Top 10 Over the Top Singing Performances in Movies
#10: Heath Ledger
“10 Things I Hate About You” (1999)
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If there’s a declaration of love more thought out and better staged than this one, we haven’t seen it. Bad boy Patrick Verona would have likely earned Kat Stratford’s affection with his singing alone, but he outdoes himself with a little help from his high school’s marching band. Not even the knowledge that Patrick is being paid to date Kat can diminish Heath Ledger’s unshakable charm as he sings Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” For being as intimidating as he is, only a true romantic like Patrick would get as theatrical as this. As he descends the football field bleachers and runs into the cops, he gets closer to Kat’s heart and has definitely won ours.
#9: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo
“Sing Street” (2016)
Before he was dueting with Emilia Jones in “CODA,” Ferdia Walsh-Peelo made his film debut in this feel-good romp from “Once” scribe John Carney. As we’ve already seen, music is a surefire way to woo a romantic interest. But teenager Conor takes his pursuit of aspiring model Raphina to the next level by starting his own band in 1980s Dublin. Armed with new wave and synth-pop influences, and a wardrobe akin to Culture Club, Walsh-Peelo takes center stage as the titular group puts together one eccentric music video after another. In a film all about finding your voice and standing up for your beliefs, the young actor is quite the showboat, but he captures his character’s youthful vigor and restlessness to a T.
#8: Michelle Pfeiffer
“The Fabulous Baker Boys” (1989)
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Although this musical dramedy was the first film to star Jeff and Beau Bridges together, it’s perhaps more notable for solidifying Michelle Pfeiffer as a superstar. One only has to listen to her sing to understand why. Pfeiffer unleashes her inner Rita Hayworth as Susie Diamond, a lounge singer whose romance with one of the titular siblings threatens his partnership with the other. With an alluring voice reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe, it’s not hard to see why Jeff Bridges’ Jack falls for her in the first place. Pfeiffer commands each of her performances and even makes keen use of Jack’s piano in her provocative rendition of “Makin’ Whoopee.” A more reserved audience might call it scandalous, but we’d call it… well… fabulous!
#7: Chris Pine
“Into the Woods” (2014)
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As the old adage goes, “There are no small parts, only small actors.” Chris Pine doesn’t have the largest role in this adaptation of the Sondheim classic, but he’s certainly larger-than-life. The “Star Trek” and DCEU heartthrob completely steals the show in “Into the Woods” as the haughty and disingenuous prince who’s after Cinderella’s heart. Although the character remains one-noted in his narcissism, Pine’s comedic timing and luscious singing voice make the Prince’s signature tune, “Agony,” one of the film’s highlights. Whether he’s talking himself up or taking his frustrations out on his shirt, you can be sure that Pine has the infectious attitude necessary to make such an unlikable character so irresistible.
#6: Ewan McGregor
“Moulin Rouge!” (2001)
As long as we’re discussing franchise actors with an impressive set of pipes, who could’ve guessed that Obi-Wan Kenobi himself would ever give a performance like this? A jukebox musical like no other, “Moulin Rouge!” perfectly epitomizes director Baz Luhrmann’s flair for maximalist visuals and bringing emotional stakes up to an eleven. To that end, a powerhouse turn like Ewan McGregor’s is exactly what the film needed for its romantic and tragic beats to land as well as they do. As the optimistic and infatuated Christian, McGregor wears his heart right on his sleeve as he makes some of the most popular love songs of the modern era his own. It certainly doesn’t hurt that his chemistry with Nicole Kidman is on point, as well.
#5: Queen Latifah
“Hairspray” (2007)
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It’s hard to think of a musical cast that brought their A-game better than that of 2007’s film adaptation of “Hairspray.” Much of the film’s success rested on the strength of some winning performances from the likes of John Travolta and a young Zac Efron. Yet no one in the film stands out quite as much as Queen Latifah. Following up her Oscar-nominated work as Mama Morton in “Chicago,” she brings much of the same flamboyant energy to the equally alliterative Motormouth Maybelle. Latifah’s R&B and gospel experience unsurprisingly made her performance mesmerizing in ways both campy and fearless. Arriving on the scene with “Big, Blonde and Beautiful,” she just as easily brings down the house with the mournful “I Know Where I’ve Been.”
#4: Val Kilmer
“The Doors” (1991)
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One thing we can always count on from even the worst music biopics is a terrific performance from whoever dares to take on the lead role. That’s exactly what we get from Val Kilmer as the grandiose and, at times, mythical Jim Morrison. What Oliver Stone’s film lacks in historical accuracy, it more than makes up for in the authenticity of Kilmer’s bombastic onstage presence. In addition to bearing a startling resemblance to The Doors frontman himself, Kilmer was able to match Morrison’s intensity from a vocal standpoint, as well. He learned dozens of the band’s songs and even trained himself in Morrison’s speech patterns. His commitment to the role was such that the band's surviving members were unable to tell Kilmer’s voice from Morrison’s.
#3: Robin Williams
“Aladdin” (1992)
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When it comes to an unforgettable character like Disney’s Genie, “over-the-top” isn’t just exactly what we got, it’s exactly what we needed. Robin Williams provided us with that and much more in 1992! Elevating tracks such as “Friend Like Me” and “Prince Ali” through his mile-a-minute improvisations, the actor and comedian lent the Genie a zaniness that has contributed immensely to its timelessness today. Though Will Smith’s attempt in the live action adaptation certainly helped distinguish him from Williams’ immortal voice work, his reliance on his Fresh Prince persona made many of the extravagant musical numbers fall short. Smith may be a more accomplished singer, but it was Williams who truly demonstrated “phenomenal cosmic powers” as the blue-skinned wish granter.
#2: Gerard Butler
“The Phantom of the Opera” (2004)
Despite being one of the most divisive musical performances out there, there’s one thing we can’t take away from Gerard Butler’s version of the Phantom: he really tried. Committing to the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical is no small ask. Doing so without singing experience is another thing entirely. Although Butler has the charisma to bring the character to life, what he lacks are the operatic singing chops to round things out. Plus, with the film toning down the Phantom’s tragic backstory and disfigurement, his excessive blubbering feels out of place and forced at best. Compared to his classically trained co-stars Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson, Butler’s Phantom is there inside our minds, just not in ways we’d like to remember.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Billy Porter, “Cinderella” (2021)
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Rebel Wilson, “Cats” (2019)
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Tom Cruise, “Rock of Ages” (2012)
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Paris Hilton, “Repo! The Genetic Opera” (2008)
The Visuals May Be Dated, But Paris’s Performance Is Timeless
James Corden, “The Prom” (2020)
An Egregious Miscasting Doesn’t Stop the Brit from Giving it His All
#1: Anne Hathaway
“Les Misérables” (2012)
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Tom Hooper’s take on this Broadway landmark is one of the grandest ever put to film. But like the giant ship the film opens on, it’s an adaptation that threatens to capsize under the weight of its ambitious dedication to realism. In particular, Hooper’s decision to have the cast perform their songs live was a risky one. One person who definitely benefited from this experiment, however, was Anne Hathaway. As the poverty-stricken Fantine, Hathaway’s authentic vocals lend her performance rawness and urgency. Nowhere is that better demonstrated than in her show-stopping and heart-breaking rendition of the show’s quintessential track, “I Dreamed a Dream.” Critics and audiences agreed, and with only fifteen minutes of screentime in this two-and-a-half-hour film, Hathaway walked away with an Academy Award.
