Madonna has worked in forty-six feature films (twenty-four narrative films, three documentary films and eighteen concert films), fifteen short films (seven narrative and eight documentary), three theatrical plays, ten television productions (two television films and eight television episodes), and appeared in seventeen commercials. Madonna's acting career has attracted largely mixed reviews and reception at best.
Her first foray documented into screen acting, is a one-minute student film called The Egg (filmed around 1974 or 1976). In 1979, before her breakthrough, she made her acting debut in the low-budget feature A Certain Sacrifice; its release was delayed for several years until 1985 to capitalize on the popularity of her second studio album, Like a Virgin. That same year, she made a cameo appearance as a club singer in the film Vision Quest; and garnered commercial and critical success for the title role in Susan Seidelman's Desperately Seeking Susan, which was her first major screen role. The following year, she made her theatrical debut in David Rabe's Goose and Tom-Tom and her first commercial for Mitsubishi in Japan. She also starred opposite her then-husband actor Sean Penn in the adventure drama Shanghai Surprise (1986), which was panned by critics and earned Madonna her first Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress. Her follow-up films Who's That Girl (1987) and Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989) were also critical and commercial failures. She teamed with Pepsi-Cola in 1989 for a commercial to launch the single "Like a Prayer", but the commercial was revoked and her contract with Pepsi cancelled due to controversy surrounding the song's music video.
In 1990, Madonna starred as Breathless Mahoney in Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy, an adaption of Chester Gould's comic strip starring the character of the same name. Starring opposite Beatty and Al Pacino, Madonna received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actress. The following year, the documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare showcased Madonna behind the scenes of her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour and became the highest-grossing documentary of all time at that point. She also received positive reviews for her role in the ensemble sports comedy-drama A League of Their Own (1992), which centered on a women's baseball team during World War II. However, her performance in the erotic thriller Body of Evidence was widely panned, and the film was a commercial failure. She cameoed in several films over the next few years, such as Blue in the Face (1995) and Spike Lee's Girl 6 (1996), until starring in the 1996 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Evita. Her performance as Eva Perón was acclaimed by critics and won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
Following a musical comeback in the late 1990s, Madonna again returned to acting with the romantic comedies The Next Best Thing (2000) and Swept Away (2002), the latter of which was a remake of Lina Wertmüller's Italian film of the same name directed by her then-husband director Guy Ritchie. Both films were critical and commercial failures, with Swept Away earning Madonna another Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress. She also had a cameo appearance in and performed the theme song of the James Bond film Die Another Day (2002) and guest starred on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace in April 2003. In 2006, she made her final major acting appearance to date with a voice role in Arthur and the Invisibles.
In the 2000s, Madonna has largely moved away from acting to focus on roles behind the camera. She served as executive producer of the teen comedy action film Agent Cody Banks (2003), as well as its sequel the following year. She made her directorial debut with the comedy-drama Filth and Wisdom (2008), and followed up with the biographical film W.E. (2011). Madonna has also focused on projects focusing on artistic freedom and human rights, producing and writing the documentary I Am Because We Are and co-directing the short film secretprojectrevolution (2013) with Steven Klein. She is due to make an guest appearance in the second season of The Studio.
Feature films Narrative films +KeyIndicates a cameo appearance +Madonna narrative film work YearTitle Credited as Role Note(s) ActorDirectorScreenwriterProducerExecutiveproducer1985Vision Quest Club singer Also known as Crazy for YouDesperately Seeking Susan Susan Thomas Bruna Filmed in 19791986Shanghai Surprise 1987Who's That Girl 1989Bloodhounds of Broadway 1990Dick Tracy 1991Shadows and Fog Marie 1992 1993Body of Evidence Dangerous Game Also known as Snake Eyes1995Blue in the Face Singing telegram girl Four Rooms Elspeth "The Missing Ingredient" segment1996Girl 6 Boss No. 3 Evita 2000 2002Swept Away Die Another Day Verity 2003Agent Cody Banks 2004Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London 2006Arthur and the Invisibles Princess SeleniaVoice2008Filth and Wisdom 2011W.E.
Documentary films
+Madonna documentary film work YearTitle Credited as AppearanceScreenwriterProducerExecutiveproducer1991Madonna: Truth or Dare 2005I'm Going to Tell You a Secret 2008I Am Because We Are
Concert films +Madonna concert film work Year Title Credited as Note(s) AppearanceScreenwriterProducerExecutiveproducer1985Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour Video release. Filmed at Cobo Arena in Detroit.1987Who's That Girl: Live in Japan Television special, later released on video. Filmed at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo.Ciao Italia: Live from Italy Television special (as Madonna in Concerto), later released on video. Filmed at Stadio Comunale in Turin.1990Blond Ambition – Japan Tour 90 Television special, later released on video. Filmed at Yokohama Stadium in Yokohama.Blond Ambition World Tour Live Television special, later released on video. Filmed at Stade Charles-Ehrmann in Nice.Madonna: Live! Blond Ambition World Tour 90 from Barcelona Olympic Stadium Television special. Filmed at Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc in Barcelona. 1993The Girlie Show: Live Down Under Television special, later released on video. Filmed at Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney.Madonna: The Girlie Show Live from Fukuoka Television special. Filmed at Fukuoka Dome in Fukuoka.2001Drowned World Tour 2001 Television special, later released on video. Filmed at The Palace in Auburn Hills.2006The Confessions Tour Television special, later released on video. Filmed at Wembley Arena in London.2009Sticky & Sweet Tour Television special, later released on video. Filmed at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires.2013MDNA World Tour Television special, later released on video. Filmed at American Airlines Arena in Miami.2016Rebel Heart Tour Television special, later released on video. Filmed at Allphones Arena in Sydney.2021Madame X Paramount+ special. Filmed at Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon.2024Madonna: The Celebration Tour in Rio Television special. Filmed at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.
Short films
Narrative short films +Madonna narrative short film work Year Title Credited as Medium ActorDirectorScreenwriterProducer2001 Internet2013secretprojectrevolution BitTorrent2017Her-Story Internet2023The Enlightenment YouTube2025Funeral Rites YouTube2026Confessions II YouTube
Documentary short films +Madonna documentary short film work Year Title Credited as Medium AppearanceExecutiveproducer1992 VHS2005Confessions on a Promo Tour AOL2006Confessions Tour: Behind the Scenes DVD2010Sticky & Sweet Tour: Behind the Scenes DVD2012Inside the DNA of MDNA YouTube2016Qandeel Baloch: A Very Short Story YouTube2019World of Madame X Amazon Prime2021Madame X Presents: Madame Xtra Q&A Paramount+
Theatrical plays +Madonna stage work Year Title Role Playwright Stage 1986Goose and Tom-TomLorraineLincoln Center Theater1988Speed-the-PlowKarenRoyale Theatre2002Up for GrabsLorenWyndham's Theatre
Television
Television film +Madonna television film appearances Year Title Credited as Executiveproducer200430 Days Until I'm Famous 2008Alyx
Television series +Madonna television series appearances Year Title Role Episode 1985Saturday Night Live"Madonna/Simple Minds" (Season 11, Episode 1)1986Herself (opening intro)"Sigourney Weaver/Buster Poindexter" (Season 12, Episode 1)1991Herself ("Wayne's World" sketch)"Delta Burke/Chris Isaak" (Season 16, Episode 19)1992 ("Coffee Talk" sketch)"Roseanne & Tom Arnold/Red Hot Chili Peppers" (Season 17, Episode 14)1993"Harvey Keitel/Madonna" (Season 18, Episode 11)2003Will & GraceLiz"Dolls and Dolls"2009Saturday Night LiveHerself ("Deep House Dish" sketch)"Ryan Reynolds/Lady Gaga" (Season 35, Episode 2)2013Herself ("The Barry Gibb Talk Show" sketch)"Jimmy Fallon/Justin Timberlake" (Season 39, Episode 10)The StudioHerself
Commercials +Madonna in commercials Year(s). Company Promoting Title Theme song(s) Region 1986–1987MitsubishiHi-Fi systems/VHS recordersJapan1989Pepsi-ColaSoft drink beverage"Make a Wish""Like a Prayer"International1990Rock the VoteUnited States elections, 1990"Vogue"United States1995Takara ShuzoShochu rice beverage"Broken" (unreleased Madonna song)Japan1999Max FactorCosmetics"Max Factor Gold""Ray of Light"International2001BMWAutomobiles"Star""Song 2" by BlurInternational2003GapClothing"A New Groove, A New Jean""Into the Hollywood Groove"InternationalEstée LauderFragrance"Beyond Paradise""Love Profusion"International2004Radio ZETRadio station"Music"Poland2005MotorolaMotorola ROKR E1 with iTunes phone"Phone Booth""Hung Up"International2007H&MClothing range"M by Madonna""Purdy" by William OrbitInternationalBrillia Mare AriakeApartment complexJapan2008SunsilkHair care products"Life Can't Wait"International2010Dolce & GabbanaMDG Sunglasses"Revolver"Internet2012Truth or Dare by MadonnaFragrance"Girl Gone Wild" (Offer Nissim Remix)International2014MDNA SkinSkin Care Products"Madonna Introduces MDNA Skin"United States2023–2024Itaú Unibanco100 Years of Itaú"Feito de Futuro" ()Brazil2026Dolce & GabbanaThe One fragranceThe One"La bambola" (Patty Pravo cover)International
See also List of highest-grossing concert films Madonna videography
References
Bibliography
External links Madonna Films at Madonna.com