The cross between music careers and acting isn’t a giant leap considering most musicians have to “act” when singing their songs in concerts or music videos. Country music offers a lot more emoting on this front, including Miranda Lambert, someone who’s faced the typical issue of love loss.
Everyone knows about the messy split between Lambert and Blake Shelton. They’ve refused to talk to one another since it happened, but it’s arguably helped Lambert become stronger as a musician and actress.
Right in the middle of her first wave of country music success, she decided to try her hand at acting on TV. It was on Law & Order: SVU playing a role different from herself.
Now eight years after playing this haunting role, it’s worth looking back at it and the critical praise she received. Would she consider doing acting again?
Lambert’s big year of 2011-12
By 2012, Lambert had just completed a bestselling album (Four the Record), plus released a popular album with her all-girl country band Pistol Annies. Also that year, she and Blake Shelton had been married for a year.
No doubt Lambert felt on top of the world then after having been in the business roughly a decade. When receiving an offer to act on a popular TV show, she likely figured she could become a triple threat if acting became a successful endeavor.
Already a fan of SVU, she couldn’t turn down the chance to play a bit of a messed up character. She played an actress named Lacey Ford who faces some harsh realities about working in the world of reality TV. After experiencing sexual assault from a reality TV producer (played by Michael McKean), her character becomes afraid to prosecute.
It’s a situation often all too real in the reality of showbiz. Even though Lambert said in an interview the character had a different personality from her own, her performance created a stir.
Talk about a great cast on this ‘SVU‘ episode
Having Michael McKean playing a villain was already something out of the ordinary. On top of this was Harry Connick Jr., of all people, playing the prosecutor.
Audiences were already surprised seeing Lambert in such a dramatic role since she had no prior experience as an actress. She’s said even though she acted in her own music videos, it was just emoting for the camera rather than speaking lines.
While true, knowing the location of the camera helps considerably in how well of an acting performance one can give. Her Lacey Ford role was one different from her own personality, yet likely similar to people she’d known in the music industry. Lacey was one who would do anything for a big break, including compromising her own values to get ahead in her career.
At one point in this episode (“Father’s Shadow”), she refuses a rape kit because she’s afraid calling out McKean’s character will harm her career trajectory.
Critics praised Lambert’s performance, though she hasn’t acted since
Go back in time to 2012 and you’ll find critics who thought Lambert’s performance was outstanding. Playing such a complicated character without prior experience was something worth noting, despite never receiving an Emmy nod for it.
A lot of turmoil came up in Lambert’s own life in ensuing years, as everyone knows. Perhaps this is why she hasn’t gone back into acting eight years later. With her country music career back on track lately, she probably doesn’t have to. Nevertheless, she’d probably have added depth now as an actress after feeling the pain of loss in a marriage.
Country singers often sing about such personal things. Truly living them turns them into better artists and actors as they become older.
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