Here we present 10 examples.
01. Jennifer Lopez
At first it all started very modestly. Jennifer Lopez (48) was a dancer in several dance bands and music videos in the 90s, sang as a backing vocalist in various bands, and landed several small supporting roles in films such as Money Train (1995) and Jack. (1996). When she became known to a wider audience with her first leading roles in films such as Selena the American Dream (1997), Anaconda (1997) or U-turn – No Turning Back (1997), her musical career also took off.
In 1998, she signed her first recording contract. The album On The 6 immediately hit the top ten in the US charts. Hits like “If You Had My Love” (1999), “Let’s Get Loud” (2000) or “Jenny From The Block” (2002) followed. There were also some campaign successes. Films such as The Wedding Planner (2001), Manhattan Love Story (2002) and May I Ask? (2004) cemented her reputation as a talented actress. Lopez last appeared in the American TV series Shades of Blue.
2. Mark Wahlberg
What do you do as the brother of a famous pop singer? It’s best to record a record. Mark Wahlberg did just that in 1991 and rode the New Kids On The Block euphoria with his first CD and charted high. Produced by his brother and teenage Donny, Mark laid the foundation for his true career as a movie star.
His fame helped him with roles in several blockbusters such as On the Streets of New York (1995), The Tempest (2000), Planet of the Apes (2001). His biggest success to date was the role of police officer Bryce Dignam in the Scorsese thriller Departed. It was nominated for an Oscar in 2007. So much skill was finally rewarded: in 2010, he received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
3. Madonna
She is the grand lady of the pop scene: Madonna has managed to rise to the top of the world charts with every new album since starting her career in 1983 with Madonna. World hits such as “Like a Virgin” (1984), “Like A Prayer” (1989) or “Music” (2000) also cemented her reputation as the undisputed Queen of Pop.
Almost simultaneously with her musical career, Michigan’s ambitious Madonna Louise Ciccone was drawn to the camera again and again. Films such as Susan…Desperately Wanted (1985), Body of Evidence (1993), Evita (1996) earned her a lot of criticism and several times even the Golden Raspberry as the worst actress, but fans also had an opinion. her allegiance to cinema.
4. Ice Cube
He started out as a hardcore rapper and discovered his great love for films on the side. Ice Cube, bourgeois O’Shea Jackson (48), shot to the top of the US charts with his 1990 albums and sold millions of CDs. But the call of the camera got bigger and bigger.
He tried his hand at acting as early as 1991’s Boyz in The Hood. In 1995, he and a friend wrote the script for the comedy Friday. Movies like Anaconda (1997), The Barbershop (2002) and Road Trip Together (2014) followed. At Ice Cube, making films is clearly a top priority now, and not just as an actor: he has now established himself as a film producer as well.
5. Will Smith
His reputation in the hip-hop scene was extremely bad. Because Will Smith (49) refrained from swearing and expression in his rap songs. However, in the late 80s he had a following and some success as a rapper. When he almost went bankrupt due to problems with the tax office, a resourceful film manager from Warner Brothers came up with the idea to make a series about his past life.
Will Smith hit the ground running immediately, and The Prince of Bel Air was a huge hit on American television from 1990 to 1996. This was followed by films such as Independence Day (1997), Men in Black (1998), Public Enemy No. 1 (1998) and The Wild Wild West (1999), which made Smith one of the most hot Hollywood stars. To date, Will Smith has not only acted in over 30 films, he has also acted as a producer on several films, including blockbusters such as The Pursuit of Happiness (2006) or The Karate Kid (2010). The fact that with such success something is forgotten about the rap career is only clear: his last album at the moment, Lost And Found, was released by Smith in 2005.
6. Tina Turner
“Nutbush City Limits”, “What’s Love Got To With It?”, “We don’t need another hero*” – when it comes to filming world hits from the hip, Tina Turner is a true legend. With her smoky, soulful voice, she sells millions of records, fills stadiums around the world and is known to all pop music fans. On the contrary, her appearance as an actress is almost pale. Although – it would be a shame.
Because Anna May Bullock, as Tina Turner’s real name is, also looks great in front of the camera. She created her first fragrance brand here back in 1975 in the film adaptation of The Who’s rock opera Tommy. Many fans still fondly remember her as the weird acid queen. Her appearance in 1985’s Mad Max also garnered a lot of attention. Over the years, Tina Turner has worked primarily on tour documentaries, including her biography from Tina – What’s with Love? Meanwhile, the nimble artist has largely retired from the public eye and lives in Switzerland on Lake Zurich.
7. Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra actually lived two lives. The first was shaped by music. From 1939 to 1952, as one of the most popular singers in the United States, he caused a real hysteria. Since 1952, Frankie Boy has made a career as an actor. His very first role in Cursed For All Eternity won an Oscar for best supporting actor. In the following years, success on the microphone and in front of the camera was balanced. Big screen hits like Top Ten Thousand were followed by hits like My Way and Strangers in the Night.
When Sinatra died on May 14, 1998 at the age of 82, the question was not whether he was more successful as a singer or an actor. But it was he who went down in history as one of the greatest artists of all time.
8. Mandy Moore
She was once a true teen star: Mandy Moore was only 15 when she released her debut single Candy*. However, it was nothing more than a worthy success. In front of the camera, the New Hamshire girl could have scored a lot more.
Supporting roles in the films Unexpectedly Princess (2001) and Doctor. Doolittle 2 (2001) followed her first lead role in 2002: as Jamie Sullivan in “Nur mit dir”, she received applause from critics and moviegoers alike. Since then, Mandy Moore has appeared mostly in romantic films and love comedies, as well as television series such as Grey’s Anatomy or currently in This Is Us Is Life.
9. Beyoncé
Whether it’s with girl group Destiny’s Child, a solo singer or an actress, everything Beyoncé Gisele Knowles-Carter (35) touches seems to turn to gold. As a musician, she has 284 platinum albums and 143 gold awards. And the film industry appreciates her skills too.
Beyonce’s appearance as Dinah Jones in Dreamgirls (2006) was nominated for a Golden Globe. She was also able to convince as Cleopatra the Fox in Austin Powers in the Gold Rack (2002) and as Xania in The Pink Panther (2006).
10. Jennifer Hudson
It was the opposite with her. Jennifer Hudson (35) first found success in front of the camera before she was also able to find success as a musician. In 2007, she won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Effie Melody White in Dreamgirls.
Other film roles followed in the comedy Sex and the City and the crime thriller Winged Creatures before the release of her debut album Jennifer Hudson* in 2008. As well as the subsequent work “I Remember Me” (2011). , it peaked at number two on the US album charts.