2 brand new and beautiful As I Am promo shots of Alicia have been added to the gallery - check them out!

As I Am Promos HQ x2

In her short acting career, Alicia Keys has been very careful with her choices, taking roles that play against type, such as an action turn in “Smokin’ Aces” or her latest in “The Nanny Diaries.” She’s always been hesitant to go the expected route for someone with a Grammy-loaded background. “I’ve been pretty dead set on not doing a musical role,” she told us today.

Explaining her rationale, she said, “I want to be known for the ability to act as opposed to only [having the] ability to play someone that’s familiar to me or close to my life.”

However, all of that is about to change. Asked if she would take on a musically inclined acting role at this point, she confided, “There is one in my head but I can’t tell you. It’s this close to being solidified.” Her enthusiasm rising, Keys said, “If ever I’ve dreamed about something, it’s this [role]. It happens to be a mixture of both worlds. She is an entertainer.”

Asked if it’s a biopic, Keys responded, “exactly.” So the big question is, who is Keys keen on playing? Rumors a while back had her up for Lena Horne. Perhaps more likely though is a role Keys has discussed in the past, wherein she would play fellow piano prodigy Phillipa Schuyler.

Source: MTV.com

Alicia Keys promoted her new movie on MTV’s TRL on Wednesday — pictures below!

Alicia Keys on TRL [August 22, 2007]
MQ x16 | HQ x9

Alicia Keys performs live at the piano during a private showcase at Drouot Montaigne in Paris, France on July 25, 2007. She presented her upcoming album ‘As I Am‘ to the French press.

As I Am Private Showcase in Paris [July 2007]

SOHH.com reports that Alicia Keys is on the lineup for Heineken’s Red Star Soul concert series.

The concerts will kick off August 15th in Los Angeles and will then hit Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia and finally, New York.

Over the course of the concert series, one musician from each of the host cities will receive a Heineken Independent Achiever Award. The award is given to individuals who embody the virtues of integrity, hustle, drive and achievement and make a positive impact in their community.

Alicia Keys and actress Claire Danes apparently dated the same guy when they attended New York high school together. Danes insists she dated Billy Cherry first, but Keys still speaks to her teenage sweetheart. Danes tells MTV, “I see her occasionally and she’s apparently still in touch with him. He’s a child… He was kind of a hot guy.”

Source: Contact Music

Alicia has posted a new blog entry on krucialkeys.com — check it out!