The 50 Greatest Pop Stars Turned Movie Stars

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The 50 Greatest Pop Stars Turned Movie Stars
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There have always been links between pop stardom and the silver screen, but not every musical sensation has successfully made the transition to acting. Here’s our definitive list, ranked by the success they enjoyed on the big screen (oh, and all entries must have been singers first, so no J-Lo or Jamie Foxx!).

By Victoria Luxford

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The 50 Greatest Pop Stars Turned Movie Stars.
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50. Rihanna – Rihanna’s acting resume has been patchy at best. Supporting roles in Battleship (2012) and this year’s Valerian: City of A Thousand Planets haven’t blown critics away, although she is part of this summer’s highly anticipated spin-off Ocean’s Eight, so there may still be time to move up this list!

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49. Britney Spears – Britney’s first and only starring role, in 2002’s Crossroads, was a modest box office hit but was savaged by critics, claiming it to be for die-hard fans only. Spears has mainly concentrated on music since, bar an appearance as herself in the third Austin Powers movie.

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48. Mos Def/Yasiin Bey – The rapper has had an eclectic acting career, starring in films such as Be Kind Rewind, 16 Blocks and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and appearing in Oscar-winner Monster’s Ball. While many of those films were underwhelming, few others on this list can boast to have worked as consistently.

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47. Johnny Cash – While a regular presence on television, The Man In Black only made two silver screen acting appearances: in 1961 crime thriller Five Minutes To Live and Western The Gunfight a decade later. Neither particularly set the world alight, but managed to gain a cult following as Cash’s legend grew.

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46. Bob Dylan – Dylan has been part of some incredible documentaries (The Last Waltz, Don’t Look Back, Eat the Document), but his acting performances are slightly spottier. There’s the small part in Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (mostly famous for his soundtrack), limp drama Hearts of Fire, and the star-studded but disappointing Masked and Anonymous.

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45. Mandy Moore – The ’90s pop star made an impressive move to acting, mixing chick flicks like A Walk To Remember with satires like Saved! and talent show spoof American Dreamz. She is also a successful voice actor, starring in Disney’s Tangled and due to appear in Wreck-It Ralph 2.

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44. Henry Rollins – The prolific punk pioneer’s intimidating presence has meant a number of small roles in iconic movies, appearing in Michael Mann’s Heat, David Lynch’s Lost Highway and upcoming Bad Boys 3. Horror nasty Wrong Turn 2: Dead End was not quite as memorable, however.

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43. Christina Aguilera – Like Britney Spears, Xtina only has one starring role to her name. Unlike her one-time rival, Aguilera gained a cult following with trashy musical Burlesque, co-starring Cher. While it’s remembered unkindly by some, the film was nominated for two Golden Globes, including Best Picture. Take that, Britney!

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42. Beyoncé – The former Destiny’s Child singer is one of the greatest artists of her generation, but that same magic hasn’t translated to acting. Meaty roles in Dreamgirls, Cadillac Records and Obsessed proved too much for her, although that hasn’t stopped Disney from casting her as Nala in the forthcoming Lion King remake.

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41. Tom Waits – The gravelly voiced blues man has enjoyed a long acting career, appearing in Francis Ford Coppola’s Rumble Fish, thriller Domino, and as The Devil in Heath Ledger’s final film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. It’s rumoured that Ledger based part of his performance as The Joker on Waits.

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40. Elvis Presley – He may be The King, but his films were far from regal. Coerced by manager Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis made over 30 films during the ‘60s, mostly formulaic fluff designed to capitalise on his popularity. The films became a part of his legend, but are perhaps for devotees only.

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39. Grace Jones – A music diva of the ’70s, Jones would become one of the most distinctive movie stars of the ‘80s for films like Conan The Destroyer, and as Roger Moore’s nemesis in A View To A Kill. While she never rekindled that early success, she remains an icon of the era.

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38. Nick Jonas – The straight-laced pop star escaped his squeaky clean image in a number of acting roles, including shocking drama GOAT, TV horror Scream Queens, and last month’s Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. He’s soon to add to that CV with sci-fi thriller Chaos Walking, co-starring Tom Holland.

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37. Ice-T – The man who wrote the song “Cop Killer” ironically has enjoyed his greatest success playing detectives, in crime classic New Jack City and TV’s Law and Order: SVU. He’s also been up against Keanu Reeves in Johnny Mnemonic, and “classic” Leprechaun In The Hood with Warwick Davis.

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36. Debbie Harry – One of the most famous women in ’80s music has a surprisingly muted film career, but has chosen her roles wisely. She worked on surreal masterpiece Videodrome, John Waters’ original Hairspray, and 2002 black comedy Spun. While she never stole the show, her acting work is suitably cool.

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35. Janet Jackson – Michael’s sibling has quietly amassed a handful of film performances since the early ’90s. Impressing in Poetic Justice opposite Tupac Shakur, she also kicked off a franchise with Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married?, which spawned a sequel and a planned third film with Dwayne Johnson.

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34. Tina Turner – While her film roles are sporadic, every one of Tina Turner’s performances made an impression. Playing The Acid Queen in rock opera Tommy, she’d star with Mel Gibson in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, winning awards as wild-haired antagonist Aunty Entity.

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33. Common – The rapper is almost as well-known for his film roles nowadays, making 30 movies in the last decade. His hits include supporting roles in American Gangster, Selma, Suicide Squad and Pixar’s Coco. While rarely the star, he is amassing a reputation as a reliable character actor.

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32. Sting – The former front man of The Police first starred in British classic Quadrophenia. While his work since has been touch-and-go, he’s included small gems like David Lynch’s Dune, Grave Indiscretion and Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

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31. Harry Connick Jr. – The charismatic crooner took his charm to Hollywood in the 1990s, taking part in huge hits Memphis Belle and Independence Day. His work in weepies is less stellar: Hope Floats, P.S. I Love You and Dolphin Tale are a little too sickly for our tastes.

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30. Eminem – Okay, he’s only really acted once, and that was in a film based on his life. However, 8 Mile still holds up today, and proved Eminem could hold his own with difficult material. His cameos in Funny People and The Interview have also hinted at a talent for comedy.

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29. Ice Cube – Having started out in the devastating Boyz n The Hood, it’s staggering to think Ice Cube would go on to be best known for comedies. Stoner classic Friday led to family comedy Are We There Yet? and the Barbershop and Jump Street franchises. Just don’t mention his action movie xXx: State Of The Union.

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28. Rain – While not as well-known in the west, South Korean pop sensation Rain has conquered the charts and the box office, too. He worked with The Wachowskis on Speed Racer and Ninja Assassin, and worked with Oldboy director Park Chan-wook on the charmingly titled I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK.

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27. Luke Goss – In one of Hollywood’s more unlikely success stories, the former member of boyband Bros became a big-screen tough guy, playing a villain in Blade II and Hellboy II: The Golden Army, before becoming a prolific action star in films such as the Death Race franchise.

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26. Marilyn Manson – While it’s no surprise the dark rock star’s acting life would include some quirky roles, what’s surprising is just how good he is in front of a camera. Indie hit Jawbreaker, drama Party Monster and a recurring role on FX series Sons of Anarchy have all gained praise for the artist formerly known as Brian Warner.

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25. Lady Gaga – Mother Monster makes her starring debut in May, in a remake of A Star Is Born. However, Gaga has already bagged a Golden Globe for TV show American Horror Story, so there are high hopes that the influential megastar can impress on the big screen, too.

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24. Aretha Franklin – The Queen of Soul only made one significant movie appearance in The Blues Brothers (we’ve erased the 1998 sequel from our memories). But just watch it: in only a few minutes, Franklin steals the show with a rendition of the song “Think” that’s more memorable than a lifetime of film credits.

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23. Mary J. Blige – Last November’s Mudbound featured a breakthrough turn for the Grammy winner as the mother of a World War 2 soldier with PTSD. Blige has already been nominated for a Golden Globe, and an Oscar nomination may not be far behind. Could she be 2018’s acting revelation?

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22. LL Cool J – With over 30 years in the entertainment industry, LL Cool J has balanced acting and rapping seamlessly. While he’s faced a number of dangers in action movies Deep Blue Sea, Any Given Sunday and S.W.A.T., LL Cool J has an unusual claim to fame – none of his characters have ever been killed.

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21. Diana Ross – The Motown goddess started her movie career strong, earning an Oscar nomination for playing Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues. Her follow-up, Mahogany, was less well-received, although she became the star of an American cult classic in Wizard of Oz re-imagining The Wiz, which co-starred Michael Jackson and has gained in popularity over the years.

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20. Mick Jagger – The Rolling Stones singer has made some fascinating choices in cinema. While playing a rock star in crime thriller Performance wasn’t a stretch, he also starred in Ned Kelly, and played a drag queen in holocaust drama Bent. He did, however, refuse to appear with band mate Keith Richards in Pirates of the Caribbean!

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19. Ludacris – While you might think the Georgia rapper an unusual choice, there’s no denying his box office. Having been part of the phenomenally successful drama Crash, he’s gone on to be a mainstay of the multi-billion-dollar Fast and Furious franchise, tearing up the streets with the next entry on this list…

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18. Tyrese Gibson – Earning a record contract thanks to his singing in a Coca-Cola commercial, Tyrese has dominated all forms of media, including a busy acting schedule. As well as five Fast and Furious films and three Transformers instalments, Gibson made the drama Four Brothers with Mark Wahlberg, and comedy Ride Along 2.

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17. Olivia Newton-John – Olivia Newton-John was an established international pop star before finding success in Grease, and afterwards made a few more acting appearances (most notably big-budget musical Xanadu). To many generations, she’ll always be shy exchange student Sandra Dee.

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16. Bette Midler – Already an established music star, Bette Midler went on to have a 25+ year career as a leading lady of movies. Beaches, The Rose, Hocus Pocus, The First Wives Club and more all have devoted fan bases to this day, while Midler is currently starring on Broadway at the age of 72.

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15. Tupac Shakur – One of the many tragedies that came from Tupac’s untimely death was that we were robbed of the actor he might have become. As a lead in dramas Juice, Poetic Justice and Gridlock’d, he showed a depth and sensitivity that would have made later films a fascinating prospect. Sadly, it was not to be.

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14. Madonna – The Material Girl reinvented herself in film just as she did in music – making sassy comedies in the ’80s, before moving to sweeping dramas in the ’90s. The 2000s were not so kind, but thanks to roles in films like Evita, Desperately Seeking Susan and the underrated Dick Tracy, Madonna has more than proven herself on the big screen.

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13. Queen Latifah – It took 11 years and 12 film roles for rapper-turned-actress Queen Latifah to break through, which she did as part of award-magnet musical Chicago. Once stardom came, however, the New Jersey native never let go, making hit after hit right up to last summer’s comedy Girl Trip.

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12. Björk – The Icelandic performer’s greatest moment, in Lars von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark, would also be her last. Filming proved so intense on the drama that she vowed never to act again. Still, if you’re going to retire, there are worse ways to do it, as the experimental musician was simply incredible.

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11. Bing Crosby – His performances were hardly varied; Crosby came from a music background to become a classic star of Hollywood’s Golden Age. His Road To… comedies with Bob Hope, as well as Going My Way, High Society and Holiday Inn made him as much a part of movies as clapperboards and popcorn.

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10. Whitney Houston – Who could forget Whitney Houston’s layered, vulnerable performance in The Bodyguard? Audiences certainly didn’t, and the star’s debut film role was also her most memorable. Creating one of the biggest hits of the ’90s solidified her as a timeless icon.

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9. Jennifer Hudson – Having appeared on American Idol only a year previously, Hudson blew audiences away with an astounding, Oscar-winning performance in Dreamgirls, upstaging a number of veteran actors. She’s continued to work in music and film, appearing in the Sex and the City movie and Christmas hit Black Nativity.

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8. Justin Timberlake – Who’d have thought the former *NSYNC member could become such a promising actor? The chirpy pop star can turn his hand to comedy (Friends With Benefits), action (In Time) and, most impressively, dramas such as Inside Llewyn Davis and The Social Network. Is there nothing he can’t do?

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7. Frank Sinatra – While caper movies such as Ocean’s 11 are a little stodgy, Old Blue Eyes gave a number of strong performances, and has the Best Supporting Actor Oscar to prove it. Dramas like The Manchurian Candidate and From Here to Eternity showed a darker side to the entertainer, and an acting talent that remains somewhat underrated.

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6. Dolly Parton – The country legend’s bubbly personality made her a perfect fit for the big screen, giving us timeless comedy 9 to 5 and heart-wrenching drama Steel Magnolias. She’s even keeping up with the younger generation, playing Miley Cyrus’ ‘Aunt Dolly’ in the Hannah Montana franchise.

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5. David Bowie – The inspirational musician gave us a number of unforgettable film roles, such as Jareth in Labyrinth, Andy Warhol in Basquiat, Nikola Tesla in Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige, and The Man Who Fell to Earth. The camera loved him, and his performances were always mesmerising.

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4. Mark Wahlberg – Now that he’s one of the biggest names in Hollywood, it’s easy to forget action star Mark Wahlberg was once bad boy rapper Marky Mark. His ’90s music heyday gave way to a varied acting career, appearing in everything from Boogie Nights to the most recent Transformers films.

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3. Cher – The iconic Cher was as fearless in film as she was in music. Making hits like Mermaids, Silkwood and her Oscar-winning turn in Moonstruck, she was a powerful female lead in a male-dominated industry. She’s not done yet, making her return to cinema in this year’s sequel to Mamma Mia!.

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2. Barbra Streisand – Two Oscars, nine Golden Globes and five Emmys tell you everything you need to know. While she hasn’t acted regularly since the ’90s, Streisand became a legend of music and acting thanks to movies like Funny Girl, The Way We Were and The Prince of Tides.

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1. Will Smith – A Grammy winner before he was 20, Smith is one of the biggest stars in movie history. Dominating the ’90s with Independence Day, Men In Black and more, an Oscar still eludes the actor, but it’s hard to imagine any musician-turned-movie-star of the last 20 years having more of an impact.

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