reboot of The Pink Panther starring Steve Martin as Inspector Jacques Closeau. Beyoncé plays Xania, a pop star in love with a fancy French soccer coach who is killed at the start of the movie, kicking off the inspector’s 93-minute investigation.
'Dreamgirls' (2006)
2006 was a busy year for Bey! Dreamgirls premiered in December, a screen adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name. The story follows the history of Motown Records and The Supremes, a label and supergroup that changed the music industry forever. In the Oscar-nominated film, Beyoncé plays Deena Jones, a fictionalized version of the one and only Diana Ross.
’Cadillac Records’ (2008)
Another musical biopic came in 2008, this time starring Beyoncé as jazz icon Etta James. Cadillac Records follows the life of influential music executive Leonard Chess and the artists who shaped music in 1950. Cadillac Records also stars Adrien Brody as Chess, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, and Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters.
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’Obsessed’ (2009)
In 2009, Beyoncé took on a more ~thrilling~ role in Obsessed alongside Idris Elba and Ali Larter. Inspired by Fatal Attraction, the movie follows a young office temp who develops a romantic obsession with her boss, jeopardizing his life and marriage.
’Life Is But a Dream’ (2013)
In her first theatrical documentary (territory Bey now claims), Life Is But a Dream gives fans an inside look at Beyoncé’s life through a mix of professional footage and private recordings dating back to the start of her career. The doc follows Beyoncé through her wedding to Jay-Z, her miscarriage, her professional split from her father/manager, and the birth of Blue Ivy.
’Epic’ (2013)
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’Lemonade’ (2016)
Fifteen years after her acting debut, Beyoncé blessed the world with Lemonade, her first visual album. The 65-minute film debuted on HBO and follows Bey’s journey through the stages of grief following infidelity in her marriage to Jay-Z. The album itself is considered a revolutionary work of Black feminism and one of the greatest albums of all time, and the film was nominated for four Emmy Awards and later won Video of the Year and Breakthrough Longform Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.
’Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé’ (2019)
For those who couldn’t attend Beyoncé’s historic Coachella performance in 2018, fear not! In 2019, Netflix released HΘMΣCΘMING, a two-hour documentary that follows the ideation, preparation, and execution of the star’s genre-bending performance. Much like its sister Lemonade, Homecoming is considered one of the greatest concert films of all time.
’The Lion King’ (2019)
The iconic 2019 remake of Disney’s The Lion King brought the world Nala by way of Bey. Industry folklore says that Beyoncé was the number one choice for this role, and director Jon Favreau fought hard to lock her in despite a busy schedule.
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’Black Is King’ (2020)
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