From Barbra to Gaga: take a look at the Oscar-nominated musicians

For her role as the mother of the titular character in Ken Russel's adaption of the Who's rock opera, the pop star was forced to writhe around in a muck of baked beans, detergent, and chocolate for three days with a lacerated hand. Her character carefully straddles the line between pitiable and sleazy.

13 / 27 Fotos

Peggy Lee, 'Pete Kelly's Blues' (1955) -

Nominee: Best Supporting Actress

Perhaps it was Lee's real-life disappointment with men (see: her four bitter divorces) that she channeled into her acclaimed performance as a jazz singer at the mercy of those who claim to love her.

14 / 27 Fotos

Frank Sinatra, 'The Man With the Golden Arm' (1955) -

Nominee: Best Actor

The crooner played a sympathetic, newly sober thug who is also fresh out of jail, and who struggles with drug addiction and gangs while, of course, still chasing his musical dreams.

15 / 27 Fotos

Dexter Gordon, 'Round Midnight' (1986) -

Nominee: Best Actor

In one of the few acting gigs Gordon took on near the end of his career, the saxophonist earned a Best Actor nod for portraying an alcoholic jazz musician in Paris.

16 / 27 Fotos

Cher, 'Silkwood' (1983) -

Nominee: Best Supporting Actress

While Cher was still largely seen as a wisecracking, glamorous, bell-bottomed star, her extremely stripped-down performance as a scrappy lesbian, alongside Meryl Streep as Karen Silkwood, revealed a whole other side to her.

17 / 27 Fotos

Will Smith, 'The Pursuit of Happyness' (2006) -

Nominee: Best Actor

What made Will Smith's portrayal of Chris Gardner so fantastic was that, along with being a single parent dealing with homelessness, his insistence on maintaining dignity and excellence was delivered with immense charisma and talent.

18 / 27 Fotos

Bing Crosby, 'Going My Way' (1944) / 'The Bells of St. Mary's' (1945) -

Winner: Best Actor / Nominee: Best Actor

Though they were released a year apart and tell their own distinct stories, the films feature one extended performance by Crosby, as a hip young Catholic priest with a talent for connecting to young people and reviving struggling parishes.

19 / 27 Fotos

Jennifer Hudson, 'Dreamgirls' (2006) -

Winner: Best Supporting Actress

The film adaptation of the musical featured Beyoncé as a main draw, but it was quickly evident that Hudson stole the show, portraying immense strength with stark moments of vulnerability.

20 / 27 Fotos

Bette Midler, 'The Rose' (1979) -

Nominee: Best Actress

Midler delivered a raw performance as a self-destructive rock goddess who recklessly teeters between boisterous laughter and heaving sobs.

21 / 27 Fotos

Ann-Margret, 'Carnal Knowledge' (1971) -

Nominee: Best Supporting Actress

Often called the female version of Elvis Presley, Ann-Margret stifled her hip-shaking spirit to play a complex object of lust who collapses when she realizes what she truly is in the eyes of Jack Nicholson's character.

22 / 27 Fotos

Will Smith, 'Ali' (2001) -

Nominee: Best Actor

Smith carefully showed audiences both the public hubris and private compassion of Muhammad Ali, closing the space between his identities as both celebrity and hero.

23 / 27 Fotos

Diana Ross, 'Lady Sings the Blues' (1972) -

Nominee: Best Actress

Diana Ross gave everything to her role as Billie Holiday, embodying the singer with a mix of disheveled hair, tear-stained cheeks, and guttural screams. She humanized Holiday in a way that had yet to be achieved.

24 / 27 Fotos

Cher, 'Moonstruck' (1987) -

Winner: Best Actress

Though Cher had already proven herself a nimble actor in both comedy and drama, she proved to be the emotional center of this film, becoming for the first time a fully rounded character. She also delivered the most memorable slap in cinematic history!

25 / 27 Fotos

Frank Sinatra, 'From Here to Eternity' (1953) -

Winner: Best Supporting Actor

Sinatra's supporting character got all the best lines in this film, set during the lead-up to Pearl Harbor. Through his harrowing obstacles and tragic death in his friend's arms, Sinatra's debonair demeanor is completely absent and he is hardly recognizable as himself.

26 / 27 Fotos

Barbra Streisand, 'Funny Girl' (1968) -

Winner: Best Actress

As a real New Yorker who endured the ups and downs of show business armed with her talent and will, this role was perfect for Streisand. It both showcased her dry humor and her naturalistic expressions of heartbreak.

27 / 27 Fotos

From Barbra to Gaga: take a look at the Oscar-nominated musicians

The singers who received nods for their acting chops

07/02/20 | StarsInsider

MOVIES Oscars

Last year Lady Gaga didn't take home the Oscar for Best Actress, but she joined an elite group of multi-talented musicians whose abilities far exceeded one genre. Many singers have dabbled in film, but few have received nods from the Academy for it. Click through to see every Oscar-nominated performance by a musician, ranked by Vulture.