Fan Fare

She’s better known as a pop singer and her work in the movie “Glitter” didn’t earn her much respect as an actress, but her next film, “Precious,” will likely do a lot to change perceptions of Mariah Carey.

The pop diva appeared in front of reporters alongside her co-stars in the gritty, urban drama here at Cannes on Friday after a smashing debut at last January’s Sundance Film Festival. (Read about that here) In the film, she portrays a welfare case worker to a young, overweight teenager, Precious, whose life in the ghetto is hard.

To perform in the part, the glamorous Carey stripped down to her basic self and was required to wear no makeup except that which gave her dark circles under her eyes and made her look weary and worn. Yet Carey said it was among the best work she could have imagined.

“Doing it…was exhausting, exhilarating and it was just an honor,” Mariah told reporters at Cannes.

Her director, Lee Daniels, said she plays entirely against type, and watching her perform — along with those of another music star Lenny Kravitz, comedian Mo’Nique and newcomer Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe” — will be a unique experience for her fans. “Mariah has never played this type before,” said Daniels.

The movie came out of Sundance, at that time under a working title called “Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire”) with an award and Oscar buzz. (Read a review here). U.S. audiences can look for it on November 6, and international audiences will see it as it rolls out country by country.