D.O.A.B.O. : Well, the Ice Part Certainly Fits

Although rap superstar Vanilla Ice had no problem selling his debut album “To the Extreme” by the millions, when it comes to selling movie tickets it’s another story. His starring vehicle, Universal’s “Cool as Ice,” was D.O.A. its opening weekend; the third week, the film dropped 86%, bringing its 17-day total to $1,023,320.

But the rapper is in good company. Sting (“The Bride”), Paul McCartney (“Give My Regards to Broad Street”), Willie Nelson (“Honeysuckle Rose”), Paul Simon (“One Trick Pony”), Cyndi Lauper (“Vibes”), Kenny Rogers (“Six Pack”) and Rick Springfield (“Hard to Hold”) are just some of the platinum-selling recording artists who have failed miserably when given starring movie roles. Even Madonna, who got good reviews for her supporting performance in “Desperately Seeking Susan,” couldn’t get many customers for her star turn in “Who’s That Girl?”

Keith Addis, who manages Sting’s film career, says “there’s a sense that the creative expression and stage presence should translate to films, but usually it doesn’t. Most of the musicians trying to make the transition have had absolutely no training as an actor and whatever amazing skills they might have as a musician don’t translate to the craft of acting.”

William Morris agent Michael Gruber, who handles rap star and actor Ice Cube (“Boyz N the Hood”), thinks the people who make most of these movies “always want to cast recording artists as music stars or performers.” He points out that Ice Cube’s well-received performance in “Boyz” had nothing to do with his music, a career move calculated by the agency.

According to Addis, musicians have a better chance of succeeding on-screen with smaller supporting roles, where the weight of the film doesn’t rest squarely on their shoulders. He cited Madonna’s success in “Dick Tracy,” Sting’s role in “Stormy Monday” and Willie Nelson’s performance in “Electric Horseman.”

“It’s a total mistake for an inexperienced actor like Vanilla Ice to carry the burden of a whole film,” he says. “With a smaller role, a musician who really wants to act can get experience without bringing down a whole project.”