Top 10 Epic Cameos in Teen Movies

We all know Rainn Wilson as the conniving but ultimately lovable Dwight Schrute on “The Office.” The NBC sitcom started in 2005, so audiences were already pretty familiar with Dwight, and definitely weren’t that used to seeing him outside of Dunder Mifflin. So imagine our surprise when he shows up at the beginning of 2007’s “Juno.” Wilson plays the clerk at the convenience store where Juno goes to purchase yet another pregnancy test. As she’s apparently done this multiple times, Wilson’s character ribs her and delivers this iconic line: “That ain’t no Etch-a-Sketch. This is one doodle that can’t be undid, homeskillet.”

Throughout the 1990s, a plethora of bands had their moment on the silver screen in a teen movie. Whether it be playing at prom, or somehow nonsensically playing on top of a school building, filmmakers found a way to fit the bands their audiences loved in their movies – and it was no different for 1999’s “Jawbreakers.” Like “Heathers” before it, “Jawbreakers” is a black comedy about a clique of high school girls, with both films involving murder. But hey – murderers need great music at prom too! In the film’s climactic prom scene, who else should take the stage but rock sensation “The Donnas?” Check it out!

Any skate-obsessed kid worth their salt who was alive in the late 90s or early 2000s remembers Michelle Kwan. Kwan was certified ice skating royalty around that time, with two Olympic gold medals and a multitude of U.S. and World Championships under her belt. So when Disney’s “Ice Princess” came out in 2005, who better than ice skating royalty to make an appearance? “Ice Princess” stars Michelle Trachtenberg as Casey, an aspiring science student who starts using physics to move forward in ice skating. Kwan makes a so-small-you-might-miss-it cameo as an ESPN reporter – but the real ones know.

In the 1980s, no one was more emblematic of the teen movie genre than Molly Ringwald. From “The Breakfast Club” to “Pretty in Pink” to “Sixteen Candles,” she was one of the genre’s most famous It Girls throughout the decade. As the teen genre progressed, it eventually reached its logical conclusion with 2001’s “Not Another Teen Movie,” a parody film that mocks aspects of the most famous teen films. As might be expected, the film includes plenty of former teen stars making cameos – but none quite as famous as the queen herself, Molly Ringwald. Ringwald plays a flight attendant at the end of the film, sending our love birds off with a quip and an eyeroll.

We all remember sweet, safe Seth Cohen, the awkward but lovable eventual boyfriend of Summer Roberts on the hit teen sensation “The O.C.” It was the role that launched Adam Brody into full heartthrob territory – and who wouldn’t love a face like that? But after “The O.C.” ended in 2007, the casting directors for “Jennifer’s Body” decided to use our love for Adam Brody against us. In the 2009 comedy horror film, Brody has a small role as the lead singer of an indie rock band who plans to sacrifice a teenage virgin – played by Megan Fox – to the devil in exchange for fortune and fame. It’s a far cry from the sweetness of Seth Cohen, but that’s what makes it perfect.

Many a famous face pop up in the 2019 teen comedy – Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, Jason Sudekis, Jessica Williams – the list goes on and on! Now we know what you’re probably thinking – sure, all those people show up in “Booksmart,” but I can’t remember seeing Maya Rudolph. And you’re right – you never actually see Maya Rudolph. But, you definitely hear her. In the film’s opening, our protagonist Molly is seen listening to a self-help meditation tape of sorts, telling her to take deep breaths, and that she’s going to dominate the day. And that voice belongs to … Maya Rudolph! It’s a great use of the SNL actress. After all, who wouldn’t want Maya Rudolp to tell them they’re a champion?

We don’t know about you, but our high schools sure didn’t have a “campus DJ.” But, that didn’t stop 1999’s “She’s All That” from adding the character to their cast roster, or from casting the perfect man for the job. Usher wasn’t quite to the “Confessions” level of his fame when this teen comedy came out, but he was still making waves in the music industry – and apparently getting his feet wet in the acting industry as well. Usher pops up a few times over the course of the film, mostly to narrate school announcements, or – most important – facilitate a dance-off at prom. Again, we don’t know how realistic this all is, but there should be more instances of Usher facilitating dance-offs in movies.

This one is really a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment. 1999’s “American Pie” is one of our finest and most memorable teen sex comedies, dishing out raunchy moment after raunchy moment. But one of the film’s most memorable moments comes when Jim, the main character, accidentally sends a video of himself caught in a … ahem, compromising position, to everyone at school. The movie proceeds to show a plethora of reaction shots from Jim’s fellow students, including a band who pauses their rehearsal to revel in Jim’s humiliation. That band, you might be surprised to learn, is none other than Blink-182 – a perfect band cameo for this film.

Before he was Captain America, Chris Evans had a more interesting career than you might expect. He did some romantic comedies and some action movies, but most of our favorite Evans appearances come in the form of comedies – and none were better than his short but memorable role in 2010’s “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.” Evans plays one of Ramona’s evil ex-boyfriends that Scott Pilgrim must fight so that he can finally date her. While some may argue that this is more than just a cameo, this appearance is too good to pass up: as Lucas Lee, a fake Hollywood action star, Evans is over-the-top and hilariously evil, chewing up scenery in a way we really haven’t seen him do since. And those eyebrows … they could have an entry all their own.

Comic book legend Stan Lee is no stranger to cameos. He’s made a small appearance in 22 of the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all of which are a treat for viewers who know to look out for him. But you might be a little less familiar with his cameo work outside of the MCU – like, for example, his role in 2004’s “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.” In the sequel, Lee plays an older royal who shoots his shot with Julie Andrews’ Queen Clarisse Renaldi. Sorry to break it to you, Stan, but we think Héctor Elizondo has that romance sewn up.

If we missed any of your favorite cameos, let us know in the comments below.