Beyoncé played Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember, her first major feature-film role.
Released in 2002, the comedy is the third film in the Austin Powers series. Beyoncé’s character is a 1970s-inspired secret agent and detective who becomes an ally and romantic counterpart to Austin Powers, played by Mike Myers.
Foxxy Cleopatra’s styling and dialogue deliberately reference blaxploitation films and the era’s popular culture. The character’s name is fictional and should not be confused with Foxy Brown, the stage name of a real rapper and the title of several unrelated works.
Beyoncé also contributed to the film’s soundtrack with “Work It Out,” a song written for the movie. She later appeared in films including The Fighting Temptations, Dreamgirls, and Cadillac Records, but Austin Powers in Goldmember established her early screen presence.