Throughout cinema history, moviegoers have been treated to some very iconic and memorable cameos. From respected actors and brilliant directors to ready-made comedians and iconic musicians, the big screen has had a lot of buzz about performances that have often turned out to be eternal. It can be hair-raising at times, but when done right, it creates an absolutely perfect moment. Seeing some of your favorite famous figures in unexpected cameos is nothing short of delightful for the audience and can really make the movie that much more enjoyable.
Fans of the comedy genre are no doubt spoiled for brilliant cameos from some of the industry’s most notable personalities, with everyone from Bob Barker, David Bowie and Tom Cruise performing unexpectedly in the farces. But comedies aren’t the only movies with epic cameos, as evidenced by director Martin Scorsese’s chilling role in his 1970s masterpiece. Cab driver and Quentin Tarantino’s eccentric part in Robert Rodriguez’s neo-Western desperado. These are some of the best cameos in movie history.
13/13 Keith Richards (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End)
After famously based much of his beloved portrayal of the eccentric, quirky Jack Sparrow on legendary Rolling Stones member Keith Richards in the pirates of the caribbean franchise, Johnny Depp shared the screen with the musician when he made a thrilling cameo in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.
Audiences around the world were blown away when the famous performer showed up in the film as Sparrow’s father Captain Teague, delighting viewers with their charming chemistry and uncanny resemblance in the short but memorable movie moment. Richards would appear in Dead man’s coffin, but there was no space in the story; luckily the stars aligned for him to cameo in the third movie.
12/13 Dan Aykroyd (Casper)
In one of cinema’s most charming crossover moments, the ghost hunt, Ghostbusters big Ray Stanz (Dan Aykroyd) was brought in to wipe out the Ghostly Trio in the 1995 supernatural drama Casper. Though his appearance in the Halloween chapter was brief, Ray’s cameo was a joy for the public to watch, with the character running out of the haunted house after failing to eliminate the pesky ghosts and proclaiming, “Who are you going to call? Someone else. ” The mixing of the Ghostbusters and Casper universes remains a fun, endearing event that fans cherish to this day.
11/13 Matt Damon (Thor: Ragnarok)
In one of the most recent and much-discussed movie cameos, Matt Damon drove Marvel fans crazy when he appeared briefly but hilariously in 2017 Thor: Ragnarok. The seasoned star was featured in the blockbuster hit wearing a black wig portraying the fake Loki in a theater play in Asgard for the Real Loki, along with Chris Hemsworth’s real life older brother Luke and actor Sam Neill.
The lightning-fast cameo was praised by moviegoers, and Damon himself revealed how fun the look was, having said“They came up with the idea and I just thought it was hysterical, the idea of an intergalactic community theater actor living the fantasy of Tom Hiddleston’s character.”
10/13 Quentin Tarantino (Desperado)
The critically acclaimed Quentin Tarantino appeared in the 1995 neo-western action film by Robert Rodriguez, a close friend and frequent collaborator of director Robert Rodriguez. Desperado, in a beautiful on-brand cameo that’s perfect for the filmmaker. In the Antonio Banderas film about a man seeking revenge on a violent drug lord, Tarantino portrays ‘Pick-up Guy’, a visitor to a Tarasco bar who dirty joke about peeing between a patron and a bartender. The character’s screen time is short-lived after being abruptly shot in the head when El Mariachi from Banderas arrives and begins taking out the ruthless crime boss’s henchmen.
9/13 David Bowie (Zoolander)
Saint musician and pop culture icon David Bowie made a prominent and scene-stealing cameo in Ben Stiller’s 2001 epic comedy zoolander, Brilliantly seen in the infamous runway showdown between Derek Zoolander and his enemy friend Hans. Bowie volunteers to oversee the exodus between the dueling supermodels, delivering hilariously fierce reactions to the tumultuous fashion face-off. The late and great performer was arguably the comedy’s biggest and most celebrated cameo, appearing in the film alongside fellow celebrities such as Billy Zane, Cuba Gooding Jr., Paris Hilton and Winona Ryder.
8/13 Mike Tyson (The Hangover)
Mike Tyson delivered a knockout performance when he famously appeared in Todd Phillips’ 2009 blockbuster comedy The hangover, featuring the professional boxer playing himself as he searches for his beloved pet tiger stolen by the bumbling trio. After interrogating the bachelorette party his friends are celebrating, the athlete beats Zach Galifianakis’ character Alan and demands that his precious animal be returned to his mansion. Tyson agreed to a cameo in the farce after initially turning it down, and changed his mind after learning Phillips had directed one of his favorite movies. Old-fashioned. The boxer attributes his involvement in the comedy with: help change his life and become sober.
7/13 Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)
Tom Cruise did a complete 180 of his action star identity when he portrayed the fiery, tempered, profane studio executive Les Grossman in the 2008 action comedy Tropical thunder. In front of the memorable and crude cameo, Cruise donned a ‘fat suit’, a bald cap, and voluminous prosthetic hands to embody the rage-driven businessman, dropping jaw-dropping obscenities and tumultuous lines and language into the startling appearance. Cruise and his team took the cameo very seriously, with his legal team threatening lawsuits if photos of the actor in costume were released to the public. Earlier this year it was announced that a spin-off is currently in the works in which the dirty character takes center stage.
6/13 John Hurt (Space Balls)
Comedy legend Mel Brooks made hilarious movie magic again when he got John Hurt to reprise one of his most recognizable cinema scenes in the 1987 space opera comedy space balls. Are parodying Alien After the character’s death, Hurt appears in a space cafe where another alien bursts out of his chest, this time breaking into song and dance and performing “Hello! Ma Baby” after his absurdly funny escape. Brooks convinced Hurt to make a cameo in the beloved comedy afterward have been a producer on the actor’s film the elephant man, and the rest is movie history.
5/13 Neil Patrick Harris (Harold & Kumar go to White Castle)
Neil Patrick Harris cast his Doogie Howser persona when he delivered a mean, sideways fictional version of himself in the celebrated 2004 comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. In their search for the coveted burger restaurant, the stoner friends pick up a hitchhiker who happens to be the famous television star, and the duo are shocked to discover that he’s high in ecstasy.
Harris shows his comedic chops and willingness to be rude and rude when he appeared as the womanizing, lewd version of himself that completely surprises Harold and Kumar. The cameo helped revive his career and would eventually lead to: Harris takes his most popular roleBarney Stinson on How I met your mother.
4/13 Christopher Walken (Pulp Fiction)
The prolific and delightfully eccentric Christopher Walken made one of the most entertaining and hilarious cameos when he appeared as the Vietnam War veteran Captain Koons in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 masterpiece. Pulp Fiction. In the infamous scene, the actor presents his fallen comrade’s son with a precious family heirloom that belonged to the boy’s father, describing in graphic and meticulous detail how it was smuggled multiple times through the rectum to get it back home. . The cameo fully embraces its quirky and unusual humor and is nothing short of iconic for Walken’s delivery of the wildly disturbing story.
3/13 Martin Scorsese (taxi driver)
Martin Scorsese established himself firmly as an acclaimed filmmaker when he directed the 1976 Oscar-nominated drama Cab driver, starring regular collaborator and movie star Robert De Niro as the angry veteran and vigilante Travis Bickle. Scorsese himself made not one but two cameos in the acclaimed photo, although his scene as the “Passenger Watching Silhouette” is without a doubt his most impressive and downright hair-raising. When Bickle picks up the evil passenger, the stranger reveals his disturbing plans for his adulterous wife involving his .44 Magnum; the encounter eventually launches Bickle’s fixation with gun violence.
2/13 Bob Barker (Happy Gilmore)
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Bob Barker had Adam Sandler”Come downfor an old-fashioned cry as they battle it out on the golf course in the 1996 sports comedy Happy Gilmore. After Happy participates in a golf tournament with famous partner Barker and loses his cool due to an obnoxious bouncer, the famous The price is correct host unleashes his own wrath on the hot-headed Happy, resulting in a spectacular fistfight. Towards the end of the scuffle, the titular character is left cold as Barker smoothly walks away quite untouched. The game show legend only agreed to appear in the cameo if he came out the winnera stipulation that led to a seriously funny movie moment.
1/13 Bill Murray (Zombie Land)
National treasure Bill Murray is known for his prompt delivery and as a celebrated movie star, and his infectious charm and humor took center stage when he appeared in the 2009 comedy Zombieland. When the undead-killing foursome heads to Hollywood in search of safety, Bill Murray-loving Tallahassee leads the gang to the comedian’s mansion in hopes of seeking refuge.
An uninfected but grotesquely disguised Murray hilariously appears to Tallahassee and Wichita (Emma Stone), and the trio hangout before the actor is tragically shot by Columbus during an ironic display of Ghostbusters. Murray has a huge laugh and of course steals the show with his unexpected but spectacular cameo in the wildly popular zombie comedy.