Which 2002 film gave Beyoncé her first major acting role?

Austin Powers in Goldmember gave Beyoncé her first major acting role in a feature film.

Released in 2002, the comedy is the third film in the Austin Powers series. Beyoncé plays Foxxy Cleopatra, a glamorous 1970s-inspired detective who joins Austin Powers in the adventure. The role introduced her to a broad movie audience while she was already famous as a member of Destiny’s Child.

The film was directed by Jay Roach and stars Mike Myers in multiple roles, including Austin Powers and the villainous Dr. Evil. Beyoncé also contributed to the soundtrack with the song “Work It Out,” which was released as a single.

Later films led to frequent confusion about her acting debut. She starred as Deena Jones in Dreamgirls in 2006 and played Etta James in Cadillac Records in 2008, but those came after Austin Powers in Goldmember. The 2002 film is therefore the key early feature-film credit in her acting career.