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0 / 47 Fotos
Keanu Reeves - Active as a musician for over a decade, Reeves breaks out of the Matrix on occasion to play bass guitar for the bands Dogstar and Becky.
© Getty Images
1 / 47 Fotos
Kevin Bacon - Actor Kevin Bacon performs with his brother Michael as the Bacon Brothers. The siblings have been working as a duo since 1995.
© Getty Images
2 / 47 Fotos
Ricky Gervais - The actor-comedian and his friend formed a band in 1982 called Seona Dancing.
© Reuters
3 / 47 Fotos
Johnny Depp
- For Johnny Depp, music was actually Plan A, but acting took off for him first. Now, after a long career on-screen and a tumultuous public defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp is getting back to his original joy.
© Getty Images
4 / 47 Fotos
Hugh Laurie - The 'House' star is very talented. He released two blues albums, one in 2011 and the other in 2013.
© Getty Images
5 / 47 Fotos
Penn Badgley
- Perhaps it's the characters that Penn Badgley has played that make his history as frontman to indie pop band MOTHXR such a surprise, since he's in clean-cut, sarcastic, and introverted roles in both 'You' and 'Gossip Girl.' But, in the years between the two famous series, Badgley grew out his hair, donned sleeveless tanks, and sang his emotional heart out while also occasionally playing keyboards.
© Getty Images
6 / 47 Fotos
Juliette Lewis - The actress followed a string of major film roles by launching a second career in 2009 as a singer and musician. She fronts her own band, Juliette and the Licks.
© NL Beeld
7 / 47 Fotos
Zoë Kravitz
- Zoë Kravitz has proven to be a talented actress, but it's no surprise that she's also a talented musician. As the daughter of Lenny Kravitz, she grew up in a musical household and developed her own voice as an artist. She has been performing alongside acting for years, although many people aren't aware of her multiple talents.
© Getty Images
8 / 47 Fotos
Miley Cirus - The former teen idol's 'Hannah Montana' seems a world away after her meteoric crossover into the music world.
© Getty Images
9 / 47 Fotos
Brie Larson
- Oscar-winning actress and Marvel star Brie Larson has been sharing acoustic covers on social media over the years.' Before finding fame on-screen, Larson had a full-fledged music career. She was reportedly a burgeoning pop star that performed and wrote her own music and had a record deal. Larson even released her debut album, a pop-punk collection called 'Finally Out of P.E.,' in 2005 when she was just 16, Billboard reports. Though she became disillusioned by the industry soon after, she's kept up with her passion for music.
© Reuters
10 / 47 Fotos
Jennifer Love Hewitt
- The actress has enjoyed a successful singing career, and has released several studio albums.
© Reuters
11 / 47 Fotos
Scarlett Johansson - The Hollywood A-lister began singing in 2006 and released her debut album, 'Anywhere I Lay My Head,' in 2008.
© Getty Images
12 / 47 Fotos
Robert Pattinson - The actor recorded two tracks for the 'Twilight' soundtrack, and the 'Damsel' soundtrack also features one of his songs.
© Getty Images
13 / 47 Fotos
Joe Pesci
- In 2019, Joe Pesci released a jazz single, 'Baby Girl,' featuring Maroon 5's Adam Levine and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. The track is off of his jazz album, 'Still Singing.' What you might also not know is that this is actually Pesci's third album.
© NL Beeld
14 / 47 Fotos
Nicole Kidman - The Australian actress is also a talented singer. She even performed a duet with Robbie Williams, 'Somethin' Stupid.'
© Getty Images
15 / 47 Fotos
Zooey Deschanel - Known for her gregarious comedy roles, Deschanel takes her music seriously. A noted singer-songwriter, she records and tours on a regular basis.
© Getty Images
16 / 47 Fotos
Ryan Gosling - Ryan Gosling's talent for music was evident in the movie 'La La Land.' In 2009, he released an album with his band, Dead Man's Bones.
© Getty Images
17 / 47 Fotos
Russell Crowe - The actor started his music career in the '80s under the name Russ le Roq. He then embarked on a number of musical projects, including '30 Odd Foot of Grunts,' and 'Russell Crowe and The Ordinary Fear Of God.'
© Getty Images
18 / 47 Fotos
Penélope Cruz - Not only did the Spanish actress sing in a number of movie soundtracks, she also participated in the compilation 'Voices of Hope,' which raised money for charity.
© Getty Images
19 / 47 Fotos
Robert Downey Jr. - Before 'Iron Man,' the actor displayed a hidden talent with 'The Futurist' (2004), his first recording as a singer-songwriter. He's pictured here with Sting.
© Getty Images
20 / 47 Fotos
Salma Hayek - The famous actress has released a number of songs throughout the years, mostly as part of movie soundtracks.
© Getty Images
21 / 47 Fotos
Woody Allen - Woody Allen is a gifted clarinetist, and regularly takes to the stage with his New Orleans Jazz Band.
© Getty Images
22 / 47 Fotos
Don Johnson - The 'Miami Vice' heartthrob has released several albums since his heyday as TV's "Sonny" Crockett, including 'Let it Roll' (1989), 'Heartache' (1990), and 2002's 'The Essential.'
© NL Beeld
23 / 47 Fotos
Jeff Bridges - An accomplished guitarist, Bridges won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 2009 film 'Crazy Heart,' about a washed-up country music singer. He performed several of the songs.
© Getty Images
24 / 47 Fotos
Clint Eastwood - The acclaimed actor-director first put voice to acetate way back in 1961. He sang again in 'Paint Your Wagon' (1969). An excellent piano player, Eastwood has also composed music for several films.
© Getty Images
25 / 47 Fotos
Antonio Banderas - From 'Desperado' to 'Evita,' we can listen to the Spanish actor singing in a number of tracks.
© NL Beeld
26 / 47 Fotos
Leighton Meester - The 'Gossip Girl' star released an album titled 'Heartstrings' in 2014.
© Getty Images
27 / 47 Fotos
Billy Bob Thornton
- The actor has had a lifelong love for music and recorded several albums. He tours regularly with his band, The Boxmasters.
© Getty Images
28 / 47 Fotos
Hilary Duff - From Disney teen idol to Billboard-topping singer, the actress can turn her hand to pop, rock, folk, and even dance-electro.
© Getty Images
29 / 47 Fotos
Steve Martin - Regarded as one of the greatest stand-up comics, the actor spends a lot of his time playing banjo professionally. He learned to play at 17 years old.
© Getty Images
30 / 47 Fotos
Kevin Costner - The actor, director, and producer is also a gifted guitarist. He's the singer in Kevin Costner and Modern West, a country rock band that tours the world.
© Getty Images
31 / 47 Fotos
David Hasselhof - Having long since hung up his crimson red Bermudas, "The Hoff" continues to enjoy a busy career in music, and records worldwide.
© Getty Images
32 / 47 Fotos
Patrick Swayze - The late actor topped the charts in 1987 with 'She's Like the Wind,' a song that was part of the 'Dirty Dancing' soundtrack.
© Getty Images
33 / 47 Fotos
Jamie Foxx - His role as Ray Charles in the film 'Ray' (2004) garnered the actor an Oscar for Best Actor. Foxx has been playing the piano since he was five years old.
© Getty Images
34 / 47 Fotos
Bruce Willis - One of Hollywood's most bankable actors, the action hero enjoyed moderate success in the late 1980s as a recording artist.
© Getty Images
35 / 47 Fotos
Jack Black - The comic was acting in television commercials as early as 1982, but showed his true colors as a musician on-screen in 'School of Rock' (2003). He is the lead singer of hard rock band Tenacious D.
© NL Beeld
36 / 47 Fotos
Jessica Pimentel - The 'Orange Is the New Black' actress fronts a metal band called Alekhine's Gun. She also sings backing vocals in the Mexican extreme metal band Brujeria.
© Getty Images
37 / 47 Fotos
Jeff Daniels - A highly respected actor, Daniels is also a hugely competent guitarist and singer-songwriter. Between movie commitments, he keeps busy recording and undertakes frequent gigs.
© NL Beeld
38 / 47 Fotos
John Travolta - The 'Pulp Fiction' star's early foray into music was not successful. All that changed, however, when he followed 'Saturday Night Fever' (1977) with 'Grease' (1978). The rest is history.
© Getty Images
39 / 47 Fotos
Steven Seagal
- Acting, martial arts, and music define Seagal. His guitar collection includes instruments previously owned by Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix, among others. He tours with his band Thunderbox.
© NL Beeld
40 / 47 Fotos
Jada Pinkett-Smith - The actress is the lead singer of metal band Wicked Wisdom.
© Getty Images
41 / 47 Fotos
Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi - 'The Blues Brothers' (1980) cemented the musical careers of Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi. The band made its debut in 1978 on 'Saturday Night Live.'
© NL Beeld
42 / 47 Fotos
Telly Savalas - The late 'Kojak' actor released the album 'Telly' in 1974 and had a minor hit with 'If,' written by David Gates from Bread.
© Getty Images
43 / 47 Fotos
Joel Grey - Who can forget the actor's virtuoso turn as the Master of Ceremonies in 'Cabaret' (1972)? He continues to sing and act on stage.
© Getty Images
44 / 47 Fotos
Robert Mitchum - The late tough-guy actor demonstrated a fine singing voice on the album 'Calypso - is like so...' (1957) and the follow-up, 'That Man' (1967). He also sang in a number of his films.
© NL Beeld
45 / 47 Fotos
Lee Marvin
- Hard-drinking, hard-living Marvin surprised everyone with his hit song 'Wand'rin Star,' taken from the musical 'Paint Your Wagon' (1969). It was a one-hit wonder from the late actor.
© NL Beeld
46 / 47 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 47 Fotos
Keanu Reeves - Active as a musician for over a decade, Reeves breaks out of the Matrix on occasion to play bass guitar for the bands Dogstar and Becky.
© Getty Images
1 / 47 Fotos
Kevin Bacon - Actor Kevin Bacon performs with his brother Michael as the Bacon Brothers. The siblings have been working as a duo since 1995.
© Getty Images
2 / 47 Fotos
Ricky Gervais - The actor-comedian and his friend formed a band in 1982 called Seona Dancing.
© Reuters
3 / 47 Fotos
Johnny Depp
- For Johnny Depp, music was actually Plan A, but acting took off for him first. Now, after a long career on-screen and a tumultuous public defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp is getting back to his original joy.
© Getty Images
4 / 47 Fotos
Hugh Laurie - The 'House' star is very talented. He released two blues albums, one in 2011 and the other in 2013.
© Getty Images
5 / 47 Fotos
Penn Badgley
- Perhaps it's the characters that Penn Badgley has played that make his history as frontman to indie pop band MOTHXR such a surprise, since he's in clean-cut, sarcastic, and introverted roles in both 'You' and 'Gossip Girl.' But, in the years between the two famous series, Badgley grew out his hair, donned sleeveless tanks, and sang his emotional heart out while also occasionally playing keyboards.
© Getty Images
6 / 47 Fotos
Juliette Lewis - The actress followed a string of major film roles by launching a second career in 2009 as a singer and musician. She fronts her own band, Juliette and the Licks.
© NL Beeld
7 / 47 Fotos
Zoë Kravitz
- Zoë Kravitz has proven to be a talented actress, but it's no surprise that she's also a talented musician. As the daughter of Lenny Kravitz, she grew up in a musical household and developed her own voice as an artist. She has been performing alongside acting for years, although many people aren't aware of her multiple talents.
© Getty Images
8 / 47 Fotos
Miley Cirus - The former teen idol's 'Hannah Montana' seems a world away after her meteoric crossover into the music world.
© Getty Images
9 / 47 Fotos
Brie Larson
- Oscar-winning actress and Marvel star Brie Larson has been sharing acoustic covers on social media over the years.' Before finding fame on-screen, Larson had a full-fledged music career. She was reportedly a burgeoning pop star that performed and wrote her own music and had a record deal. Larson even released her debut album, a pop-punk collection called 'Finally Out of P.E.,' in 2005 when she was just 16, Billboard reports. Though she became disillusioned by the industry soon after, she's kept up with her passion for music.
© Reuters
10 / 47 Fotos
Jennifer Love Hewitt
- The actress has enjoyed a successful singing career, and has released several studio albums.
© Reuters
11 / 47 Fotos
Scarlett Johansson - The Hollywood A-lister began singing in 2006 and released her debut album, 'Anywhere I Lay My Head,' in 2008.
© Getty Images
12 / 47 Fotos
Robert Pattinson - The actor recorded two tracks for the 'Twilight' soundtrack, and the 'Damsel' soundtrack also features one of his songs.
© Getty Images
13 / 47 Fotos
Joe Pesci
- In 2019, Joe Pesci released a jazz single, 'Baby Girl,' featuring Maroon 5's Adam Levine and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. The track is off of his jazz album, 'Still Singing.' What you might also not know is that this is actually Pesci's third album.
© NL Beeld
14 / 47 Fotos
Nicole Kidman - The Australian actress is also a talented singer. She even performed a duet with Robbie Williams, 'Somethin' Stupid.'
© Getty Images
15 / 47 Fotos
Zooey Deschanel - Known for her gregarious comedy roles, Deschanel takes her music seriously. A noted singer-songwriter, she records and tours on a regular basis.
© Getty Images
16 / 47 Fotos
Ryan Gosling - Ryan Gosling's talent for music was evident in the movie 'La La Land.' In 2009, he released an album with his band, Dead Man's Bones.
© Getty Images
17 / 47 Fotos
Russell Crowe - The actor started his music career in the '80s under the name Russ le Roq. He then embarked on a number of musical projects, including '30 Odd Foot of Grunts,' and 'Russell Crowe and The Ordinary Fear Of God.'
© Getty Images
18 / 47 Fotos
Penélope Cruz - Not only did the Spanish actress sing in a number of movie soundtracks, she also participated in the compilation 'Voices of Hope,' which raised money for charity.
© Getty Images
19 / 47 Fotos
Robert Downey Jr. - Before 'Iron Man,' the actor displayed a hidden talent with 'The Futurist' (2004), his first recording as a singer-songwriter. He's pictured here with Sting.
© Getty Images
20 / 47 Fotos
Salma Hayek - The famous actress has released a number of songs throughout the years, mostly as part of movie soundtracks.
© Getty Images
21 / 47 Fotos
Woody Allen - Woody Allen is a gifted clarinetist, and regularly takes to the stage with his New Orleans Jazz Band.
© Getty Images
22 / 47 Fotos
Don Johnson - The 'Miami Vice' heartthrob has released several albums since his heyday as TV's "Sonny" Crockett, including 'Let it Roll' (1989), 'Heartache' (1990), and 2002's 'The Essential.'
© NL Beeld
23 / 47 Fotos
Jeff Bridges - An accomplished guitarist, Bridges won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 2009 film 'Crazy Heart,' about a washed-up country music singer. He performed several of the songs.
© Getty Images
24 / 47 Fotos
Clint Eastwood - The acclaimed actor-director first put voice to acetate way back in 1961. He sang again in 'Paint Your Wagon' (1969). An excellent piano player, Eastwood has also composed music for several films.
© Getty Images
25 / 47 Fotos
Antonio Banderas - From 'Desperado' to 'Evita,' we can listen to the Spanish actor singing in a number of tracks.
© NL Beeld
26 / 47 Fotos
Leighton Meester - The 'Gossip Girl' star released an album titled 'Heartstrings' in 2014.
© Getty Images
27 / 47 Fotos
Billy Bob Thornton
- The actor has had a lifelong love for music and recorded several albums. He tours regularly with his band, The Boxmasters.
© Getty Images
28 / 47 Fotos
Hilary Duff - From Disney teen idol to Billboard-topping singer, the actress can turn her hand to pop, rock, folk, and even dance-electro.
© Getty Images
29 / 47 Fotos
Steve Martin - Regarded as one of the greatest stand-up comics, the actor spends a lot of his time playing banjo professionally. He learned to play at 17 years old.
© Getty Images
30 / 47 Fotos
Kevin Costner - The actor, director, and producer is also a gifted guitarist. He's the singer in Kevin Costner and Modern West, a country rock band that tours the world.
© Getty Images
31 / 47 Fotos
David Hasselhof - Having long since hung up his crimson red Bermudas, "The Hoff" continues to enjoy a busy career in music, and records worldwide.
© Getty Images
32 / 47 Fotos
Patrick Swayze - The late actor topped the charts in 1987 with 'She's Like the Wind,' a song that was part of the 'Dirty Dancing' soundtrack.
© Getty Images
33 / 47 Fotos
Jamie Foxx - His role as Ray Charles in the film 'Ray' (2004) garnered the actor an Oscar for Best Actor. Foxx has been playing the piano since he was five years old.
© Getty Images
34 / 47 Fotos
Bruce Willis - One of Hollywood's most bankable actors, the action hero enjoyed moderate success in the late 1980s as a recording artist.
© Getty Images
35 / 47 Fotos
Jack Black - The comic was acting in television commercials as early as 1982, but showed his true colors as a musician on-screen in 'School of Rock' (2003). He is the lead singer of hard rock band Tenacious D.
© NL Beeld
36 / 47 Fotos
Jessica Pimentel - The 'Orange Is the New Black' actress fronts a metal band called Alekhine's Gun. She also sings backing vocals in the Mexican extreme metal band Brujeria.
© Getty Images
37 / 47 Fotos
Jeff Daniels - A highly respected actor, Daniels is also a hugely competent guitarist and singer-songwriter. Between movie commitments, he keeps busy recording and undertakes frequent gigs.
© NL Beeld
38 / 47 Fotos
John Travolta - The 'Pulp Fiction' star's early foray into music was not successful. All that changed, however, when he followed 'Saturday Night Fever' (1977) with 'Grease' (1978). The rest is history.
© Getty Images
39 / 47 Fotos
Steven Seagal
- Acting, martial arts, and music define Seagal. His guitar collection includes instruments previously owned by Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix, among others. He tours with his band Thunderbox.
© NL Beeld
40 / 47 Fotos
Jada Pinkett-Smith - The actress is the lead singer of metal band Wicked Wisdom.
© Getty Images
41 / 47 Fotos
Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi - 'The Blues Brothers' (1980) cemented the musical careers of Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi. The band made its debut in 1978 on 'Saturday Night Live.'
© NL Beeld
42 / 47 Fotos
Telly Savalas - The late 'Kojak' actor released the album 'Telly' in 1974 and had a minor hit with 'If,' written by David Gates from Bread.
© Getty Images
43 / 47 Fotos
Joel Grey - Who can forget the actor's virtuoso turn as the Master of Ceremonies in 'Cabaret' (1972)? He continues to sing and act on stage.
© Getty Images
44 / 47 Fotos
Robert Mitchum - The late tough-guy actor demonstrated a fine singing voice on the album 'Calypso - is like so...' (1957) and the follow-up, 'That Man' (1967). He also sang in a number of his films.
© NL Beeld
45 / 47 Fotos
Lee Marvin
- Hard-drinking, hard-living Marvin surprised everyone with his hit song 'Wand'rin Star,' taken from the musical 'Paint Your Wagon' (1969). It was a one-hit wonder from the late actor.
© NL Beeld
46 / 47 Fotos
Famous actors who are also musicians
These Hollywood stars are also musically minded
© Getty Images
It takes a lot of creativity and hard work to become good at any art form.
Either onstage or on-screen, acting is a very demanding job. What we see in a play or a movie is the final result of numerous hours of hard work and dedication. Actors often work long hours, and immerse themselves completely in their roles. Many times, this process takes all their energy and there’s not much more an actor can do, other than perform to the best of their ability.
While this is the reality for many actors, particularly in-demand Hollywood stars, some of these talented people have found another way of getting their creative juices flowing—through music.
Many noted film and television stars have harmonized their on-screen careers with musicality, resulting in varying degrees of success. From talented singers to proficient instrument players, many actors and actresses prove that talent can be transposed into other art forms.
Some of these stars have taken their roles to the next level and actually sung in movies they starred in, while others have put bands together, toured, and even released albums. Some of these, in fact, have had quite a successful career in music.
In this gallery you’ll find many familiar faces who dabbled into music. Some of them you might know, but some others will definitely surprise you.
Scroll through the gallery to find out who’s been playing a different tune.
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