Trediz’s Weblog

Oprah Winfrey could be considered the most powerful woman in the world.  She always ranks high on Time Magazine’s annual most influential list.  Her talk show “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” has been on the air for more than twenty years and continues to dominate the ratings.  Oprah is also a huge humanitarian.  In 2007, she opened the “Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy,” for disadvantaged young girls in South Africa.  Oprah has also worked relentlessly trying to help the people affected by Hurricane Katrina.

To add to her more than impressive resume, Oprah has also done some acting.  She was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in “The Color Purple.”  Eonline’s Kristin Dos Santos recently revealed that Oprah would make a guest appearance on the NBC comedy “30 Rock.”  In the role, Oprah will play Tina Fey’s best friend.  Not that Oprah needs the PR, but I think that this was a good move for her.  This role will make people love Oprah more.  People will be able to see her comedic side.  If I were her publicist, I would encourage her to do more things like this, just to let people know that she has many sides to her.

This was a very smart move for NBC as well.  Oprah crosses many markets and has devoted followers who would watch her on anything.  This will bring a large diverse audience to “30 Rock” and could help them in the ratings.  If I were a publicist for “30 Rock,” I would try and get Oprah a multi-episode arc.  Oprah’s appearance would drive new viewers to “30 Rock,” and the brilliant writing and storylines would hook them.

Everyone knows that Beyonce Knowles is a musical superstar.  She burst onto the scene in 1997 with Destiny’s Child, and has proved she has what it takes to be a solo artist.  Beyonce has had numerous hit singles such as, “Irreplaceable,” “Crazy in Love,” “Baby Boy” and “Check on it.”  Like other musicians who have reached superstardom, Beyonce has also begun to build an empire.  She has a clothing line “House of Dereon” which she helps design with her mother, Tina Knowles.  She also has numerous endorsement deals with L’Oreal, Emporio Armani and Samsung.

Beyonce has also branched out into acting.  She made her acting debut in MTV’s 2001 musical, “Carmen:  A Hip Hopera.”  Since then, she has appeared in numerous films such as “Austin Powers in Goldmember,” “The Pink Panther” and “Dreamgirls.”  All of her movie roles have had similar musical themes; where she plays a singer.  Knowles mentioned that “Dreamgirls” was her chance to prove that she was an “actress.”  Being a huge Beyonce fan, I watched “Dreamgirls” and thought that she did a good job.  However it was reminiscent of her other musically inclined roles.  She had a few more dramatic parts but other than that, it was her typical singing role. 

Recently, Knowles was cast in two new movies.   Another musical “Cadillac Records” where she will portray famed jazz legend, Etta James; and a thriller “Obsessed.”  Beyonce signing up to star in “Cadillac Records” was not a surprise, since it involves a musical element.  But Knowles signing up to do a thriller were there would be no singing or dance numbers was a pleasant surprise.  I think that this was a smart PR move for Beyonce, because she will be able to show off her acting skills.  Until now she has not had a role were she is just acting.

Knowles has always said that she wants to be taken serious as an actress and I think she is on the right track with her role in “Obsessed.”  This role will hopefully open her up to a new market.  Producers and movie studios will be able to see that she can hold her own on screen without elaborate dance sequences and musical numbers, just raw acting.