From Beyonce to Jennifer Lopez: Pop stars who also ruled acting

Many music icons including Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Rihanna and many other household names, have successfully transitioned from the stage to the screen, and proved that their talent isn’t limited to just singing.

From chart-topping hits to award-winning performances, these celebrities show that versatility can take you anywhere.

Here are some of the top Hollywood stars who had successful transition between music and acting:

Lady Gaga:

Lady Gaga, a global music icon, appeared in an episode of The Sopranos as an uncredited classmate at the age of  just 15. 

Her iconic performance on the big screen came when she worked opposite Hollywood star Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born in their 2018 movie. 

Gaga is also known for her role as Bertha in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For and a chilling role of the Countess in American Horror Story: Hotel, for which she earned a Golden Globe.

Beyoncé:

Beyoncé’s movie career started while she was still conquering charts with Destiny’s Child. Her first major film role was a fun parody in Austin Powers in Goldmember.

Shortly after, she went on to star in The Fighting Temptations, after that the iconic singer appeared in The Pink Panther. In addition she played a lead in the Academy Award–winning Dreamgirls (2006).

Rihanna:

Rihanna’s first screen appearance tied closely to her music, playing herself in Bring It On: All or Nothing.

The Umbrella hitmaker later took on more different roles, from petty officer Cora Raikes in Battleship to a Moon Goddess in Annie, and even a hacker named Nine Ball in Ocean’s Eight (2018).

In addition, the iconic singer also starred alongside Donald Glover in the musical film Guava Island.

Jennifer Lopez:

Jennifer Lopez started her career as an actor and dancer before she transitioned into music.

J.Lo has made eight albums since 1999 and in the middle of it she became a beloved character onscreen in films like Maid in Manhattan, The Wedding Planner, and Out of Sight.

Justin Timberlake:

Justin Timberlake began his journey on The Mickey Mouse Club. He shared the screen with stars like Ryan Gosling and Christina Aguilera.

Shortly after the success of his boy band ’N Sync, he earned critical acclaim for roles in The Social Network, Friends With Benefits, Bad Teacher, and Inside Llewyn Davis.

Later, the iconic singer and Say Something hit maker won two Emmys for his guest appearances on Saturday Night Live.

Dolly Parton:

Dolly Parton, a well known American singer, has also appeared on the big screen, including two very successful movies, Steel Magnolias and 9 to 5. Both of her movies were nominated for Oscar.

Mandy Moore:

Mandy Moore burst onto the scene as a teen pop star with her 1999 album So Real, which featured the hit single Candy.

She quickly switched to acting, starring in The Princess Diaries in 2001 and A Walk to Remember.

Moore, who delivered stellar performance as Rebecca Pearson on This Is Us, returned to music in 2020 with her album Silver Landings.