Acting up

Madonna, the world's most successful and celebrated female music star, was desperate to crossover to acting and duplicate that sucess and acclaim.

After many years and many films she failed.

Seeing her music vids, in which she plays many characters, she has a wide range and conveys emotions. Yet still she failed as a film actress.

What she actually failed to be was a film STAR. A leading lady, like her hero Marilyn.

Madonna is great in a supporting role. Look at Desperately Seeking Susan where she plays one of the larger than life characters from one of her owns vids. Her song Into The Groove is the main song on the film's soundtrack. The film itself, supposed to be a vehicle for Rosanna Arquette, becomes Madonna's movie, the Susan character totally dominating.

So it is with larger than life people, like Madonna, who play larger than life characters on stage and in video. They can't translate that into a leading role. They simply aren't A List actors. They are pop stars not film stars.

Look at Meatloaf - he has done some great acting, but always as a supporting character. He was particularly good in Fight Club, and was memorable in Black Dog.

When Tina Turner played Auntie Entity in Thunderdome she was just right for the role, and, like Madonna in Susan, had a number one hit with the theme song. She didn't try to take her acting "career" any further than that.

Whitney Houston, a great choice to play the singer in The Bodyguard, playing an extended version of herself. Yet hopeless in other roles.

Britney only did the one film, and just as well. Beyonce is currently failing in her film career, while her post-DC pop career is being eclipsed by new young hungry divas like Rihanna.

Even Jon Bon Jovi, who originally wanted to be an actor, and actually auditioned for Bacon's role in Footloose (we'd love to see that audition tape!) found he couldn't translate his on stage charisma to the silver screen, to be another Brad or Tom.

There are exceptions of course. Cher does particularly well in her films, as does J-Lo. Cher even won an Oscar. But these are ladies who are A List actors who are also world class singers. In J-Lo's case she can dance a bit as well. For the guys, there's Will Smith.

Then there's the likes of Jessica Simpson who can't sing as well as Britney or Christina and is no good in acting roles. Playing Daisy in the remake/update Dukes Of Hazzard fim, a one dimensional role is ever there was one, which she really worked hard to get in physical shape for, you still think of other actresses who could have done it just as well. And, of course, she gets to wash the car in a bikini in the tragic vid for the movie song - a cover song at that, not even an original.

She was parodied by Pink in the Stupid Girls video, a form of social commentary Pink is particularly good at. Of course, Pink is also attempting an acting career under her real name Alicia Moore. Similarly Fergie is appearing in films as Stacey Fergusson. But for every Cher there will be a dozen Madonnas, finding out their video characters don't translate as leading ladies.

Just as soap stars should never do pop songs, pop stars shouldn't try to be films stars.

And we'd still rather hear a new J-Lo album than see a new J-Lo movie.
(Though I wouldn't mind seeing some new J-Lo vids.)