Beyoncé voiced Queen Tara in the 2013 animated film Epic.
Directed by Chris Wedge and produced by Blue Sky Studios, Epic follows Mary Katherine, or M.K., after she is mysteriously shrunk and drawn into a hidden woodland kingdom. Queen Tara is the Leafmen’s benevolent ruler and is closely connected with the forest’s life force. She entrusts M.K. with a magical bud that could determine the kingdom’s survival.
The film’s voice cast also included Amanda Seyfried as M.K., Josh Hutcherson as Nod, Colin Farrell as Ronin and Christoph Waltz as the villainous Mandrake. Beyoncé’s role was a voice performance rather than a live-action appearance, a distinction that can cause confusion with her later film roles.
Epic was released internationally beginning in May 2013 and reached U.S. theaters on May 24. Beyoncé also contributed “Rise Up,” an original song co-written with Sia, to the film’s soundtrack.