# Who is the best musician turned actor?

> Chart-toppers and rock icons who proved they could do more than sing — this lineup spans jazz legends to hip-hop stars, with Oscar winners and blockbuster headliners alike. Who nailed the crossover?

*By YPB Team · Published April 10, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-best-musician-turned-actor*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Frank Sinatra**
   Legendary crooner who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in From Here to Eternity.
2. **Cher**
   Pop icon who won the Best Actress Oscar for Moonstruck after her success with Sonny and Cher.
3. **Barbra Streisand**
   Broadway and recording superstar who won the Best Actress Oscar for her film debut in Funny Girl.
4. **Will Smith**
   Hip-hop artist turned global blockbuster star with Men in Black, Ali, and The Pursuit of Happyness.
5. **Lady Gaga**
   Pop superstar who earned critical acclaim for A Star Is Born and House of Gucci.
6. **David Bowie**
   Rock icon who brought otherworldly presence to The Man Who Fell to Earth and Labyrinth.
7. **Mark Wahlberg**
   Rapper Marky Mark who became an A-list actor with Boogie Nights, The Departed, and The Fighter.
8. **Ice Cube**
   N.W.A rapper who transitioned to acting with Boyz n the Hood, Friday, and the Are We There Yet franchise.
9. **Queen Latifah**
   Grammy-winning rapper turned Oscar-nominated actress for Chicago and star of Hairspray.
10. **Justin Timberlake**
   NSYNC frontman who proved his acting chops in The Social Network and Inside Llewyn Davis.
11. **Jennifer Hudson**
   American Idol contestant who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Dreamgirls.
12. **Kris Kristofferson**
   Country songwriter turned actor in A Star Is Born, Blade trilogy, and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.
13. **Ice-T**
   Pioneering gangsta rapper who has starred as Detective Tutuola on Law & Order: SVU since 2000.
14. **LL Cool J**
   Hip-hop pioneer who became a TV staple on NCIS: Los Angeles and starred in Deep Blue Sea.
15. **Ludacris**
   Atlanta rapper who became a key cast member of the Fast & Furious franchise.
16. **Common**
   Conscious rapper who delivered acclaimed performances in Selma, John Wick: Chapter 2, and Smokin' Aces.
17. **Janelle Monae**
   Afrofuturist musician who dazzled in Hidden Figures, Moonlight, and Glass Onion.
18. **Harry Styles**
   One Direction singer who appeared in Dunkirk and Don't Worry Darling.
19. **Dwight Yoakam**
   Country music star who became a respected character actor in Sling Blade and Panic Room.
20. **Meat Loaf**
   Rock legend known for Bat Out of Hell who memorably appeared in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Fight Club.

Tags: movies, music, celebrities, actors