The film playground that is Hollywood is famed for its glitzy and glamorous world. However, some actors and actresses have taken the bold decision to move out of Hollywood in preference for a second calling in the music industry.

There are many Hollywood stars who’ve seamlessly transitioned from the silver screen to the recording studio, demonstrating their versatile attributes as outright performers. Below, we explore the fascinating stories of these four acting stars who ditched the camera for the microphone.

Jennifer Lopez

J-Lo has enjoyed a hugely successful entertainment career, spanning acting and music. She shot to stardom in the 1997 film, Selena, during which she played the role of singer, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, in a successful biopic. At the time, Lopez became the first female Latina to earn a seven-figure sum for an appearance in Hollywood.

Lopez’ talents saw her quickly launch a solo music career just two years after the release of Selena. Her debut album, On the 6, includes songs like If You Had My Love and Waiting for Tonight, which remain extremely popular songs within her back catalogue today. Today, she remains a global pop icon, with a dynamic stage presence, recently performing at the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show in 2020.

Corey Feldman

It’s fair to say that Feldman’s singing career has been something of a roller-coaster ride – a tale of feast or famine, if you will. His inaugural album, Love Left, was released in 1994 but we heard nothing further from him until 2002 when Former Child Actor was released. Another 14 years elapsed before Angelic 2 the Core reached our speakers.

Feldman will forever be associated with the cult film classic, The Goonies, which remains a hugely popular film, especially among nostalgic millennials. The film has also remained in the pop culture psyche thanks to the success of The Goonies’ licensed online slot game. Its Megaways-powered version is one of the newest slot games with UK-licensed iGaming operators, boasting 15,625 ways to win and a multitude of bonus features.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson has been one of the most influential female actors of the 21st century. It’s said the movies she’s appeared in have yielded over $15.4 billion globally at the box office. Aside from her iconic roles in films like Lost in Translation and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Johansson has also ventured into the music industry. In 2008, she released a debut solo album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, followed by a collaboration album with Pete Yorn the following year.

Her sultry voice and unique musical style have earned her critical acclaim, demonstrating her undisputed versatility as an artist.

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx is another multi-talented entertainer, who shot to stardom with his own TV show and performed in the biographical drama Ali. He then performed alongside Tom Cruise in Collateral before appearing in Twista’s Slow Jamz track, with Kanye West. He performed with West again in the song Gold Digger.

Foxx released a studio album, Unpredictable, in December 2005. It sold almost 600,000 units in the first week of sales. It’s sold almost two million in total. Foxx’s hits like Blame It and other popular rap and RnB collaborations have cemented his reputation as a skilled artist.

For this quartet – and many other star performers – Hollywood and the big screen just wasn’t enough for them, with the music industry helping them to achieve mega-star status.