7 Musicians We Really Wish Would Act

When I hear the name “Courtney Love,” four things come to mind: her gravelly voice, her messy blonde bob, her short satin dresses and her . . . acting chops? In a rather unexpected turn, FX’s hit show, Sons of Anarchy, has cast Courtney Love as a guest star for their seventh season. Despite the mixed reviews on this decision, it’s best to give Ms. Love a fair shake. After all, she did earn a Golden Globe nomination in ’96 for The People vs. Harry Flynt. Roger Ebert even said that she “[proved] she is not a rock star pretending to act, but a true actress.” Who knew?

Love isn’t the first musician to dive into drama. Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson and Mark Wahlberg dug their feet deep into the biz after making their musical debuts (And P.S. I thought I was seeing things when Adam Levine popped up in a trailer for Begin Again). On the flip side of this musician-turned-actor phenomenon are musicians who haven’t even come close to the movie biz. But we must say, their natural abilities have certainly piqued our curiosity. Here are 7 musicians we wish would act, because. . . hey, we’re allowed to dream!

1. Dave Grohl

What can’t this guy do? He’s got enough talent to function as a one man band, and still manages to have better comedic timing than some actors. If you don’t believe me, watch the Foo Fighter’s music video for “Learn To Fly.” With the exception of Tenacious D, he and his band mates took on the feat of playing all of the characters aboard a very . . . turbulent flight. My favorite character might have to be Grohl’s foppish flight attendant who takes his job [perhaps a bit too] seriously. If that’s not convincing enough, then watch their cheesy Mentos spoof, “Big Me.”

2. Kristen Hersh

Fronting an alternative rock band? Check. Writing and publishing a devastating (albeit funny) memoir? Check. Making us all laugh while sharing her thoughts on “Freudian Europeans” and their deep, deep interpretations of her lyrics? Check. If this video is any indication of what her stand-up comedy routine would look like, I am all in. She will, at the very least, make you smile. I promise.

3. Brian Eno

Brian Eno is nothing short of an artistic genius. He gets it. He understands what it takes to make great art, he’s all about exploration and, most importantly, he’s a truth seeker. Believe me when I say it’s an enlightening experience just to hear him talk about art. If his approach to acting is anything like his approach to music, look out. If you need any further validation, he can put on a mean German accent. Fast forward to 3:50 to hear it. I knew he had it in him!

4. Annie Clark (St. Vincent)

If you’ve ever watched St. Vincent’s music video for “Cruel,” you know how beautifully expressive her eyes are. I know that sounds creepy, but it’s true. Watch the video and tell me you can’t track her emotions. Even though Annie had a little theatrical training in high school, she strictly pursued music thereafter. And, for what it’s worth, she did name her 2009 album Actor. So. . . ya know. . . maybe there’s a connection there.

5. Tyler the Creator

The always-outspoken Tyler the Creator turned up the theatrics (and shock value) for his rapping/directorial debut video, “Yonkers” (Explicit) back in 2011. Say what you will about his live cockroach eating. . .Tyler’s still got a sensitive side. He’s directed a surprising amount of music videos, including “Glowing” by Chester French (MATURE CONTENT WARNING!). The video features a young couple growing in love together in spite of the chaos and sadness around them. Who knew Tyler could commit to such lovey dovey work? I personally think his directorial eye and his natural charisma could make for a winning combo.

6. Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)

Karen O is certainly no stranger to dramatic performances. If you’ve ever watched her on stage, you know she throws down. She also gave one heck of an emotional performance for her “Maps” video back in 2004. Karen explained,

She dove right into the realness of that situation, which isn’t easy to do. . . especially when you’re on set (ask any actor). Props, Karen!

 7. Azealia Banks

Azealia Banks wasn’t always writing verses. In fact, acting is what propelled her into the music biz. Due to her frustration with auditioning, Azealia turned to writing and rapping to keep herself in a creative mindset. In an interview with BBC in 2012, she revealed:

I always say everything happens for a reason, and it most certainly worked out for Ms. Banks. But I can’t help but wonder whether she’s still got the acting bug.

Alright, who’d I leave out?

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