Beyoncé already has a shelf full of Grammys, but now it seems like the "Drunk in Love" singer has her eyes on another golden statuette: an Oscar. In a bid to nab her first Academy Award, Beyoncé is reportedly looking to write and star in a biopic based on the life of Saartjie Baartman.
Baartman was a South African woman who was exhibited as a European freak show attraction in the early 1800s due to her large buttocks. Showcased under the name "Hottentot Venus," Baartman was displayed for four years before British abolitionist tried to argue in court that she was being forced to perform against her will, eventually losing. Baartman eventually died in Paris in 1815, believed to be 25 or 26 at the time. Her body was then put on display in a museum.
According to The Sun, Beyoncé is apparently very passionate about the role, hiring a team of writer and coaches to help her bring the tragic figure back to life. Reports state that Beyoncé is "desperate to be taken seriously as an actress," and that she's loading up on reading material about Baartman in preparation for the role.
It's been a few years since her last feature film Obsessed hit theaters back in 2009. Though Beyoncé was a feature film regular in the aughts, she remained relatively off the silver screen (sans for a voice-over role in the 2013 animated film Epic) but Beyoncé's name has been attached to a few high profile films over the years primarily the A Star Is Born remake, further fueling rumors that she is campaigning heavily for an Oscar upon her return to acting.
Her turn as Etta James was largely overlooked and the critical acclaimed from Dreamgirls worked in co-star Jennifer Hudson's favor. Could a film about Baartman's life finally get her an Oscar?
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