In the past few years, musicians crossing over to the silver screen have been as commonplace as thespians acting like rock stars. (Who can forget -- or remember -- Johnny Depp's P or Keanu Reeves' Dogstar?) This year brings a Chubby Checker-like twist to our annual survey of pop stars vying for your popcorn money: Two of them were contenders for Oscar nominations in a category other than Best Song. Alas, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences overlooked not just Courtney and Madonna but many other moonlighting songsters. To compensate for the Academy's anti-rock bias, we proudly recognize this year's batch of rockers in roles. Picture what could have been: ''And the Oscar goes to...Evan Dando!'' -- David Browne and Michele Romero
COURTNEY LOVE
Day Job: Former stripper, junkie, and wife of grunge martyr Kurt Cobain. Vocal-cord-shredding lead singer of band Hole.
Movie: The People vs. Larry Flynt
Role: Althea Leasure -- former stripper, junkie, and wife of porn martyr Flynt. Lead stripper in unwholesome nightclub.
Command Performance: Teary-eyed turn on The Barbara Walters Special stronger than any scene in Larry Flynt
Art Imitates Rock: Loud-mouthed, disheveled addict? Sorry -- no similarities here.
Musical Contribution: No songs on soundtrack, but bathtub death scene could be recycled for next Hole video
Grade: B+
EVAN DANDO
Day Job: Sensitive, Bambi-eyed Sassy pinup and leader of alt-folkers the Lemonheads
Movie: Heavy
Role: Jeff, insensitive, Bambi-eyed mechanic, singer, and boyfriend of waitress Callie (Sassy-aged Liv Tyler)
Command Performance: Gives rhythm-method acting new meaning by moshing horizontally with Steven Tyler's daughter
Art Imitates Rock: Callie gets bored as Jeff keeps serenading her with the same song -- a metaphor for the declining sales of Lemonheads records
Musical Contribution: Does a decent Evan Dando impersonation on several melancholy country songs, including Gram Parsons' ''How Much I've Lied''
Grade: B
GLENN FREY
Day Job: Past and present singer-guitarist of boomer-rock heroes the Eagles
Movie: Jerry Maguire
Role: Seldom-seen owner of successful football team -- not the Philadelphia Eagles
Command Performance: Throws himself into backstage stadium schmoozing -- kissing a blond and giving Tom Cruise the thumbs-up -- with all the fervor of a De Niro
Art Imitates Rock: With his corporate yuppie attire and chunky midriff, character could easily be hoisting a lighter at Eagles reunion show
Musical Contribution: None -- thankfully, we're spared ''Smuggler's Blues'' or ''The Heat Is On''
Grade: C+
DWIGHT YOAKAM
Day Job: Brooding anti-Nashville hat act
Movie: Sling Blade
Role: Doyle Hargraves, mean drunk who terrorizes women, small children, the mentally challenged -- and John Ritter!
Command Performance: Takes a daring, impressive dramatic risk by removing hat, revealing once and for all that he is a hairless wonder
