Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is a 2020 American superhero film based on the DC Comics team Birds of Prey. It is the eighth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and a spin-off/sequel to Suicide Squad (2016). The film was directed by Cathy Yan and stars Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, and Ewan McGregor.
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn
Margot Robbie reprises her role as Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad. Robbie is an Australian actress and producer. She began her career in Australian indie films in the late 2000s before working in the soap opera Neighbours. After moving to America, she starred in the ABC drama series Pan Am. In 2013, she had her big breakthrough playing Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street. Since then she has starred in several major Hollywood films like I, Tonya, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Bombshell.
Does Margot Robbie sing in Birds of Prey? No, Margot Robbie does not sing in her role as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey. The character is known for being eccentric, over-the-top, and frequently breaking the fourth wall, but she does not have any solo singing scenes in the film. Harley does deliver a few humorous lines in a sing-song style at certain points, but there are no full musical numbers featuring Robbie’s vocals.
Margot Robbie’s Musical Background
While she doesn’t showcase her singing talent in Birds of Prey, Margot Robbie does have some musical experience. Early in her career, she appeared in the films Vigilante and I.C.U. singing small roles. In Vigilante, she performed the R&B song “Feeling Good” briefly. In I.C.U. she sang another short excerpt of a pop song while playing her character Tasha.
Robbie also sang on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2017. She performed a funny rendition of the song “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie while playing her Harley Quinn character.
So while Robbie has shown she can hold a tune, her character of Harley Quinn was not written as a singer in Birds of Prey. The film focused on showcasing Harley’s wild personality and fighting skills rather than her vocal talents.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Helena Bertinelli/Huntress
Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Helena Bertinelli, also known as the vigilante Huntress. Winstead is an American actress known for her scream queen roles in horror films like Final Destination 3, Black Christmas, Death Proof, and 10 Cloverfield Lane. She has also appeared in various other films like Sky High, Live Free or Die Hard, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and Swiss Army Man.
Does Mary Elizabeth Winstead sing in Birds of Prey? No, Mary Elizabeth Winstead does not have any solo singing scenes in the movie. Her character Huntress serves as a brooding, ruthless vigilante out for revenge. The role required lots of action and stunt work from Winstead, but no singing.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Musical Background
Even though she doesn’t sing in Birds of Prey, Mary Elizabeth Winstead does have some musical experience. She showcased her singing chops in the 2012 film Smashed, performing a rendition of the song “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer with co-star Aaron Paul.
Winstead also sang briefly in a couple episodes of the TV series BrainDead in 2016. She performed “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette and a funny made-up song called “We’ve Got to Get Together.”
So while Winstead has shown some singing ability in past roles, her Birds of Prey character of Huntress was not written as a musical part. The character’s serious, brooding personality did not lend itself to any singing scenes.
Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance/Black Canary
Jurnee Smollett-Bell portrays Dinah Lance, also known as the Black Canary. Smollett-Bell is an American actress known for her roles in films like Eve’s Bayou, Roll Bounce, and The Great Debaters. On television, she starred in the shows True Blood, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, and Underground.
Does Jurnee Smollett-Bell sing in Birds of Prey? Yes, Jurnee Smollett-Bell does sing briefly in her role as Black Canary. In one scene, Dinah reluctantly sings a happy birthday song for a customer at Roman Sionis’ club. She has a strong singing voice and hits an impressive high note at the end of the song.
Jurnee Smollett-Bell’s Musical Background
Jurnee Smollett-Bell has a background in musical performances, so her singing scene in Birds of Prey makes sense. As a child actress, she showcased her singing ability as the lead character in the 1997 film Eve’s Bayou. The film featured her performing the songs “Amazing Grace” and “Running Wild.”
She also displayed her singing chops in the TV movie Selma Lord Selma in 1999. She sang gospel spirituals like “Oh Freedom” and “I’m So Glad, Trouble Don’t Last Always.”
Smollett-Bell’s singing ability added an extra layer of depth and talent to her performance as the comic book character Black Canary, who is traditionally depicted as a skilled singer in DC comics.
Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain
Young actress Ella Jay Basco makes her feature film debut in Birds of Prey as Cassandra Cain. Basco is best known for her television roles on Veep, Grey’s Anatomy, and Casual.
Does Ella Jay Basco sing in Birds of Prey? No, Ella Jay Basco does not sing in the movie. Her character Cassandra Cain is a streetwise pickpocket who gets caught up in the struggle against crime lord Roman Sionis. She has some humorous lines but no singing scenes.
Ella Jay Basco’s Musical Experience
Despite her lack of singing in Birds of Prey, Ella Jay Basco does have some musical experience. She showcased her rapping skills in a 2020 Coke commercial featuring singer Diplo. Basco spit a quick rhyming verse while Diplo mixed a beat in the background.
Basco also played a violinist named Daniela Vega in an episode of the series Casual in 2017. However, her role in Birds of Prey did not involve any violin or singing performances.
At her young age, Basco already has proven musical talent as both a violinist and rapper. However, her Cassandra Cain character in Birds of Prey was not written as a musical role.
Ali Wong as Ellen Yee
Comedian Ali Wong plays a supporting role as Ellen Yee, an associate of crime lord Roman Sionis. Wong is best known for her stand-up comedy specials Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife. She has also appeared in films like Always Be My Maybe, The Half of It, and Wish Dragon.
Does Ali Wong sing in Birds of Prey? No, Wong does not sing in the film. Her character Ellen Yee is a mob accountant who adds some humor but does not participate in any singing.
Ali Wong’s Musical Background
Ali Wong has showcased her singing a few times during her comedy career, but never professionally. She sang silly made up songs in some of her stand-up routines. Her character in Birds of Prey was not written to give Wong a chance to sing, however.
Wong did perform a brief snippet of the Destiny’s Child song “Say My Name” in her Netflix special Hard Knock Wife. But in general, Wong’s performances focus primarily on stand-up comedy rather than singing.
Her role in Birds of Prey aligned more closely with her comedy background, providing humor without requiring any vocal music performances.
Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis/Black Mask
Ewan McGregor stars as the villain Roman Sionis, also known as Black Mask. McGregor is an acclaimed Scottish actor known for roles in films like Trainspotting, Moulin Rouge!, Star Wars prequel trilogy, Big Fish, Angels & Demons, Christopher Robin and Doctor Sleep.
Does Ewan McGregor sing in Birds of Prey? No, McGregor does not sing in the film. His character Roman Sionis is a narcissistic, ruthless crime lord, so the role did not involve any singing scenes.
Ewan McGregor’s Musical Background
Earlier in his career, Ewan McGregor showcased strong singing ability in movie musicals. Most notably, he displayed his singing range as Christian in Moulin Rouge! in 2001. The jukebox musical featured him singing pop classics like “Your Song” and “Come What May.”
McGregor also sang “Elephant Love Medley” impressively in Moulin Rouge!, combining snippets of famous love songs ranging from The Beatles to Bonnie Tyler. He took vocal lessons to prepare for the role.
While McGregor has proven singing skills, his villainous Roman Sionis character did not lend itself to musical performances. As the crime boss Black Mask, his scenes centered on sinister threats rather than singing.
Other Supporting Cast Members
Birds of Prey also features supporting and minor performances from actors Chris Messina, Rosie Perez, Steven Williams, Derek Wilson, Dana Lee, François Chau, Charlene Amoia, and Robert Catrini. None of these supporting cast members have any solo singing scenes in the movie.
Perez has sung briefly in past films like Do the Right Thing, but focused solely on acting in her Birds of Prey role. The other actors also played their various mobster and police characters without musical performances.
Conclusion
In summary, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary is the only Birds of Prey cast member with a significant solo singing scene. Her powerful singing performance suits the comic book history of Black Canary’s singing abilities.
Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Ella Jay Basco have proven themselves capable singers in other films and shows. But their Birds of Prey roles did not include any musical numbers or singing parts.
The film focused on action, comedy, and female empowerment rather than musical storytelling. While the cast has some musical talent, only Smollett-Bell’s Black Canary was written to showcase singing as part of the character.
Cast Members’ Singing Backgrounds
Actor | Role | Sings in Film? | Musical Experience |
---|---|---|---|
Margot Robbie | Harley Quinn | No | Performed songs in Vigilante and I.C.U., sang on The Late Late Show |
Mary Elizabeth Winstead | Huntress | No | Sang in Smashed and BrainDead |
Jurnee Smollett-Bell | Black Canary | Yes | Sang in Eve’s Bayou and Selma Lord Selma |
Ella Jay Basco | Cassandra Cain | No | Rapped in a commercial, played violin |
Ali Wong | Ellen Yee | No | Sang made up songs in comedy routines |
Ewan McGregor | Black Mask | No | Sang in Moulin Rouge! |