Everybody wants to be a pop star. Even actors who are already plenty famous for their achievements in their own craft see the life and think, I want a piece of that.

Because of their status (and their finances), it’s always been a little bit easier for those folks to give it a go. The pop world, however, can be an unforgiving place, and not everyone who picks up a microphone hears cheers from the crowd.

Sure, J.Lo became a success in both acting and music; Germany loves the sound of David Hasselhoff’s voice, and Kevin Bacon has been touring with his brother Michael as The Bacon Brothers since 1995, but they’re the exceptions to the rule.

Even if you’re a big name actor, it’s tough to make it in music, as evidenced by this list of 25 stars of the silver and small screen who had varying degrees of success in the pop world.

Milla Jovovich

Although she could probably do Resident Evil movies for the rest of her life, there was a time before she was one of Hollywood’s top actresses that Milla Jovovich made a go at a music career. 

Judging by the song “Gentleman Who Fell,” we’re guessing there are a couple hundred college radio DJs who tell their friends they discovered her.