The great thing about acting is that anyone can try it. While some take time and practice to become professional actors, for others it comes more naturally. celebrities such as Bjork, eminemand Oprah Winfreywere only known in their respective fields and would not have taken up acting unless they thought they could or when the opportunity presented itself.
And while not all non-actors become Oscar-winning breakthrough actors, many of them have shown their courage and hidden talent for acting. Whether they’ve proven their worthiness as a serious actor or wanted to try acting, these films are great exhibits for these unlikely stars.
Jimmy Fallon – “Fever Bad Luck” (2005)
Before his talk show Jimmy Fallon played along Height, a romantic comedy-drama that follows a high school teacher and die-hard Boston Red Sox fan, Ben Wrightman (Fallon). On a school field trip, Ben meets a successful corporate executive, Lindsay Meeks (Drew Barrymore) and soon starts dating her. Ben and Lindsey begin attending games together, but tensions arise when Lindsey receives a promotion and Ben’s over-loyalty to the Red Sox becomes problematic.
Although the film received mixed reviews, film critics Roger Ebert praised the film and particularly Fallon’s performance as Ben Wright.
Rihanna – “Ocean’s 8” (2018)
ocean 8 is the all-female spin-off of the Ocean’s trilogy and film series. Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock), sister of the late Danny Ocean (George Clooney), plans a major heist to steal a $150 million Cartier necklace from the Met Gala. Along with her former accomplice Lou (Cate Blanchett) assemble your team: fashion designer Rose Weil (Helena Bonham Carter) who owes money to the IRS; Jeweler Amita (Mindy Kaling), who wants independence from her mother; Hacker Nine Ball / Leslie (rihanna), pickpocket Constance (Awkwafina) and fence in Tammy (Sarah Paulson).
Though Ocean’s 8 isn’t Rihanna’s first acting role, many were surprised to see the glamorous R&B singer and mogul successfully morph into a badass hacker in the film.
Bjork – “Dancers in the Dark” (2000)
In Björk’s second acting debut in a feature film, she takes on the lead role of Selma Ježková, a Czech immigrant living with her 12-year-old son Gene Ježek (Bishop Kostic). They live in poverty and Selma works with her good friend Kathy (Catherine Deneuve), or as she likes to call her, Cvalda. Her salvation in life is her passion for music and Hollywood musicals, where she often dreams of being the star of a musical.
In reality, however, her financial problems are compounded by her degenerative eye disease, which is causing her to lose her sight. It gets worse when a neighbor accuses Selma of trying to steal his life savings when it’s the other way around.
Eminem – “8 Miles” (2002)
In Eminem’s film debut in the semi-autobiographical 8 miles, Eminem plays Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith Jr., a blue-collar worker who dreams of being a rapper but lives with his broken family in a trailer park in Warren, Michigan. Jimmy is with a radio DJ, Wink (Eugene Byrd), who has ties to a record label promoter. But their relationship becomes strained when Jimmy finds out that Wink is doing promotional work for Jimmy’s rival, a rap group called Leaders of the Free World.
In retaliation, Jimmy agrees to participate in the rap battle his best friend Future (Mechi Phifer). In an unforgettable finale, Jimmy shatters battles against every member of the Leaders of the Free World and earns the respect of those who doubt his rap skills because of the color of his skin.
Lady Gaga – “A Star Is Born” (2018)
A star Is Born needs no introduction. In the fourth remake of the film, this serves as Bradley Cooperhis directorial debut, Lady Gaga Stars in the lead role of Ally Maine, a struggling singer-songwriter on the verge of giving up her dream of being a famous singer. Her life changes when she meets country rock singer Jack Maine (Bradley Cooper).
They fall in love, but as Ally’s career takes off, her personal relationship changes. The film owes its success to Cooper’s ability to retell the story and his and Gaga’s on-screen chemistry.
Tyra Banks – “Life Size” (2000)
life size is a fantasy comedy television film starring a boy Lindsay Lohan in the role of Casey Stuart and Tyra Banks as Eve. Casey is a seventh grader who recently lost her mother. Later, at a bookstore, Casey finds hope in bringing her mother back to life when she finds The Book of Awakening, a book that teaches her how to revive the dead. But instead of reviving her mother, Casey accidentally brings her doll, Eve, to life. Eve, who was a doll, has no idea what real life entails, so she needed the help of Casey and her father, Ben (Jere Stuart) to teach her how to lead a normal everyday life.
Although Tyra Banks has been credited with a number of acting roles, she is best known for her role as Eve. The continuation, life size 2was released in 2018, and Banks revealed it life size 3 is also in the works.
The Beatles – “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964)
The Beatles’ feature film debut, The night of a hard day, shows a day in the life of a rock band. Shot in semi-documentary style, a day in her life looks like this: being chased around by screaming fans, recording songs, performing, boarding a helicopter and giving press conferences. But most of all, despite being the world’s most famous rock band, A Hard Day’s Night showed their free-spirited souls.
1996 film critic Roger Ebert wrote a review of A Hard Day’s Night. He described the legacy the film has left us: “After more than three decades, it hasn’t aged and it hasn’t become obsolete; it stands outside of its time, its genre and even rock. It’s one of the great life-affirming landmarks in the film.”
Mariah Carey – “Precious” (2009)
Precious tells the heartbreaking story of Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), an illiterate and overweight 16-year-old who is currently pregnant with her second child. Both her first child with Down syndrome, Mongo, and her second child are the result of being raped by her birth father, who is now gone. Seeing Precious’ situation motivated her principal to convince her to attend an alternative school, where she hopes Precious can get better help.
Not only that, Precious begins a meeting with social worker Ms. Weiss (Mariah Carey) and recounts the abuse she suffered from both her parents when she was young. Learning of this, Ms. Weiss frees Precious from her abusive mother, Mary (Mo’Nique) with whom she had been living to start a new life in which she has the freedom to determine her future.
Oprah Winfrey – “The Color Purple” (1985)
The colour purple follows the story of the African American women who lived in rural Georgia in the 20th century. Celie Harris (Hooray Goldberg), Nettie Harris (He will learn Busia) and Sofia (Oprah Winfrey) are female abuse victims who choose not to let their life tragedies stop them from becoming who they want to be.
Winfrey received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Sofia.
Mos Def – “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” (2005)
One morning, Arthur Dent (Martin Freiman) discovers that his house is being demolished to make way for a bypass. Arthur’s friend Ford Prefect (Mos Def), takes him to a pub for a few drinks to make him feel better. Ford later admits that he is an alien from Betelgeuse and a journalist working on it The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Book. Ford also warns Arthur that, much like his home, Earth will soon be demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass.
Arthur becomes the two-headed president of the galaxy, Zaphod Beeblebrox, an earth woman, Trillian McMillan (Zooey Deschanel) and a depressed robot, Marvin the Paranoid Android (Warwick Davis) on the ship Heart of Gold. Amid the darkness of his new world, Arthur searches for the meaning of life.
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