16 Christina Aguilera
Since the early 2000s, pop star Christina Aguilera has reinvented her image numerous times—from the bubblegum pop of “Genie in a Bottle,” to the vintage-influenced maturity of “Ain’t No Other Man”—and, not surprisingly, her film career has taken the same route of self-discovery. Since filming Burlesque in 2010, Aguilera has seemed to move away from sexy and into more high-minded territory with her latest project, a science fiction love story, Zoe, in which she plays a supporting role. Through her constant persistence in both the film and music industries (and a successful stint on The Voice), Aguilera has proved that she isn’t going anywhere.
17 Sean “Diddy” Combs
Though you may not be aware of it, Sean “Diddy” Combs has appeared in over 20 films since he found success as a rapper in the late 1990s. While his performances in films like Get Him to the Greek and I’m Still Here were not exactly critically-acclaimed, Diddy’s quest for world domination is still very much on his mind.
18 Mary J. Blige
Until recently, Mary J. Blige’s acting career, while relatively impressive for her busy recording schedule (and the enormous list of music industry accolades), did not gain her much attention. Her appearances on the Jamie Foxx Show and Rock of Ages did indeed display a level of talent fit for the big screen, but it wasn’t until her critically-acclaimed standout performance in 2017’s Mudbound as Florence Jackson, the matriarch of her family, that the singer’s intentions and talent became known.
19 Enrique Iglesias
While Latin pop star Enrique Iglesias’ pursuit of an acting career has been small in comparison to others on the list, he admits to facing his shortcomings as a singer-songwriter head on—and says he does the same with acting.
“It was different from the daily thing that I do. I want to do little things and learn,” he says of his roles on various sitcoms and daytime shows like How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, and The Young and the Restless. And, though he has only appeared in one successful feature film, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, alongside Johnny Depp and Antonio Banderas, we’re expecting more projects looming on the horizon.
20 Jennifer Lopez
In terms of being a financially successful musician-turned-actress, Jennifer Lopez is one of the greatest. However, unfortunately for the multitalented powerhouse, her roles have never been enough to land her in the top tier of performers, despite her tenacity and hard work to get attain this achievement. Since her acting debut in the early ’90s, Lopez has appeared in two rotating roles—either as the unsuspecting heroine in a less-than-stellar (but very financially successful) movie like The Boy Next Door, or as the well-meaning character on a less successful film. Either way, Lopez, even in her latest role as a scorned detective in NBC’s Shades of Blue, can’t seem to find her way into the acting big leagues.
