5 Popular Musicians Who Became Big Hollywood Actors!

Paul McCartney turning actor in the fifth installment of the Pirate of Caribbean franchise is one of the many instances where a popular musician has tried their luck at acting. From the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s iconic acting performances in films such as Jailhouse Rock and Love Me Tender, to Beyonce Knowle’s acting stints in films such as Dreamgirls and The Pink Panther, here’s a look at some iconic musicians who were bitten by the acting bug in Hollywood.

Elvis Presley

After thrilling everyone with his voice, Presley’s tryst with acting began in 1956 with Love Me Tender. The film was a massive success, and established Presley as one of the stars in Hollywood. He went on to do thirty more films and was memorable in many of them including Loving You (1957), Jailhouse Rock (1957) and King Creole (1958).

David Bowie

With an impressive list of 35 films to his name, Bowie began his acting career in 1969 with The Virgin Soldiers, where he played a short role, as a soldier being escorted out from behind a bar. After that he went to do roles in films such as The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) , Just a Gigolo (1978), Labyrinth (1986), The Linguini Incident (1991) and The Prestige (2006).

Justin Timberlake

The former N Sync singer made his Hollywood acting debut while he was still with the popular boyband. In 2000, he appeared in the TV movie Model Behaviour, where he played the role of a model who falls in love with a waitress after mistaking her for another model. Since then the 36-year-old has appeared in 17 films which includes popular films such as The Social Network (2010) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).

Beyonce Knowles

Queen B made her Hollywood debut in the third installment of the popular comedy film franchise, Austin Powers. After releasing her second album Beyonce was seen in another comedy film The Pink Panther (2006) opposite Steve Martin. Her eight-film filmography also includes the critically appreciated film, Dreamgirls which won two Oscars and three Golden Globe Awards.

Jennifer Lopez

Even before releasing her first single, Lopez had already starred in a film. She made her acting debut at age 16 with a small role in the 1986 film My Little Girl. Over three decades, Lopez has worked in over 30 movies, and is known for her acting skills in films such as The Wedding Planner (2001), Maid in Manhattan (2002) and Jersey Girl (2004).