In David Lowery’s latest film “Mother Mary,” Anne Hathaway plays the titular international pop superstar, proving the actress can do anything. She’s legitimately great in the concert scenes — unsurprising since she won her best supporting actress Oscar playing Fantine in the movie musical adaptation of “Les Misérables.” She has the pipes for it. But she also has the stage presence and moves of a pop superstar. Stream the opening single “Burial,” co-written with Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX and George Daniel (XCX’s husband), available to listen now.

A film that reckons with the destructive effects of fame on creative collaboration, “Mother Mary” calls to mind other films that feature actors playing fictional pop stars, so it’s an apt time to round up some of those best performances, and where to stream them.

And for clarification, this is a list focused more on fictional pop stars and not fictional bands (for the most part). There are just too many to include.

Of course, the first one that comes to mind is another Oscar winner, Natalie Portman, who played pop star Celeste in Brady Corbet’s second feature film, “Vox Lux” in 2018. While the film is largely about the trauma Celeste experienced during a school shooting as a teen, which launched her career with a memorial song she writes for the victims, Portman also gets to perform several incredible concert numbers, with songs by Sia. It’s probably the closest, tonally, to “Mother Mary.” Stream “Vox Lux” on Kanopy.

There are also some thematic ties to the recent horror sequel “Smile 2,” starring Naomi Scott as Skye Riley, a pop star who becomes possessed by the “smile demon.” Scott delivers a gonzo performance that almost reaches the hysterical heights of Isabelle Adjani in “Possession.” Scott performed several songs as Skye Riley, many co-written with Alexis Kesselman, and one single, “Grieved You” co-written by Tate McRae. Stream “Smile 2” on Prime Video and Paramount+ and listen to the Skye Riley EP on any music streaming platform.

M. Night Shyamalan set his 2024 serial killer thriller “Trap” at a pop concert featuring the fictional pop star Lady Raven, played by his own musician daughter Saleka Shyamalan. Josh Hartnett stars as a father who takes his daughter to a Lady Raven concert that’s been set up as a sting operation to apprehend a serial killer. Of course, there’s a twist. Stream “Trap” on HBO Max and the Lady Raven album wherever you can find music.

Sometimes it’s the pop stars playing the pop stars in the case of Miley Cyrus, who played pop star Ashley O in the 2019 “Black Mirror” episode “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too,” which explored ideas of artificial intelligence in creativity and pop stardom. The two Ashley O songs, “On a Roll” and “Right Where I Belong,” written by Trent Reznor, are bangers. Stream “Black Mirror” on Netflix.

Speaking of great fictional pop songs, we can’t ignore “Josie and the Pussycats,” which just celebrated its 25th anniversary. This film was woefully underappreciated and ahead of its time in 2001 when it was released. Thankfully it’s found its audience as a whip-smart critique of capitalism, via the “Archie” comics characters. Rachel Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson and Tara Reid star as the band, performing songs by directors Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont, Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” produced by Kenneth “Babyface” Williams, with vocals by Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo. Stream “Josie and the Pussycats” on Prime Video.

But it’s not just women who play pop stars, with Andy Samberg taking on the role of a Justin Bieber type in the 2016 mockumentary “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” co-directed and co-starring his Lonely Island compatriots Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, who also wrote most of the songs with Samberg (as well as the script). While the film wasn’t a success at the time, it has achieved cult status in the last decade. Stream “Popstar” on Prime Video and Peacock.

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