Top 10 Actors Who Moonlight as Musicians

These actors also make (or have made) music.

We take into account their achievements as actors (movies, roles) and as musicians (albums, live shows).

The Top Ten

Keanu Reeves

Keanu Charles Reeves (born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor, director, producer, and musician. He gained fame with his starring role in the Bill & Ted films and has since delivered several blockbuster performances, including in The Matrix and John Wick franchises. He's also spent time playing bass... read more

Band - Dogstar
Genre - Grunge / Alternative Rock
He was the bassist from 1991 to 2002. The band released two albums and an EP, played live worldwide, and opened for Bon Jovi and David Bowie. In 1999, they performed at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK. Weezer and Rancid were Dogstar's opening acts.
The band appeared in two movies: Ellie Parker and Me and Will.
Reeves left the band in 2002 due to his work schedule but still jams with them.
Hugh Laurie

James Hugh Calum Laurie is an English actor, writer, director, musician, singer, comedian, and author, born in 1959. He first achieved fame as half of the comedy duo Fry and Laurie, alongside Stephen Fry, and through their sketch show A Bit of Fry & Laurie. Laurie later gained worldwide recognition for... read more

Band - Band From T.V., Solo
Band from T.V. is a charity cover band whose members are all actors from American TV series. They donate the proceeds to charities of their choice and have had world tours.
Hugh Laurie sings and plays keyboards.
He also has a solo career and released a solo album (Jazz, Blues).
Jack Black

Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black is an American actor, singer, musician, and comedian. His acting career spans various genres, though he is best known for his roles in comedy films. Black is the lead vocalist of the comedic rock duo Tenacious D, which he formed in 1994 with friend Kyle Gass.... read more

Band - Tenacious D
Johnny Depp

John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor, producer, and musician. He has won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. His film roles are often prominent, and he frequently portrays eccentric characters with dark states of mind. Depp is also... read more
Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Claire Deschanel is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is best known for her deadpan comedic roles in films such as The Good Girl (2002), The New Guy (2002), Elf (2003), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Failure to Launch (2006), Yes Man (2008), and 500 Days of Summer (2009... read more

Band - She & Him
Ryan Gosling

Ryan Thomas Gosling is a Canadian actor and producer (also known to have musical talent). He began his career as a child actor on The Mickey Mouse Club (1993-1995) and appeared in TV programs such as Are You Afraid of the Dark? before transitioning to film roles like The Notebook (2004). He's received... read more

Band - Dead Man's Bones (sounds like a death metal band but isn't)
Genre - Gosling described it as "light goth music." Wiki lists these genres: Indie Rock, Folk Rock, Gothic Rock, Dark Wave.
He provides vocals, piano, guitar, bass, and cello.
It's a duo he formed in 2007 that released one album in 2009. Rolling Stone described it as "Arcade Fire, Tom Waits, and the cast of Sesame Street performing a Kurt Weill musical."
In 2010, they released two music videos for tracks: "Dead Hearts" and "Pa Pa Power."
One of their songs played on a Paris runway.
Their songs are love stories about ghosts and monsters (which explains the band name).
They are still active.
Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Koren Pinkett Smith is an American actress, producer, singer-songwriter, and businesswoman. She began her career with a guest appearance on the sitcom True Colors in 1990. She gained wider recognition for her roles in films such as The Nutty Professor and Set It Off, both released in 1996.

Band - Wicked Wisdom
Genre - Hardcore, Metal
Her band opened for Britney Spears in 2004, played at Ozzfest in 2005, and released an album in 2006.
(Jada Pinkett Smith is Will Smith's wife)
Robert Downey Jr.

Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor and producer. His early career included both critical acclaim and commercial success.
He battled substance abuse and legal troubles in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He experienced a major career resurgence with his role as Tony... read more
Maya Rudolph

Maya Khabira Rudolph is an American actress, comedian, and musician. She gained recognition as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2000 to 2007. Rudolph has appeared in numerous films including Idiocracy, Away We Go, Grown Ups, Bridesmaids, Grown Ups 2, and Sisters, and has voiced characters in... read more

Bands - The Rentals, Princess
Genre - Rock
The Rentals is fronted by vocalist Matt Sharp, the former bassist for Weezer.
Maya Rudolph of Saturday Night Live was a backing singer for this band from 1995 to 1999 and briefly a keyboardist. She also toured with them but for a short time.
She is in a Prince cover band called Princess.
Ricky Gervais

Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, producer, writer, former singer, and former music manager who was born in 1961. He co-created and starred in the original British series The Office before creating Extras and After Life. Gervais has hosted the Golden Globe Awards five times... read more

Band - Seona Dancing
Genre - British New Wave
He was the singer and lyricist.
However, it was long ago, in the early '80s, when Ricky Gervais was in this duo. Their music was somewhat Bowie-esque.
The band recorded a demo tape with 16 songs. They weren't successful, but their single "More to Lose" (1983) went on to become a teen anthem in the Philippines. After their second single "Bitter Heart" (1983), the band split up in 1984.
An unofficial CD was released in 2005, compiling all of their songs.

The Newcomers

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Kiefer Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland is a British and Canadian actor, producer, director, and musician. He was born on December 21, 1966, in Paddington, London, to Canadian actors Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas. He holds British and Canadian citizenship.... read more

He's a country singer and plays guitar. He released his debut album in 2016 (Down in a Hole).
Some songs are available on YouTube.
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Steve Martin

Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, playwright, author, and musician. He first gained public attention in the 1960s as a writer for "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" and later became a popular stand-up comedian. Martin is also known for his roles in films... read more

In 1978, he released King Tut, a novelty song that sold over a million copies.
He also released albums. One of them, A Wild and Crazy Guy (1978), reached number two on Billboard's Pop Albums Chart.

The Contenders

Robert Mailhouse

Band - Dogstar
He was the drummer for the rock band where Keanu Reeves was a bassist (see item Keanu Reeves).
Mailhouse is a TV actor who has appeared in the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, as well as Seinfeld.
Jason Schwartzman
Adrian Grenier

Not a very famous actor compared to some names above, but he plays for two bands!
Bands:
- The Honey Brothers (New Wave Folk, drums since 2002)
- Kid Friendly (vocals)
He tours with these bands.
Michael Cera

Michael Austin Cera is a Canadian actor, producer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his roles in Juno, Superbad, Arrested Development, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Cera typically plays awkward nerdy characters. It's his niche, and he also gets mistaken for Jesse Eisenberg due... read more

Only an honorable mention because he isn't a permanent member. He just helps when they need a bassist.
Band - Mister Heavenly
Mister Heavenly is an indie supergroup.
Ed Westwick
Malin Akerman

Malin Maria Åkerman is a Swedish-American actress, model, and singer. She is well known for her roles in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, The Heartbreak Kid, and Watchmen. Åkerman has also appeared in various television series, including Billions and Trophy Wife.
Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Christopher Mintz-Plasse is an American actor and musician who has performed roles such as Fogell in Superbad, Augie Farques in Role Models, and Chris D'Amico in Kick-Ass and its sequel, Kick-Ass 2. He has also voiced characters in animated films such as How to Train Your Dragon and ParaNorman. Mintz-Plasse... read more
Greg Grunberg
Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson (born November 22, 1984) is an American actress, model, and singer. She made her film debut in North (1994).
Johansson is considered one of Hollywood's modern sex symbols and has frequently appeared on published lists of the sexiest women in the world.... read more
Jeremy Renner

Jeremy Lee Renner is an American actor born in 1971, best known for his role as Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has also received Academy Award nominations for his performances in The Hurt Locker and The Town. Renner has appeared in a variety of action and drama... read more
Seth MacFarlane

Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American television producer, filmmaker, actor, and singer. He is best known for his work in animation and comedy, including Family Guy, American Dad!, and The Cleveland Show, though he also works in live-action film and other genres. He has built a reputation for combining... read more
James Denton
Jesse Spencer
Teri Hatcher

Teri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress, author, presenter, and singer. She gained widespread fame for her roles as Lois Lane in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Paris Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies, and Susan Mayer in Desperate Housewives. Hatcher received a Golden Globe Award for Best... read more
Scott Grimes