Beyonce Talks About Playing Etta James

Beyoncé's upcoming film, "Cadillac Records," in which she plays Etta James.James, who was born Jamesette Hawkins in Los Angeles in 1938, still performs at blues festivals and was given a Grammy lifetime achievement award in 2002. Her signature hit was the swooning ballad "At Last," which has become a staple of film and commercials, but her grittier soul recordings made her a key influence on singers such as Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt. Beyoncé said the singer was "a powerful woman but also so troubled, and that comes across in her music." The movie, due in theaters Dec. 5, stars Adrien Brody as scruffy music impresario Leonard Chess and chronicles the 1950s Chicago music scene and its backstage scandals, recalling both "Dreamgirls" and Taylor Hackford's Oscar-winning "Ray." Beyoncé said she surprised the film's director, Darnell Martin, with her willingness to go gritty. She gained 20 pounds and dotted her arms with track marks to portray the R&B; pioneer, who struggled with heroin ... (link)