Music videos are an essential part of an artist's identity. While songs and albums can hook listeners all on their own, music videos often serve as a visualization of a song's themes or an album's message. Many high-profile artists go above and beyond for their music videos, including the talent they hire to star in them.
There have been dozens of music videos starring famous actors, celebrities, and comedians. Some of these videos are meant to amuse audiences, while others feature performances that could be deemed award-worthy. These music videos are some of the best uses of Hollywood actors to tell an artist's story.
10 "Dancing In The Dark" By Bruce Springsteen
No one puts on a live show quite like the Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen. The New Jersey native was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s, backed by the energetic E Street Band and uplifted by his deeply intimate songwriting. It's not surprising that one of Bruce's biggest hits, "Dancing in the Dark", fits this energy.
Released for his 1984 album Born in the U.S.A., the video for "Dancing in the Dark" features a concert of Bruce and the E Street Band. At the end, he pulls an audience member on stage, played by future Friends star Courtney Cox. It's fitting that Bruce picks a soon-to-be 90s star to be his dancing partner in this iconic video.
9 "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" By Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy was known for having humorous, often satirical music videos. That certainly describes the video for "Thnks fr the Mmrs" off their 2007 album Infinity On High. The video finds the band filming a series of performances, although they are increasingly put-off by the director and crew, played by live chimpanzees.
The band's bass player, Pete Wentz, takes center stage as the monkey director interrupts his kiss scene with none other than Kim Kardashian. What ensues is some kind of strange love triangle between Wentz, Kardashian, and the director. It's odd and absurd, also strangely fitting for this song about a love affair.
8 "Don't Worry, Be Happy" By Bobby McFerrin
"Don't Worry, Be Happy" is significant for being the first a cappella song to hit number one on the Billboard Top 100. The single by Bobby McFerrin was released in 1988 to coincide with the film Cocktail, starring Tom Cruise. However, two different Hollywood stars make an appearance in the video alongside McFerrin.
The video finds McFerrin performing the song with Bill Irwin and Robin Williams. Irwin was known for his role as Mr. Noodle on Sesame Street, as well as for popularizing vaudeville-style comedy. Williams is considered one of the greatest comedians and actors of all time. The two elevate this music video with their goofy dancing.
7 "I Really Like You" By Carly Rae Jepsen
Carly Rae Jepsen exploded in popularity in the 2010s with catchy pop hits like "Call Me Maybe" and "Run Away With Me". One of her other biggest hits was "I Really Like You," from her 2015 album Emotion. Surprisingly, Carly takes a backseat in this video to its main star, Tom Hanks, one of the greatest actors of all time.
It'd be hard to find someone who isn't entertained by this video, which finds Hanks through his daily routine while lip-syncing to the energetic, dance-pop song. The video's ending finds Hanks, Jepsen, and Justin Bieber leading a dance in the streets of New York. Fans can keep their eyes out for a Forrest Gump easter egg, too.
6 "Lego House" By Ed Sheeran
It's pretty easy to see the comparison between singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and Harry Potter star Rupert Grint. Luckily, the two get to take advantage of their similarities in the video for Sheeran's song "Lego House." Upon first glance, the video finds Grint taking the role of Sheeran heading on tour and writing songs.
That is until Grint takes the stage in front of hundreds of Sheeran fans and is quickly tackled by security. It's revealed as the last chorus of the song plays that Grint is not Sheeran, but a stalker obsessing over the singer. In the very end, the two finally cross paths, though it's probably not exactly what Grint's character had in mind.
5 "Love The Way You Lie" By Eminem & Rihanna
Eminem's videos tend to be very cinematic, but none more so than his Rihanna collaboration "Love The Way You Lie." For a song about an abusive relationship, it makes sense that the visuals for this video are quite intense and emotional. However, director Joseph Kahn chose two actors who were perfect for this story.
The girl in the video is played by Transformers star Megan Fox, while the guy is played by Lord of the Rings actor Dominic Monaghan. Monaghan is almost unrecognizable as the tattooed, violent lover of Fox. It's a very harrowing video that captures the passion of Eminem's verses and the emotion of Rihanna's hook.
4 "Savior Complex" By Phoebe Bridgers
Few artists have had as surprising a rise to stardom as Phoebe Bridgers. The LA-born singer-songwriter is known for her folk-tinged, subdued indie music. However, she's attracted many fans, including Fleabag star and creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who directed the music video for "Savior Complex" off her 2020 album Punisher.
While "Savior Complex" talks about a complicated relationship, the video tells a peculiar, perfectly Fleabag-esque story. It stars Paul Mescal, who gained fame for his performance in the Hulu series Normal People. It's best not to spoil the story of the video, but expect Mescal to get a lot of emotion from acting with his co-star: a dog.
3 "Someone You Loved" By Lewis Capaldi
"Someone You Loved" was one of the biggest songs of 2019, netting a Grammy nomination for "Song of the Year" for artist Lewis Capaldi. The song even received two music videos, one starring Lewis, while the other stars his second cousin, actor Peter Capaldi. Peter is mainly known for his brief role as The Doctor in Doctor Who.
The Peter Capaldi video was released in conjunction with the charity organization Live Life Give Life. The video finds Capaldi as a man grieving the death of his wife while discovering her heart was donated to another family. It's an incredibly powerful video, featuring some emotional acting by the former Doctor.
2 "All Too Well: The Short Film" By Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is no stranger to star-studded music videos. However, her self-directed short film accompanying the 10-minute version of her song "All Too Well" is another beast. The video stars Stranger Things star Sadie Sink and Teen Wolf regular Dylan O'Brien as a couple in a breakup as painful as the one described in the song.
"All Too Well" is often considered one of Swift's best works, and the short film does not disappoint. Sink and O'Brien leave it all in front of the camera, resulting in a mid-song Marriage Story-esque argument scene. Swift's direction is also intimate, at times feeling vintage, personal, and something straight out of a romantic drama.
1 "Moonlight" By Jay-Z
"Moonlight" was released as part of Jay-Z's 2017 album 4:44. The song itself is brief, but the music video plays like a short film. It stars several African-American comedy actors portraying the main cast of the hit sitcom Friends: Lil Rel Howery, Lakeith Stanfield, Jerrod Carmichael, Issa Rae, Tessa Thompson, and Tiffany Haddish.
While most of the video recreates iconic Friends scenes, it soon diverges into a Get Out-esque horror, with a special appearance by comedian Hannibal Burress. It's during this section of the video that the song actually plays. However, it's easy to get lost in the almost-perfect performances by the all-star comedy line-up earlier on.