{"id":52538,"date":"2026-09-17T10:32:04","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T09:32:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/?p=52538"},"modified":"2026-09-17T10:32:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T09:32:41","slug":"actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Actors Who Learnt a Musical Instrument for a Role"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#The_ones_you_probably_already_know%E2%80%A6\" >The ones you probably already know&#8230;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#Actors_who_learned_an_instrument_for_a_role\" >Actors who learned an instrument for a role<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#1_Bill_Murray\" >1. Bill Murray<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#2_Ryan_Gosling\" >2. Ryan Gosling<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#3_Bradley_Cooper\" >3. Bradley Cooper<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#4_Adrien_Brody\" >4. Adrien Brody<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#5_Meryl_Streep\" >5. Meryl Streep<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#6_Jenna_Ortega\" >6. Jenna Ortega<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#7_Robert_Downey_Jr\" >7. Robert Downey Jr.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#8_Riz_Ahmed\" >8. Riz Ahmed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#9_Russell_Crowe\" >9. Russell Crowe<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#10_Rachel_Weisz\" >10. Rachel Weisz<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#11_Nicolas_Cage\" >11. Nicolas Cage<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#12_Taron_Egerton\" >12. Taron Egerton<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#13_Jude_Law\" >13. Jude Law<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#Can_Hugh_Laurie_play_piano\" >Can Hugh Laurie play\u00a0piano?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#FAQs\" >FAQs\u00a0<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#Which_actor_is_a_classically_trained_pianist\" >Which actor is a classically trained pianist?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#Which_celebrities_are_known_for_playing_instruments\" >Which celebrities are known for playing instruments?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#Can_Hugh_Grant_play_piano\" >Can Hugh Grant play piano?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/#Final_thoughts\" >Final thoughts\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Intro&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #999999;\">Featured Image: <em>La La Land <\/em>(2017), Lionsgate<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">An actor can fake plenty of things with clever editing, but playing an instrument is difficult to disguise. If you&#8217;re a trained musician, you&#8217;ll quickly notice misplaced fingers, awkward bowing, or movements that don\u2019t match the soundtrack.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"> That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s so important for actors to get it right, so you stay completely immersed in the story.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In this article,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0looking at\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">actors who learnt a musical instrument for a role<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, from Bill Murray tackling Rachmaninoff to Riz Ahmed taking on metal drumming. We\u2019ll explore how they prepared and how much of their playing made it to the screen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2024\/10\/Secondhand-orchestral.jpg&#8221; alt=&#8221;Secondhand orchestral gear&#8221; title_text=&#8221;Secondhand-orchestral&#8221; url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/secondhand\/orchestral?utm_source=blog&#038;utm_medium=banner&#038;utm_campaign=secondhand_orchestral&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Secondhand Orchestral Banner&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_module=&#8221;41645&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;The ones you probably already know&#8230;&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_top=&#8221;#f08000&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_ones_you_probably_already_know%E2%80%A6\"><\/span>The ones you probably already know&#8230;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Bill Murray for\u00a0<em>Groundhog Day<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ryan Gosling<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"> for\u00a0<em>La La Land<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Bradley Cooper<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"> for\u00a0<em>A Star Is Born <\/em>(and he learnt to conduct for\u00a0<em>Maestro<\/em>)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/orchestral&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;SHOP ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS&#8221; button_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;NEW CTA Button&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text_size=&#8221;14px&#8221; button_text_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; button_bg_color=&#8221;#0e95cf&#8221; button_border_width=&#8221;0px&#8221; button_border_color=&#8221;#0e95cf&#8221; button_font=&#8221;Arial|700|||||||&#8221; button_icon=&#8221;&#x35;||divi||400&#8243; button_icon_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;10px|30px||30px|false|false&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset6&#8243; box_shadow_blur=&#8221;2px&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Actors who learned an instrument for a role&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_top=&#8221;#f08000&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Actors_who_learned_an_instrument_for_a_role\"><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Actors who learned an instrument for a role<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Bill_Murray\"><\/span>1. Bill Murray<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Phil Connors may have almost unlimited time to practise in\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Groundhog Day<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, but Bill Murray had to prepare within an ordinary filming schedule. As he\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0read music, he learnt part of\u00a0Rachmaninoff\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0by listening to it repeatedly.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pianist Terry Fryer acted as Murray\u2019s hand double for the close-ups, while the wider shots show the actor at the keyboard. Murray, therefore, wasn\u2019t responsible for every note you hear, but he did enough to make Phil\u2019s musical transformation believable.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Ryan_Gosling\"><\/span>2. Ryan Gosling<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Learning the piano is one thing, but learning <em>jazz <\/em>piano is a whole new ball game. And yet there\u2019s no hidden hand double in Ryan Gosling\u2019s piano scenes from <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">La\u00a0La\u00a0Land<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Starting as a beginner, he spent six months working closely on &#8220;City of Stars&#8221; for hours a day. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This allowed director Damien Chazelle to film longer takes in which Gosling\u2019s face and hands\u00a0remain\u00a0visible together.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The actual soundtrack was recorded by professional pianist Randy Kerber, but Gosling performs the correct movements at the keyboard. It&#8217;s an impressive feat that makes each scene authentic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Bradley_Cooper\"><\/span>3. Bradley Cooper<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Bradley Cooper trained for months to play singer-songwriter Jackson Maine in <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A Star Is Born<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, comprising two hours of guitar practice and two hours of piano lessons per day<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Lukas Nelson (Willie Nelson&#8217;s son) helped him write songs and understand how an experienced musician behaves onstage. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cooper performed his own vocals, although Nelson recorded much of the guitar heard in the film.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Maestro<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, Cooper spent six years learning to conduct as Leonard Bernstein. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">His preparation culminated in a live performance with the London Symphony Orchestra, recreating Bernstein\u2019s famous performance of Mahler\u2019s Second Symphony at Ely Cathedral.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bo_efYhYU2A?si=syPUISk3x2UQYDEo\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Adrien_Brody\"><\/span>4. Adrien Brody<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Pianist<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, Adrien Brody needed to resemble concert pianist W\u0142adys\u0142aw Szpilman. He practised for up to four hours a day and worked on pieces by Chopin, with four different instructors, studying the movement and expression behind the notes. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The lessons gave Brody a physical understanding of piano performance and helped him connect with Szpilman as part of a wider transformation that earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Meryl_Streep\"><\/span>5. Meryl Streep<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Six weeks isn\u2019t long to learn the violin, and it certainly isn&#8217;t long when you need to portray an experienced teacher. That was the task facing Meryl Streep when she replaced Madonna as Roberta Guaspari in <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Music of the Heart<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Streep practised intensively and learnt the music her character teaches, including material by Bach. She also had to study how a violin tutor would demonstrate each passage to a pupil. She wasn&#8217;t intending to be presented as a concert soloist, but rather a teacher \u2014 and her posture and violin handling made the classroom scenes credible.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Jenna_Ortega\"><\/span>6. Jenna Ortega<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Wednesday Addams\u2019 cello performances could easily have been covered with tight editing and a body double. Instead, Jenna Ortega began learning the instrument around two months before filming\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Wednesday<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">She worked on the bowing and left-hand movements required for pieces, including \u201cPaint It, Black\u201d, allowing more of her own playing to appear in shot. Ortega later said that her schedule made it difficult to continue practising regularly. <\/span>Even so, the experience gave her a new appreciation for cellists and the amount of coordination the instrument demands.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S523q5PCX6Q?si=863tGg1X7aPJ3d3i\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Robert_Downey_Jr\"><\/span>7. Robert Downey Jr.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Robert Downey Jr. learnt to play the violin with his non-dominant hand for the 1992 biopic\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Chaplin<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Charlie Chaplin himself played left-handed, so Downey followed the same approach to make the performance accurate.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The instrument was just one part of\u00a0almost a\u00a0year\u2019s preparation. He also adapted his movement and speech to capture Chaplin away from the silent screen, making the role a broad physical transformation rather than a simple impersonation.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Riz_Ahmed\"><\/span>8. Riz Ahmed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Riz Ahmed\u2019s preparation for\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sound of Metal<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> had to look and feel forceful. His character, Ruben, is a punk-metal drummer whose life changes when he experiences sudden hearing loss. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ahmed started learning drums from scratch and trained for around seven months, often spending several hours a day behind the kit.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rather than stopping at a few simple patterns, he worked on the speed and physical intensity needed for the film\u2019s live scenes. At the same time, he immersed himself in American Sign Language and Deaf culture for the role.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Russell_Crowe\"><\/span>9. Russell Crowe<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Learning the violin became one of Russell Crowe\u2019s biggest challenges while making\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Australian Chamber Orchestra artistic director Richard Tognetti helped him prepare for the role of Captain Jack Aubrey, focusing on how a player holds and moves with the instrument.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Crowe understood that copying the notes alone wouldn\u2019t make the performance look natural. He trained for roughly three months and bought the violin he used during his lessons, giving him more opportunity to practise away from the set.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tHTHCNYiiHk?si=56InZjcIu_J-bXIn\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Rachel_Weisz\"><\/span>10. Rachel Weisz<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rachel Weisz had only two weeks to get to grips with several instruments for\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Brothers Bloom<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Her character, Penelope, races through an extraordinary collection of hobbies, including violin, guitar, banjo, and accordion.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Weisz concentrated on the exact fingerings and movements\u00a0required\u00a0for the rapid sequence rather than\u00a0attempting\u00a0to master each instrument in full.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> And to make things more complicated, her accordion teacher spoke Serbian, and Weisz did not. With little shared language, demonstration became a crucial part of each session.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"11_Nicolas_Cage\"><\/span>11. Nicolas Cage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As its film title suggests, <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Captain Corelli\u2019s Mandolin<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0gave Nicolas Cage little opportunity to avoid the instrument. Despite\u00a0not having much\u00a0musical experience, he took lessons with musical director Paul Englishby and played the mandolin himself in\u00a0numerous\u00a0shots, including the performance of \u201cPelagia\u2019s Song\u201d.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Englishby\u00a0later recalled that Cage remained committed to practising while travelling between filming commitments, even continuing his lessons during a trip to Venice.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"12_Taron_Egerton\"><\/span>12. Taron Egerton<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Taron Egerton already faced the considerable task of singing as Elton John in\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rocketman<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, but he also needed to become comfortable at the piano. He worked with\u00a0pianist and vocal coach Michael L. Roberts, learning the basic technique and selected passages\u00a0required\u00a0for filming.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Egerton performs brief sections himself, giving the close-up shots a more natural connection between his hands and the rest of his performance. Most of the piano heard in the film was played by professional pianist David Hartley, while Egerton supplied his own lead vocals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S3vO8E2e6G0?si=4doigIcxKnjUbKBr\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13_Jude_Law\"><\/span>13. Jude Law<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Jude Law took a practical approach to learning saxophone for\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Talented Mr. Ripley<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. With only a few months to prepare, he concentrated on the music needed for Dickie Greenleaf\u2019s jazz-club scenes rather than trying to become an accomplished player.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Repeating those passages helped him reproduce the fingering and physical manner of a saxophonist closely enough for the camera. Law planned to continue playing once production ended, but things\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0quite work out that way. Years later, he admitted that the saxophone was still sitting in its case.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Can Hugh Laurie play piano? &#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_top=&#8221;#f08000&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Hugh_Laurie_play_piano\"><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Can Hugh Laurie play\u00a0piano?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Yes, Hugh Laurie can play piano and was already an experienced musician before taking the role of Dr Gregory House. He\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0learn for\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">House<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, although the programme regularly used his genuine keyboard skills. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Laurie has released blues albums and performed as a singer and pianist, as well as playing with Band from TV.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">While Laurie has described a Steinway grand as his dream piano, a Yamaha grand was used for much of the filming of\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">House<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. If you want to get a similar sound at home, Yamaha\u2019s digital grand designs include the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Keyboards-and-Pianos\/Yamaha-Clavinova-CLP-865-Digital-Grand-Piano-Polished-Ebony\/6GU5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Clavinova CLP-865<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Keyboards-and-Pianos\/Yamaha-Clavinova-CLP-895-Digital-Grand-Piano-Polished-Ebony\/7H68\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">CLP-895<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and accompaniment-focused\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Keyboards-and-Pianos\/Yamaha-Clavinova-CVP-909-Digital-Grand-Piano-Polished-Ebony\/7H77\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">CVP-909<\/span><\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;FAQs &#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_top=&#8221;#f08000&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">FAQs<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_actor_is_a_classically_trained_pianist\"><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Which actor is a classically trained pianist?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Jamie Foxx is a classically trained pianist. He began learning the instrument at the age of five and later studied classical piano and composition at university.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> That background proved particularly useful when he portrayed Ray Charles in\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ray<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, although Foxx still had to study Charles\u2019 distinctive physical approach to the keyboard.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_celebrities_are_known_for_playing_instruments\"><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Which celebrities are known for playing instruments?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Celebrities known for playing instruments include Steve Martin, Keanu Reeves, and Terry Crews. Martin is an accomplished banjo player who has recorded and performed bluegrass music professionally.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Reeves plays bass in the alternative rock band\u00a0Dogstar,\u00a0while Crews began playing the flute as a child and has continued to\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0the instrument in interviews and television appearances.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Hugh_Grant_play_piano\"><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Can Hugh Grant play piano?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hugh Grant can play a little piano, although he\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0describe himself as a proficient pianist. He has said that he merely tinkers on piano and guitar and considers himself poor at both.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> For film roles, Grant has learnt the specific hand positions or short musical passages needed for a scene rather than developing a complete performance repertoire.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Final thoughts &#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;2px&#8221; border_color_top=&#8221;#f08000&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_thoughts\"><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Final thoughts<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It&#8217;s no mean feat to learn an instrument for a film or TV role! Even when professional musicians supplied the soundtrack, as this list shows, the actors still had to learn how to make every gesture look natural. This is how what you see on screen looks so realistic!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/orchestral&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;SHOP ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS&#8221; button_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;NEW CTA Button&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text_size=&#8221;14px&#8221; button_text_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; button_bg_color=&#8221;#0e95cf&#8221; button_border_width=&#8221;0px&#8221; button_border_color=&#8221;#0e95cf&#8221; button_font=&#8221;Arial|700|||||||&#8221; button_icon=&#8221;&#x35;||divi||400&#8243; button_icon_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;10px|30px||30px|false|false&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset6&#8243; box_shadow_blur=&#8221;2px&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/category\/orchestral\/orchestral-guides\/&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;READ MORE ORCHESTRAL GUIDES&#8221; button_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;NEW CTA Button&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text_size=&#8221;14px&#8221; button_text_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; button_bg_color=&#8221;#0e95cf&#8221; button_border_width=&#8221;0px&#8221; button_border_color=&#8221;#0e95cf&#8221; button_font=&#8221;Arial|700|||||||&#8221; button_icon=&#8221;&#x35;||divi||400&#8243; button_icon_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;10px|30px||30px|false|false&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset6&#8243; box_shadow_blur=&#8221;2px&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this article,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0looking at\u00a0actors who learned a musical instrument for a role, from Bill Murray tackling Rachmaninoff to Riz Ahmed taking on metal drumming.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":52572,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<p><span style=\"color: #999999;\">Featured Image: <em>La La Land <\/em>(2017), Lionsgate<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">An actor can fake plenty of things with clever editing, but playing an instrument is difficult to disguise. If you're a trained musician, you'll quickly notice misplaced fingers, awkward bowing, or movements that don\u2019t match the soundtrack.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"> That's why it's so important for actors to get it right, so you stay completely immersed in the story.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In this article,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0looking at\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">actors who learned a musical instrument for a role<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, from Bill Murray tackling Rachmaninoff to Riz Ahmed taking on metal drumming. We\u2019ll explore how they prepared and how much of their playing made it to the screen.<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h3>The ones you probably already know...<\/h3><ol><li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{\"335552541\":0,\"335559685\":720,\"335559991\":360,\"469769242\":[65533,0],\"469777803\":\"left\",\"469777804\":\"%1.\",\"469777815\":\"hybridMultilevel\"}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Bill Murray for\u00a0<em>Groundhog Day<\/em><\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{\"335552541\":0,\"335559685\":720,\"335559991\":360,\"469769242\":[65533,0],\"469777803\":\"left\",\"469777804\":\"%1.\",\"469777815\":\"hybridMultilevel\"}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ryan Gosling<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"> for\u00a0<em>La La Land<\/em><\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{\"335552541\":0,\"335559685\":720,\"335559991\":360,\"469769242\":[65533,0],\"469777803\":\"left\",\"469777804\":\"%1.\",\"469777815\":\"hybridMultilevel\"}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Bradley Cooper<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"> for\u00a0<em>A Star Is Born <\/em>(and he learnt to conduct for\u00a0<em>Maestro<\/em>)<\/span><\/li><\/ol><hr \/><h3><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Actors who learned an instrument for a role<\/span><\/h3><h4>1. Bill Murray<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Phil Connors may have almost unlimited time to practise in\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Groundhog Day<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, but Bill Murray had to prepare within an ordinary filming schedule. As he\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0read music, he learnt part of\u00a0Rachmaninoff\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0by listening to it repeatedly.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pianist Terry Fryer acted as Murray\u2019s hand double for the close-ups, while the wider shots show the actor at the keyboard. Murray, therefore, wasn\u2019t responsible for every note you hear, but he did enough to make Phil\u2019s musical transformation believable.<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4>2. Ryan Gosling<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Learning the piano is one thing, but learning <em>jazz <\/em>piano is a whole new ball game. And yet there\u2019s no hidden hand double in Ryan Gosling\u2019s piano scenes from <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">La\u00a0La\u00a0Land<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Starting as a beginner, he spent six months working closely on \"City of Stars\" for hours a day. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This allowed director Damien Chazelle to film longer takes in which Gosling\u2019s face and hands\u00a0remain\u00a0visible together.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The actual soundtrack was recorded by professional pianist Randy Kerber, but Gosling performs the correct movements at the keyboard. It's an impressive feat that makes each scene authentic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4>3. Bradley Cooper<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Bradley Cooper trained for months to play singer-songwriter Jackson Maine in <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A Star Is Born<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, comprising two hours of guitar practice and two hours of piano lessons per day<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Lukas Nelson (Willie Nelson's son) helped him write songs and understand how an experienced musician behaves onstage. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cooper performed his own vocals, although Nelson recorded much of the guitar heard in the film.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Maestro<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, Cooper spent six years learning to conduct as Leonard Bernstein. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">His preparation culminated in a live performance with the London Symphony Orchestra, recreating Bernstein\u2019s famous performance of Mahler\u2019s Second Symphony at Ely Cathedral.<\/span><\/p><p><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bo_efYhYU2A?si=syPUISk3x2UQYDEo\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p><hr \/><h4>4. Adrien Brody<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Pianist<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, Adrien Brody needed to resemble concert pianist W\u0142adys\u0142aw Szpilman. He practised for up to four hours a day and worked on pieces by Chopin, with four different instructors, studying the movement and expression behind the notes. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The lessons gave Brody a physical understanding of piano performance and helped him connect with Szpilman as part of a wider transformation that earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor.<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4>5. Meryl Streep<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Six weeks isn\u2019t long to learn the violin, and it certainly isn't long when you need to portray an experienced teacher. That was the task facing Meryl Streep when she replaced Madonna as Roberta Guaspari in <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Music of the Heart<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Streep practised intensively and learnt the music her character teaches, including material by Bach. She also had to study how a violin tutor would demonstrate each passage to a pupil. She wasn't intending to be presented as a concert soloist, but rather a teacher \u2014 and her posture and violin handling made the classroom scenes credible.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4>6. Jenna Ortega<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Wednesday Addams\u2019 cello performances could easily have been covered with tight editing and a body double. Instead, Jenna Ortega began learning the instrument around two months before filming\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Wednesday<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">She worked on the bowing and left-hand movements required for pieces, including \u201cPaint It, Black\u201d, allowing more of her own playing to appear in shot. Ortega later said that her schedule made it difficult to continue practising regularly. <\/span>Even so, the experience gave her a new appreciation for cellists and the amount of coordination the instrument demands.<\/p><p><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S523q5PCX6Q?si=863tGg1X7aPJ3d3i\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p><hr \/><h4>7. Robert Downey Jr.<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Robert Downey Jr. learnt to play the violin with his non-dominant hand for the 1992 biopic\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Chaplin<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Charlie Chaplin himself played left-handed, so Downey followed the same approach to make the performance accurate.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The instrument was just one part of\u00a0almost a\u00a0year\u2019s preparation. He also adapted his movement and speech to capture Chaplin away from the silent screen, making the role a broad physical transformation rather than a simple impersonation.<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4>8. Riz Ahmed<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Riz Ahmed\u2019s preparation for\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sound of Metal<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> had to look and feel forceful. His character, Ruben, is a punk-metal drummer whose life changes when he experiences sudden hearing loss. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ahmed started learning drums from scratch and trained for around seven months, often spending several hours a day behind the kit.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rather than stopping at a few simple patterns, he worked on the speed and physical intensity needed for the film\u2019s live scenes. At the same time, he immersed himself in American Sign Language and Deaf culture for the role.<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4>9. Russell Crowe<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Learning the violin became one of Russell Crowe\u2019s biggest challenges while making\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Australian Chamber Orchestra artistic director Richard Tognetti helped him prepare for the role of Captain Jack Aubrey, focusing on how a player holds and moves with the instrument.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Crowe understood that copying the notes alone wouldn\u2019t make the performance look natural. He trained for roughly three months and bought the violin he used during his lessons, giving him more opportunity to practise away from the set.<\/span><\/p><p><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tHTHCNYiiHk?si=56InZjcIu_J-bXIn\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p><hr \/><h4>10. Rachel Weisz<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rachel Weisz had only two weeks to get to grips with several instruments for\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Brothers Bloom<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Her character, Penelope, races through an extraordinary collection of hobbies, including violin, guitar, banjo, and accordion.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Weisz concentrated on the exact fingerings and movements\u00a0required\u00a0for the rapid sequence rather than\u00a0attempting\u00a0to master each instrument in full.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> And to make things more complicated, her accordion teacher spoke Serbian, and Weisz did not. With little shared language, demonstration became a crucial part of each session.<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4>11. Nicolas Cage<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As its film title suggests, <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Captain Corelli\u2019s Mandolin<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0gave Nicolas Cage little opportunity to avoid the instrument. Despite\u00a0not having much\u00a0musical experience, he took lessons with musical director Paul Englishby and played the mandolin himself in\u00a0numerous\u00a0shots, including the performance of \u201cPelagia\u2019s Song\u201d.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Englishby\u00a0later recalled that Cage remained committed to practising while travelling between filming commitments, even continuing his lessons during a trip to Venice.<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4>12. Taron Egerton<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Taron Egerton already faced the considerable task of singing as Elton John in\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rocketman<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, but he also needed to become comfortable at the piano. He worked with\u00a0pianist and vocal coach Michael L. Roberts, learning the basic technique and selected passages\u00a0required\u00a0for filming.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Egerton performs brief sections himself, giving the close-up shots a more natural connection between his hands and the rest of his performance. Most of the piano heard in the film was played by professional pianist David Hartley, while Egerton supplied his own lead vocals.<\/span><\/p><p><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S3vO8E2e6G0?si=4doigIcxKnjUbKBr\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe>\u00a0<\/p><hr \/><h4>13. Jude Law<\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Jude Law took a practical approach to learning saxophone for\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Talented Mr. Ripley<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. With only a few months to prepare, he concentrated on the music needed for Dickie Greenleaf\u2019s jazz-club scenes rather than trying to become an accomplished player.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Repeating those passages helped him reproduce the fingering and physical manner of a saxophonist closely enough for the camera. Law planned to continue playing once production ended, but things\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0quite work out that way. Years later, he admitted that the saxophone was still sitting in its case.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h3><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Can Hugh Laurie play\u00a0piano?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Yes, Hugh Laurie can play piano and was already an experienced musician before taking the role of Dr Gregory House. He\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0learn for\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">House<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, although the programme regularly used his genuine keyboard skills. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Laurie has released blues albums and performed as a singer and pianist, as well as playing with Band from TV.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">While Laurie has described a Steinway grand as his dream piano, a Yamaha grand was used for much of the filming of\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">House<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. If you want to get a similar sound at home, Yamaha\u2019s digital grand designs include the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Keyboards-and-Pianos\/Yamaha-Clavinova-CLP-865-Digital-Grand-Piano-Polished-Ebony\/6GU5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Clavinova CLP-865<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Keyboards-and-Pianos\/Yamaha-Clavinova-CLP-895-Digital-Grand-Piano-Polished-Ebony\/7H68\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">CLP-895<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and accompaniment-focused\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/Keyboards-and-Pianos\/Yamaha-Clavinova-CVP-909-Digital-Grand-Piano-Polished-Ebony\/7H77\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">CVP-909<\/span><\/b><\/a>.<\/p><hr \/><h3><span data-contrast=\"auto\">FAQs<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><h4><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Which actor is a classically trained pianist?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Jamie Foxx is a classically trained pianist. He began learning the instrument at the age of five and later studied classical piano and composition at university.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> That background proved particularly useful when he portrayed Ray Charles in\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ray<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, although Foxx still had to study Charles\u2019 distinctive physical approach to the keyboard.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Which celebrities are known for playing instruments?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Celebrities known for playing instruments include Steve Martin, Keanu Reeves, and Terry Crews. Martin is an accomplished banjo player who has recorded and performed bluegrass music professionally.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Reeves plays bass in the alternative rock band\u00a0Dogstar,\u00a0while Crews began playing the flute as a child and has continued to\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0the instrument in interviews and television appearances.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h4><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Can Hugh Grant play piano?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hugh Grant can play a little piano, although he\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0describe himself as a proficient pianist. He has said that he merely tinkers on piano and guitar and considers himself poor at both.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> For film roles, Grant has learnt the specific hand positions or short musical passages needed for a scene rather than developing a complete performance repertoire.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><hr \/><h3><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Final thoughts<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p>It's no mean feat to learn an instrument for a film or TV role! Even when professional musicians supplied the soundtrack, as this list shows, the actors still had to learn how to make every gesture look natural. This is how what you see on screen looks so realistic!<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[245,246,154,147],"tags":[290,170,171],"class_list":["post-52538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-orchestral-guides","category-piano-guides","category-orchestral","category-pianos-keyboards","tag-guide","tag-orchestral","tag-pianos-keyboards"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>13 Actors Who Learnt a Musical Instrument for a Role | Gear4music<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover 13 actors who learnt musical instruments for film roles, from Bill Murray on piano to Jenna Ortega on cello.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"13 Actors Who Learnt a Musical Instrument for a Role | Gear4music\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover 13 actors who learnt musical instruments for film roles, from Bill Murray on piano to Jenna Ortega on cello.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.gear4music.com\/blog\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gear4music Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Gear4music\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-17T09:32:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-17T09:32:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\/2026\/09\/Featured-image-Actors-Who-Learned-a-Musical-Instrument-for-a-Role.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1330\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"665\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jason\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gear4music\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gear4music\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jason\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.gear4music.com\\\/blog\\\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.gear4music.com\\\/blog\\\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jason\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.gear4music.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/9a5969abc0130abd62f89d43e7f67190\"},\"headline\":\"13 Actors Who Learnt a Musical Instrument for a Role\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-17T09:32:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-17T09:32:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.gear4music.com\\\/blog\\\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2320,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.gear4music.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.gear4music.com\\\/blog\\\/actors-who-learnt-a-musical-instrument-for-a-role\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storage.googleapis.com\\\/stateless-blog-g4m-co-uk\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Featured-image-Actors-Who-Learned-a-Musical-Instrument-for-a-Role.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Guide\",\"Orchestral\",\"Pianos &amp; 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