10 Musicians Who Are Actually Good Actors

As a musician, Tom Waits inspires great loyalty in his fans. You tend not to have a passing interest in Tom Waits - you’re either a devotee, or you’re nothing. Similarly Waits the actor has become a favourite of many great auteurs, who utilise that distinctive gravely voice and crumpled charisma to great effect.

One such director is Francis Ford Coppola, with whom Waits collaborated four times in three years. Starting with One From The Heart, whose soundtrack he also composed, Waits was ever present in the Godfather director’s work - usually small roles, but with a juicy part in Coppola’s entertaining take on Dracula.

He features more prominently in the films of Jim Jarmusch, whose sensibility meshes with Waits’. 1986’s Down By Law gives the singer a starring role as DJ Zach, and his laid back charm gives the easy going, chatty film much of its quality.

Waits has demonstrated significant versatility as an actor. He’ll always be an oddball of some nature, but has found a lot of scope to play with. He was one of the only good things about Seven Psychopaths, too.