| 100% | DIDO | 4 | Singer played by Kate McKinnon in an SNL spoof of Eminem's "Stan" |
| 36% | MAMACASS | 8 | Singer played by Chloe Troast in Saturday Night Live's "Make Your Own Kind of Music" sketch |
| 31% | OPHELIA | 7 | Noblewoman played by Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Winslet, and Daisy Ridley in film versions of a Shakespeare play |
| 31% | ELAINEBENES | 11 | Character played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus in "Seinfeld", who is an ex-girlfriend of 32-Across: 2 wds. |
| 30% | COUNTRYBLUES | 12 | Acoustic folk style of music in which the singer is accompanied by an acoustic guitar: 2 wds. |
| 30% | CHRISTOPHER | 11 | ___ Walken, actor who made a cameo in "Pulp Fiction" by playing the role of an ex-soldier |
| 29% | ELVIS | 5 | Singer played by Jacob Elordi in the 2023 movie "Priscilla" |
| 29% | AVA | 3 | Gardner played by Kate Beckinsale in "The Aviator" |
| 29% | NINASIMONE | 10 | Singer played by Zoe Saldaña in a 2016 musical biopic (2 wds.) |
| 28% | RITCHIEVALENS | 13 | Singer played by Lou Diamond Phillips in the music biopic "La Bamba" (2 wds.) |
| 28% | LORETTALYNN | 11 | Country singer played by 44-Across in the 1980 biopic "Coal Miner's Daughter": 2 wds. |
| 28% | JIMMORRISON | 11 | Singer played by Val Kilmer in the music biopic "The Doors" (2 wds.) |
| 28% | ARETHAFRANKLIN | 14 | Singer played by Jennifer Hudson in the 2021 musical biopic "Respect" (2 wds.) |
| 28% | SLIMSHADY | 9 | Alter ego of Eminem featured in 2000 hit Stan |
| 28% | KEN | 3 | Doll played by Ryan in an upcoming 53-Down |
| 28% | RAY | 3 | Brother ___, character played by 17d in "Game of Thrones" |
| 27% | BRIANWILSON | 11 | Singer played by Paul Dano and John Cusack in the music biopic "Love & Mercy" (2 wds.) |
| 27% | OLAF | 4 | Count played by Jim Carrey in "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" |
| 27% | TINATURNER | 10 | Singer played by Angela Bassett in the 1993 musical biopic "What's Love Got to Do with It" (2 wds.) |
| 27% | SELENA | 6 | Tejano singer played by Jennifer Lopez in a 1997 biopic |
| 27% | CAMEO | 5 | Small character played by an A-lister in a film |
| 27% | DELLA | 5 | Singer/actress Reese of "Touched by an Angel" |
| 27% | REESE | 5 | Singer/actress Della of "Touched by an Angel" |
| 27% | IRIS | 4 | Novelist Murdoch who was played by Kate Winslet and Judi Dench in a 2001 biopic |
| 27% | LITTLERICHARD | 13 | "Long Tall Sally" singer played by Brandon Mychal Smith in "Get On Up": 2 wds. |
| 27% | GALWAY | 6 | "___ Girl," song by English singer Ed Sheeran which has the name of an Irish city in its title that is home to Eyre Square |
| 27% | MYHEAD | 6 | "Can't Get You Out of ___," hit song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue which won an MTV Video Music Award in 2002: 2 wds. |
| 27% | ITO | 3 | Famous trial judge played by Mike Myers on SNL in '95 |
| 27% | RBG | 3 | Justice impersonated by Kate McKinnon on "SNL" |
| 27% | SCENE | 5 | Division of an act in a play |