I began this blog post about critically acclaimed Television and Film Actors, who unknown to most, are also incredibly talented Musicians, as well. In the process of trying to write a few lines on just a few, I was amazed at how many there are and exactly how talented some are. Each has overcome adversity of some sort and achieved stardom in an industry that is anything but forgiving. These three are hip, happening, and color outside the lines.
Eric Marlon Bishop, aka ‘Jamie Foxx,’ is an Academy Award winner, a Golden Globe Award winning actor, and a musician with three albums. Winner of a Grammy and host of the The Jamie Foxx Show on television. Jamie recently played the villain ‘Electro’ in The Amazing Spiderman 2.
What we don’t know is that Jamie Foxx was raised by his Grandmother, after his parents gave him up. He grew up in a little town in Texas known for racial divide and was a choir director in church. He was a straight ‘A’ student who played football and won a scholarship to University where he studied classical music and composition. Some of his musical and vocals parts in the Ray Charles movie called ‘Ray’ were actually performed by him. He also was a regular on the hit comedy show ‘Living Color’ and starred in the Oliver Stone movie ‘Any Given Sunday’. Jamie Foxx has collaborated with Ludicris, Kanye West, and Field Mob, all of which saw measurable chart success.
Anthony Hopkins has two Emmys, an Academy award, and was the understudy of Sir Laurence Olivier. Roles in ‘The Bounty’ (with Mel Gibson), ‘Antony and Cleopatra’, (featuring Dame Judi Dench), ‘Meet Joe Black’ (also starring Brad Pitt), ‘The Mask of Zorro’ (with Antonio Banderas), and certainly, as Hannibal Lecter in ‘Silence of the Lambs’ (also starring Jodie Foster) showcase the man they hail as ‘the greatest living actor’ alive today.
Anthony is a writer, director, actor AND a talented musician.Who would have known that Mr. Hopkins wrote ‘And the Waltz Goes On…’ which was performed by Andre Rieu? He has numerous other classical compositions, such as ‘The Masque of Time’ performed by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and ‘Distant Star’ which hit the UK charts.
Taylor Momsen is ‘Jenny Humphrey’ on Gossip Girl, so her face may be familiar. Signed to the Ford Agency at two years old, she began acting at age three in a Shake-n-Bake commercial. Momsen played Cindy Lou Who in the Dr. Suess story ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas’. Then, she walked away from a modeling career with Elle magazine and formed ‘The Pretty Reckless’. Jamie Perkins (the drummer) lives in Rochester, NH, when not touring with the TPR. Taylor Momsen is the lead singer, and it’s one tight little killer rock band with some catchy tunes and great vocals…. did I mention… ‘easy on the eyes’?
‘Make Me Wanna Die’ on the first CD hit the charts at #16 in 2010. Some of Taylor’s songs have made it on Gossip Girl, such as ‘Kill Me. Opening for bands like Evanescence and Guns-n-Roses got them to headline status. The title track of the new CD ‘Going To Hell’ is formula pop metal, but still dark and edgy. I like it. The girl can sing.
