Beyoncé Tests 'Temptation'

Beyoncé Knowles already had the song of the summer with her blockbuster No.1 hit "Crazy In Love." Now, she hopes to find big screen success as a nightclub singer who helps to revive a gospel choir.

Knowles tells The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith "The Fighting Temptations" is filled with energy and powerful music. "The whole concept of the movie is funny and makes you laugh and it makes you feel good."

In an article in Essence magazine last month, Knowles said, "Church is my sanctuary. The place I let go. Every time I go to church, I feel like I'm baptized. I can start over."

On the show she tells Smith, "It was very nice to be on the set and be around that every day. Because it really felt like a whole church community and the beautiful thing about the movie is, there are characters in it that are at your church.

She says the whole concept of the film is "coming back home and finding out what's important to you."

In the film, Darrin Fox (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) has just lost his job with a New York advertising firm and he is deep in debt. But, he soon discovers an aunt from his hometown of Montecarlo, Ga., has just left him $150,000 in her will if Darrin is able to lead the town's choir to the annual "Gospel Explosion."

The challenge, however, is a lot more difficult than Darrin realizes. The choir is in a sad state. So, the con artist tries to recruit the local talent. His prize target is Lilly (Knowles), a singer shunned by the church. Soon enough, the church is making beautiful music with the help of the local singing barbers (The O'Jays), talented convicts (R&B star Montell Jordan and gospel rapper T-Bone) and more.

And, Darrin realizes giving may be more rewarding than receiving.

On Thursday's The Early Show, Gooding said the creators of "The Fighting Temptations" thought of Beyoncé for the role of Lilly because of her unusual qualities.

"We thought it would be nice to get someone who can make people just feel at home and relax and she has that quality about her," Gooding said.

Knowles says she saw a lot of comedic and dramatic opportunities in playing her character, and she thought it would be a lot fun.

She says, "I'm taking my steps. I don't want to just rush into a huge me-being-a-star. I felt like this movie, I didn't have all of the pressure, and it just seemed like the next step for me. And I'm going to take my time because I want to be here a long time."

Knowles adds that working with Gooding was another key reason she wanted to be in "The Fighting Temptations." And she has a little on-screen chemistry with Gooding's character by playfully seducing him with her rendition of "Fever" in the movie.

In 2001, Knowles made her acting debut as Carmen Brown in "Carmen: A Hip Hopera" — a musical-drama that aired on MTV. The singer's first movie was 2002's "Austin Powers in Goldmember."

The Houston-born native is best know by fans as being one-third of the multi-platinum selling group "Destiny's Child." This past summer, she released her solo debut, "Dangerously in Love."