Beyonce says Eastwood film makes her day

Beyonce Knowles is still humbled by what she calls “the biggest opportunity of my life”.

NEW YORK:

Beyonce Knowles has had it all before turning 30, yet is still humbled by what she calls “the biggest opportunity of my life” – the lead role in Clint Eastwood’s remake of the film, A Star Is Born.

The singer and burgeoning actor, whose fourth solo album 4 debuted at No. 1 on pop charts after its release in June, told Reuters she felt lucky to have landed the iconic role previously played by Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland.

Eastwood will helm the fourth remake of the story about rising singer and actor Esther Blodgett, and Knowles fondly remembers being a young girl and watching previous versions of the film with her mother.

“It’s when I became a fan of Barbra Streisand’s. And I then saw Judy Garland’s version of A Star Is Born and I realised every 20 to 30 years a new star is born and a new talent represents that generation and era – I didn’t think that I would ever get the opportunity to be the star,” she said.

Knowles has won 16 Grammy Awards and is married to rapper mogul Jay-Z. She has topped Forbes magazine’s lists of the most powerful and influential celebrities and is one of the world’s top-grossing musicians. She starred in other films with large ensemble casts, such as the widely-praised Dreamgirls, but she said meeting Oscar winner Eastwood still made her quiver. “I met with Clint and I was so nervous and I know that it is the biggest opportunity of my life. I will work as hard as I can,” she said. “Because I can’t wait. And I am so happy that he trusts me and I am in good hands and I am so fortunate.”

The film is due to begin shooting at the end of the year and, according to showbiz website Deadline Hollywood, may also co-star Leonardo DiCaprio. But for now, Beyonce is still busy managing the singing career that she has taken over from her father and longtime manager, Matthew Knowles.

The switch has the music industry watching closely. Without directly addressing her father, Beyonce said it was “difficult balancing the business and the creativity”. “Having to balance the two is really hard and really making sure that I’m still doing my job, which is to be the performer and the entertainer and not have to do everyone else’s job so that mine doesn’t suffer, that’s been a challenge,” she said. She added: “I’m sleeping with my BlackBerry, I’m having dreams that I’m answering e-mails.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th,  2011.