# Movies featuring singers as actors and no big deal was made. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781 "2014-06-14T16:26:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/41 "2014-06-15T00:07:43Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > I don’t remember anyone making too big a thing about Sting in Dune. Don’t forget about the young [Gordon Sumner](http://pyxurz.blogspot.ca/2011/10/quadrophenia-page-4-of-6.html) in Quadrophenia. (You need to scroll down to the fourth picture.) ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/42 "2014-06-15T00:19:30Z")
K-PAX had poet/rapper Saul Williams in it This is a bit of a stretch, but Eminiem in 8-mile. It was kinda semi-autobiographical because of what the movie was, but the fact that it was him in it was less about Eminem the rapper and more about how surprisingly good Marshall Mathers was as an actor ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/43 "2014-06-15T00:33:18Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Steve Van Zandt is best known as a guitarist, but he did do some solo albums before appearing in a recurring role in **The Sopranos** Frankie Valli had a small role in it too, as one of Johnny Sack’s captains. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/44 "2014-06-15T00:43:36Z")
LL Cool J has been in a ton of movies and TV shows. For that matter, I think a number of rappers did cameos in both Oz and The Wire. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/45 "2014-06-15T01:08:12Z")
Anthony Kiedis and Flea in _The Chase_. Also, Anthony Kiedis in _Point Break_. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/46 "2014-06-15T01:39:09Z")
Tone Loc in **Ace Ventura**. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/47 "2014-06-15T02:07:26Z")
> [@cococ173](#): > > Tim McGraw was surprising good in Friday Night Lights. He was also in _The Blind Side_. One of my favorites is Joe Strummer in _Mystery Train_. ---
**Author:** ![txtumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@txtumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txtumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/48 "2014-06-15T02:09:14Z")
Reba McEntire as gun enthusiast Heather Gummer in **Tremors** ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/49 "2014-06-15T02:32:08Z")
Meatloaf played a supporting character in Fight Club and he didn’t sing a single word. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/50 "2014-06-15T02:32:59Z")
Chris Izaak played Ed White in the episode “Can We Do This” in the mini-series “From The Earth To The Moon”. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/51 "2014-06-15T03:27:40Z")
Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac, had a supporting role as one of the rebels in “The Running Man.” ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/52 "2014-06-15T03:44:52Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > A: It’s spelled “Lebowski”. Sheesh. Okay, note taken. Now shut the fuck up, Donny!🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/53 "2014-06-15T03:57:49Z")
Ludacris was terrific and understated in _Crash_ (whether or not you liked the film itself). No musical references. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/54 "2014-06-15T03:59:19Z")
Mos Def became a very proficient actor in many films, in almost all of which his role has nothing to do with music. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/55 "2014-06-15T04:07:05Z")
_ **Willie Nelson** _ has been in a number of films, mostly as a character rather than a lead actor. _ **Kris Kristofferson** _ has been in numerous films as well, although he began as a singer-songwriter. _ **Dwight Yoakam** _ was the antagonist in Sling Blade. Did great work,IMO.He’s also been a number of other films (_ **Crank** _ for example) _ **Tim McGraw** _ had an almost imperceptible cameo in _ **The Kingdom** _ ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/56 "2014-06-15T04:11:05Z")
Bing Crosby won the Best Actor Oscar for _Going My Way_ and was nominated two other times. Frank Sinatra, mentioned above, won the Best Supporting Oscar for _From Here to Eternity_ and was nominated for best actor once. I thought he was better in _The Manchurian Candidate_ Burl Ives was better known as a singer than an actor early in his career. He won the Best Supporting Oscar for _The Big Country_ and appeared in many other films. Harry Belafonte has appeared in a number of films. Not known primarily as a singer, but Duke Ellington played the piano player in _Anatomy of a Murder_ and, composed the film’s music as well. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/57 "2014-06-15T06:18:08Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Don’t forget about the young [Gordon Sumner](http://pyxurz.blogspot.ca/2011/10/quadrophenia-page-4-of-6.html) in Quadrophenia. > > (You need to scroll down to the fourth picture.) Oh yes! Also Eddy’s dad in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/58 "2014-06-15T06:26:50Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Oh yes! > > Also Eddy’s dad in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. And he was also in the Melanie Griffith/Sean Bean “classic” _ **Stormy Monday** _ ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/59 "2014-06-15T06:38:11Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > I don’t remember anyone making too big a thing about Sting in Dune. In Spain it was about the only selling point the marketing people could come up with. The series wasn’t well-known, the other recognizable actor with a big role was Mac The Umpronunceable (who caused extreme reactions, you loved or hated him)… Kristofferson’s credits include voiceovers for cartoons, narrator roles; I think that while he is more famous as a singer and songwriter, he’s been in enough things and they’re diverse enough that he counts as an actor and not merely “a singer who sometimes is in movies”. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781/60 "2014-06-15T12:59:48Z")
Here’s [Ace Frehley](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmuTRxhKuf0) playing a drug dealer in a movie called Remedy in 2005. I never would have recognized him if not for his voice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-featuring-singers-as-actors-and-no-big-deal-was-made/690781.md?page=4)