By Ryan Louis Mantilla

Netflix just dropped the trailer for the eagerly awaited movie “Beauty,” an upcoming music drama film that delves into the costs of fame. Starring Gracie Marie Bradley as the lead character, the film is set in the '80s music industry and the intersection of queer life.

Bradley plays Beauty, a rising singer who strives to retain her identity after being handed a massive recording contract by an executive producer, played by Sharon Stone. Beauty's parents, portrayed by Niecy Nash and Giancarlo Esposito, are worried about whether she is "ready" for the spotlight. “You know what they do to stars? They build you up just so they can take you down,” Nash warns Beauty in the trailer, adding: “You won’t be real; you’ll be a fantasy.”

The trailer gives a restrained, dramatic glimpse into Beauty's early career, starting with her first contract signing and then attempting to balance who she is. Beauty is a story about a young singer on the verge of a bright career who finds herself caught between a controlling family, industry pressures, and her love for her girlfriend (Aleyse Shannon). 

Other cast members include Sarah Stavrou, James Urbaniak, Carla Carvalho, Latoya Edwards, Cory Stonebrook, Aaron Morton, Jim Loftus, David Blake, and Alan R. Walker. Lena Waithe wrote and produced the film, with Andrew Dosunmu—a Sundance Film Festival favorite—as a director.

"Beauty" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2022 and will be available on Netflix on June 29.