Music

Thursday, 10 October, 2013 - 11:22

When film stars sing!

by ReganS

In this day and age it is sometimes difficult to know what a person is famous for. They are always in magazines and on television, but you could not say what their talent was exactly. Yet, at the same time, there are those who are famous for having a range of talents.

Take film stars. We all have our favourites. We watch all of their films, read their interviews and root for them during award season. It is nice when their talent transcends into a different field, for example, music.

Of course, sometimes the results of actors branching out are not very good, or just very funny. Sometimes they only produce one record before going back to acting. There are, however, a number of actors who have dipped their toes into the music pool, producing something great. Here are a few of my favourites.

Jared Leto, who still young when he found fame in the TV show My So-Called Life, appeared in numerous films before forming the band 30 Seconds to Mars with his brother and two friends in 1998. The Panic Room actor fronts the band, which has released four very successful albums and toured the world, producing emotive rock songs. Whilst proving himself as a strong vocalist, Leto continues to take evocative roles in numerous independent films.

When people think of Ryan Gosling, the heartthrob star of The Notebook, they tend to focus on his diverse acting career and the various tabloid stories about what a great guy he is. It is easy to miss that he is also a member of an intriguing, indie band. He formed the duo Dead Man's Bones with a friend in 2008. Inspired by monsters, ghosts and Disney's Haunted Mansion, their songs are a little bit spooky and ever so catchy.

Zooey Deschanel has recently journeyed further into the limelight, thanks to the international success of her TV show New Girl. People would be forgiven for not knowing that she has been starring in indie films, such as Almost Famous, for well over a decade. They would be even more forgiven for not knowing that, since 2007, she has been one half of the duo She & Him. Whilst her acting style may be quirky, her music writing skills produce albums that are catchy, soulful, retro and ever so upbeat.

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Discussion

Do you know any of the actors mentioned in the article? Who's your favourite film star who sings? 

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