10 Billboard Hot 100 Hits Named After Movie Stars, From ADÉLA’s ‘Nicole Kidman’ to Taylor Swift’s ‘Elizabeth Taylor’

Gorillaz, Logic and more hitmakers have also honored screen icons. 10/7/2026 ADÉLA Iulia Matei One of the buzziest songs to emerge from the latter half of 2026 was a song that borrowed its title from a major A-list actress: Nicole Kidman. After entering the Billboard Hot 100 in September and climbing to No. 11 the following month, ADÉLA’s homage-turned-hit united pop music lovers and cinephiles alike. Even Kidman is a fan. “I can’t believe it,” the Hollywood icon gushed to Jimmy Fallon. “She wrote a song called ‘Nicole Kidman,’ [and] I’m like, ‘Who is that person?’ She’s so talented.” “It’s just wild watching [her] movies, being like, ‘This person, for some reason, is doing charity work and supporting me,'” ADÉLA later joked in an interview with Billboard. “The fact that she embraces me is such an honor — I have trouble processing it still.” But “Nicole Kidman” is just one of many hits in a long history of musical odes to stars of the screen, penned by stars of the stage. SZA famously named one of her most beloved Ctrl songs after one Drew Barrymore — albeit one that never reached the Hot 100 (though a similarly titled hit from Bryce Vine did around the same time) — while Taylor Swift paid tribute to Elizabeth Taylor in a track on The Life of a Showgirl. “She and my mom do seem like kindred spirits,” the late legend’s son Christopher told People of Swift after the song dropped. “The way she has deftly captured the similarities and parallel tracks in their careers and personal lives is delightful.” Fall Out Boy, Gorillaz and Logic have also named songs after an assortment of famous actors and actresses, and we’d be remiss not to give a special shoutout to Kim Carnes’ enduring 1981 classic “Bette Davis Eyes.” Below, check out Billboard‘s list of 10 Hot 100 hits named after movie stars. ADÉLA, “Nicole Kidman” Image Credit: UMG/YouTube Release year: 2026Namesake: Nicole KidmanHot 100 Peak: No. 11 (as of Oct. 3, 2026) Listen above. Duck Sauce, “Barbra Streisand” Release year: 2010Namesake: Barbra StreisandHot 100 Peak: No. 89 (May 14, 2011) Listen here. Fall Out Boy, “Uma Thurman” Release year: 2015Namesake: Uma ThurmanHot 100 Peak: No. 22 (Sept. 12, 2015) Listen here. Gorillaz, “Clint Eastwood” Release year: 2001Namesake: Clint EastwoodHot 100 Peak: No. 57 (Sept. 22, 2001) Listen here. Kim Carnes, “Bette Davis Eyes” Release year: 1981Namesake: Bette DavisHot 100 Peak: No. 1 (nine weeks, starting on May 6, 1981) Listen here. Logic, “Keanu Reeves” Release year: 2017Namesake: Keanu ReavesHot 100 Peak: No. 38 (Feb. 2, 2019) Listen here. Mika, “Grace Kelly” Release year: 2007Namesake: Grace KellyHot 100 Peak: No. 57 (Apr. 14, 2007) Listen here. Bryce Vine, “Drew Barrymore” Release year: 2017Namesake: Drew BarrymoreHot 100 Peak: No. 46 (Sept. 8, 2018) Listen here. Taylor Swift, “Elizabeth Taylor” Image Credit: Taylor Swift/YouTube Release year: 1974Namesake: James DeanHot 100 Peak: No. 77 (Oct. 12, 1974) Listen above. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up