Stars who played musicians

Penn Badgley was recently cast for the leading role in this singer-songwriter's biopic. The attention Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges received for portraying a country singer in 2009's "Crazy Heart" will help propel sales of his new debut album. When actors get a chance to play musicians on the big screen, many turn it in to the performance of his or her life. Here is a look at some particularly memorable ones.

Jeff Bridges

His heartfelt performance in this movie as a broken-down, alcoholic musician — a film inspired a real country singer's life — earned Jeff Bridges an Oscar. He is taking his talent from screen to studio and will release a debut album this summer.

Jamie Foxx

The task of bringing this legendary musician to life netted Jamie Foxx an Oscar. He has since launched a singing career in addition to his acting work.

Kristen Stewart & Dakota Fanning

Actresses Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning tapped into their inner rockers to portray the teenage girls in this rock band. The movie, released last year, followed the band's brief stint in the music business.