Highest grossing movies of singers-turned-actors

[StrawberryBlond 14,602]

Singers aren't all about singing. Some of them make movies if they have the commercial clout to get cast. After Gaga's amazing turn in ASIB, a movie which grossed way more than many predicted, I thought it would be really cool to measure her up against other singers-turned-actors, from their most successful movie in a leading role, to most successful movie they've ever acted in to their most celebrated role.

The rules are thus: a leading role must be an actual leading role (as stated on their Wikipedia page, although there are 2 slots for a male and female lead), cameos, "as themselves" and uncredited roles do not count in their Most Successful Movie They've Ever Acted In section, documentaries do not count (although motion picture adaptions of a singers real life story are), animated speaking roles do count, you must have had at least one lead role to get on this list (which is why Nicki, Taylor, Shakira, etc. are not listed as they've only played bit parts) and you must be a singer first and foremost before turning to acting. For these reasons, this is why Jennifer Lopez and Jared Leto are not on this list (they both acted in quite a few movies before turning to singing as well as acting) and the likes of Demi, Selena, Ashley and Hilary don't count either as they did acting/singing 50/50 right from the start as part of being Disney girls. It's nothing to do with making grosses of others look better, it's just all about fairness. Also, ALL MOVIES ARE ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION. It's not fair that older movies look like they've flopped by today's standards because our monetary systems have changed, so this is why the grosses differ to what Wikipedia says.

With that in mind...

 

Most successful leading role they've ever had from least to most successful (all movies adjusted for inflation)
 

Spoiler

 

Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson's Ghosts - 1997 - The Maestro - N/A (never released to theatres)

Mary J. Blige - Prison Song - 2001 - Mrs. Butler - N/A (can anyone find the gross?)

Jennifer Hudson - Winnie Mandela - 2013 - Winnie Mandela - $87,000

Cyndi Lauper - Vibes - 1988 - Sylvia Pickel - $3.8 million

Kelly Clarkson - From Justin To Kelly - 2003 - Kelly Taylor - $6.7 million

Mariah Carey - Glitter - 2001 - Billie Frank - $7.6 million

David Bowie - Labyrinth - 1986 - Jareth The Goblin King - $29.9 million

Janet Jackson - Poetic Justice - 1993 - Justice - $47.4 million

Jessica Simpson - Employee Of The Month - 2006 - Amy Renfro - $48.4 million

Björk - Dancer In The Dark - 2000 - Selma Ježková - $67.3 million

Britney Spears - Crossroads - 2002 - Lucy Wagner - $86.3 million

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night - 1964 - Themselves - $100 million

Christina Aguilera - Burlesque - 2010 - Ali Rose - $105.5 million

Diana Ross - Lady Sings The Blues - 1972 - Billie Holiday - $119.8 million

Prince - Purple Rain - 1984 - The Kid - $171.7 million

Cher - Moonstruck - 1987 - Loretta Castorini - $180.3 million

Dolly Parton - The Best Little W****house In Texas - 1982 - Mona Stangley - $183.6 million

Miley Cyrus - Hannah Montana: The Movie - 2009 - Miley Stewart - $200.4 million

Ice Cube - Anaconda - 1997 - Danny Rich - $215.3 million

Madonna - Evita - 1996 - Eva Perón - $228.4 million

Spice Girls - Spice World - 1997 - Themselves - $239.1 million

Bette Midler - The First Wives Club - 1996 - Brenda Morelli-Cushman - $293.2 million

Eminem - 8 Mile - 2002 - Jimmy Smith Jr. - $343.2 million

Justin Timberlake - Trolls - 2016 - Branch - $367.3 million

Rihanna - Home - 2015 - Tip Tucci - $413.9 million

Beyoncé - Austin Powers In Goldmember - 2002 - Foxxy Celopatra - $419.2 million

Barbra Streisand - Funny Girl - 1968 - Fanny Brice - $427.3 million

Lady Gaga - A Star Is Born - 2018 - Ally Campana - $439.5 million

Mandy Moore - Tangled - 2010 - Rapunzel - $689.8 million

Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard - 1992 - Rachel Marron - $744.6 million

Will Smith - Independence Day - 1996 - Captain Steve Hiller - $1.3 billion

 

 

Most successful movie they've ever acted in from least to most successful (all movies adjusted for inflation)
 

Spoiler

 

Cyndi Lauper - Life With Mikey - 1993 - Geena Briganti - $21.8 million

Kelly Clarkson - The Star - 2017 - Leah - $65.1 million

Björk - Dancer In The Dark - 2000 - Selma Ježková - $67.3 million

Michael Jackson - The Wiz - 1978 - Scarecrow - $81.8 million

Britney Spears - Crossroads - 2002 - Lucy Wagner - $86.3 million

Mary J. Blige - Sherlock Gnomes - 2018 - Irene - $91.4 million

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night - 1964 - Themselves - $100 million

Diana Ross - Lady Sings The Blues - 1972 - Billie Holiday - $119.8 million

David Bowie - The Prestige - 2006 - Nikola Tesla - $138.3 million

Jessica Simpson - The Dukes Of Hazzard - 2005 - Daisy Duke - $144.6 million

Prince - Purple Rain - 1984 - The Kid - $171.7 million

Christina Aguilera - The Emoji Movie - 2017 - Akiko Glitter - $225.8 million

Madonna - Evita - 1996 - Eva Perón - $228.4 million

Spice Girls - Spice World - 1997 - Themselves - $239.1 million

Janet Jackson - Nutty Professor II: The Klumps - Denise Gaines - $245.4 million

Bette Midler - The First Wives Club - 1996 - Brenda Morelli-Cushman - $293.2 million

Dolly Parton - 9 to 5 - 1980 - Doralee Rhodes - $318.6 million

Mariah Carey - The Lego Batman Movie - 2017 - Mayor McCaskill - $323.5 million

Eminem - 8 Miile - 2002 - Jimmy Smith Jr. - $343.2 million

Ice Cube - 22 Jump Street - Captain Dickson - $355.7 million

Miley Cyrus - 2008 - Bolt - Penny - $366 million

Justin Timberlake - Trolls - 2016 - Branch - $367.3 million

Cher - Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again - 2018 - Ruby Sherdian - $399.5 million

Rihanna - Home - 2015 - Tip Tucci - $413.9 million

Beyoncé - Austin Powers In Goldmember - 2002 - Foxxy Cleopatra - $419.2 million

Lady Gaga - A Star Is Born - 2018 - Ally Campana - $439.5 million

Jennifer Hudson - Sing - 2016 - Young Nana - $671.4 million

Mandy Moore - Tangled - 2010 - Rapunzel - $689.8 million

Barbra Streisand - Meet The Fockers - 2004 - Rozalin Focker - $695.1 million

Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard - 1992 - Rachel Marron - $744.6 million

Will Smith - Independence Day - 1996 - Captain Steve Hiller - $1.3 billion

 

 

Most celebrated role from least to most successful (acting awards and positive awards only)
 

Spoiler

Cyndi Lauper - N/A

Dolly Parton - N/A

The Beatles - N/A

Prince - N/A

Kelly Clarkson - From Justin To Kelly - 2003 - Kelly Taylor - Teen Choice nominee

Ice Cube - TIE - Ride Along/2014/James Payton & Ride Along 2/2016/James Payton - Teen Choice nominee/Teen Choice nominee

Christina Aguilera - Burlesque - 2010 - Ali Rose - ALMA nominee

Whitney Houston - Waiting To Exhale - 1996 - Savannah Jackson - NAACP nominee

Britney Spears - Crossroads - 2002 - Lucy Wagner - MTV Movie nominee, Teen Choice nominee

Spice Girls - Spice World - 1997 - Themselves - Nickelodeon Kids Choice nominees, Blockbuster Entertainment nominees

Rihanna - Home - 2015 - Tip Tucci - Black Reel nominee, People's Choice nominee

Jessica Simpson - Dukes Of Hazzard - 2005 - Daisy Duke - Teen Choice winner

Justin Timberlake - Bad Teacher - 2011 - Scott Delacorte - Teen Choice winner

Michael Jackson - The Wiz - 1978 - Scarecrow - NAACP winner

Janet Jackson - Why Did I Get Married?  - 2007 - Patricia - NAACP winner

David Bowie - The Man Who Fell To Earth - 1976 - Thomas Jerome Newton - Saturn winner

Miley Cyrus - TIE - Hannah Montana: The Movie/2009/Miley Stewart & The Last Song/2010/Veronica Miller - MTV Movie nominee, Teen Choice win, Kids Choice win/Teen Choice nominee, Kids Choice win, Nickolodeon Australia Kid Choice win

Mandy Moore - A Walk To Remember - 2002 - Jamie Elizabeth Sullivan-Carter - MTV winner, Teen Choice winner

Madonna - Evita - 1996 - Eva Perón - Blockbuster Entertainment nominee, MTV movie nominee, Golden Globe winner

Mariah Carey - Precious - 2010 - Ms. Weiss - Black Reel nominee, Capri Hollywood Festival nominee, NAACP nominee, Palm Springs Festival win

Beyoncé - Dreamgirls - 2006 - Deena Jones - Black Reel nominee, Golden Globe nominee, MTV Movie nominee, NAACP nominee, Satellite nominee

Björk - Dancer In The Dark - 2000 - Selma Ježková - Golden Globe nominee, 2 European Film wins, Cannes Film Festival winner, Bodil winner

Eminem - 8 Mile - 2002 - Jimmy Smith Jr. - Chicago Film Critics nominee, Online Film Critics Society nominee, 2 Teen Choice wins, 2 MTV Movie wins

Diana Ross - Lady Sings The Blues - 1972 - Billie Holiday - Oscar nominee

Mary J. Blige - Mudbound - 2017 - Florence Jackson - Gotham Independent Film nominee, Washington DC Association nominee, SAG nominee, Critic's Choice nominee, Golden Globe nominee, Oscar nominee, Indiewire Critic's Poll win, Hollywood Film win

Bette Midler - The Rose - 1979 - Mary Rose Foster - BAFTA nominee, Oscar nominee, Golden Globe winner

Will Smith - The Pursuit Of Happyness - 2006 - Chris Gardner - BET nominee, Black Reel nominee, Broadcast Film nominee, Chicago Film Critics nominee, MTV nominee, NAACP nominee, SAG nominee, Golden Globe nominee, Oscar nominee

Lady Gaga - A Star Is Born - 2018 - Ally Campana - AACTA Inernational nominee, Alliance of Women Film Journalists nominee, Chicago Film Critics nominee, , Dallas-Fort Worth Critics nominee, Detroit Critics nominee, Dorien nominee, Georgia Critics nominee, Gold Derby nominee, Houston Critics nominee, Los Angeles Online Critics nominee, Online Film Critics nominee, San Diego Critics nominee, San Francisco Critics nominee, Satellite nominee, Seattle Critics nominee, St. Louis Critics nominee, Utah Critics nominee, SAG nominee, Golden Globe nominee, BAFTA nominee, Oscar nominee, Dublin Critics winner, National Board of Review winner, Washington DC Critics winner, Critics Choice winner

Cher - Moonstruck - 1987 - Loretta Castorini - BAFTA nominee, Golden Globe winner, Oscar winner

Barbra Streisand - Funny Girl - 1968 - Fanny Brice - BAFTA nominee, David di Donatello winner, Golden Globe winner, Oscar winner

Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls - 2006 - Effie White - Chicago Film Critics nominee, MTV Movie nominee, Online Film Critics nominee, Toronto Film Critics nominee, Los Angeles Critics nominee, Washington DC Critics winner, Southeastern Critics Association winner, Satellite winner, Phoenix Film Critics winner, Oklahoma Film Critics winner, New York Film Critics winner, New York Film Critics Online winner, National Society of Film winner, National Board of Review winner, NAACP winner, Las Vegas Critics winner, Broadcast Film Critics winner, Black Reel winner, BET winner,  Austin Critics winner, African-American Film Critics winner, BAFTA winner, SAG winner, Golden Globe winner, Oscar winner

 

Let me know if I missed any. Don't know if this thread is worth pinning for years to come, to amend if need be! Isn't it great to see Gaga do so well?

[AgusPop 4,133]

Gaga #4 

[Mr S 8,671]

If demi and those girls don't count, then neither should will smith

[PunkTheFunk 124,210]

7 minutes ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Barbra Streisand - Funny Girl - 1968 - Fanny Brice - $427.3 million

Lady Gaga - A Star Is Born - 2018 - Ally Campana - $439.5 million

The power that this has I-

[rumours 45,521]

15 minutes ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Most successful movie they've ever acted in

15 minutes ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Dolly Parton - Gnomeo & Juliet - 2011 - Dolly Gnome - $219.2 million

If I'm not mistaken, 9 to 5 is around $346 million when adjusted for inflation.

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm

 

[Gracious Gaga 17,163]

Ally Campana?

[androiduser 7,438]

cartoons where singers just lend their voice shouldn't be in the list, in my opinion

[gypsy101 5,452]

53 minutes ago, GrigioGirl1 said:

If demi and those girls don't count, then neither should will smith

seriously why does Miley get to be on the list but none of the other “disney girls,” she was a disney girl

[gypsy101 5,452]

49 minutes ago, Gracious Gaga said:

Ally Campana?

yes, that’s her name, we’ve known this for months

[Gracious Gaga 17,163]

3 minutes ago, gypsy101 said:

yes, that’s her name, we’ve known this for months

I did not been known about this 

[StrawberryBlond 14,602]

13 hours ago, GrigioGirl1 said:

If demi and those girls don't count, then neither should will smith

Will was a singer before being an actor, though. He put out 4 albums with DJ Jazzy Jeff before he did his first film in 1992. Remember, he did have a joint singing career before making his first solo album in 1997. Those Disney girls either put out a film before an album or did a movie and an album at the same time, which is quite different from being thought of as a singer first and foremost. Please refer to the bottom of this reply for a list of where the Disney girls would've placed.

13 hours ago, rumours said:

If I'm not mistaken, 9 to 5 is around $346 million when adjusted for inflation.

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm

Thanks for that, I think I glossed over it because her highest grossing movie as a lead star was just 2 years after it, so my mind told me that the inflation couldn't have increased that much 2 years apart if the earlier movie made more, but you're right. Adjusted, putting her up 5 places!

13 hours ago, Gracious Gaga said:

Ally Campana?

Did you really not know that was her character's full name? Granted, I don't really know if we hear it in the movie.

13 hours ago, androiduser said:

cartoons where singers just lend their voice shouldn't be in the list, in my opinion

It's still a role, though, and their voice work can get nominated for awards. Ok, it's a great way for singers to be considered part of a highly successful kids movies as kids movies are normally a gold mine, but face it, if Gaga gave her voice to an animated kids movie and it made $1 billion, would you really think it doesn't count? A role is a role. And not that many entries on this list consist of that, so...

12 hours ago, gypsy101 said:

seriously why does Miley get to be on the list but none of the other “disney girls,” she was a disney girl

Because she got through on a technicality - she did her first role, just playing the younger version of a character, in Big Fish in 2003, some years before she got famous. That was all she made until she became Hannah Montana and she probably made no money off it so it hardly counts. It's probably the closest there is a debate on if she belongs there but this is just a fun list, nothing official.

For those who do want to see where the Disney girls would've placed, I'll make a quick list:

Most successful lead role

Selena Gomez - Monte Carlo - 2011 - Grace Bennett/Cordelia Winthrop-Scott - $54.8 million

Ashley Tisdale - Scary Movie 5 - 2013 - Jody Sanders - $85.5 million

Hilary Duff - A Cinderella Story - 2004 - Sam Montgomery - $94.3 million

Demi Lovato - Smurfs: The Lost Village - 2017 - Smurfette - $204.5 million

Vanessa Hudgens - High School Musical 3: Senior Year - 2008 - Gabriella Montez - $298.5 million

Most successful movie they've ever acted in

Demi Lovato - Smurfs: The Lost Village - 2017 - Smurfette - $204.5 million

Hilary Duff - Cheaper By The Dozen - 2003 - Lorraine Baker - $262.7 million

Ashley Tisdale - High School Musical 3: Senior Year - 2008 - Sharpay Evans - $298.5 million

Vanessa Hudgens - Journey 2: The Mysterious Island - 2012 - Kailani Laguatan - $371.2 million

Selena Gomez - Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation - 2018 - Mavis - $535.1 million

Most celebrated role

Demi Lovato - N/A

Selena Gomez - Hotel Transylvania 2 - 2015 - Mavis - Kids Choice nominee, People's choice winner

Hilary Duff - The Lizzie McGuire Movie - 2003 - Lizzie McGuire - Teen Choice nominee and winner

Vanessa Hudgens - High School Musical 3: Senior Year - 2008 - Gabriella Montez - MTV Movie nominee, Teen Choice nominee, Nickoldeon Kids Choice winner

Ashley Tisdale - High School Musical 3: Senior Year - 2008 - Sharpay Evans - Teen Choice nominee, UK Kermode winner, MTV Movie winner

 

As you can see, there's not much to see, apart from Selena's highest grossing overall film, so it's not much of a loss.

[mr.peter 3,548]

Did the movie HOme really make more than Trolls ? Trolls felt like a huge success. Didn’t get that vibe from Home. Interesting 

[androiduser 7,438]

3 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

It's still a role, though, and their voice work can get nominated for awards. Ok, it's a great way for singers to be considered part of a highly successful kids movies as kids movies are normally a gold mine, but face it, if Gaga gave her voice to an animated kids movie and it made $1 billion, would you really think it doesn't count? A role is a role. And not that many entries on this list consist of that, so...

 

yeah, I wouldn't count it as a Gaga movie.... people go see cartoons for the animation, not so much the voice acting...

[StrawberryBlond 14,602]

On 4/25/2019 at 4:36 PM, mr.peter said:

Did the movie HOme really make more than Trolls ? Trolls felt like a huge success. Didn’t get that vibe from Home. Interesting 

Yep, but it was immediately forgotten. I really don't think Trolls had any impact either, apart from the song, never heard about it other than that. A lot of kids movies, unless they're a huge Pixar juggernaut, are pretty much doomed to fail, I've found. Trolls didn't do overly well either and certainly isn't going to be remembered (apart from that song). Over The Hedge, Bolt, Gnomeo And Juliet, Home, Trolls, The Good Dinosaur, The Emoji Movie, Sherlock Gnomes...they all failed to make mega millions or be remembered. Thing is, kids are very fickle. They'll beg their parents to see a new film aimed at them but there's no guarantee that they're going to like it and with their short attention spans, that they'll even remember it. Getting top billing on a Disney or Pixar movie is where the big opportunities lie. There's a lot of animated kids movies out there that have been successes at the time (it's rare to see one nowadays that doesn't make at least $300 million worldwide) but the majority of them don't get remembered unless they're Disney or Pixar.

On 4/25/2019 at 7:35 PM, androiduser said:

yeah, I wouldn't count it as a Gaga movie.... people go see cartoons for the animation, not so much the voice acting...

It's not about what people go to see it for, though. A lead role in a movie is a lead role. Animation or not, they get paid for it and it can make revitalise careers and make already famous people even more successful. Look how Kristen Bell became a much bigger star after voicing Anna in Frozen. That was pretty much what made her known to non-Americans. Being in multi-million and billion dollar grossing animated franchises like Despicable Me, Shrek, Finding Nemo and Minions is a great opportunity to be remembered forever by kids and adults alike, even if it's just in a nostalgia way (if the movie is good).