Beyonce Knowles Struggles With Weight And Addiction To Play Etta James 9/8/08

Beyonce Knowles has been piling on the pounds to play jazz and blues great Etta James in new movie Cadillac Records.

The sexy singer/actress has reportedly gained 20 pounds (nine kilograms) for the role, but admits that wasn't the hardest part of her transformation.

That came when she decided to visit a drop-in centre for drug addicts in Brooklyn, New York - where she studied James' drug issues.

Beyonce says, "I was really afraid. I didn't know what I would see, because I'd never seen anything like that.

"I didn't want to ask questions that were inappropriate, but (the people there) were very open and I have a new understanding. I never judge, but I just didn't understand how, if you had children and so many things to lose, you could be so deep into your addiction that you just let all of that go."