From the Stage to the Screen: Taylor Swift and 20 Musicians Who Tried Acting

People working in the entertainment industry are multitalented and capable of various skills. For musicians, their primary focus is on creating incredible music to build their back catalog. But as they become increasingly famous, other opportunities present themselves. Whether modeling or creating perfume, they often get the chance to expand their brand, which leads to acting roles, where they can showcase creativity in another field, whether in movies or television.

Taylor Swift

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures.

Taylor Swift has become one of the biggest names in the world in recent years, and her music has become a global phenomenon. She often puts together detailed music videos, which gave her a taste for acting, which she’s translated into a legitimate career since. Swift has appeared in various movies, such as Cats, The Lorax, and Cruella 2, showcasing her love for this form of entertainment.

Dave Grohl

Photo Credit: New Line Cinema.

Dave Grohl is a legend of the rock and roll world, having enjoyed success with the likes of Nirvana and Foo Fighters. Notorious for his bubbly personality and being known as the nicest guy in rock, Grohl switched things up by playing the literal devil in the Pick Of Destiny. The movie focuses on Jack Black’s band Tenacious D, who added Grohl as a fun cameo, although many don’t know it’s him due to the heavy makeup.

Lady Gaga

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Lady Gaga has had an incredible career when it comes to her music, but she’s also successfully translated into the world of acting. Whether it’s her appearances in American Horror Story or her breathtaking lead role alongside Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born, Gage has showcased her legitimate acting chops. She’s soon to take on the part of Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie a Deux, proving that she’s not slowing down in this field.

Eminem

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures.

Eminem is one of the world’s most famous rappers. His songs are iconic due to his lack of fear of offending people. He could’ve easily relied upon that but opted to take on an acting role in 8 Mile. The movie did well both crucially and commercially, and with Eminem able to add his rapping skills, he was a natural fit for the role.

Jarvis Cocker

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Jarvis Cocker is the lead singer of the British pop band Pulp, with which he’s enjoyed a lot of success. But he also dipped his toes into the acting world for a role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He’s the lead singer of the rock band that performed in the Yule Ball scenes, allowing him to be in his element albeit in a more magical setting.

Rihanna

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Rihanna has transcended the world of pop throughout her career, which has led to her becoming a household name. That’s opened up doors in the world of acting, which she’s explored in movies like Battleship, Home, and Ocean’s 8, which have seen mixed success.

Britney Spears

Photo Credit: New Line Cinema.

Britney Spears is another successful pop star who dabbled her toes into the acting waters. She appeared as herself in Austin Powers in Goldmember, but she got to showcase more of her acting range in How I Met Your Mother. She portrayed a receptionist in that show and even dated Barney as part of the series.

Enrique Iglesias

Photo Credit: CBS.

Enrique Iglesias is another musician who starred in How I Met Your Mother. He came into the show as Robin’s boyfriend, who brought lots of exotic flair to his performance. That was part of Robin’s attraction, which allowed him to showcase his musical skills.

Ed Sheeran

Photo Credit: HBO.

Ed Sheeran has had an unforgettable career in the music industry, which opened the door for him to make a brief, rather random appearance in Game Of Thrones. He was a solider showcased in a cameo scene where he also got to flex his vocals.

Adele

Editorial credit: Fred Duval / Shutterstock.

Adele is another British juggernaut who has taken over the world with her vocals. Her vocals have opened several doors for her over the years. One of those led to her making a cameo appearance on the hit sitcom Ugly Betty, where she played herself in a photoshoot for the lead character.

Harry Styles

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Harry Styles has gone from being a member of an iconic boyband to having an even more successful solo career, which has presented many opportunities for him. He got the chance to star in Christopher Nolan’s war movie, Dunkirk, but he’s since gone on to do even more. Styles took on a lead role alongside Florence Pugh in Don’t Worry Darling and has showcased real potential in this business moving forward.

Keith Richards

Photo Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

Keith Richards is a rock and roll legend as a member of The Rolling Stones, and considering his success in that field, he’s never needed to do anything else. But he has made a couple of appearances in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as Captain Teague, the father of Jack Sparrow. It’s not only a fun hidden detail for fans but a great nod to Johnny Depp, who used Richards as inspiration for his mannerisms as Sparrow from the beginning.

Mandy Moore

Photo Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Mandy Moore had a good career as a singer-songwriter, but her move into acting has arguably led to even more success. While she continues to sing to this day, major roles such as voicing Rapunzel in Disney’s Tangled or Rebecca Pearson in This Is Us have led to her being known more for her acting than anything.

Beyoncé

Photo Credit: DreamWorks Pictures.

Beyonce is seen as one of the most prominent music artists in the world today, with everything she does seemingly turning to gold. That was also true of her move into the movie industry, where she took on a key role in the musical Dreamgirls, which landed her a Golden Globe nomination.

Queen Latifah

Photo Credit: Miramax Films.

Queen Latifah brings a natural charisma to everything she does, instantly capturing an audience’s attention. People are paying attention to whether she’s singing or acting, which made her ideal for playing Morton in Chicago.

Justin Timberlake

Photo Credit: Sony Pictures .

Justin Timberlake has had tremendous success as an NSYNC member and a solo artist. His pop career has been huge, but he still pushed himself to new levels by becoming an actor. He’s been involved in a variety of projects, but it’s his performance in The Social Network that really showcased his acting chops.

Madonna

Photo Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

Madonna has never been shy about adding her personality and providing stage presence, which made her a natural fit for some acting roles. That’s something she’s shown in the wide variety of roles she’s had, with her starring performance in Evita being one of her strongest performances.

Ice Cube

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures.

Ice Cube might’ve been a member of the N.W.A., but few would’ve expected him to become an actor. While he acted at a young age, his role in Straight Outta Compton brought the most attention to him and his acting skills.

Pete Wentz

Photo Credit: The WB.

Pete Wentz is best known for his role as the bassist in Fall Out Boy, where he’s achieved great success. But he’s also dipped into the acting world, having played various roles, including appearances in One Tree Hill and Friends With Benefits.

Lenny Kravitz

Photo Credit: Lionsgate.

Lenny Kravitz has an incredible aura of coolness, which he brought tons of for The Hunger Games franchise. He played Cinna, one of the most popular characters, and is Katniss Everdeen’s stylist. He helped make her personality shine, which was a role that suited him well.

David Bowie

Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures.

David Bowie is one of the most creative musicians ever, so it’s no surprise that he chose to dabble in acting. The Englishman was known for creating different personalities for each of his albums, and that ability translated nicely into acting. He took on lead roles in movies such as Labyrinth while having cameos in projects like Zoolander.

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Matt Williams

Writer & Blogger

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