The filming of Beyoncé’s upcoming movie A Star Is Born has been delayed following the singer’s announcement of her first pregnancy.
Clint Eastwood is set to begin shooting in February 2012; however, sources close to the production informed Deadline Hollywood that Warner Bros ‘may push’ the film’s start date.
It is also reported that the postponement will provide more time to find an appropriate leading man, especially since Eastwood was unable to persuade Leonardo DiCaprio to join the cast.
The hitmaker of “Single Ladies,” Beyoncé, will assume the role formerly played by Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland in the adaptations from 1976 and 1954, as well as Janet Gaynor in the original 1937 film.
She will portray the aspiring actress Esther Blodgett, later known as Vicki Lester, who falls in love with a faded rockstar.
Beyoncé demonstrated her acting abilities in the Oscar-winning musical Dreamgirls in 2006, in addition to her role as Etta James in Cadillac Records.
At last night’s MTV VMA Awards, the 29-year-old singer announced that she and her husband Jay-Z are expecting their first child.
Today, her former Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland came forward to congratulate her publicly.
She stated, ‘I have known for quite some time, and she’s happy, and Jay is happy, and that’s what matters.
‘I believe she will be an amazing mother because she has always shown motherly qualities. I think she has inherited many traits from her mother. It will come so naturally to her. It’s already natural for her!’
During the event, Beyoncé showcased her baby bump while wearing an orange Lanvin gown, announcing to the press: ‘I have a surprise!’
Despite her pregnancy, the singer gave an energetic performance that left the audience in awe.
She cheered for Jay-Z as he performed his new single Otis alongside Kanye West before taking the stage herself.
Dressed in a sparkling purple blazer and black trousers from Dolce & Gabbana, the expectant mother expressed: ‘I want you to feel the love that’s growing inside of me.’
After a stunning rendition of Love On Top that received a standing ovation, Beyoncé opened her jacket and proudly caressed her baby bump.
The cameras captured Jay-Z smiling in the audience, while his friend Kanye animatedly celebrated, patting the soon-to-be father’s back.
Beyoncé also performed at the Roseland Ballroom in New York on August 14, where she discreetly draped fabric over her stomach to conceal her noticeable bump.
This announcement follows a remarkable summer for the Grammy-winning artist, who headlined Glastonbury and released another successful album, 4.
Beyoncé, a 16-time Grammy winner, mentioned in a recent interview that she feels she has accomplished enough in her career to focus on starting a family.
‘When you’re young—18 or 19—you have the energy and drive. It’s the ideal time to work as hard as you can,’ she shared in the September issue of In Style.
‘Now that I’m a woman, and having given my all, I can concentrate on my marriage.
‘I can choose to have children. I will be the mother I aspire to be and dedicate myself to my kids.’
Beyoncé wed rapper Jay-Z on September 4, 2008, in New York.
During a conversation with Piers Morgan in June, she hinted, ‘I always said I would have a baby by 30. I’m 29 now.
‘But I also mentioned retiring at 30. So I’m unsure,’ she added, insisting: ‘I am not retiring, I tell you.’
When pressed by Morgan, she replied, ‘Only God knows; only God knows.’
by Lorelle Heath