The world of entertainment is a fluid industry. From launching make-up lines or clothing brands to partnering up with philanthropic organizations, actors sometimes aren't just actors. Some of them may even be singers. In fact, many of the most talented actors working today either made a start in music or continually straddle both artistic worlds—and do so successfully.

The added hurdle of being a singer who's also dipping their toes in acting is the divisiveness it can instil in the audience. For the most part, audiences either hold prejudice against singers trying to branch out from their music, or they are willing to give them the chance. Here’s a list of 10 singers who became great actors.

10 Rihanna

rihanna oceans eight via Hello Giggles

Rihanna started her acting career with a cameo appearance, only to challenge herself and take bigger roles in the future. It's safe to say that just about everyone has heard of Rihanna when it comes to her music, but she has had some significant acting roles throughout her life, such as Battleship and Ocean's 8. One of her most memorably acting credits, of course, has to be her role as Marion Crane in Bates Motel.

9 Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah via Entertainment Weekly

Queen Latifah's iconic roles in Last Holiday or Bringing Down the House are equally as important as her achievements as a musician. People seem to forget that she is one of the only 10 female rappers to recieve a Grammy award or that she is the first hip-hop artist ever to have her own star on The Walk of Fame. She has continuously demonstrated her abilities in both fields, having sold around 2 million albums in the US and having received a Golden Globe among additional awards.

Related: Trailer Reveal for The Tiger Rising, the Family Adventure Film Starring Queen Latifah

8 Mark Wahlberg

mark-wahlberg by The Myanmar Times

It's hard to believe that this actor, whose highest grossing film is such a classic as Transformers: Age of Extinction, was once the lead singer of a group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. It was probably a smart decision to transition to acting in 1994, considering the amount of success he has gained since then with movies such as Three Kings or Boogie Nights. Although some might find his rapper past embarassing, Wahlberg seems to regret doing Boogie Nights more than anything else. His upcoming movie Uncharted releases in early 2022.

7 Jennifer Lopez

Stripper Who Inspired Hustlers Sues Studio for $40M

Although equally known as a singer and an actress, the general public would probably recognize hits such as "Get On the Floor" or "Play" upon hearing them more quickly than they would name some of her movies. No one can deny her capable abilities to act when movies such as The Second Act, Hustlers or Selena exist. Some might say Lopez's acting career has been a little stagnant, but she has a new movie Marry Me coming out in 2022.

6 Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz via Time Magazine

A famous Billboard rockstar is a well-deserved title this man is widely known for. But, he has also proved his worth as an actor in movies like Precious, The Butler, and his most popular role of Cinna in the Hunger Games franchise. It appears that Kravitz has a lot more in store as he joins Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel in an upcoming movie titled Shotgun Wedding.

5 Justin Timberlake

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Timberlake strikes the public as a guy who's succesful at everything he puts his mind to. Whether as a teenage heartthrob in a boy group *NSYNC, as a solo singer with hits such as "Sexy Back" or "Can't Stop The Feeling!" or as someone who went as far as putting his music career on a hiatus from 2008 to 2012 to focus on acting. With his acting performances in movies such as The Social Network or Friends with Benefits, he has shown he is deserving of his status.

Related: Justin Timberlake Joins Benicio Del Toro in Netflix's Reptile

4 Awkwafina

Awkwafina Farewell via PopSugar
A24

Rising to fame through her viral rap song "My Vag", Awkwafina has also come to quickly become an acclaimed actress, breaking the barriers in Hollywood by receiving the Golden Globe award as the first Asian-American actress in history for her performance in The Farewell. Aside from The Farewell, she is celebrated for her roles in Raya and The Last Dragon, Ocean's 8 (2018) and Shangi-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.

3 Will Smith

will smith via paste magazine

Initially known as a rapper "Fresh Prince" in a hip-hop duo with his childhood best friend, Will Smith has turned into one of the arguably best actors of our generation. Nearly every movie he has starred in has become a major hit. From an American sitcom Fresh Prince to playing a role alongside artificial intelligence in I, Robot (2004), to fighting aliens in Men in Black, to a master swindler in Focus and even playing a role in a biographical drama King Richard.

Related: Will Smith's King Richard Draws High Praise from Fresh Prince Co-Star Janet Hubert

2 Zendaya

Zendaya via SF Chronicle Datebook

Zendaya started her career as a Disney star who was mostly known for her dancing and singing skills in a sitcom called Shake It Up beside Bella Thorne. But with her outstanding acting skills, it was only a matter of time until she would deservedly get casted in numerous major smash hits. Zendaya's most well known for her roles in The Greatest Showman, the TV series Euphoria, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Dune.

1 Lady Gaga

Lady-Gaga

Lady Gaga has proven to be a woman of all trades: from pop star to fashion icon, to now being one of the most sought after and awards-worthy actresses on the scene. What really put her in the public eye as a promising actress rather than a risk-taking singer, was her acting role in the 5th season of the famous TV series American Horror Story as a century old vampire. To fully earn her respect in the film industry, she gave an Oscar-nomination worthy performance as a singer on the rise Ally, in A Star Is Born. Gaga's most recent role in House of Gucci has already earned her a few awards.