Beyoncé’s first theatrical feature film role was Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember.
Austin Powers in Goldmember, released in 2002, was directed by Jay Roach and starred Mike Myers as the time-traveling spy Austin Powers. Beyoncé played Foxxy Cleopatra, an undercover FBI agent and Austin’s ally in the film’s 1970s-inspired storyline.
The character is a comedic homage to the blaxploitation heroines and funk-era style associated with 1970s cinema. Beyoncé also recorded “Work It Out” for the film’s soundtrack, and the song became her first solo single released while she was still a member of Destiny’s Child.
Her later film roles included Deena Jones in Dreamgirls and Nala in the 2019 remake of The Lion King. Those performances came after Austin Powers in Goldmember, making Foxxy Cleopatra the relevant answer for her first theatrical feature film role.