I'm still trying to rap my brain around the fact that Hollywood has cast Beyonce Knowles as the legendary Etta James. First of all, to play Ms. James you have to be an actress of the highest level. When word went out that Hollywood was looking for someone to play Tina Turner, they didn't ask a singer, they went for the actor first.

I love Beyonce but she's not an actress yet, I don't care how many movies she appears in. Beyonce, thus far, has played Beyonce and that's ok. From where I'm sitting its going to be a while before Ms. Knowles will be respected as such, perhaps some more life experiences and a lot more acting classes.

Perhaps her people should look up the Lee Strasberg's school of acting. Marlon Brando, Shelly Winters, a lot of actors of yester year attended this remarkable school. Now don't get me wrong not every singer has to attend acting school, like Ms. Diana Ross in Lady Sings the Blues. But this wasn't just handed over to her, there are articles where Ms. Ross knew that the world was ready to claim her wrong for the part and she, ate, slept, dreamt and read every book, every article on Lady Day, to the point where you didn't know where Diana ended and Lady Day started, and to me, that's a real actor.

Beyonce on the other hand, white Hollywood is going for the name and not the talent. Also when I was a child, listening my mother's music which included Etta James, Ms. James had a power voice, and even today she can still remind you why no one sounds like her. She's unique. Now on CD, you may purchase "Deep In the Night", recorded by Ms. James and listen to the last song titled, "I'd Rather Be A Blind Girl." At the end of the song, it has you wanting to do what Jennifer Holliday and Jennifer Hudson, "And I'm Telling You" did to you. Ms. James wrote this song in the 60's and re-recorded it in the 70's. I'm still making new fans for Ms. James, whenever I have company over, I will play this song, and the reaction is priceless.

Now maybe the money-backers for this pending film, think it's a good idea because Ms. James and Ms. Knowles are light-skinned sisters. But a real actor will make you forget all that, example Mr. Washington in Malcolm "X".

Who should play Ms. James? I don't know. Maybe they should discover a new talent in the raw, like Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls.

Now to give you a brief background on "Cadillac Records", this was based in the south side of Chicago, a blues label named "Chess Records. The records were sold out of a Cadillac until there was enough money to purchase an office etc. Some of Ms. James label mates were Laura Lee, "Dirty Dirty Man", and the Dells, of which Minnie Riperton sang harmony on "There Is", a hit for the Dells. This was a R & B, Chicago blues music company. Actor, Matt Dillon as Leonard Chess, the flounder of Chess Records had to drop out and was replaced by Oscar Winner, Adrien Brody, remember him he was the one who give Halle Berry that long kiss, when Halle was married to Eric Benet. Anyway, Darrell Martin penned, ("Their Eyes Were Watching God") is responsible for the script and is directing.

Etta's huge hit from this label is called, "At Last." Even today this song is played at weddings, used in movies etc., and no one can sing it like the Diva Etta James. There was also another hit, "Something's Got A Hold On Me" which if you removed the vocals, you would have thought that it was a church song. Ms. James wore her blond wig way before it was fashionable. Something about the "sisters" in the 1960's, everyone had their own voice. No one sounded like Aretha, no one sounded like Etta, no one sounded like Nina, the list goes on and on. Today everyone wants to sound like the next guy/girl. But that's another story.

No Beyonce, I'm not hating on you, but this part is not you. Hollywood needs to cast an unknown.