From Lady Gaga To Rihanna to Beyoncé: 10 singers turned actresses

Lady Gaga is making her big screen debut in A Star is Born, which releases in SA cinemas on October 12, and we’re all super excited as the trailer looks pretty amazing and we’ve seen Gaga’s acting chops before in American Horror Story: Hotel and the reviews about her performance have already been positive. 

But she’s far from the first singer to turn to the silver screen. Here we take a look at all the singers who expanded their horizons and took their career to the next level. 

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1. Rihanna

Riri has had an impressive career since the early 2000s when she released Pon De Replay. She’s now released eight studio albums, launched the mega successful Fenty Beauty empire and has starred in Ocean’s 8 with an all-star cast and she had a role in Bates Motel. 

2. Jennifer Lopez

She might be Jenny From The Block, but she’s also known for her acting career as well as her bops. She’s been in films like Enough, Selena, Maid in Manhattan, Monster In Law and so many more. Plus she was also the lead in drama series Shades of Blue alongside Ray Liotta.

3. Cher

She might have risen to fame as one half of Sonny and Cher, but she’s made her name for herself since the 60s. She’s had an impressive musical career, but she’s also appeared in films like Burlesque, Moonstruck, and most recently, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again alongside Amanda Seyfried, Lily James, and Meryl Streep.

4. Beyoncé

The Queen Bey was part of the iconic Destiny’s Child in the 90s and her solo career went from strength to strength after she left the group. She is now one of the most revered singers of our time. But she’s also been seen on the silver screen in movies like The Pink Panther, Dreamgirls, and Austin Powers in Goldmember.

5. Mariah Carey

She’s given us countless hits from We Belong Together to the latest GTFO. Her career has been going strong since she released her debut in the 90s. But of course she has also ventured into acting with films like Precious, The Butler, and Glitter.

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6. Jennifer Hudson

She first gained fame on the third season of American Idol, where she was a finalist. She released her self-titled debut album in 2008 which was a great success. Jennifer also won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Effie White in Dreamgirls. She’s also appeared in The Secret Life of Bees, and had roles in Sex and the City and Smash.

7. Janet Jackson

Janet got out under the shadow of her famous family in the 80s producing albums like All For You, Control, and Unbreakable. Her music career is amazing, but her acting career has been great too. She’s been seen in films like Poetic Justice, Why Did I Get Married?, and For Colored Girls.

8. Queen Latifah

If you weren’t around in the 90s it might be easy to forget that Queen Latifah actually first rose to fame as a singer and rapper. All Hail the Queen in 1989, and produced tracks such as Ladies First and U.N.I.T.Y. She’s been in loads of movies since then though like Hairspray, Stranger Than Fiction, Chicago, and most recently, Girls Trip.

9. Christina Aguilera 

The pop princess had us all dancing in the 90s and early 00s with hits like What a Girl Wants, Genie in a Bottle, and Beautiful. But since then she’s also starred in films like Burlesque, Zoe, and The Emoji Movie and appeared on the smaller screen in Nashville and served as a coach on The Voice.

10. Awkwafina

Born Nora Lum, the rapper gained notoriety for tracks like My Vag and NYC Bitches. She released her debut album Yellow Ranger in 2014, and her EP In Fina We Trust in June. But she’s also starred in Ocean’s 8 and the critically-acclaimed Crazy Rich Asians. Plus she’ll soon host Saturday Night Live, and become the first Asian American woman host since Lucy Liu in 2000.