10 Actors Who Can Secretly Sing
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We all know the actors who can belt a note and bring down the house: Hugh Jackman, Lea Michele, Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Hudson—you get the picture. But what about the stars whose vocal abilities are a little less apparent, a little more surprising? We've rounded up 10 celebs whose hidden talent will be music to your ears.
10 actors who can secretly sing
1. Brie Larson
Brie Larson may be both an Oscar winner and a Marvel superhero, but did you know she’s a pretty great singer, too? She showed off her vocal prowess as Envy in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in 2010 and put out an album, Finally Out of P.E., five years earlier, when she was 16. The record featured 13 tracks, mostly about the ups-and-downs of being a teenager.
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2. Scarlett Johansson
Another MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) actress with pipes: Scarlett Johansson. Despite her high-profile status as an actress, ScarJo’s singing career has gone fairly under-the-radar. She released her first studio album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, consisting of Tom Waits covers and one original composition, “Song for Jo,” in 2008. Despite her debut record receiving mixed reviews, the Black Widow actress followed it up with a 2009 collaboration with Pete Yorn (an album called Break Up). She's also showcased her vocals in the aptly-titled animated films Sing and Sing 2.
Related: Marvel at Her Millions! Find Out Scarlett Johansson's Net Worth in 2023
3. Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most impressive actors of his generation, conquering multiple genres and landing two Oscar nominations along the way. But he's also a talented singer and pianist; in fact, he began performing and writing music around the same time he started acting. The Iron Man star showed off his skills during an early-2000s stint on Ally McBeal and released a jazz/folk album, The Futurist, in 2004. He also joined Sting on stage at the Beacon Theatre in 2011, for a fundraiser held on the "Every Breath You Take" crooner's 60th birthday.
4. Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes became famous for her role as Joey Potter on the classic teen soap Dawson’s Creek, but she initially passed on auditioning for the iconic series because she didn't want to miss a performance in her high-school musical. Thankfully, she found a way to do both—and went on to showcase her vocals in the series premiere, in which she sang “On My Own" from Les Misérables.
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5. Jeremy Renner
Jeremy Renner threw fans for a loop in March 2020 when he released an EP, The Medicine, as if he'd been a pop-rock star all along. “I’ve always found music to be one of the few things that unite people in a pure way,” the Avengers star wrote on Instagram. “Common ground can be hard to find in today’s world, but music has remained a constant for me. To feel deeply, to dance fervently, and live together is more present now than ever.”
Related: Jeremy Renner's Net Worth in 2023
6. Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek is featured alongside Antonio Banderas on the soundtrack for their 1995 movie Desperado, but the Oscar-nominated actress is otherwise not known for her singing voice. Which is why she stunned fans in 2020, when she shared a rare video of her belting out a tune alongside singer Florent Pagny at a benefit in Paris.
7. Meghann Fahy
Meghann Fahy may have blown up due to her engaging performance in the second season of The White Lotus (and for her role as Sutton Brady in Freeform's The Bold Type before that), but she first came to show business via Broadway, playing Natalie in the musical Next to Normal from 2010 until 2011. Despite her bonafides, it was a shock to many fans when she showed up to New York Magazine's Vulture Festival and belted "O Holy Night” like it was nothing. Wowza.
Related: Everything We Know About The White Lotus Season 3
8. Michael C. Hall
On TV, Michael C. Hall is known for playing the title character on Showtime’s Dexter, Miami's non-singing serial killer, and before that, for his role on HBO’s Six Feet Under. But the acclaimed television actor began his career on Broadway, with a very musical role as the emcee in the 1999 revival of Cabaret. He's since returned to the Great White Way several times, notably taking over for Neil Patrick Harris in the musical revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch in 2014. He also performs in the alternative band Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum next to Matt Katz-Bohen and Peter Yanowitz.
9. Robert Pattinson
Twihards will be like "duh," but the average movie-goer might be shocked to learn that Robert Pattinson can actually sing—he even had two songs featured on the 2008 Twilight soundtrack! He also appears on the soundtrack for his 2019 movie High Life, performing alongside indie band Tindersticks on the lead single, “Willow."
Related: Twilight TV Series Reportedly in the Works
10. Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson has showcased her vocal abilities in Cinema Italiano, Music and even How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, in the scene where she and Matthew McConaughey sing "You're So Vain" until her character, Andie, storms off. But the Almost Famous actress hardly gets the credit she deserves for being the vocal powerhouse that she is. With plans to release her debut album soon, perhaps she'll finally get her due.
