Random top ten: Actors pretending to be singers

Published on Friday 14 August 2009 14:12

1 Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in Walk The Line (2005)

In this rich biopic of Johnny Cash, Joaquin Phoenix took on the voice of the recognisable country icon. He and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter (above) used their own voices, in duets laced with sexual chemistry, after training intensively for about four months.

2 Deborah Kerr in The King and I (1956)

Marni Nixon delivered the vocals for Kerr's portrayal of the English governess to the children of the King of Siam (Yul Brynner). Nixon was uncredited, and not for the first time – she was also the unnamed singing voice of Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, and Marilyn Monroe's high notes in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

3 Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Depp rose to the challenge of the homicidal singing barber in Tim Burton's bloody adaptation of the musical. Helena Bonham Carter had to be approved by Sondheim, and Sacha Baron Cohen auditioned by singing most of the score of Fiddler on the Roof.

4 Mark Wahlberg in Rock Star (2001)

Rock Star tells the story of fictional rock band Steel Dragon, and a photocopier technician in tribute act Blood Pollution. Wahlberg, an original member of New Kids On The Block, decided to give this one a miss and have his vocals done by Steelheart frontman Miljenko Matijevic.

5 Everyone in Mamma Mia (2008)

If you assumed that the actors in Mamma Mia were dubbed, you probably haven't seen it. In some respects the "honest" quality of singing adds to the film's warmth and humour, but Pierce Brosnan really can't be excused that easily.

6 Jamie Foxx in Ray (2004)

Jamie Foxx took singing lessons from the late Ray Charles before playing him, but flawlessly lip-synced the vocals, despite being musically trained. Director Taylor Hackford wanted the authenticity of Charles's originals.

7 Marlon Brando in Guys and Dolls (1955)

Some say Brando can't sing for toffee in this classic tale of New York petty gamblers, but he still outshines even Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit. The audio for his musical numbers is constructed from multiple takes.

8 Rene Zellweger in Chicago (2002)

Zellweger said she was in awe when she first heard Catherine Zeta-Jones sing for director Rob Marshall, describing herself as "a little field mouse" in comparison to the Welsh belter. After ten months of gruelling song and dance training, though, she sparkled in the role of Roxy.

9 Dennis Quaid in Great Balls of Fire! (1989)

Questionable lip-synching from Quaid as the young Jerry Lee Lewis, the teen idol who was expected to topple Elvis Presley, but whose downfall began when he married his 13-year-old cousin.

10 Val Kilmer in The Doors (1991)

Kilmer got the starring role in this feature about Jim Morrison by playing a video of himself performing and playing it for director Oliver Stone. He said the songs were a mixture of his own voice and Morrison's, challenging Stone to tell them apart, only to reveal it was all him singing.