Beyonce's First Role Almost Didn't Happen: Director Reveals Her Nervous Audition

Before she became a global superstar, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter was just 19 years old and nervously auditioning for her very first acting role.

That role turned out to be the lead in MTV's 2001 film "Carmen: A Hip Hopera" — but according to director Robert Townsend, it almost didn't happen.

Speaking on "Legacy Talk with Lena Waithe," Townsend shared how the young Destiny's Child singer showed up in New York for the audition, accompanied by her security and a music executive.

"I could see she was nervous, like really nervous — shaking and everything," he said.

To help ease her nerves, Townsend asked the two people who came with her to join in reading the script.

"They started to sweat and really get nervous, and then she was watching them get nervous. That's when she got stronger," he recalled. "I said, 'Oh, there it is.'"

That turning point gave Beyoncé the confidence she needed, Complex reported. She asked to do the scene again — and even requested to perform the dramatic death scene, where her character Carmen dies.

Despite wearing high heels, Beyoncé rolled on the ground to act out the moment, fully committed.

Beyoncé's 'Carmen' Role Marked a Historic MTV Musical Moment

"Watching her blossom into the superstar that she has become — I saw it in that room," Townsend said. "Some actors don't go all the way there in their first audition. But she did."

The role of Carmen Brown, a rising actress caught in a dangerous love triangle, became Beyoncé's acting debut.

Though critics were mixed on her acting skills at the time, her singing stood out, and the movie itself became a unique addition to the MTV lineup.

According to DailyMail, the film was a modern take on "Carmen Jones," which itself was based on a Broadway musical and the original opera "Carmen."

It also starred Mekhi Phifer, Mos Def, Wyclef Jean, and more — making it the first widely released musical to feature mostly rap performances.

Since that 2001 debut, Beyoncé has starred in multiple films, including "Dreamgirls," "Cadillac Records," "The Lion King," and the upcoming "Mufasa: The Lion King."

Now 43, the Grammy-winning artist recently wrapped her Cowboy Carter Tour and is preparing to celebrate her 44th birthday this week.

She's also set to receive her first Emmy Award at the upcoming 77th Creative Arts Emmys for her "Beyoncé Bowl" Netflix special.

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Beyonce, Director