Who knew these actors could sing? For this list, we’ll be looking at those breakout moments when an actor’s singing talents were put on display for a wide audience.
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00:00 "You're the voice of the children of the revolution!"
00:02 "We can't be fooled!"
00:04 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 moments we found
00:09 out an actor was a great singer.
00:11 "What a chorus girl.
00:12 That is silly."
00:13 "She has been taking lessons from a great teacher."
00:16 For this list, we'll be looking at those breakout moments when an actor's singing
00:19 talents were put on display for a wide audience.
00:22 Which of these singing performances resonated strongest in your ears?
00:26 Let us know in the comments.
00:28 Number 20.
00:29 Riley Keough – Daisy Jones and the Six
00:37 Given that she is the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, you might have assumed that Riley
00:41 Keough could sing.
00:43 But it wasn't until she took on the titular role of Daisy Jones in Daisy Jones and the
00:47 Six that all our assumptions bore out.
00:55 "I'm trying to stay into my place."
01:01 The miniseries debuted on Prime Video in March of 2023 and tells the fictional tale of the
01:06 rise and fall of the band Daisy Jones and the Six in the 1970s.
01:10 As you might imagine, being the lead female vocalist in a band required Keough to do a
01:15 lot of singing.
01:17 And saying she pulled it off is an understatement.
01:19 "You'll be my brother."
01:26 Number 19.
01:27 Meryl Streep – Postcards from the Edge
01:38 A new generation of moviegoers might have been surprised by Meryl Streep's singing
01:41 abilities in films like Mamma Mia and Into the Woods.
01:44 However, if they'd just asked their parents, they could have told them about a film from
01:48 1990 called Postcards from the Edge.
02:01 The film featured the uber-talented actor showing off her melodic voice and some country
02:06 twang with a great performance of a song called "I'm Checkin' Out."
02:10 Country music, big musical numbers, ABBA.
02:13 What can't this woman do?
02:15 When we figure it out, we'll let you know.
02:23 Number 18.
02:24 Eddie Redmayne – Les Miserables
02:39 Eddie Redmayne discovered his love of acting and singing at a young age, when, as a 10-year-old,
02:43 he attended the Jackie Palmer Stage School.
02:46 But while he's had a love for singing since childhood, the vast moviegoing audience wasn't
02:51 really aware of his abilities until 2012.
03:03 When Redmayne appeared in the big Les Miserables movie, he blew many of us away with his vocal
03:08 talents.
03:09 While his verses in red and black were good, it was his take on empty chairs at empty tables
03:14 that was the "aha" moment.
03:29 Number 17.
03:30 Emmy Rossum – The Phantom of the Opera
03:38 With the release of two albums and a Christmas EP between 2007 and 2013, Emmy Rossum can
03:44 now be labeled as a hyphenate actor-singer.
03:47 Prior to that, the latter may have come as a surprise to fans who only knew her as an
03:51 actor – that is, until The Phantom of the Opera hit theaters in 2004.
03:56 And Rossum wowed fans and critics with both her acting and singing as the film's female
04:00 lead Christine Daae.
04:12 The truth is, we shouldn't be surprised given that she joined the Metropolitan Opera Children's
04:16 Chorus at age 7.
04:18 Before she was 12 years old, Rossum had performed with both Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.
04:28 Number 16.
04:37 Brittany Murphy – Happy Feet
04:39 Brittany Murphy gave us a tiny little taste of her vocal talents in Clueless.
04:50 Nice to be sure, but that one lyric wasn't enough for us to know she could really, like,
04:55 really sing.
04:56 That ability was revealed to a wide moviegoing audience over ten years later, when Murphy
05:00 voiced Gloria the Penguin in the animated hit Happy Feet.
05:14 Gloria definitely stands out as one of the most talented songbirds among the Penguins.
05:19 From Somebody to Love to Boogie Wonderland, Murphy's awesome pipes were a highlight of
05:23 the film.
05:31 Number 15.
05:32 Dwayne Johnson – Moana
05:39 Dwayne Johnson's ability on the mic has never been in doubt.
05:42 His ability to engage and bring a crowd to their feet with his words is legendary.
05:48 But doing it in a song?
05:49 Well, that's not something we knew he could do until Moana.
06:00 Sure he was featured on the Wyclef Jean track It Doesn't Matter, but that was all spoken
06:04 word.
06:05 As the voice of the demigod Maui in the 2016 Disney animated hit, Johnson showed us that
06:10 he could totally carry a tune.
06:13 And to that we say, thank you.
06:19 Number 14.
06:21 Kristen Bell – Frozen
06:23 Kristen Bell did appear on Broadway early in her career.
06:26 And as Veronica Mars, Bell did rock it at Karaoke Night in season one.
06:31 But it wasn't until a few years later that we all really got to appreciate Bell's singing
06:35 abilities in 2013's Frozen.
06:51 Bell lent her voice to Queen Elsa's sister, Princess Anna.
06:55 In the beginning of the film, when Elsa, fearing her powers, hides away in her room, Anna continues
07:00 to attempt to bring her out of isolation.
07:14 Do You Wanna Build a Snowman is a sweet song that cuts to the heart of a child's loneliness
07:18 and desire to just spend time with her sister again.
07:22 That's when we knew Bell was a great singer.
07:37 Number 13.
07:38 Ewan McGregor – Moulin Rouge
07:40 With Trainspotting, Ewan McGregor showed the world that he could recite awesome movie opening
07:45 monologues.
07:46 But it wasn't until Moulin Rouge that he showed the world he could sing.
08:01 He had multiple opportunities to show off as well.
08:04 From Your Song to Come What May and more, McGregor's vocal chops were put to the test
08:09 throughout the film.
08:10 And he was up to the challenge each and every time.
08:29 His musical abilities may have come as a surprise, but they haven't gone to waste since Moulin
08:33 Rouge.
08:34 McGregor's singing has been featured in several projects he's undertaken in the intervening
08:39 years.
08:47 Number 12.
08:48 Amanda Seyfried – Mamma Mia
08:58 Amanda Seyfried first won us over with her portrayal of Karen Smith in 2004's Mean Girls.
09:04 Little did we know that her musical talents extended far beyond an impromptu rendition
09:08 of Jingle Bell Rock.
09:10 That changed when she was cast in the hit 2008 jukebox musical Mamma Mia.
09:20 Seyfried sings multiple songs in the movie, and we gotta say to her, "Honey, honey, you
09:25 are good."
09:26 And just to put a cherry on this Sunday, check out her beautiful rendition of Fleetwood
09:30 Mac's song Bird.
09:31 Notice, she also plays the piano.
09:44 Number 11.
09:46 Andrew Garfield – Tick Tick Boom
09:48 There were probably some who scoffed at the thought of Andrew Garfield playing Spider-Man
09:52 until he web-slung his way to the top.
09:55 And similarly, there were surely some who didn't think he could pull off the lead role
09:59 in Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2021 musical Tick Tick Boom.
10:15 While Garfield had never done anything similar before, he dedicated a year to intense vocal
10:21 training in preparation for his role as Jonathan Larson.
10:24 The results speak for themselves.
10:37 Garfield proved his doubters wrong one song at a time.
10:41 If anything, his lack of prior experience just makes his vocal chops even more impressive.
10:46 By the end of the movie, he had sung straight into our hearts.
10:57 Number 10.
10:58 Emma Stone – Easy A
11:00 Early in her career, Emma Stone showed that she could easily steal a scene with roles
11:04 like Wichita in Zombieland.
11:06 But it was her role as Olive in Easy A that fully brought her into the spotlight.
11:18 The teen film showed off her comedy and musical skills.
11:22 In the latter part of the story, her character Olive needs to get the attention of the entire
11:26 school in order to later lay down some trudes.
11:29 What better way to do that than by breaking into a rendition of Knock On Wood at a pep
11:33 rally?
11:49 Stone's raspy belting in this classic was a sneak peek at her future musical accolades.
11:54 Her role in La La Land notably earned her a Golden Globe and an Oscar.
12:10 Number 9.
12:11 Antonio Banderas – Evita
12:22 As Banderas' first English-speaking role, 1992's The Mambo Kings probably marked the
12:27 first time many North American audiences heard the actor sing.
12:31 However, it was a smaller part, and he wasn't a huge star yet.
12:35 After solidifying his status as an extremely talented individual in projects like Desperado
12:40 and Interview with the Vampire, Banderas brought Che to life in 1996's musical drama Evita.
12:51 He's the voice of the Argentinian people, expressing how they view Eva Perón and what
13:08 a voice he has.
13:09 He clearly holds his own with co-star Madonna, showing that he's a musical star to be reckoned
13:15 with.
13:16 Number 8.
13:25 Anne Hathaway – Ella Enchanted
13:44 Anne Hathaway had audiences sobbing as Fantine in the 2012 film version of Les Misérables.
13:49 However, her absolutely mesmerizing singing voice was actually revealed in one of her
13:53 earlier films, Ella Enchanted.
13:56 When Hathaway's plucky heroine Ella is magically compelled to sing for a crowded tavern full
14:01 of giants, she belts out a rousing rendition of Queen's "Somebody to Love."
14:06 The fun number shows the star's range, proving she can completely enchant us with her sound.
14:24 The award-winning actress isn't one to shy away from the microphone, even triumphing
14:28 in a playful singing battle against Kelly Clarkson.
14:41 Number 7.
14:42 Michelle Pfeiffer – The Fabulous Baker Boys
14:45 Many people are shocked when they realize the sassy blonde singing "Cool Rider,"
14:49 among other tunes, in Grease 2, is Michelle Pfeiffer in her first big turn as a leading
14:54 lady.
15:07 The film wasn't as well-known as other projects of hers, like Scarface or Married to the Mob,
15:12 so when her character Susie Diamond auditioned in The Fabulous Baker Boys, many folks watching
15:17 were probably just as surprised as the two pianists at her sultry voice.
15:40 In the film, Diamond sings a variety of jazz standards.
15:43 However, it's her sensual performance of "Makin' Whoopie" that has become truly
15:48 iconic.
15:49 And for good reason.
15:51 Just look at her go.
16:03 Number 6.
16:04 Amy Adams – Enchanted
16:06 Audiences and critics first noticed Amy Adams in her award-winning role as a cheerful chatterbox
16:11 in 2005's Junebug, but she struggled to match those accolades until she fully embraced
16:17 her inner princess.
16:29 Adams sang her way into everyone's hearts as the sweet and bubbly Giselle.
16:34 Although tunes like "True Love's Kiss" and "Happy Working Song" poke a little
16:37 fun at the Disney musical traditions, Adams' sweet tone and genuine delivery gives them
16:43 their own truth.
16:57 She continued to show off her stunning vocals in films like The Muppets and appeared again
17:01 as Giselle in Disenchanted.
17:04 No matter the part, Adams never fails to deliver both on the acting and singing fronts.
17:17 Number 5.
17:18 Reese Witherspoon – Walk the Line
17:34 The spunky energy Witherspoon brought to characters like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde made her
17:39 a perfect fit for the sassy June Carter.
17:41 However, Witherspoon had no professional singing experience.
17:45 After extensive training, though, she showed audiences she could take the stage with energy
17:49 and some impressive vocals.
18:00 She wasn't the only one to stun in this film, either.
18:02 Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of Johnny Cash had critics like Roger Ebert wondering if
18:07 he was lip-syncing to the original artist.
18:09 But nope, both actors perform all of their own music for the film, and when their voices
18:14 combine, it's true cinematic magic.
18:28 Number 4.
18:29 Emily Blunt – Into the Woods
18:39 Emily Blunt excels at portraying confident women, whether it's as the sarcastic assistant,
18:44 in The Devil Wears Prada, or as the destroyer of aliens in Edge of Tomorrow.
18:49 So it's somewhat surprising to hear that she was apprehensive about singing as the
18:54 baker's wife in Into the Woods.
19:06 Sometimes music is notoriously difficult, but Blunt's first song in the film makes
19:11 it clear that she had no reason to be worried.
19:13 It's a good thing, too, because just a few years later, she expertly brought the one
19:18 and only Mary Poppins to life.
19:20 Her charming musical performance as the magical nanny even has her keeping up with an all-star
19:25 like Lin-Manuel Miranda.
19:35 Number 3.
19:36 Jeremy Renner – The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
19:39 If you caught a few of Jeremy Renner's early movies, you might have noticed that he could
19:43 carry a tune.
19:44 There's notably a brief moment in 2005's North Country where we hear him do some credible
19:49 karaoke.
19:52 However, once he started slinging arrows in the MCU, it was hard to think of Renner as
19:59 anything but Hawkeye.
20:01 So it was a fun moment for all when he combined his singing background with his action hero
20:05 status on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
20:21 In the segment, Renner sits down at a piano in costume, fully in character, and belts
20:26 about the character's many unappreciated talents.
20:30 If you want more of that, he's also released music of his own.
20:33 Where's his part in Rogers the Musical?
20:43 Number 2.
20:44 Hugh Jackman – The Tony Awards Hugh Jackman had his breakout as Wolverine
20:49 in the X-Men franchise.
20:50 So it might have surprised those action fans to learn that he has an extensive musical
20:55 theater background.
21:03 Interestingly, one of his first acting jobs was playing Gaston in the stage version of
21:10 Beauty and the Beast.
21:12 We'd also be remiss not to mention his work in The Boy from Oz.
21:30 His performance as Jean Valjean in 2012's Les Miserables movie further demonstrated
21:34 his vocal prowess to a wide audience.
21:36 However, he blew many out of the water when he put his skills on display as the host of
21:41 the Tony Awards several times.
21:44 Jackman seemingly had a great time showing off his singing talents for musical theater
21:47 fans with a variety of cheeky melodies.
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22:19 Number 1.
22:21 Catherine Zeta-Jones – Chicago Chicago director Rob Marshall says that Catherine
22:35 Zeta-Jones was an easy choice for his film.
22:38 Indeed, her musical theater experience started with a West End production of Annie when she
22:42 was still just a kid.
22:44 However, until Chicago, many fans mainly knew her as a leading lady in action and comedy
22:49 flicks.
22:50 When Zeta-Jones made her sultry entrance as the merry murderess Velma Kelly, her powerful
22:55 vocals were a delightful surprise.
23:09 Her passionate and powerful voice not only stole the show, but also earned her an Academy
23:14 Award for Best Supporting Actress.
23:16 Considering the way she fully immerses herself into and sells each of the film's songs
23:21 with gusto, it's easy to see why.
23:39 [music]