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After the dismal performance of Mariah Carey‘s acting debut Glitter, very few put much stock in her acting ability. This is not the case with director Lee Daniels who quickly approached her to replace none other than Oscar winner Helen Mirren for his new film Precious.

This turned out to be a good thing for Carey who says the role helped her deal with personal issues. “By making me look so bad he brought out the ability to never be self-conscious again…” Carey said. Precious opens nationwide on November 7, and Carey is already receiving raves for her performance.

Gallery Info: Mariah Carey, Lee Daniels, Mary J Blige, Malcolm Jamal-Warner, Nick Cannon, Paula Patton, Bobby Cannavale, Grace Hightower, Robert De Niro, Jane Fonda, Lenny Kravitz, Gayle King, Harvey Keitel, Gabourey Sidibe and Sherri Shepard attend the 2009 New York Film Festival Screening of Precious.