Beyoncé played Etta James in the 2008 film Cadillac Records.
Cadillac Records, directed by Darnell Martin, dramatizes the rise of Chess Records and the musicians connected with the label. Beyoncé portrays blues and soul singer Etta James, whose recordings included “At Last,” “Tell Mama,” and “I’d Rather Go Blind.”
For the film, Beyoncé recorded several James songs, including “At Last.” Her performance connected her pop audience with an earlier generation of American blues and R&B, while the movie presented a dramatized version of the relationships and conflicts surrounding Chess Records.
Cadillac Records also stars Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, and Columbus Short as Little Walter. Beyoncé’s role is sometimes confused with Jennifer Hudson’s performance as Effie White in Dreamgirls, but the performers and characters are different.