From Britney Spears to Keith Richards, many musicians have tried their hand at acting on the silver screen. Because of their celebrity, these movies have drawn in crowds, but haven't necessarily received critical acclaim. It takes the right musicians, and the right role, to give memorable performances that surprise and wow the audience.
There have been many popular singers whose performances reached the level of acclaim that many actors dream of. This level is the recognition of their work through nominations (and wins) for an Academy Award for acting. Below is a list of musicians who have reached this height.
Frank Sinatra (1954, 1956)
Frank Sinatra's first trip to the Oscars for a competitive award was in 1954 when he was nominated for his supporting role in Fred Zinnemann's war drama From Here to Eternity. In the film, Sinatra played Private Angelo Maggio, a member of the U.S Army who witnesses the attack on Pearl Harbour.
Sinatra further solidified his role as a serious actor two years later with his Best Actor nomination for The Man with the Golden Arm. Nominated for three Oscars, the film centers around Frankie Machine, a drug addict and convict who struggles to stay clean after being released from prison.
Barbra Streisand (1969, 1974)
With multiple Emmys, Grammys, and Oscars, as well as a Tony, Barbra Streisand is one of the most decorated people in Hollywood. From the stage to the screen, Streisand has wowed audiences with her big voice and big heart.
Her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress came in 1969 for her performance as Franny Brice in Funny Girl. The film follows the life of Brice, a film star and comedian living in New York. In the film, Streisand performs multiple musical numbers, including the standout "Don't Rain On My Parade", a song that really tested her strong set of lungs.
Diana Ross (1973)
Best known as a member of the singing group The Supremes, and for solo hits such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", Diana Ross's first feature-film acting role was in 1972 in Lady Sings the Blues, a role that would lead her to a Best Actress nomination.
In the film, Ross portrays the iconic jazz singer Billie Holiday. Esteemed critic Roger Ebert dubbed her portrayal as one of the best performances of the year. However, Ross ultimately lost out on the award to another actress with a big set of pipes, Liza Minelli.
Cher (1983, 1987)
By the time she landed her first serious performance as a worker in a plutonium plant, Cher was no stranger to being in front of the camera. From 1971-1974 she had her own sketch show, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, as well as roles in a couple of films and television episodes.
Mike Nichols's Silkwood had Cher acting alongside two-time Oscar-winner Meryl Streep. After her nomination, Cher appeared in 2 more Oscar-nominated films before receiving her own Best Actress statue for Moonstruck. Her role in the film is iconic and dynamic. No one can slap Nicholas Cage in the face quite like Cher.
Queen Latifah (2003)
Before she was an actress, Queen Latifah was a successful hip-hop and rap artist. Since the start of her musical career in the late eighties, Latifah has released 7 studio albums and won 1 Grammy.
In 2003 she starred in Rob Marshall's star-studded musical Chicago, based on the Broadway musical of the same name. For her role as the prison warden Matron Mama Morton, Latifah received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, ultimately losing out to her co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones. Although Latifah proved her acting and vocal chops, Zeta-Jones had more screen time.
Will Smith (2002, 2007)
Will Smith's career has seamlessly transitioned from the radio to television, to film. After his career beginning as one half of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Smith landed his own television show before scoring the film roles that would make him one of Hollywood's most sought-after actors.
Although his career has had its ups (Men in Black) and downs (Focus), his roles in, and subsequent nominations for, Ali (2001) and The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), proved that Smith possessed the skills to be a serious actor.
Jennifer Hudson (2007)
Jennifer Hudson's career story is a mixture of fairy-tale and revenge. After being booted off American Idol in 2004, a shock to many viewers, Hudson bounced back with her first acting role in the Bill Condon musical Dreamgirls. In the film, which is based on the Broadway musical of the same name, Hudson plays Effie White, a member of the soul-group the Dreamettes.
Not only did Hudson hold her own musically against pop superstar Beyoncé, but she also gave a knock-out performance that wowed critics and viewers alike. On February 25th, 2007 she walked up onto the stage at the 79th Academy Awards to accept her award for Best Supporting Actress.
Mark Wahlberg (2007)
Mark Wahlberg, also known as Marky Mark, gave an outstanding performance as the foul-mouthed Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam in Martin Scorsese's crime drama The Departed. Although he lost out on the Best Supporting Actor award to Alan Arkin, Wahlberg's performance is one of the best parts of the film.
Nominated for 5 Oscars in total, The Departed went home with four: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Editing. Out of the entire cast, which included acting greats Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio, Wahlberg was the only actor to receive a nomination.
Mary J. Blige (2018)
Already a decorated musician with 9 Grammy Awards to her name, Mary J. Blige earned her first Oscar nominations for both acting and songwriting for the historical drama Mudbound. Set in post-World War II Mississippi, the film follows two Black soldiers who face prejudice and racism when they return home.
In 2018, Mudbound broke various records at the Academy Awards. While Blige became the first Black woman to receive multiple nominations in one year, Dee Rees became the first Black woman to be nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film's director of photography, Rachel Morrison, also broke a record when she became the first woman to be nominated for Best Cinematography.
Lady Gaga (2019)
In 2019, Lady Gaga joined the list of musicians before her that have been nominated for acting awards at the Academy Awards. Gaga was nominated for her role in Bradley Cooper's directorial debut A Star is Born. In the film, she plays Ally, a struggling musician who begins a professional and personal relationship with a famous singer. Although she didn't win the acting award, she did go home with an Oscar for Best Original Song.
With major buzz surrounding her role as Patrizia Reggiani in Ridley Scott's House of Gucci, Gaga may find herself on the coveted nominations list once again.