Beyoncé made her film debut as Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember in 2002.
The comedy, directed by Jay Roach, was released in the United States on July 26, 2002. Beyoncé played Foxxy Cleopatra, a glamorous secret agent and love interest for Mike Myers’s Austin Powers. The character was styled as a playful tribute to 1970s blaxploitation heroes and fashion.
Austin Powers in Goldmember was Beyoncé’s first major feature-film role. By the time it appeared, she was already internationally known as a member of Destiny’s Child, but acting introduced her to a broader screen audience. She also contributed to the film’s soundtrack with the song “Work It Out.”
The film was the third installment in the Austin Powers series, following International Man of Mystery and The Spy Who Shagged Me. Beyoncé later took prominent roles in films including The Fighting Temptations, Dreamgirls, Cadillac Records, and Obsessed.