Beyonce's film role a dream come true

Beyonce Knowles was born in 1981, the year Dreamgirls premiered on Broadway. At 15, she was encouraged to listen to the soundtrack by her choreographer, a fan of the hit musical.

She did, and it changed her life. Through that musical, a thinly veiled account of the trials and tribulations of '60s girl group The Supremes, she began to understand how three pioneering black singers blazed a trail for acts like her own Destiny's Child to follow.

When word surfaced that the long-running Broadway show was going to become a feature film, Knowles wanted in. She auditioned for the musical and even invited writer-director Bill Condon to see Destiny's Child rehearse before their "final" world tour in 2005.

A top-selling singer, both with Destiny's Child and solo, the Houston native made her acting debut in the 2001 made-for-TV musical Carmen, followed by the hit comedy Austin Powers in Goldmember. Two subsequent movie projects didn't fare as well: the gospel-fueled The Fighting Temptations and The Pink Panther remake. But Knowles gained invaluable experience and remains undaunted in her quest to conquer Hollywood.