FEATURE:
The Bigger Picture
PHOTO CREDIT: Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels
Artists Established and New That Are Born for Cinematic Roles
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ONE of my favourite wonderings…
IN THIS PHOTO: Taylor Swift/PHOTO CREDIT: Beth Garrabrant
is which artists who have been in the industry for years and decades would be perfect for the big screen. There are those like Madonna, Dolly Parton, and Tom Waits who have been in a fair few flicks between them. I always wonder what would have been if Kate Bush stepped into film. Maybe one of those great what-ifs, it is not about idle curiosity. There is such a strong link between film and music. Most artists appear in music videos, and the live performances they put on have similar disciplines and elements to film. It is surprising that the likes of Harry Styles and Rihanna have appeared in several films. I think the greatest modern artist who is also an incredible actor is Lady Gaga. Wonderfully credited as Lady Gaga rather than her real name of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, a.k.a. Ally Maine, she has delivered some wonderful film performances. She is appearing in the forthcoming Joker: Folie à Deux. Everyone from Björk to Taylor Swift has appeared in films. The latter is actually someone who I can see emulating Lady Gaga and appearing in a lot more films. Someone who is also keen to direct, this major musician has already featured in Amsterdam, and other films. She naturally transitioned between the two disciplines, and I feel like Swift will take on a number of different roles across multiple genres. She is one of several artists who I feel should have a much wider filmography. Someone you really want to see in more films. The same goes for Beyoncé. She has appeared in several films, but there are so many roles and worlds that you can imagine her in. It is almost a bit too much to reel off the possibilities for Beyoncé!
There are other artists that have either appeared in the odd film and should be on the big screen more, or those who have never been in a film (in a big role) at all. I feel Kendrick Lamar is someone who would come to cinema and captivate. Looking online, and I cannot see any films where he has played a prominent role. He would bring such panache, power and potency to the screen! Halsey has appeared in a couple of films – and she has more roles coming up -, but she is someone else that I can see having a long and gilded film career. In fact, the first image of Halsey in the third instalment of the A24 Mia Goth-led X franchise, MaXXXine has been shared. I have mentioned American artists so far, but there are British acts that you can see taking to the big screen. Dua Lipa features briefly in the upcoming Barbie film, but she and Charli XCX – as two of our biggest Pop artists – would make such incredible actors. Same goes for the incredible Sam Smith. I think that Loyle Carner would also be an excellent actor. This is all guessing and speculating, but you can imagine all of those artists stepping into cinematic roles. Rather than it being something curious, I feel that artists who do act in films bring something to their music. Maybe the gravity of the roles or the disciplines learned translates into new musical horizons and layers. Also, the reverse is true. Whether they are a major artist or not, they can channel many of the emotions and skills they bring to songs and the stage into film roles.
IN THIS PHOTO: Kendrick Lamar
Will Smith and Jennifer Lopez are huge artists who are almost as synonymous for their film roles as they are with their music. Lopez’s role in Hustlers is one of the finest of the past five years. Smith is an accomplished actor who has rightly been nominated for awards. It can be daunting for artists to go into to film, but you get some real naturals who prove that music is really close knit to music. The reverse is sometimes the case when you get actors becoming artists. I know Florence Pugh released her debut album later this year. Maybe the awesome Phoebe Bridgers will appear in a string of films. She strikes me as someone who would dominate and own so many great roles. Other artists who have either never appeared in films or only one or two include Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Little Simz, and Lana Del Rey. In the same way as people often talk about Lady Gaga’s finest film work as being as brilliant as any performances out there, you wonder if there are other opportunities for a star to be born. A rising or established artist who has shown glimmers of promise on the big screen and deserves more roles – or those who have never been invited at all. We all have that fantasy list of artists we’d love to see in film roles. Either playing straight roles or portraying another artist – I often envisage Taylor Swift playing Stevie Nicks -, it is incredible and exciting to imagine. Sitting back, letting the mind wander, and imagining…
WHAT could be.