9 Actors That Have Had Successful Music Careers—and Can Really Sing!
We’ve loved these stars in their hit films and TV series, but did you know they also had a run in the music industry? Celebrities like Mandy Moore and Bruce Willis had very successful music careers early on, while some artists like Kate Hudson and Dennis Quaid have just found their voices.
Keep reading to learn which artists have had success with music aside from their acting careers.
1. Mandy Moore
Everyone loves Mandy Moore for her fan-favorite roles in A Walk to Remember (2002), Tangled (2010) and This is Us (2016), but before she was the amazing actress she is today, she was enjoying a successful teen popstar career. Her hit song, “Candy” was released in 1999 on her debut album, So Real.
She continued to release music over the years, but her acting career gradually started to take over. However, Moore continued to use her singing voice in her roles, releasing songs from both A Walk to Remember and Tangled, while showcasing her vocal skills occasionally on This is Us.
2. Jeremy Renner
Although Jeremy Renner was a professional actor before a musician, he has shared that his love for music came first. “Acting came into my brain around 20. Music has always been my first love as far as something other than my family.” Renner began releasing music in 2019 and has been consistently putting out songs since.
3. Dylan Minnette
The 13 Reasons Why star has been acting since 2005, but it wasn’t until 2017 that he began his band, Wallows. In recent years, Minnette has pulled back from acting and started to focus more on the group, which is currently on tour.
4. Bruce Willis
You probably know Bruce Willis best from movies like Die Hard (1988) and The Sixth Sense (1999), but did you know the actor is also a successful musician? Willis released his debut album, The Return of Bruno, in 1987 and his sophomore album, If It Don’t Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger, arrived two years later.
5. Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson is the queen of rom-coms, but recently has been making a splash in the music industry. Hudson released her debut album, Glorious, in May 2024, saying of her transition into music, “It's my happy place, singing and writing. The only thing that would have been holding me back was the fear of what people might say about it. And that is, I think, the worst possible thing to do — not make art because you're afraid of the criticism.”
6. Jennifer Love Hewitt
We’ll bet you didn’t know the Party of Five actress was also a talented singer. Hewitt released her debut album, Let’s Go Bang, in 1995, followed by Jennifer Love Hewitt (1996) and BareNaked (2002). Hewitt has also released songs for her various films and series, including The Client List (2010) and 9-1-1 (2024).
7. Jared Leto
You might have heard, but the Fight Club actor is also a guitarist. The musician has been a member of the band Thirty Seconds to Mars since 1998, which has released a number of songs, including “The Kill” (2005) and “A Beautiful Lie” (also 2005).
8. Leighton Meester
We know her best as Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, but Leighton Meester is also a talented singer. Meester was featured on a few hit songs, including “Good Girls Go Bad” in 2009, before releasing her own music. She put out a few singles, among them “Your Love’s a Drug” in 2010, but her debut album, Heartstrings, wasn’t released until 2014.
9. Dennis Quaid
The Parent Trap actor, Dennis Quaid, is a well-known star in Hollywood, but it wasn’t until recently that he began his journey as a musician. Quaid released his debut album, Fallen: A Gospel Record for Sinners, in 2023, explaining his approach to the songs.. “They're self-reflective, self-examining yourself, and also just where you are spiritually and in life.”
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