Throughout her career, punk rock queen and original riot girl Joan Jett has blessed us mere mortals with the occasional appearance in film or television so we can enjoy her characters from the comfort of our couches. Yes, Joan Jett had a role before starring in Lifetime's latest TV movie "Driver," which premieres Oct. 18. Although she's better known as one of rock's most influential women (and a Grammy and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee for That's How She Rolls), the Runaways singer-guitarist also Acted in theater and screen.
Jett's music has, of course, appeared in a wide variety of films and television. But the performers themselves don't spend that much time in front of the camera. Maybe it's because she's too busy being a rock god or something. Her unnamed Big Driver character appears to have a small but important role in Stephen King's adaptation. As far as I can tell, based on previews, Jeter plays a sympathetic bartender who helps Maria Bello's character deal with the aftermath of a brutal attack. In addition to Jeter and Bello, the film also stars Ann Dowd and Olympia Dukakis. While I could discount the media's portrayal of women as helpless victims of brutal violence or psychopaths as vicious killers, it was so cool that these four critically acclaimed women came together to make this film. Watch the trailer for Driver below.
Jett is a big enough star that she only needs to take on projects if she's passionate about them. Her acting experience is about quality over quantity. These are two of her best roles in years.
The Rocky Horror Show on Broadway
One of Jett's most memorable performances doesn't appear on screen at all. That was on Broadway, where she played Columbia in the 2000 revival of "The Rocky Horror" . The show was both super campy and pretty punk rock, and the Bad Reputation singer took it to the next level by adding a guitar solo to his best-known song, "The Time Warp." She played Columbia, a loyal servant to Dr. Frank N. Ford, who ultimately paid the price with his life for her loyalty. Jett earned positive reviews and the show was nominated for four Tony Awards.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
As in several other movies and TV shows, in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent's seventh season, Jett played someone very much like her: a rock musician. However, her character, Sylvia Rhodes, was not as successful a star as the actress who played her. Sylvia is a washed-up former groupie who hosts a cable interview show called "Rock 'N Talk." The Law & Order series often features an episode or two with guest stars like Jett, and you can always bet those celebrities either committed a crime or were the victim. In this case, Sylvia is beaten to death with a champagne bottle just minutes into the episode. Ouch. You can watch the entire silly Rock 'N Talk episode online and check out Jett's latest acting career when Driver premieres Saturday night.
Photo credit: Chris Reardon/Lifetime; NBC
