2006–2008: Film debut and As I Am Alicia Keys

keys performing in 2008

in 2006, keys won 3 naacp image awards, including outstanding female artist , outstanding song unbreakable . received starlight award songwriters hall of fame. in october 2006, played voice of mommy martian in mission mars episode of children s television series backyardigans, in sang original song, boinga here . same year, keys suffered mental breakdown. grandmother had died , family heavily dependent on her. felt needed escape , went egypt 3 weeks. explained: trip crucial thing ve ever done myself in life date. difficult time dealing with, , came point needed to—basically, needed run away, honestly. , needed far away possible.

keys made film debut in 2007 in crime film smokin aces, co-starring assassin named georgia sykes opposite ben affleck , andy garcía. keys received praise co-stars in film; ryan reynolds called natural , said blow away. smokin aces moderate hit @ box office, earning $57,103,895 worldwide during theatrical run. in same year, keys earned further praise second film, nanny diaries, based on 2002 novel of same name, co-starred alongside scarlett johansson , chris evans. nanny diaries had hit moderate performance @ box office, earning $44,638,886 worldwide during theatrical run. guest starred herself in 1 man island episode of drama series cane.

keys released third studio album, am, in november 2007; debuted @ number 1 on billboard 200, selling 742,000 copies in first week. gained keys largest first week sales of career , became fourth consecutive number 1 album, tying britney spears consecutive number-one debuts on billboard 200 female artist. week became second largest sales week of 2007 , largest sales week female solo artist since singer norah jones album feels home in 2004. album has sold 3 million copies in united states , has been certified 3 times platinum riaa. has sold 5 million copies worldwide. keys received 5 nominations @ 2008 american music award , won two. album s lead single, no 1 , peaked @ number 1 on billboard hot 100 5 consecutive weeks , hot r&b/hip-hop songs ten consecutive weeks, became first number-one single in hot 100 since 2004 s boo , becoming keys third , fifth number-one single on each chart, respectively. album s second single, ll never see me again , released in late 2007 , peaked @ number 12 on billboard hot 100 , number 1 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs 7 consecutive weeks. october 27, 2007, when no 1 reached no. 1, through february 16, 2008, last week ll never see me again @ no. 1, keys on top of chart 17 weeks, more consecutive weeks other artist in hot r&b/hip/hop songs chart. album s third single, teenage love affair , peaked @ number 54 on billboard hot 100 , number 3 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs. album s fourth , final single, superwoman , peaked @ number 82 on billboard hot 100 , number 12 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs.

keys performing @ 2008 summer sonic festival in tokyo, japan

no 1 earned keys awards best female r&b vocal performance , best r&b song @ 2008 grammy awards. keys opened ceremony singing frank sinatra s 1950s song learnin blues duet archival footage of sinatra in video , no 1 john mayer later in show. keys won best female r&b artist during show. starred in fresh takes , commercial micro-series created dove go fresh, premiered during hills on mtv march april 2008. premiere celebrated launch of new dove go fresh. signed deal spokesperson glacéau s vitaminwater endorse product, , in american express commercial cardmember? campaign. keys, along white stripes guitarist , lead vocalist jack white, recorded theme song quantum of solace, first duet in bond soundtrack history. in 2008, keys ranked in @ number 80 billboard hot 100 all-time top artists. starred in secret life of bees role earned nomination outstanding supporting actress in motion picture @ naacp image awards. received 3 nominations @ 2009 grammy awards , won best female r&b vocal performance superwoman .

in interview blender magazine, keys allegedly said gangsta rap ploy convince black people kill each other, gangsta rap didn t exist , went on created government . magazine claimed said tupac shakur , notorious b.i.g. assassinated, beefs stoked government , media, stop great black leader existing . keys later wrote statement clarifying issues , saying words misinterpreted. later year, keys criticized anti-smoking campaigners after billboard posters forthcoming concerts in indonesia featured logo mild cigarette brand sponsored tobacco firm philip morris. apologized after discovering concert sponsored firm , asked corrective actions . in response, company withdrew sponsorship.