Hearing that a musician is cast in a movie or TV show can elicit a lot of eye rolls, and sometimes for very good reason. And then there are the exceptions.
These 11 musicians have proven they aren’t just a fluke — they’ve scored roles where they can be funny, be emotional and most importantly, be another character. To be fair, some picked up these skills at a young age, and we have the The Mickey Mouse Club to thank for that. Others took the jump into the dramatics long after they’d been established in the music world.
Sure, crossing over careers can be tricky. But it’s not like we’re talking about athletes trying to make music, because that never works out. Musicians have that performer gene in them, whether it’s singing their own songs on stage or reciting a serious monologue on screen. They’ve demonstrated repeatedly they they are just as capable of dropping a huge jam as they are dropping a hilarious punchline.
From Spring Breakers to Fear The Walking Dead, these musicians have popped up in an interesting variety of projects, playing everything from assistants to moguls, which, in some cases, is right on the nose. Whether they’re pacing the stage in front of thousands of fans, or showing up in our living rooms (via screen, of course), these are the musicians we can’t take our eyes and ears off of.
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Britney Spears
Yes, Britney is an alum of MMC, but since then she has made quite the on-screen impression. Remember 2001's Crossroads? Who could ever forget it! Don't lie to yourself, you know you wish you were on that road trip with her. While she might not have plans to return to the big screen any time soon, she may have found her sweet spot as a guest star. Britney made really funny cameos on How I Met Your Mother and Jane The Virgin, so take note other shows, and invite Britney to your set while she is on break from her Vegas residency.
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Puff Daddy
It's no secret that this man has been everywhere. Heavy dramas? Check, Monster's Ball and A Raisin in the Sun. CBS procedurals? Check, Hawaii Five-0 and CSI: Miami. Sitcoms? Check, Entourage, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Black-ish. Scene-stealing role in a comedy? Check, and Get Him To the Greek might be Diddy's finest work yet! Hey, he told you that he won't stop. Everett Collection
Justin Timberlake
Ugh, we know, there's nothing this guy CAN'T do. But for a while there, 7 long years to be exact, it seemed as though JT left music behind completely to focus on acting. The Social Network remains his shining moment, but if that song you can't get out of your head this summer is any indication, this falls' Trolls movie could be a fun one too.Everett Collection
Selena Gomez
While Selena got her start on Barney & Friends and spent 4 seasons on Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place, it's her latest work that is really raising eyebrows. With roles in R-rated films such as Spring Breakers and Neighbors 2, Selena was able to portray sweet, vulnerable and also total party monster. She's continuing to take on interesting acting roles, while balancing recording and touring her latest albums, including The Fundamentals of Caring, coming soon to Netflix, where she stars alongside Paul Rudd. Everett Collection
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Drake
Before Drake was selling millions of albums and discovering dozens of new artists and entertaining the internet with an endless stream of memes, he appeared on 145 episodes of Degrassi: The Next Generation. And he was good! Further proof of this lies in his visits to SNL, serving as both host and musical guest twice (most recently in May 2016). Let's get this guy in a movie where he can show off those dad dance moves, please. MTV
Jennifer Hudson The only thing more shocking than Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) brunette hair in the SATC movie, was how good Jennifer Hudson was as Carrie's assistant Louise. Seriously, SATC 2 should've followed Louise to St. Louis and not to...wherever the ladies ended up going. Louise brought so much energy and brightness to a movie at the times when the plot was darkest, and really gave the 6-season-old show a whole new boost. Viewers were as obsessed with her, as her character was with fancy purses. Hudson was also fantastic in music-rooted projects such as Dreamgirls, Smash, and Empire. Everett Collection
Jesse McCartney
Could Jesse McCartney BE any more underrated? His last two albums (2014's In Technicolor and 2008's Departure) went overlooked, despite overflowing with catchy jams. And when it comes to his acting, Jesse delivers even harder. He appeared in shows like Greek, Army Wives and Young & Hungry, but it was his latest role in Fear The Walking Dead that made viewers look at that baby face in a whole new way...mostly because part of it was missing. AMC
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Mariah Carey Don't be blinded by the glitter on Mariah's platform heels -- the woman who owns one of the most recognizable voices of our time, is also a great actress. Ok, so Glitter didn't quite work out. But look at the bangs she committed to for Precious! And her recent cameos in Popstar stole the whole show. This is not a daydream, this diva can act. Everett Collection
Ludacris
Move, bitch! Because Ludacris will take that movie role. Ludacris is a staple in the Fast & Furious franchise, but it's not all about speedy cars for him. Need a guy for the "supportive and hilarious best friend" role? Call Chris Bridges, as New Year's Eve and No Strings Attached were smart to do. Plus, he had a memorable role on the most recent season of Empire as a prison guard viewers loved to hate. Everett Collection
Eminem
While Eminem's role in 8 Mile was not a total stretch for him, considering the character was heavily based off his life, he still completely nailed it. His most impressive role to date was in Funny People as...well, himself. But still! He's shown that he can be so magnetic as an actor, we'd rather have him come out with a new movie next, rather than a new album. Come on, Em! Everett Collection
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Lady Gaga
Oh, please. Anything Gaga touches turns to gold. So when she was cast in the most recent season of American Horror Story: Hotel, fans were rightfully ecstatic. Something tells us this is just the tip of the acting iceberg for this Lady. Everett Collection
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