Beyonce's HBO Documentary 'Life' Gets Personal

Beyonce

Beyoncé has been in the public spotlight for more than 15 years, but for the most part, she has kept her private life out of its harsh glare.

She offers some illumination with her new HBO documentary, Beyoncé: Life Is But a Dream (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET/PT), a portrait of someone who, for all her fame, has remained mostly a mystery, according to Steve Jones at USAToday.

For years, the superstar has existed behind a veneer of perfection and control that rumor, controversy and no amount of speculation could penetrate.

Her personal life remained off-limits and public missteps were avoided. But the special shows a different side: Here's a woman with her hair up and unadorned by makeup speaking candidly for the first time about the pain of firing her father as her business manager,her devastation after suffering a miscarriage, her deep affection for husband Jay-Z (they dated for years and barely acknowledged it), and the joy and pride she takes in daughter Blue Ivy.

Ready More Now