Another top 10 actors who are unexpectedly good singers react năm 2024

Some actors are known for being great singers. At this point, it should come as no surprise when a Hugh Jackman, Joseph Gordon_Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Kristen Bell, or Neil Patrick Harris breaks into song. But sometimes other actors who are less classically trained, but not exactly tone deaf, can surprise you with an arresting musical performance. And sometimes that performances is made all the better and more emotionally honest because it lacks polish. After all, isn’t that how most of us sing? With a little warble and falter? As Hollywood moves further and further away from the days of over-dubbing and glorious, technicolor perfection, we’re gifted with more and more of these intimate and vulnerable performances. Here are just twelve recent instances where an actor took us by surprise.

Keira Knightley -- Begin Again

Though, inevitably, this new movie by writer/director John Carney is being unfavorably compared to his earlier musical Once, Knightley, a self-professed amateur, is actually quite lovely in the leading role. What she lacks in technique she more than makes up for in warmth. And while the giddy, “let’s put on a show” attitude that accompanies her street performances throughout the film is delightful, it’s in this early, intimate rendition of the film’s centerpiece “Lost Stars” where she really shines. The crux of the film, whether tis nobler to perform your music raw or, as Knightley’s ex-boyfriend played by Adam Levine prefers it, over-processed and studio-slicked out of all recognition, is enhanced by her simple, fragile vocals. There are those who say Knightley was miscast and that an actual singer like Once’s Glen Hansard or __Marketa Irglova__would have been a better choice. But, for the purpose of this film, I don’t think they could have picked a more perfect imperfection.

Matt Damon -- The Talented Mr. Ripley

The better movie musical moment featuring Damon is, everyone agrees, the rollicking and raunchy “Scotty Doesn’t Know” from Eurotrip. To this day, that cameo remains the most bafflingly great moment of Damon’s career. But that song, sadly, is dubbed by the band Lustra. You can hear Damon’s real pipes, however, in this vulnerable rendition of “My Funny Valentine.” Ripley’s tender, borderline obsessive passion for Jude Law’s Dickie comes shining through.

Emilia Clarke -- Dom Hemingway

Clarke also sang beautifully for her Broadway debut in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, echoing the vulnerability of Audrey Hepburn who, though she was famously dubbed in My Fair Lady, was permitted to warble for herself when she played Holly Golightly. But Clarke kicks it into high gear here with her swingy version of “Fisherman’s Blues.” Even the most die-hard Game of Thrones fan might be unaware of Clarke’s gift. How long will we have to wait to hear the Khaleesi’s version of “The Rains of Castamere?”

Colin Farrell -- Crazy Heart

The major musical news out of this 2009 awards season darling was Jeff Bridges. The Dude went on to record his own album and take his grizzled guitar man act on the road. But the larger surprise was, in fact, Colin Farrell’s soulful rendition of the Oscar-winning tune “The Weary Kind.” His version never made it on to the official soundtrack, but it’s a surprisingly great and an emotional high point of a film packed with emotional high points.

Benedict Cumberbatch -- August: Osage County

In one of the few sweet (and unfortunately, in retrospect, tainted) moments of this southern family feud is this love song Cumberbatch’s Little Charles sings to his cousin/lover Ivy. It shouldn’t be too shocking that Cumberbatch can carry a tune; his rich speaking voice is one of his greatest assets as an actor. Where do we start a petition for a musical episode of Sherlock? Perhaps with special guest star Tom Hiddleston?

Brie Larson -- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Before she brought Edgar Wright’s comic book adaptation to a screaming standstill with her seductive performance of Metric’s “Black Sheep,” Larson had a minor cult following on the show United States of Tara. But the number of her adoring fans grew by leaps and bounds after this unforgettable musical moment. These days Larson may be relegated to lip synch duty, but another musical opportunity can’t be far behind.

Emma Stone -- Easy A

Well now we know Emma Stone can sing. But when she made Easy A she was still just the girl from Superbad and Zombieland. Though Stone’s character Olive endearingly sang the ear worm “Pocketful of Sunshine” for the Easy A ad campaign, she took it to another level with this showstopping, floor-stomping version of the 60s classic “Knock on Wood.”

Ryan Gosling -- Blue Valentine

Gosling’s character claims he has to sing “funny” in order to perform his ukulele version of “You Always Hurt the One You Love” but, like Michelle Williams, by the end of the number we’re all completely sold. Gosling’s musical talent is no real secret, after all he got his start with none other than Justin Timberlake, but he rarely has occasion to dust it off. Who knows, maybe Gangster Squad would have been improved by a musical number or two from Gosling and Stone.

Eddie Redmayne -- Les Misérables

Director Tom Hooper famously had his actors sing their parts live on the set of 2012’s Les Misérables and this unorthodox approach yielded mixed results. The high points were known-quantity Anne Hathaway, who let it all hang out for her ferocious, Oscar-winning “I Dreamed a Dream,” and total surprise Eddie Redmayne. The actor, who before Les Mis was known for off-beat indie dramas, transformed the third act weeper “Empty Chairs at Empty Table” into one of the most emotionally honest moments of the film. Every watery warble drove home the actual stakes of the battle at the center of the musical drama and, in a way nobody expected, he outshone some of the far more polished and experienced performers in the cast. Redmayne had a classical choir boy background, so it’s not as if he was a total newcomer. But his vocals remained refreshingly raw.

Heath Ledger -- 10 Things I Hate About You

Perhaps it’s a little disingenuous to say that Ledger’s performance here came as a surprise. This was, after all, most viewer’s introduction to the actor. But given how great he is here, it’s a shame we didn’t get more movie musical performances from Ledger during his too-short career.

Carey Mulligan -- Shame

Mulligan won acclaim for her smooth, buttery vocals on the Inside Llewyn Davis track “500 Miles,” but her more arresting musical moment comes from director Steve McQueen’s Shame. In her cabaret performance of “New York, New York” Mulligan’s voice is fine, if unastonishing, and the discordant, jarring arrangement is uncomfortably slow. But the camera stays on Mulligan through most of the song and a few weary wrinkles around her eyes suddenly become clearer on that dimpled, baby face of hers. Allowing Mulligan to sing in her own voice lends a completely necessary intimacy to the scene.

Chiwetel Ejiofor -- 12 Years a Slave

Another musical moment from director Steve McQueen, this one features Chiwetel Ejiofor. If you missed Ejiofor’s earlier turn in the film version of the cross-dressing musical Kinky Boots, you might not have expected such a rich vocal tone. In one of the most stunning moments of the film, Solomon, surrounded by his fellow slaves, listens to them sing the spiritual “Roll, Jordan, Roll.” The song repeats and repeats until finally Solomon, who has, this entire time, held himself as separate and a little above the rest, joins them. Ejiofor’s grief-stricken face both speaks to Solomon’s hopelessness of being rescued and the solace he finds in finally being a part of the community around him. He relaxes into the despair. Leans into it. It’s an amazing performance that is enriched by Ejiofor’s beautiful voice.