Life Is Like a Song So See It on Film

She’s a singer-songwriter, an actress, a fashion icon, one half of a power couple. She’s a dynamo by another name, and that name is Beyoncé (pictured on the movie’s set at right).

Attach to that first name the last name Knowles when you talk about her new cinematic project, Cadillac Records (due out on Dec. 5), though – you’ll need it because she’s producing it as well.

The multi-hyphenate plays blues singer Etta James in the film, about the seminal Chicago record label Chess Records and its founder, Leonard Chess, who started out selling albums out of his Cadillac.

James, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Chuck Berry are among the legends who recorded on Chess. Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright (currently seen on W.) co-star as Chess and Waters, respectively.

B. will record four songs for the soundtrack and will donate a portion of her fees to recovering addicts through her family’s charity, the Survivor Foundation.

Photo: EW.com.

Update: To see more stills from Cadillac Records, click here.