Adele’s Acting Debut in ‘Cry to Heaven’ Following Las Vegas Residency is a ‘Business Decision’

Overconfident Adele’s hotly anticipated acting debut in the big-screen adaptation of Anne Rice’s Cry to Heaven is set to premiere this fall, but pals are urging her and fiancé Rich Paul to lower their way-too-high expectations.

“They believe they can replicate what Lady Gaga has managed to pull off in the last few years, transforming herself into a viable Hollywood leading lady while losing not one iota of the mystique that powers her recording and live performing career,” says an insider.

“But Adele getting into movies in a big way isn’t some noble artistic quest — it’s a business decision,” spills the insider, who adds that the “Rolling in the Deep” songbird, 37, and Paul, a 45-year-old sports superagent, have been plotting the move for several years.

Adele announced she was temporarily stepping back from her music career after her two-year Las Vegas residency ended in November 2024. “I don’t have any plans for new music, at all,” she said at the time. “I want a big break after this, and I think I want to do other creative things, just for a little while.” The “Hello” singer has lain low ever since.

According to Backstage, Cry to Heaven is being directed by Tom Ford, who also made a dramatic career change, from fashion designer for Gucci to award-winning director of films including A Single Man.

The movie, which is set in 18th-century Italy and costars Nicholas Hoult and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, is about two boys who are castrated to ensure they retain their perfect soprano voices as adults.

“Time will tell if Adele’s acting skills are up to the challenge,” says the insider. “This movie is a crap shoot, but she has Rich in her corner and she has her famous confidence to help her power through the process.”

Despite the possibility that the movie could be a debacle like the Mariah Carey vehicle Glitter, Adele is willing to risk her reputation on her big-screen debut being a big success, says the source.

“That alone wins her points and sets her apart from the other pop divas she competes with,” spills the source.