The worlds of music and movies have often crossed paths. From the Rat Pack, Elvis’ appearances in Jailhouse Rock and Blue Hawaii, and Cliff Richard’s role in Summer Holiday, to more recent stars like Lady Gaga, Ice Cube and Ariana Grande, musicians have regularly ventured onto the big screen.
There’s something oddly satisfying, though, about seeing your favorite popstar appear in a horror movie – relentlessly stalked by a serial killer, brutally mauled by a monster, or left for dead by a malevolent force.
Here we’re looking at 10 pop stars who became victims in horror movies.
Kelly Rowland
‘Freddy vs. Jason’ (2003)
The showdown horror fans had been dreaming of (or having nightmares about?) for nearly 20 years, Freddy vs. Jason pitted together two of the slasher genre’s most notorious villains in a blood-soaked battle for the ages.
Kelly Is Targeted by Two Legendary Villains
Before the two horror icons turn on each other, though, they manage to rack up quite the body count. One unfortunate victim is Kia Waterson, played by former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland, who finds herself the target of both Freddy and Jason, ultimately being brutally slaughtered by the latter.
Debbie Harry
‘Videodrome’ (1983)
Videodrome is a nightmarish trip into the surreal crafted by horror icon David Cronenberg. Blurring the lines between reality and fantasy, it unfolds like a fever dream oozing with grotesque practical effects and twisted hallucinations. Despite bombing at the box office, it has since achieved cult status and is widely considered a classic in the sci-fi and body horror genres.
An Iconic Popstar in an Iconic Movie
Debbie Harry of seminal punk/new wave band Blondie plays a provocative radio host who finds herself drawn to the mysterious and dangerous “Videodrome” pirate TV broadcast, eventually being consumed entirely by the program – becoming part of the Videodrome hallucination network.
Mya
‘Cursed’ (2005)
Cursed is a sad story of what could have been, a promising werewolf film gutted by edits and tamed into a shadow of its original vision. Horror icon Wes Craven was contracted to make an R-rated horror movie with hints of his trademark dark humor. However, during production, producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein kept asking for reshoots and changes to the plot, eventually re-editing the movie to give it a PG-13 rating rather than the original intended R-rating. To rub salt into the wound, veteran makeup artist Rick Baker was fired, and the werewolves he had created were replaced with computer-generated ones.
The Final Movie Fell Short of Its Potential
The movie was a box office bomb, grossing just $29.6 million on its $100 million budget, and was universally panned by critics, leading many to demand the release of a Craven cut sticking to his original vision. One particular scene which Craven notes was heavily edited involves the death of a character played by pop star Mya, which was originally much gorier. Aside from Mya, other pop stars featured in the movie include cameos from former *NSYNC singer Lance Bass and pop-punk band Bowling For Soup.
Paris Hilton
‘House of Wax’ (2005)
Released in 2005, House of Wax is a remake of the 1953 film of the same name, itself a remake of the 1933 film Mystery of the Wax Museum. It follows a group of teenagers who become stranded in a seemingly abandoned town containing an elaborate wax museum, only to discover the gruesome truth behind the waxwork models on display.
A Memorable Appearance
Following her sex tape scandal and the success of her reality show The Simple Life, socialite Paris Hilton was exploring multiple avenues to boost her profile, including both acting and music. While neither took off massively, her appearance in House of Wax remains an interesting footnote in her long and varied career as we bear witness to her getting impaled on a metal pipe and transformed into a waxwork model.
Pink
‘Catacombs’ (2007)
Full of as many twists and turns as the French labyrinth of tunnels it’s set in, Catacombs follows the story of Victoria, who is invited to a rave by her sister (played by pop star Pink). Taking place in the underground Paris catacombs, Victoria becomes separated from her sister and grows increasingly paranoid that she is being stalked by a mysterious killer.
Nothing Is as It Seems
During her panic, Victoria comes across her sister’s supposedly mauled, dead body, plunging her further into fear and paranoia. The movie was the first movie made by video on demand service FearNet and was released to little fanfare in 2007, but while feedback was generally negative, its interesting premise and claustrophobic atmosphere make it a worthwhile watch for those lost for ideas this Halloween season.
David Bowie
‘The Hunger’ (1983)
David Bowie was, undoubtedly, one of the biggest music superstars to have ever walked the Earth, but he also had a surprisingly large number of acting credits under his belt. From early appearances in movies like Just a Gigolo and The Man Who Fell to Earth to his iconic starring role in the cult classic Labyrinth – he was certainly no stranger to the silver screen.
One of Bowie’s Many Big Screen Forays
Perhaps not a victim in the traditional sense of the word, in The Hunger, he plays John Blaylock. Unable to die, he has lived a life immune to the aging process – but this all changes once his vampire lover’s gift of eternal life begins to fail him. When his body suddenly begins to age uncontrollably, she abandons him — just as she has done with her past lovers once they start to decay. He’s left helpless, desperate, and suffering – trapped between life and death.
Despite receiving mixed reviews at the time of its release, it has since garnered a strong cult following, especially amongst the goth subculture, who appreciate its haunting blend of atmospheric beauty, decay, and tragic love.
Brandy
‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer’ (1997)
Centering on four teenage friends who are stalked by a hook-wielding killer one year after covering up a car accident in which they supposedly killed a man, I Know What You Did Last Summer, along with Scream, is credited with revitalizing the slasher genre in the ‘90s. Wearing its ‘80s influence on its sleeve, it was a huge commercial hit and spawned two sequels, a TV series, and the recent reboot.
Brandy Survives the Sequel
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, released just a year later, sees R&B singer Brandy joining the previous movie’s survivors as they holiday in the Bahamas only to be targeted by a serial killer once again. Relying on her wits (and luck), Brandy’s character manages to evade the killer by the skin of her teeth to remain one of the movie’s few survivors.
Christina Milian
‘Pulse’ (2006)
Starring Kristen Bell, Ian Somerhalder, and pop singer Christina Milian, Pulse is a techno-horror adapted from the 2001 Japanese movie of the same name. The premise revolves around a supernatural force that is using the internet and modern technology to invade the modern world. Milian falls victim to this malevolent force when she is pulled into the digital realm, vanishing completely after being overtaken by the supernatural forces linked to the internet.
‘Pulse’ Is a Remake of a Japanese Movie
While the Japanese version is a cult classic admired by many for its eerie atmosphere and dreamlike dread, the American remake was critically panned for lacking the emotional substance of the original and relying too heavily on sleek visuals over atmosphere. It still managed to recuperate its costs, though, thanks to strong DVD sales and rentals, and has since spawned two sequels.
