While many musicians cross over into film at some point in their careers, it’s a rare few who are actually good, and even rarer to find performers who are masters of both mediums. Janelle Monáe is one of those almost mythical performers who excel at just about any art they put their mind to; watching her stunning performance in Glass Onion is almost as delightful as listening to “Make Me Feel” — when she combines music with cinema (like the Dirty Computer short film), it’s basically magical.
Given Monáe came on the scene with an obvious flare for the theatrical — the artist’s debut full-length, 2010’s The ArchAndroid, was a concept album where Monáe cast herself as an android named Cindy Mayweather — it was only a matter of time until she immersed herself in the film industry. After first voicing a veterinarian in the animated film Rio 2, Monáe has gone on to be choosy when picking projects, a habit that’s served her well. As she continues to release outstanding work in every field she chooses (her most recent musical output, The Age of Pleasure, is streaming as of June 9), let’s celebrate by ranking some of the best movie roles she’s had so far.
7. Lady and the Tramp (2019)
Like most Disney live-action remakes, this perfectly adequate retelling of a classic animated film doesn’t bring anything fresh to the table, but it does give us the opportunity to hear Monáe sing “He’s a Tramp,” and she does so beautifully. In a movie where the audience basically knows what to expect, Monáe’s performance as the street dog Peg somehow feels novel (as does the change in setting to New Orleans and the thankfully omitted singing Siamese cats). Even though nobody would have blamed her if she aimed only for just all right, Monáe manages to make what could have been a mediocre performance into a good one.
6. The Glorias (2020)
The Glorias is a biopic of famed feminist activist Gloria Steinem, based on her memoir Life on the Road. The film takes an interesting approach, placing four different versions of Steinem on a bus together while they recount their lives. It’s endearing to hear the Glorias’ conversations with each other and a way to keep the film from becoming too predictable as it covers her life from undercover journalism to becoming a leader of the feminist movement in the 1970s and ’80s.
Anyone familiar with that movement will know Steinem wasn’t alone; friends like Florynce Kennedy and Dorothy Pitman Hughes appear in the film, played by Lorraine Toussaint and Monáe, respectively. Quite honestly, either woman deserves her own biographical film and Monáe’s scenes are far too few for how good of a performance she gives.
5. Harriet (2019)
Despite being arguably the most well-known abolitionist in history, Harriet Tubman’s life had never been depicted in film until 2019 when Harriet was released. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, the biographical film tells the incredible story of Harriet Tubman’s life as she escapes from slavery and becomes a major part of the Underground Railroad. Harriet’s tale is one of bravery and hope, and it’s astounding she had yet to be the subject of a film, especially when Hollywood loves making biopics about (let’s be real, mostly white) men.
Monáe plays the daughter of a freed slave and owner of the Philadelphia boarding house Harriet moves into as a free woman. As has become her M.O., Monáe steals the spotlight in any scene she appears, and while the film is far from a perfect retelling of Harriet’s extraordinary life, performances from a stunning cast help elevate the slightly formulaic script.
4. Dirty Computer [Emotion Picture] (2018)
Though many would overlook Dirty Computer — considering it more an extended music video to accompany Monáe’s 2018 album of the same name than a fully-fledged short film — they would be missing out on an outstanding cinematic experience. The 49-minute short film (which is available for free on YouTube, although it is age-restricted) is an ambitious science fiction masterpiece that tells the story of the android Jane 57281, who lives in a dystopian society where a totalitarian government stomps out any free-thinking. Despite the homophobic world they live in, Jane manages to fight this forced programming and celebrates Queer, polyamorous love in the process; starring Tessa Thompson as another android and love interest, the cast rivals that of many a feature film. Dirty Computer is a beautiful visual counterpart to an equally amazing album, and its themes of freedom, personhood, and love are still just as relevant as the day it was released.
3. Hidden Figures (2016)
2016 was a good year for Monáe’s career; the year she made her feature film debut, she starred in not one, but two critically-acclaimed films. In Hidden Figures, Monáe plays one of three human “computers,” an underappreciated role where a person, usually a woman, would perform lengthy math calculations for hours at a time, who would lead NASA’s efforts to get a man on the moon. The youngest and most opinionated of the three, Monáe gives a firecracker performance as the ambitious Mary Jackson, who is beyond frustrated with the hurdles she faces by being a Black woman in 1960s America.
A standout scene in the film is when Jackson successfully convinces a judge to allow her to attend night classes at an all-white high school. In order to land an engineer position at NASA, Jackson must take additional coursework (in addition to her existing mathematics and physical science degree) and Monáe delivers a moving monologue, emphasizing the historical impact of the decision.
2. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
When I first heard Knives Out, Rian Johnson’s masterful 2019 whodunit film, was going to have a sequel, I was curious what that would look like. The first film wrapped up the mystery so beautifully that it would have seemed forced to revisit that story; thankfully, Johnson was of the same mind, and Glass Onion involves detective Benoit Blanc solving a whole new mystery. Billionaire Miles Bron invites his five friends to his private island to take part in an elaborate murder mystery game, only for an actual murder to take place. Hopefully you’ve seen this film by now, but if not, it’s best to go in blind if possible.
Monáe stars as Andi Brand, Bron’s former friend and business partner, who shocks the billionaire when she shows up to the island unannounced. Like any good mystery, Glass Onion gives you enough clues to feasibly piece together the culprit yourself but will no doubt keep you on your toes. Without giving too much away, Monáe gives an impressively varied performance and her scenes with Craig are a delight.
1. Moonlight (2016)
There isn’t much I can say about Moonlight that hasn’t already been said by writers more eloquent than me, but I’ll do my best. The Best Picture winner at the 2017 Academy Awards (which went off without a hitch), Moonlight tells a breathtakingly beautiful story of a young Black man in three parts, as he grapples with his sexuality, masculinity, and identity in a world that only wants him if he fits neatly in the box prescribed to him. The film, written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and directed by Barry Jenkins, is part coming-of-age, part family drama, and Queer love story, and — just like the human being at the center of the story — is as multi-faceted as it is beautiful.
It’s rare for an actor’s first film to be their best, but as we’ve already established, Monáe is rare. In her feature film debut, she plays Teresa, who plays a paternal role in the protagonist Chiron’s life. The girlfriend of local drug dealer Juan (Mahershala Ali), the young couple end up offering a safe haven to the young Chiron during his rough and unpredictable adolescence, and filling in for his absent mother, a woman addicted to the drugs Juan sells. While Monáe might not be in many scenes, she expertly portrays a nurturing and comforting adult through every line of dialogue and every minute expression, already proving to be a pro in her first live-action role.