Tom Hanks has become the latest in a long line of movie stars to appear in a music video. It’s a tradition that goes back to the early 1980s, when Donald Sutherland acted up a storm opposite a young Kate Bush in Cloudbusting; the following decade, Johnny Depp would regularly make room in his schedule to appear in any music video if he could stand in the background playing a guitar. Recently, Danny DeVito (One Direction’s Everybody Wants to Steal My Girl) and Shia LaBeouf (Sia’s Human Heart) have set their acting skills to pop music, with questionable results. Tom Hanks’s performance in Carly Rae Jepsen’s I Really Like You is on another level, because not only does he suffer the possible indignities of dancing (alongside Justin Bieber, no less), but he also lip-synchs the whole song. As anyone who grew up watching Top of the Pops knows, miming is fraught with possible humiliation and even trained actors can fail at the task (James Franco, we’re looking at you). And so here are our eight other favourite videos with Hollywood lip-synchers. Let us know if we’ve missed any.
Elton John – I Want Love (starring Robert Downey Jnr )
If not for this video, there would be no Iron Man – or at least no Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jnr. In 2001, he was deemed the untrustworthiest man in Hollywood thanks to his drugs convictions, but our Elt gave him a gig, paving the way for a reborn career and destroying all chances of a sequel to Weird Science. Thanks, Elton.
Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al (starring Chevy Chase)
Possibly missing tall friend Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon teamed up with Saturday Night Live legend Chevy Chase in the mid 80s. From the second the pair walk through the door, it’s a big guy–little guy comedy classic up there with Abbott & Costello, Twins and the year Mick Fleetwood and Samantha Fox messed up the Brit awards.
Rufus Wainwright – Out of the Game (starring Helena Bonham Carter)
While it’s slightly confusing to see her a) without Johnny Depp in close proximity and b) in a contemporary setting, there is little doubt that no one can play a frustrated librarian quite like Helena Bonham Carter.
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Talk About the Blues (starring Winona Ryder)
John C Reilly on drums is an added bonus, but Winona Ryder steals the show with her turn channelling the lip-curling Elvis antics of Mr Spencer.
Slow Club – Beginners (starring Daniel Radcliffe)
Radcliffe’s entire post-Potter career has been about trying to make us see him as something other than a boy wizard. Hence he’s been naked with a horse, sprouted horns, and here, voiced the words of Slow Club’s Rebecca Taylor while appearing convincingly uppity and drunk. Nice – but it’d be better if Dobbie was in it too.
Ed Sheeran – Lego House (starring Rupert Grint)
Grint’s entire post-Potter career has been about trying to make us remember that he still exists, hence him appearing in anything at all, including this video with his twin, Ed Sheeran. Apparently they still share hoodies.
Kanye West – Can’t Tell Me Nothing (starring Zach Galifianakis)
The only thing funnier than Zach Galifianakis grinding on a tractor is, erm, Morrissey grinding the gears on a tractor. For added comedy delight, there is also the erotic vision of Will (Bonnie “Prince” Billy) Oldham in red shorts (although it might be George from George and Mildred). These are things you cannot unsee, so take care. Kanye’s videos have been a bit more serious since this one.
Jamie T – Sheila (starring Bob Hoskins)
Bob Hoskins was a great man full of warmth, salt-of-the-earth humility and self-deprecating humour. How do we know this? Because of the way he mimes the words “fickle way to tickle on my young man’s tickle”, possibly.
