Baz Luhrmann's Elvis comes to cinemas later on June 24, 2022, but the King of Rock 'n' Roll wasn't the only musician who made the move from music to acting. David Bowie was arguably one of the greatest musicians of all time but he also had many roles as an actor, appearing in a variety of films and television roles in his lifetime.

Bowie once famously said, "I don't know where I am going from here, but I know it won't be boring" and while he appeared in projects of varying success, this statement is very much true of his chosen roles. Some are great, some are less so, but all of Bowie's performances have been far from boring.

The Hunger (1983) - 6.6

John and Miriam about to kiss in The Hunger 1983

Not to be confused with the Television show The Hunger, which also starred David Bowie in its second season, the 1983 movie starred David Bowie as a vampire caught in a love triangle. The Hunger was Tony Scott's first film and one of the first films to feature Willem Dafoe.

RELATED: 10 Best Shows Like The Man Who Fell To Earth

The film was met with mixed reviews at the time of its release but has gone on to build a huge cult following, with talks of a remake on the way. The film allowed Bowie to utilize his eccentric style in this strange and sexual supernatural horror, which has gone on to become a huge inspiration to many in the goth subculture.

The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) -  6.6

Thomas Jerome Newton squinting and looking at the distance in The Man Who Fell To Earth 1976

1976's The Man Who Fell To Earth starred David Bowie as Thomas Newton, an alien stranded on Earth on a mission to get back to his home planet. It is one of Bowie's most famous roles and the movie has a huge cult following. A television series of The Man Who Fell To Earth was released recently with a cast full of familiar faces.

The film received mixed reviews upon its initial release, with Paramount refusing to pay for it after its first screening. But Nicolas Roeg's film went on to become a classic piece of science fiction that still influences the genre today. Michael Fassbender cited Bowie's performance as his inspiration in 2012's Prometheusshowing the impact the film still has on the genre decades later.

Basquiat (1996) - 6.9

Andy Warhol at a restaurant in Basquiat.

David Bowie's album, Hunky Dory, featured a song called "Andy Warhol," but it wasn't until 25 years later that he would play the pop artist in Basquiat. The film is a biopic about the life of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, an artist from Brooklyn, with Warhol serving as his mentor.

RELATED: 10 Legacy Sequels That Redditors Predict Will Be Announced This Year

Bowie used his real-life friendship with Warhol to great effect, showing the humor and personality of the artist as opposed to portraying him as pretentious, like most of the other portrayals of the artist. Bowie was able to borrow Warhol's real wig, glasses, and jacket for the role, making him look like the most accurate depiction of Warhol to date.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992) - 7.2

David Bowie's cameo in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.

Bowie starred as Special Agent Phillip Jefferies in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. The film serves as a prequel to the television series and shows the final days in the life of Laura Palmer, before her murder at the start of the series. In the film, Jefferies recently returned after two years after his suddenly vanishing after entering an elevator.

Bowie was due to return to Twin Peaks in the 2017 revival series before his death. However, his performance in the film still has a large presence in the series, with his character being portrayed as a white glowing orb. Before his death, Bowie gave director David Lynch permission to use his likeness in any continuation of the franchise.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) - 7.2

David Bowie in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence 1983

In Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, Bowie plays Major Jack Celliers, a soldier trapped in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, alongside Tom Conti as the titular Mr. Lawrence. The themes of the film all flow through Bowie, who is focused on survival but experiences loneliness and forbidden homosexual feelings. The film is known for its Bafta-winning soundtrack.

RELATED: 10 Movies & TV Shows Where You've Seen The Man Who Fell To Earth

As opposed to some of his larger-than-life characters, Bowie plays the role with subtlety and tenderness, with Bowie himself considering his performance as one of his career-best. The film celebrates great acclaim from other film directors, with Akira Kurosawa and Christopher Nolan both calling it one of their favorite films.

Labyrinth (1986) - 7.3

Jareth poses on the poster for Labyrinth.

Perhaps Bowie's most famous acting role was that of Jareth The Goblin King in Jim Henson's Labyrinth. Other musicians, such as Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger, were considered for the role, but it is now hard to imagine anyone else other than Bowie playing Jareth.

While Labyrinth is full of great characters, strong performances, and amazing use of puppetry, it is Bowie's film. His contributions to the soundtrack and huge presence in each scene he is in makes the film feel like an extra-long David Bowie music video. The film has gone on to have a huge cult following, with a sequel now in the works.

The Last Temptation Of Christ (1988) - 7.5

David Bowie in The Last Temptation of Christ 1988

Bowie adds to his varied filmography in Martin Scorsese's polarizing 1988 film that depicts the life of Jesus Christ. Bowie plays Pontius Pilate, a high-ranking Roman who gave the order for Jesus's crucifixion. Bowie only appears in the film for three minutes and 30 seconds, a small appearance that has a large effect on the story.

Bowie makes a rare appearance as an antagonist in this controversial film. Scorsese had all the Romans played by British actors, opposite an American-accented Jew, a technique he borrowed for Ben-Hur. With that Bowie gives a calm performance that results in an intimidating presence, sounding authoritative and eloquent. His performance makes the execution of Jesus sound like a practical action for him, making the death far more heartless and brutal.

Christiane F. (1981) - 7.5

On Sam performing on stage in Christiane F.

Bowie appeared as himself in the German film Christiane F, the story of drug addiction in Berlin. Bowie lived in Berlin for three years, producing three albums while there. His time living in Berlin is now legendary and his work still has a huge influence on the city. The work is epitomized in this film, with the opening scene taking place at a Bowie concert, where the lead Christiane tries heroin for the first time.

Despite living there for so long, Bowie's concert scenes were filmed at one of his performances in New York, with shots of the crowd being taken from an AC/DC show. Bowie contributes to the soundtrack of this tragic film which serves as a reminder of the huge presence Bowie had in Berlin at the time.

Extras (2005 - 2007) - 8.3

David Bowie as himself in Extras

Each episode of Extras featured at least one famous face appearing as a fictional version of themself. In the second series of the show, David Bowie meets wannabe actor Andy Millman in a club, before singing an impromptu song at Millman's expense.

Ricky Gervais has many great characters, but often actors appearing as themselves get the biggest laugh. Despite only appearing for a few minutes, Bowie is able to make the episode all about him, showing his quick wit and musical talent to a beautiful effect. Gervais has been a lifelong superfan of Bowie and the two became friends after Bowie watched The Office, and sent an email to Gervais saying, "I watched. I laughed. What do I do now?"

The Prestige (2006) - 8.5

David Bowie in The Prestige 2006

In Christopher Nolan's The PrestigeBowie plays famous scientist Nikola Tesla. The film depicts the rivalry between two magicians, both obsessed with performing increasing incredible tricks to one-up each other.

Bowie was the only person that Nolan wanted for the role and admits he begged him to appear, saying, "Tesla was this other-worldly, ahead-of-his-time figure, and at some point, it occurred to me he was the original Man Who Fell to Earth."

NEXT: The 10 Best Quotes In The Man Who Fell To Earth