When one initially thinks about David Bowie’s career, it’s likely that the work he’s done as an actor is not the first thing that comes to mind. After all, the man has enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a singer-songwriter, which spanned six decades, where he experimented with numerous different genres and has worked alongside legends such as Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Queen. He has sold close to 140 million albums worldwide and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He’s managed to find so much success and yet what’s most remarkable is how he’s always done things on his own terms.
The same can be said about his career as an actor. Davie Bowie’s filmography is as eclectic as his music and, unlike many of his contemporaries, he’s actually received a great amount of acclaim for the work he’s done over the years. To honor his underrated film career, Drew Morton, a film professor from the University of Texas A&M-Texarkana, has recently decided to put together a short compilation of Bowie’s work which showcases the musician’s surprising amount of range as an actor. The multi-hyphenate has also worked with some interesting directors, such as Nicolas Roeg, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Tony Scott, David Lynch, and Julian Schnabel. Plus, who could forget his cameo in “Zoolander”?
It’s a fun four-minute clip and you don’t even have to be a David Bowie fan to enjoy it. There aren’t many other actors who can brag about playing characters such as Andy Warhol, Pontius Pilate, and Nikola Tesla. It’s fascinating to see all the different roles that Bowie has managed to sink his teeth into. Check out the video below.