Beyoncé Told 'Austin Powers' Costar She Wants to Win an Oscar
Michael Caine had a front-row seat to Beyoncé’s brilliance way back in 2002.
Caine, 92, opened up about working with Beyoncé, 43, on 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember in his new book Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life.
“Only nineteen at the time, I think, and a very nice person,” Caine said of the Cowboy Carter singer in the book, which is a conversation between the actor and journalist Matthew d'Ancona. “You could already tell how focused she was and how big a star she was going to be.”
And that focus was apparent immediately to the two-time Oscar winner. “I remember the first day on set, I asked her what her ambition was, and she said, ‘I want to win an Academy Award for a movie.’ Not a trace of arrogance, just clarity,” Caine remembered. Goldmember was Beyoncé’s big screen debut, and it came just before she left Destiny’s Child to go solo.
d'Ancona pointed out that Beyoncé was nominated for an Oscar in 2023 for her song "Be Alive" from King Richard. Caine said, “I’m sure she’ll win an Oscar eventually. She’s already won a bunch of Grammys!” He called her 30 Grammys a “phenomenal achievement.”
As for Beyoncé in the comedy film, she said, “On set, she was totally engaged in the comedy, as we all were – Michael York and Robert Wagner, and the late Verne Troyer, who played Mini-Me so brilliantly.”
Caine, 92, opened up about working with Beyoncé, 43, on 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember in his new book Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life.
“Only nineteen at the time, I think, and a very nice person,” Caine said of the Cowboy Carter singer in the book, which is a conversation between the actor and journalist Matthew d'Ancona. “You could already tell how focused she was and how big a star she was going to be.”
And that focus was apparent immediately to the two-time Oscar winner. “I remember the first day on set, I asked her what her ambition was, and she said, ‘I want to win an Academy Award for a movie.’ Not a trace of arrogance, just clarity,” Caine remembered. Goldmember was Beyoncé’s big screen debut, and it came just before she left Destiny’s Child to go solo.
d'Ancona pointed out that Beyoncé was nominated for an Oscar in 2023 for her song "Be Alive" from King Richard. Caine said, “I’m sure she’ll win an Oscar eventually. She’s already won a bunch of Grammys!” He called her 30 Grammys a “phenomenal achievement.”
As for Beyoncé in the comedy film, she said, “On set, she was totally engaged in the comedy, as we all were – Michael York and Robert Wagner, and the late Verne Troyer, who played Mini-Me so brilliantly.”