When someone is good at more than one trade or craft, they are sometimes called “multi-talented.” It doesn’t matter who you speak to or where you go, folks who can perform multiple activities (sometimes simultaneously) to a high degree usually get kudos for their efforts. This is especially prevalent in the entertainment industry. Sometimes, you’ll be watching a movie or TV show and recognize a well-known musician as one of the characters. However, not as easy to spot is when an actor is playing a musical instrument in a movie.
Some viewers might write it off, assuming that the notes they’re hearing are not being played by the actor, but recorded earlier by a professional in a studio somewhere, then dubbed into the film later. Yes, this happens a majority of the time, but sometimes the actor knows exactly what they’re doing with that instrument. Once viewers learn this, not only is it impressive that the actor has this second ability, but one can assume that it lends more accuracy and authenticity to the character.
The following is a small list of actors who have had music training and enjoy playing at least one musical instrument. Some you may have seen actually performing in a movie, but others reserve their musical talents for times when they’re away from the film industry.
On Film
Gary Busey – Guitar – The Buddy Holly Story (1978)
With his blond hair, toothy grin, and trademark gravelly voice, you may not know that Busey was once a professional drummer in many bands, including that of Willie Nelson. Back in Stillwater, OK, he had a successful local group called The Rubber Band. Later, his breakout role as Buddy Holly allowed him to showcase his additional talents on guitar and vocals. He got an Oscar nomination for the role.
Richard Gere – Trumpet – The Cotton Club (1984)
Gere grew up playing many different instruments – trumpet and piano among them – and composing for high school shows. He plays his own cornet solos in this movie.
Gary Oldman – Bass Guitar – Sid & Nancy (1986)
A prolific and beloved British actor, Oldman learned piano and bass in his younger days, and at one time considered a career in music. In this movie he played Sid Vicious, the Sex Pistols bassist, despite disliking the script and Punk Rock in general. He took the job for the money. He also performed a vocal duet with David Bowie, and taught Daniel Radcliffe the bass line to the Beatles’ Come Together.
Clint Eastwood – Piano – In the Line of Fire (1993)
This movie legend loves jazz music, and is actually playing the piano in the bar scene of this movie. He is an accomplished jazz pianist, and has performed/composed much of the music for the films he directed, including Changeling, Flags of Our Fathers, Hereafter, Million Dollar Baby, and Mystic River. You can also hear a sample of his whistling on one of his sons’ jazz CDs.
Antonio Banderas – Guitar – Desperado (1995)
Banderas performed all of his own guitar work, including Cancion Del Mariachi during the opening credits.
Johnny Depp – Guitar – Chocolat (2000)
In this movie, Depp plays guitar in three different scenes, plus on two pieces in the soundtrack. He began playing electric guitar at the age of 12, and has formed or played in various garage bands and other groups throughout his life. He has also recorded with British band Oasis and Marilyn Manson.
Adrien Brody – Piano – The Pianist (2002)
Brody played the title role, a pianist who survives Nazi-occupied Warsaw during WWII. He won an Oscar for his work and, at the time, was the youngest actor to win an Oscar (29, for Best Actor). While he has worked as a composer, he had to learn Chopin piano pieces to bring authenticity to the part.
Emily Blunt – Cello – My Summer of Love (2004)
In this movie, Blunt plays a cynical and manipulative teen. According to a YouTube video clip, since the character is so young, she had to play as if she had less experience. In another film, the TV movie The Strange Case of Sherlock Holmes & Arthur Conan Doyle (2005), you can hear all her string-playing talent shine through. She is a Grade 8 cellist, which means she has achieved the most difficult level of the U.K.’s music examination system. She also sings alto.
Jamie Foxx – Piano – Ray (2004)
As legendary Ray Charles, Foxx hits the nail on the head. He had majored in music, and already saw his own album go to #12 on the R&B charts before some of his meatier movie roles. He was able to spend plenty of piano time with Ray (who died just after filming had ended), and eventually garnered an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his portrayal. He played piano in all scenes himself.
Miles Teller – Drums – Whiplash (2014)
This is the kid who, in the now-famous scene used in the movie ads, gets a chair thrown at him by actor J. K. Simmons. In high school he played for his church youth group band, and is quoted as saying that he’s been in various bands since he was 16 (or about 13 years, as of this writing). I wonder how many times they had to shoot that chair scene.
Not on Film
Woody Allen – Clarinet
Allen can be heard on the soundtracks to a few of his movies, but the longevity of his love for music is more impressive: Since the early 70’s, his New Orleans style jazz band has played weekly in a small jazz club in Manhattan.
Kevin Bacon – Guitar
The Bacon Brothers is the band headed by Kevin and his Emmy award-winning composer brother, Michael. Younger brother Kevin can be heard on vocals, guitar, and percussion. After about 22 years of existence, the folk-rock group has seven albums to their name and tour dates all across the U.S.
Marty Feldman – Cornet
The British actor with the bulging eyes, who most Americans may recognize from his movie work with Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks (Young Frankenstein and The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother), was not only a brilliant comedy writer and popular Buster Keaton-esque physical comedy actor, but he also played cornet and drums.
Hugh Laurie – Piano
Known from his role as the arrogant Dr. Gregory House in TV’s House, Laurie also plays guitar, drums, saxophone, and harmonica. He has released two blues and jazz albums, one in 2011 in France and Germany, and another in 2013 in the U.K.
Steve Martin – Banjo
Martin won a Grammy in 2002 for his rendition of Foggy Mountain Breakdown, and received a Grammy in 2009 for Bluegrass Album of the Year for The Crow, a collection of original banjo compositions. Two more albums followed, plus a Broadway collaboration with singer/songwriter Edie Brickell. He plays regularly at various jazz festivals.
Dudley Moore – Piano
In addition to classical and jazz piano, the British comedian also studied organ, harpsichord, violin, and music composition. He can be seen playing piano in a few starring movie roles, and some of his other films include his original compositions in the soundtracks.
How many of these did you know about? What others would you add to this list? Have you seen any of these folks play?