Update: Etta James is pleased with casting choice

It appears that statements made by soul legend Etta James were taken out of context in regards to the casting choice of a new biopic based partly on James’ life.

Quotes were posted on this site and others alluding to the fact that James was not happy with the choice of Beyoncé to play her part in the movie “Cadillac Records.” But according to a writeup on PageSix.com, nothing could be further from the truth:

Etta James, the legendary soul singer to be portrayed by Beyonce in the upcoming film “Cadillac Records,” recently spoke about how pleased she is with the casting choice.”

It’s a privilege and an honor to have somebody like that girl. I don’t think she looks like me, but that’s all right. They can fix that up,” Etta told PageSix.com.

But moving beyond looks, James warns: “Oh my god, she’s going to have a hill to climb, because Etta James ain’t been no angel!”

For one, James says Beyonce will have to make some changes to her singing style.

“I have my own way of putting those songs over, and I was just wondering if Beyoncé could, and my son said, ‘They’re thinking about how she looks, but Mama, she can really sing.’ ” (Source)

The documentary style movie chronicles the trials and tribulations of R&B label Chess Records, where James recorded early on in her career.

Mia

LMAO
funkyfinger54

Iisha Campbell should have this role hands down. Bad casting choice…… Looks like Etta is out for the money because Beyonce does have a name and a fan base. If she pulls this one off I will have to respect her but as of now I still think she sucks as an actress.
http://www.myspace.com/aaronmichaelofatm AaronMichael

told yall it was all publicity
http://www.myspace.com/aaronmichaelofatm AaronMichael

now when are you going to start believing me when I say Rihanna is really E.T. in disguise?
http://www.weneedtostop.com 2Unruly

I was wondering why people were only taking a small portion of the quote, because this is exactly what was quoted in the Boston Herald earlier also.
mimi08

This is the same damn post, and like i said before, she sounds skeptical as to whether beyonce can actually pull this off. My opinion remains the same, and her canned opinion of “she’s honored” is simply that. She goes on to express concern of whether or not beyonce is capable of portraying her characteristic or personality. I heard her the first time loud and clear, and she was just as clear this time around. “Beyonce is popular so thank you, however, is this stuck up bitch the right one to play me; i think not.” That’s what i heard.
luxe.li.

Sandra when you posted this the first time you posted it from someone else’s site who cut out the top part of the quote to only reveal the bourgeois part, so sometimes I just think it’ll be wise to do full research before just posting anything from anybody’s website, because I read that quote last week from Etta, but you know what maybe blogging is harder than I credit it, so anyways keep up the good work!
plushlush

I still think Faith Evans or Queen Latifah could have played her or the Plussize model Kendra that was Malik’s girlfriend on The Game and in Monique’s movies…
They all can actually sing and carry the ballads of that era that were recorded without using computer enhancements and sound embellishments…Music and vocals.
tina12

Here’s the entire article again.

ETTA JAMES WEIGHS IN ON BEYONCE ROLE: Blues singer approves; adds: ‘I wasn’t as bougie as she is.’
February 25, 2008

*Etta James, the legendary soul singer to be portrayed by Beyonce in the upcoming film “Cadillac Records,” recently spoke about how pleased she is with the casting choice.

“It’s a privilege and an honor to have somebody like that girl. I don’t think she looks like me, but that’s all right. They can fix that up,” Etta told PageSix.com.

But moving beyond looks, James warns: “Oh my god, she’s going to have a hill to climb, because Etta James ain’t been no angel!”

For one, James says Beyonce will have to make some changes to her singing style.

“I have my own way of putting those songs over, and I was just wondering if Beyoncé could, and my son said, ‘They’re thinking about how she looks, but Mama, she can really sing.’”

“I kinda have a man’s voice. It’s a contralto, more bluesy, religious. I would really like to work with her on that,” the 70-year-old songstress adds.

Etta, who battled heroin addiction for many years, says, “I can tell Beyoncé some things; some of the things I might not tell her.

“I wasn’t as bougie as she is, she’s bourgeois. She knows how to be a lady, she’s like a model. I wasn’t like that… I smoked in the bathroom in school, I was kinda arrogant, so those are some of the things I would want to tell her.”

As previously reported, “Cadillac Records” will star Adrien Brody in the role of music exec Leonard Chess, as well as Cedric the Entertainer and Jeffrey Wright. Shooting is scheduled to start on March 10 in New Jersey, with two days on location in Mississippi.

http://www0.eurweb.com/printable.cfm?id=41187
free

thanks tina for the full post. as i read it, i see doubt in every paragraph.
candy

@AaronMichael

I believe you!
http://www.myspace.com/millyly milly

LOL…It did make it sound bad at first, I guess Miss Etta James is one of those folks that just tell it like it is.
AreUForReal

People kill me wanting to hear what they want to hear. The woman has doubts that Bey will be able to carry over her story, because they have had different life experiences. Hell, people thought Halle Berry was to pretty to play a crackhead and we see how that turned out.

The bottom line is Etta James doesn’t have any say so on who will play her, so she better share as much as she can with Bey if she wants her story conveyed accurately.
MZN

I still can’t believe how good Etta James looks after all these years!

Someone said in a earlier post that they could’ve used faith evans, or queen latifah… But I think faith evans doesn’t really have a strong voice at all. It’s kind of light and airy, feminine-not like a man’s voice as Etta put it. But looks wise-I can see faith pulling it off-if she can act.
NyNy

Read my lips people!!!! BEYAWNCE CANNOT ACT!!!!!! Why does she continue to embarrass herself. I know you Stan’s think someone is hating on her but this girl could not act if her life depended on it. Etta comments come off as “You could not find anyone else”…..Hell she is probably tired of looking at her ass just as much as everyone else. Beyawnce is sooooooo overrated.
http://www.myspace.com/birdshu Bird

Tina 12

Thanks for the whole article. Black blogs cut and sliced the hell out of it like they tend to do. My comment remains the same. Ms. James is entitled to her opinion on this topic because it is a variation of her story that is being told. Seeing the whole article made it even clearer why she thinks B is wrong for the part. Not only is B the epitome of a lady and Ms Etta was the opposite, but B has a high voice and Ms Etta has a low husky voice. Not only is she entitled to her opinion, but her concerns are rational. But with people like B an Alicia in staring roles I doubt this movie is trying to be a splendid display of acting ability.
AreUForReal

@ NyNy and others making similar comments:

Please stop puting words in this woman’s mouth. Is it not obvious that she is not a PC type of person and if she wanted to say I don’t like this gal and she doesn’t need to play me, she would have said it?

It doesn’t sound like she’s a fan, but would you expect her to be? She from a differenr era and her interest lied in a different genre of music. Hell, Bey’s genre didn’t even exist when Ms. James gained popularity.

People kill me talking all this smack. You know full well that when Cadillac Records hits theaters you’ll be watching it. Stop fakin.!!
Imalover

Milly, I agree with you 100%, Mrs. James reminds me of the proud older women in my family who tells it like it is. That’s exactly why there’s no need to TRY to read between the lines or ATTEMPT to analyze her every word on this subject. If she truly objected to Bey playing this role, please believe she’s more than capable of making that known. Plushplush I didn’t think of Queen Latifah, she would be a good choice too; but I think Bey will pull it off, she has something to prove.
Imalover

AreUForReal, right on!!!
AreUForReal

Why does everbody keep saying Faith should play Etta James? Can somebody please give me a run down on the acting roles she’s played, because clearly I missed something.
plushlush

Faith Evans: because if you search the early year pictures of Etta and then look at the pictures of Faith with the white blond hair they look like sisters. Also Faith Evans is a shoe-in for Florence Ballard of the original supremes. What people don’t know is that a lot of singers from that era were sizes 16-20 if not 22. They were not little babydoll looklike starletts they were Thick women who had a lot of talent. Beyonce is type casting herself as the starlett singer in these roles…she is not getting any good roles..meanwhile Jennifer Hudson is in the coveted
role of Sex in the City…wow…Also even Snoop from the wire has caught the attention of Steven Spielberg she is about to be paid!! I bet she is in the next Transformer movie Spielberg loves her. So that proves is Beyonce’s camp has did her a diservice with all this advertising
Loreal-Direct TV?-American Express.Reality TV rules people are lookin for raw talent….new talent not the spokesblackbarbie to the world.You never see Charlize Theron in an ad every other day…Less is More but MatKnowles likes money and beyonce is being pimped out of coveted roles….OVERexposure.
AreUForReal

plushlush Says:

Faith Evans: because if you search the early year pictures of Etta and then look at the pictures of Faith with the white blond hair they look like sisters. Also Faith Evans is a s****-in for Florence Ballard of the original supremes.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Okay, so she looks like Etta James in your opinion. What I want to know is what makes people think she can act?

Think about this. If they were doing a movie about Billie Holiday we would all agree that Mary J. Blige has the voice and pose to play the part, but she can’t act. MJB has appeared on numerous shows portraying herself, and still came across as stiff. Should she still get teh role because she can sing like her?
hellava10

A G A I N—Faith is busy on that siht. She doesn’ have time in her schedule for a movie.

Hell, Etta is still alive…girlfriend play yourself in the movie. Can’t nobody be you but you. I agree she should have some say so in who plays her character. B COULDN’T play me in the movie of my life. I wouldn’t sit back in the cut like she does- I’d snatched Rhi Rhi bald as a marble slab a long time ago, I wouldn’t let daddy pimp me out, and I don’t wear dirty wigs.
That is difference between old school and these new talentless chicks. They didn’t have PR people–they said what they needed to say, did what they needed to do, and it was what it was. There was no ‘person’ to point to when someone didn’t like what they said. They handled up and that is exactly what Etta is doing, and exactly what Aretha did (like it or not). NOW watch Pimp Daddy Knowles issue a statement on her behalf. If she doesn’t like what Etta said, be woman enough to step to her face to face (I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT) and ask why she feels the way she does. Let’s get ready to rumble.
http://www.myspace.com/birdshu Bird

Damn hellava, why you tryin to get B beat down by Miss Etta? That ain’t right. Big Matt might not issue a statement on this one. At least Aunt Ree Ree grew up in the church and tried to be civil. Miss Etta been done wooped dat a$$.
AreUForReal

@ Bird and hellava10

I would hope that Bey has more sense and respect than to approach anybody (esp a black woman) of a certain age, questioning them about something they said. We’ve all heard about how her mother backhanded her for singing while she was talking, so I think she knows better than to run up on Ms. Etta talking smack.
Deep Thoughts

I feel so bad to have to take part in the doubt, but maybe it will motivate Beyonce.

I’ve been reading Etta’s story and Beyonce who seems so vain and concerned about her looks will have to leave that all behind.

One if she doesn’t cut her hair and dye it blond like Etta I will not go see the movie, she will have to bring it on this one. Etta was a heroin addict and in many abusive relationships, she went to jail for writing bad checks and forging prescriptions.

Ok you did it Beyonce, I’ve never been a big fan, but to over step a Black Actresses that would garantee a great performance because acting is their trade, just because you and want to shine so bad, will not sit well with me.

BRING IT.

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