Which Beyoncé film portrays singer Etta James’s manager Leonard Chess?

Beyoncé portrayed singer Etta James in Cadillac Records, a 2008 musical biographical film.

The film, written and directed by Darnell Martin, dramatizes the rise of Chess Records and its influential artists. Adrien Brody plays record executive Leonard Chess, while Beyoncé plays Etta James, whose powerful blues and soul singing became central to the label’s history.

Beyoncé recorded several songs for the film, including “At Last,” James’s signature standard. Her performance introduced the song to a new generation and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.

Cadillac Records takes dramatic liberties, so it should not be treated as a complete documentary biography. Its focus is the relationship between the label, its artists, and the changing American music industry. Beyoncé’s role is sometimes confused with her performance as Deena Jones in Dreamgirls, but the characters and films are separate.