Stars like Suki Waterhouse, Florence Pugh, and Kate Hudson aren’t just talented actresses on the screen—they also happen to be vocal powerhouses with their own music careers.
Oftentimes, our favorite stars on the big screen and television are more than just amazing actors and actresses. These entertainment mavens often have more than one artistic talent—such versatility is what makes them so famous and widely-loved. Many actresses, in particular, also happen to be wonderful singers and musicians.
Here are six stars who’ve made a name for themselves as amazing songstresses:
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Kate Hudson
Many remember Kate Hudson for her amazing performance in the cult classic How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, among other hit films like Bride Wars and Almost Famous. The actress also happens to be a pretty amazing singer. This might not come as a big surprise to those who heard her vocal chops in the musical-movie Nine with the song “Cinema Italiano.”
Yet just this 2024, Hudson made her official debut as the songstress that she is with her debut album Glorious. Shortly before that, she made her television performance debut in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon singing the song “Gonna Find Out” from the album. Safe to say, it was indeed glorious with Hudson’s soaring vocals and its smooth country-rock sound.
Rachel Zegler
Rachel Zegler is one of today’s rising stars with her breakout roles in both Steven Spielberg’s movie adaptation of the musical West Side Story and the Hunger Games prequel movie The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. These roles make it clear that she’s an immensely talented singer, with a clear, powerful voice and an impressive range. She sang slow, folksy ballads in the Hunger Games prequel, but also the playful “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story.
While filming scenes from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, where Zegler plays the performer Lucy Gray Baird, the actress actually sang most of her songs live (besides doing pre-recordings), something that gave producer Nina Jacobson “chills,” according to Jack Smart of People. Zegler will also be playing Snow White in an upcoming Disney live-action adaptation of the beloved classic (with a screenplay by Greta Gerwig).
Hailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld has made a name for herself through movies like the highly-acclaimed The Edge of Seventeen, as well as Bumblebee, True Grit, and Begin Again. She also plays a young Emily Dickenson in the comedy-drama series Dickinson and Hawkeye’s sharpshooter successor Kate Bishop in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yet even before all of this, Steinfeld had shown the world that she’s an exceptional singer.
She has released two successful EPs, 2016’s Haiz and 2020’s Half Written Story, with hit songs that everyone couldn’t get enough of. These include her confidence-inducing single “Love Myself,” which reached the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release, and her collaboration with band DNCE, “Rock Bottom.” She’s also sang a number of songs from the soundtracks of movies and shows she’s starred in, including Bumblebee’s 80’s-inspired pop track “Back to Life” and Dickinson’s “Afterlife.”
Florence Pugh
Horror It-Girl and overall fantastic actress Florence Pugh has met much success already, having starred in countless highly-lauded films with stellar performances that are often highlights for viewers and critics alike. These include her breakout role in Ari Aster’s psychological thriller Midsommar and poignant performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, among so many others.
What not many may know is that Pugh is a great singer too, and had posted a number of videos of herself singing early in her career, mostly on an old YouTube channel (which viewers can still watch). She also shows this vocal prowess in performances for a recent film, A Good Person, where she plays an aspiring musician named Allison. She also made a surprise appearance and performance in the band Flyte’s music session for the song “Tough Love,” where her mellow voice delighted many listeners.
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson is another phenomenal actress that needs no introduction. She was the longtime face of agent Natasha Romanoff for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the star of hit films like Girl with a Pearl Earring, Chef, Marriage Story, Asteroid City, and Lost in Translation. What not many may know, however, is that Johansson also happens to be a gifted songbird.
Though she hasn’t showcased this as often as the other names on this list, it became more apparent when she sang for the popular animated musical movie, Sing (and its sequel). Here, she stars as the rocking Porcupine Ash, who dreams of making it big in the music world—the 51 million views for her original song “Set It All Free” should speak for itself. Another video that gained a lot of traction was her singing an acoustic cover of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” with Craig Campbell, with 7 million viewers enjoying her deep, smooth vocals that seem effortless.
Suki Waterhouse
Last on the list is Suki Waterhouse, whom everyone knew was quite the multi-hyphenated talent as a successful model and actress. Besides walking along today’s biggest runways, she’s starred in beloved films and television shows like Love, Rosie; 2022’s Persuasion; and Daisy Jones & The Six. Yet Waterhouse has another feather on her cap, as she’s also a top-notch singer who released her debut studio album I Can’t Let Go back in 2022.
Her songs and their captivating music videos have gained millions of views on YouTube alone, namely the synth-heavy, sultry pop song “OMG” and the more croony, 60s-inspired tune “Good Looking.” Waterhouse recently celebrated the birth of her first child with longtime partner Robert Pattinson, but shows no sign of stopping her flourishing music career, having announced the release of her second album Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, which comes out September 2024.
Banner photo via Instagram @katehudson.
