Which film did Beyoncé portray Etta James in?

Beyoncé portrayed Etta James in the 2008 film Cadillac Records.

Directed by Darnell Martin, Cadillac Records dramatizes the rise of Chess Records and the artists connected with the Chicago label. Beyoncé played singer Etta James, whose powerful blues and soul recordings made her one of the film’s central historical figures. Adrien Brody played Chess Records founder Leonard Chess.

For the role, Beyoncé recorded several songs associated with James, including “At Last.” Her performance brought the song to a new audience, although the movie takes dramatic liberties with real events and relationships. Beyoncé also donated her salary from the film to Phoenix House, a nonprofit substance-abuse treatment organization.

Cadillac Records is often mixed up with Dreamgirls, another music-centered film in which Beyoncé appeared. Dreamgirls is a fictional story inspired partly by the history of acts such as the Supremes, whereas Cadillac Records is a dramatized account of real musicians and a real record label.