Four Iconic Singers Who Turned To Acting

For a while now there have been many celebrities who have turned to other professions other than what they are mainly known for. One of the biggest gambles that a music artist can make is stepping out of their comfort zone and trying their hand at something new, and for many icons in the industry, this change often manifests in the form of an acting career. From the fashion industry, Diane Kruger, Brooke Shields, and Cara Delevingne, are just some actresses that were models before they decided to change their lifestyle and switch careers.

Of course, natural talent is a defining factor in whether this gamble works, and many singers have tried and failed to establish themselves as non-music performers. Singers and musicians who have successfully combined a performing career with an acting career (to varying degrees of critical acclaim and success) include Madonna, Beyoncé, LL Cool J, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Will Smith, and of course, Frank Sinatra, although given his incredible status, it would be hard to describe him as either an actor or singer first.

Many singers have made appearances in movies but not all can claim they are as successful at acting as they are at making music. There is, however, a long list of singers who have made it big in front of the camera.

Cher

From 1960s beginnings as one half of the Sonny & Cher duo, it’s fair to say that Cher very quickly became an icon of American music, taking different genres by storm from pop to rock to disco. Alongside this record breaking music career, Cher is also one of the few musical artists who has gone on to become an Oscar winning actress. She picked up the Best Actress Academy Award for her performance in 1987’s Moonstruck. Throughout her acting career she has also been celebrated for her work in films such as Silkwood, Mask, Mermaids, Tea with Mussolini, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley may well have been one of the first global music superstars who successfully transitioned into the world of film. The man from Mississippi burst onto the scene to change music forever in the 1950s, and he followed this world-dominating success with a string of popular musical movies including Jailhouse Rock, Viva Las Vegas, Blue Hawaii, and G.I. Blues. Often thought of as one of the top gambling themed songs, Viva Las Vegas is one of the most iconic Elvis Presely tracks in the 1964 film of the same name, as well as C’mon Everybody and The Lady Loves Me.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga’s place in the top tier of music has been established since 2007, but it wasn’t until more recently that she found her footing as a dramatic actress. Some of the most iconic Lady Gaga roles included her parts in the TV series American Horror Story where she appeared in the seasons of AHS: Hotel and AHS: Roanoke. Gaga later received an Oscar nomination for her memorable performance in the Bradley Cooper directed remake of A Star Is Born, and many critics believed that it was the best work she had done in her career to date. While she didn’t win Best Actress, A Star Is Born won an Oscar at the 2019 Academy Awards for ‘Shallow’ as the Best Original Song.

Martin Kemp

One of the founding members of the iconic 80’s band Spandau Ballet, Martin Kemp created an entirely new career for himself as an established film and television actor. He made certain appearances as a child actor in shows before finding fame in the music industry, but his ambitions came full circle when he starred with his brother Gary in the 1990 film The Krays about London gangsters and twin brothers Ronald and Reginald Kray. This led to several more acting opportunities, mostly notably a long running lead role as Steve Owen in British soap opera EastEnders. Kemp’s four year stint on EastEnders confirmed him as a certified double threat in both music and acting.

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.