Top 10 acting debuts of musicians

10. Prince — “Purple Rain” (1984)

Prince was one of the best artists for cultivating the world around him. Few could reinvent their style, sound and image quite like him. It’s no surprise that he was able to translate that to the big screen with his film debut, “Purple Rain.” While it was his first time acting, loosely based on life in his hometown of Minneapolis, Prince (as The Kid) captivated the audience with his charisma and conviction, playing a young musician fighting against an abusive father, a rival local band, and his own inner demons in the face of love and public acceptance.

9. Janelle Monáe — “Moonlight” (2016)

Like Prince, Janelle Monáe built her own world via her music. Her albums were connected as the “Metropolis” suites, an Afrofuturistic linear narrative about an autonomous female android. For her first acting role on screen, “Moonlight,” she played Teresa, a woman who, along with her drug-dealing boyfriend, Juan, was a guide and oasis for Chiron, a Black kid dealing with his queerness adjacent to his rough upbringing. Monáe’s Teresa was calming, gentle and understanding, crucial to the film winning Best Picture at the 2017 Oscars.

8. Ice-T — “New Jack City” (1991)

What’s interesting is Ice-T is probably best known for acting on the long-running cop-procedural show, “Law and Order: SVU.” He gained his public notoriety as a pioneering West Coast rapper. His slick-talking wit attracted director Mario Van Peebles to Ice-T as a star in his film, “New Jack City.” Ice’s first foray into acting found him as an undercover detective opposite Wesley Snipes, which made for a believable, suspenseful cat-and-mouse game.

7. Ice Cube — “Boyz n the Hood” (1991)

By 1991, Ice Cube was regarded as one of the best MCs and writers in hip-hop, thanks to his work with N.W.A. and his stellar solo debut album in 1990, “Amerikkka’s Most Wanted.” Months before his equally beloved album “Death Certificate” dropped, Ice Cube co-starred in “Boyz n the Hood.” It was the first film for Cube and the film’s director and writer, John Singleton. Cube played Doughboy, a young man who, on the surface, seemed like a foul-mouthed walking statistic, but Cube played him with a quiet depth of reflection and poignancy, whose potential was stifled by his environment.

6. Will Smith — “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1990)

Will Smith was in a low place in 1990. He and partner DJ Jazzy Jeff were reeling from the disappointment of their third album, “And in This Corner…,” and Smith was in the throws of tax problems. Quincy Jones convinced Smith he had star potential for a new TV sitcom, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Smith had zero acting experience but jumped so deep into the part he memorized everyone else’s lines. The seeds of his career as a future $20 million-a-movie actor is seen in the first season, where Smith excelled at exploiting quick humor and a grounded sense of himself and his surroundings.

5. Jennifer Hudson — “Dreamgirls” (2006)

Although Jennifer Hudson did not release her debut album until two years after starring in “Dreamgirls,” her coming-out party came on “American Idol.” She revealed her big, soulful vocals to millions of viewers every week. When she received the opportunity to lend her voice to perform Effie White’s songs in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, she gave the people what they wanted and more…an Academy Award-winning performance.

4. Michael Jackson — “The Wiz” (1978)

Michael Jackson’s success stemmed from his habitually studious nature, synthesizing the craft of numerous mentors like James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder and Berry Gordy. When tackling his first acting role as Scarecrow, he was just as diligent, fielding help from actors like Sidney Poitier and Ryan O’Neal. He tapped into a beautiful mixture of pathos and trepidation that created a standout performance.

3. Andra Day — “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” (2021)

Andra Day’s smoky vocals have drawn comparisons to Billie Holiday, particularly on her critically acclaimed debut album, 2015’s “Cheers to the Fall.” She used those comparisons during her first film role, Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” Day played the late singer as she navigated life while the FBI attempted to silence her from singing the protest song “Strange Fruit.” Day won a Golden Globe by capturing Holiday’s vocals while showing a dynamic sense of defiance, confidence and world-weariness.

2. Tupac Shakur — “Juice” (1992)

Tupac Shakur had an unparalleled voice as an MC and was one of the most prolific writers hip-hop had ever seen. As good as his 1991 debut album, “2Pacalypse” now was, his debut as an actor the following year proved to be just as explosive. As Bishop in “Juice,” Shakur put his high school drama training to the test; he embodied an unhinged teenager hell-bent on gaining respect with violence and deception, but in the film’s final moments, he showed that deep down, he was just a scared kid. Had Shakur lived past 25, he might’ve won an Oscar before a Grammy.

1. Diana Ross — “Lady Sings the Blues” (1972)

Before making her acting debut, Diana Ross was the face of Motown Records, thanks to a string of No. 1 hits with The Supremes. Nearly three years into her solo career, she ventured into Hollywood, playing Billie Holiday in “Lady Sings the Blues.” While Andra Day’s 2021 performance focused on a fixed point in Holiday’s life, Ross played Holiday from her life as a teenager to a sex worker, lounge singer, music superstar, helpless drug addict, and back again. She was equally compelling in each phase.

Ross’ ability to contort her singing voice to mimic Holiday’s phrasing was just as impressive as how she depicted Holiday in her intoxicated, mentally ill states. She became the first Black actress to receive an Oscar nomination for her debut film, paving the way for Day, Jennifer Hudson, Oprah Winfrey, Gabourey Sidibe, Quvenzhané Wallis and Lupita Nyong’o.