Do you remember the first time you watched ‘The WIz?’ Did you realize right away that the woman who had the leading role in the film was the legendary singer Diana Ross? Or did it take a few watches to realize that someone of her stature musically was starring in a feature film? Let’s not forget that Michael Jackson was also a star in that same film. What did you think the first time you seen Method Man and Redman playing the obnoxious duo that got into Harvard University by smoking the ashes of their deceased friend in How High? What was your reaction to the legendary scene in Set It Off when Queen Latifah delivered one of the most gut-wrenching performances we’ve ever seen on screen? Was it shocking to you that someone you heard on the radio could also be that talented in front of a camera?
Source: N/A / HBO
Just as sports and music are synonymous, you can say the same thing for music and acting. For as long as we can remember, artists have always had their eyes on being more than just one trick ponies. Also, in the same vein, producers, directors and filmmakers in general are always looking for what will get their films/shows the biggest draws. This is where the two sides meet and mutually benefit each other. Oftentimes, adding a well known musician to the cast of your movie/show does wonders. Established names with their own fanbases bring more eyes to films/shows and also gives musicians a chance to show off the skills that fans might not have known they had. There have been countless artists who have started off on the music side and eventually dabbled in the acting world. There are also some who have fully immersed themselves into the life and have somewhat left music in the past.
As Power Book II: Ghost comes to a close this week (October 4th), we thought about fire it was that two true icons (Mary J. Blige and Method Man) went from the top of one field to the top of another almost seamlessly. Of course, they are just two names that fit into this category though. To celebrate the multi-faceted bunch, we created a gallery of some of our favorite artists turned actors, some of the scenes we love from them and some of their work that you should check out. There are a ton of them. With that being said, we have also included an honorable mentions list for those who might not have as much work under their belts as some others but still have made noteworthy appearances and are on their way to becoming two way superstars.
Honorable Mentions:
Suggested Watches: Living Single (TV series), Bringing Down The House, Taxi, The Cookout, Beauty Shop, Last Holiday, Just Wright, Bessie, Girls Trip, Hustle.
3. Bow Wow – Roll Bounce (2005)
Suggested Watches: Like Mike, Johnson Family Vacation, Lottery Ticket, F9.
4. Will Smith – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1994)
Suggested Watches: Bad Boys 1&2, Enemy of the State, Wild Wild West, Ali, Hitch, The Pursuit of Happiness, I Am Legend, Seven Pounds, Concussion, King Richard.
5. Ice Cube – Next Friday (2000)
Suggested Watches: Boyz n the Hood, Higher Learning, Friday, Anaconda, The Players Club, All About the Benjamins, Barbershop 1&2, Are We There Yet?, First Sunday, Lottery Ticket, 21&22 Jump Street, Ride Along 1&2, Fist Fight.
6. Eve – Barbershop (2002)
Suggested Watches: Eve (TV series), Barbershop 2, The Cookout, Queens (TV series).
7. Method Man – The Wire (2004)
Suggested Watches: Belly, How High, Soul Plane, Keanu, The Deuce (TV series), Power Book II: Ghost (TV Series).
8. Brandy – Moesha (1998)
Suggested Watches: Cinderella, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, The Game (TV Series), Star (TV Series), Queens (TV Series).
9. Beyonce – The Fighting Temptations (2003)
Suggested Watches: Austin Powers in Goldmember, The Pink Panther, Dreamgirls, Cadillac Records.
10. T.I. – ATL (2006)
Suggested Watches: American Gangster, Takers, Get Hard, Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp.
11. Kid Cudi – Don't Look Up (2021)
Suggested Watches: Need for Speed, Entourage, How to Make It in America (TV series), Vincent N Roxxy, We Are Who We Are.
12. Jamie Foxx – Django Unchained (2012)
Suggested Watches: In Living Color (TV series), Booty Call, Any Given Sunday, The Jamie Foxx Show, Breakin’ All The Rules, Ray, Miami Vice, Law Abiding Citizen, Horrible Bosses 1&2, Baby Driver, Just Mercy.
13. Common – Just Wright (2010)
Suggested Watches: Smokin’ Aces, Wanted, Now You See Me, Run All Night, John Wick: Chapter 2, The Hate U Give.
14. 50 Cent – Power (2015)
Suggested Watches: Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, Southpaw, Den of Thieves.
15. Janet Jackson – For Colored Girls (2010)
Suggested Watches: Good Times (TV series), Diff’rent Strokes (TV series), Poetic Justice, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Why Did I Get Married?, Why Did I Get Married Too?
16. Mary J. Blige – Power Book II: Ghost (2024)
Suggested Watches: I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Mudbound, The Umbrella Academy (TV Series),
