It doesn’t matter if you’re a teenager in high school or a world-renowned actor, there’s just something about being a rock star that has an irresistible appeal. Even Johnny Depp couldn’t really resist the temptation of being a famous musician in addition to a famous actor, starting his own band called Hollywood Vampires even after speaking unfavorably of actors who tried to be musicians too. Here are some actors who turned musicians that have definitely left their mark on the music world:
Number One: Jennifer Lopez. You probably didn’t know that J.Lo was an actor before she was a musician. Lopez first got her first big break on a television show called In Living Color. She was in countless of movies and television shows before staring in a movie called Selena, which sky-rocketed her into music stardom. As her major hit states, J.Lo’s still true to her roots and continues to act. She’s set to star in a television show called Shades of Blue.
Number Two: Jamie Foxx. The actor is near famous for his role as Ray Charles in the movie Ray, but since then he’s made a living as a musician as well as an actor. He’s released four albums, and is set to release a fifth album called Hollywood later this year.
Number Three: Jared Leto. There’s a reason that you didn’t know that Jared Leto was an actor before a musician. He starred in a small hit 90’s drama, My So-Called Life. The show was really short lived, and as soon as it was canceled, Jered Leto went on to form the band that we all know and love today: Thirty Seconds to Mars. While the band is famous, Jared Leto never really left his acting roots, staring in numerous movies since the band’s formation. He recently earned critical acclaim for his role in 2013’s Dallas Buyer’s Club, and is set to star as The Joker in the upcoming DC film, Suicide Squad.
Number Four: Jack Black. Considering his typecast for movies and films, it’s no surprise that Jack Black is actually a pretty awesome rocker. He’s one half of the comedy rock duo Tenacious D, which was formed in 1994 with vocalist Kyle Gass. They’ve performed with countless of rock stars, and even won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2015!
Number Five: Eddie Murphy. Most recognizable as a comedy actor and sketch artist for Saturday Night Live, not a lot of people know that Eddie Murphy is a musician. He had a hit in 1985 called “Party All The Time,” but Murphy’s musical career goes far beyond that one hit–consisting of two albums, features with Michael Jackson, and multiple vocal appearances on his films. He’s currently working on a new album called 9¸and released a single in 2013 called “Red Light” with Snoop Lion.