Many musicians through the years have tried to cross the threshold into becoming a double (or triple) threat. Not many of them are usually successful, and many of those roles are simply cameos. However, a few musicians from the last few decades have absolutely killed the roles they played as actors. Let’s dive into six times musicians showed off their acting abilities successfully!
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1. Kris Kristofferson in ‘A Star Is Born’
A Star Is Born has seen a number of iterations through the years, and professional musicians are often employed to play the two lead roles. Kris Kristofferson (as well as Barbara Streisand) took on the lead roles for the 1976 version of the story and did so with flying colors. When this writer thinks of musicians who did a fantastic job of acting, I think of Kristofferson in this role.
2. Dwight Yoakam in ‘Sling Blade’
The Bakersfield legend of country music himself once took on the role of Doyle Hargraves in Sling Blade in 1993. Even the biggest fans of the country star were surprised by how good of an actor he was in that role.
[Buy Tickets To See Dwight Yoakam Live In 2024]
3. Madonna in ‘A League Of Their Own’
There’s no movie quite like the 1992 classic A League Of Their Own. The film is packed with a star-studded cast, each of which delivered their own respective roles beautifully. However, Madonna really surprised people with how good of a job she did portraying her character. She also did an incredible job portraying Eva Peron in the 1996 film Evita.
4. Dolly Parton in ‘9 To 5’
To this day, 9 To 5 is considered one of the highest-grossing comedies of all time. Dolly Parton did a great job in her role as Doralee Rhodes, though some would argue she was basically portraying herself. Still, it’s quite the legendary role, and she stole every scene she was in.
5. David Bowie in ‘Labyrinth’
This wouldn’t be a list of musicians who got into acting without mentioning David Bowie. Labyrinth from 1986 was far from his only acting role, but it is certainly his most iconic.
6. Courtney Love in ‘The People vs. Larry Flynt’
The 1996 film The People vs. Larry Flynt is a rough portrayal of the pornography industry that is loaded with drama and also loaded with a cast of incredible actors. One surprising credit goes to Courtney Love’s tragic portrayal of Althea Flynt. Love did such a good job with the role that it earned her a Golden Globe nomination for the performance.
Photo courtesy of the 1980 film 9 To 5
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