Top 20 Cameos That Are CRUCIAL To The Movie

#20: Keith Richards

“Pirates of the Caribbean” Franchise (2007-11)

This father-son plot line has never been so apropos. In “Pirates of the Caribbean: At the World’s End,” Captain Jack Sparrow reunites with his father, Captain Teague, the pirate lord of Madagascar. The twist? Captain Teague is played by none other than Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards, the long-known inspiration for Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Jack Sparrow. But Teague’s appearance is no flash-in-the-pan cameo—as the Keeper of the Code, he informs the crew that only an elected Pirate King can declare war. This leads Sparrow to vote for Elizabeth Swann, breaking the stalemate and leading her to become de facto King against Beckett. Another masterful casting choice in a franchise filled with great casting choices.

#19: Paul Reubens

“Batman Returns” (1992)

Fans of “Batman Returns” may be surprised to learn that another Tim Burton collaborator had a brief cameo in the film. Paul Reubens of “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” fame plays the Penguin’s father opposite fellow “Pee-wee” star, Diane Salinger. Reubens’ character, Tucker Cobblepot, heartlessly dumps his malformed newborn son in the sewer, who is then adopted by a family of penguins. Reubens’ brief cameo is not just a meta reference, it is chillingly effective in setting up the Penguin’s dark and tragic backstory. And that’s not the end of Cobblepot—Reubens would go on to reprise the role in the crime drama series “Gotham,” albeit for a much more tragic end.

#18: Huey Lewis

“Back to the Future” (1985)

On a much lighter note, Huey Lewis’ cameo in “Back to the Future” is a tuneful one. Director Robert Zemeckis asked singer Lewis to contribute two songs to the movie. One of them, “The Power of Love,” even hit number one on Billboard’s Hot 100. But Lewis’ involvement went beyond songwriting. He also appears in the movie as a judge in the Battle of the Bands scene, panning Marty McFly’s playing of his own song as “too darn loud.” Fun and funny, but it also forces Marty to reflect on his rejection and makes him worry about ending up like his parents. He then meets up with Doc Brown and the rest is cinema history, so… thanks, Huey Lewis?

#17: Bruce Springsteen

“High Fidelity” (2000)

It was inevitable that a movie all about music would feature at least one musical artist. 2000’s “High Fidelity” rolled out the big guns, however, by having Bruce Springsteen himself make an appearance…as himself. Record store employee Rob Gordon is unlucky with women, so he reaches out to his old partners to find out why his current relationship failed. Fortunately, Bruce Springsteen appears in his dreams to deliver some tuneful wisdom. Springsteen even references his own song, “Bobby Jean,” in encouraging Rob to seek closure and move on from his past lovers. This sets Rob on an emotional journey to reconcile with Laura and commit to her fully. Is there anything Bruce Springsteen can’t do?

#16: Kurt Vonnegut

“Back to School” (1986)

Literature lovers were thrilled to encounter a cameo from this famous author in the ‘80s comedy, “Back to School.” Wealthy but largely uneducated businessman Thornton Melon decides to return to school and encourage his own unmotivated son, Jason, to continue in his studies. It isn’t long before Thornton falls for English literature professor Dr. Diane Turner and decides to impress her with a paper on Kurt Vonnegut. And who better to write it, he believes, than Vonnegut himself? Hilariously enough, this backfires, as Diane sees through the deception. What’s more, she believes the one who really wrote the paper “doesn’t know the first thing about Kurt Vonnegut.” Lesson learned: Do not rely on authors to understand their own works.

#15: David Hasselhoff

“The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” (2004)

Admittedly, this cameo is one of the most random ones you’ll ever see. Parents watching this with their kids might have been tempted to ask, “What do David Hasselhoff and SpongeBob SquarePants have to do with each other?” In the movie’s climax, SpongeBob and Patrick are stranded at the beach when David Hasselhoff appears and offers to give them a ride. They literally ride on his back while Hasselhoff glides across the water like a speedboat. Hitman Dennis tries to knock them off, but gets knocked down himself when Hasselhoff passes underneath another boat. All in all, it’s a fun, if random, cameo turned into a chase scene. David Hasselhoff, everybody.

#14: Orson Welles

“The Muppets Movie” (1979)

Now this cameo was nothing less than an honor…for Orson Welles, of course. Meshing together two legends is always a treat. Encouraged by a talent scout, Kermit the Frog embarks on a journey to L.A., meeting all the other Muppets, as well as a slew of humans and guest stars along the way. Among the heavyweights is Orson Welles of “Citizen Kane” fame, a big fan of the Muppets. He plays Lew Lord, the cigar-chewing head of World Wide Studios who meets with Kermit et al. A few words from Kermit, however, is all that Lord needs to make his decision. Welles’ facial expressions and screen presence help elevate this brief cameo into an iconic one.

#13: Sigourney Weaver

“The Cabin in the Woods” (2011)

This meta sci-fi satire wouldn’t be complete without cameos. In this film, American college students stay in a cabin in the woods, unaware that a group of lab scientists control the building remotely, releasing mind-altering drugs and manipulating events to decimate the group. The last survivors, Dana and Marty, soon discover the truth behind these grisly occurrences. Played by Sigourney Weaver, the Director explains the deaths have all been part of an arcane ritual demanding the sacrifice of typical horror movie archetypes. But even Weaver’s sci-fi gravitas can’t prevent Dana and Marty from electing not to kill each other arbitrarily, and instead kill her.

#12: Gene Hackman

“Young Frankenstein” (1974)

Speaking of horror film satire, this classic parody has its own very effective cameo. In the movie, Gene Wilder plays Frederick Frankenstein—sorry, “Fronkensteen”—who travels to his family’s estate in Transylvania. While there, he ends up creating the Monster, who later escapes and crosses paths with a priest, played by Gene Hackman in a rare comic role. All the lonely priest wants is a companion, and he immediately bonds with the Monster. As the priest is blind, he hilariously pours soup down the Monster’s lap and lights his thumb on fire. Unfortunately, the Monster storms out after this, missing out on the chance to have espresso. Hackman’s foray into comedy is definitely a scene-stealer.

#11: David Bowie

“Zoolander” (2001)

Of course, the fabulous David Bowie would be in this movie. The plot follows male model Derek Zoolander, who is brainwashed into assassinating the Prime Minister by evil fashion mogul Mugatu. As Derek hits the runaway in the “walk-off” against a preening Hansel, David Bowie himself volunteers to be the judge and lays out the rules. Makes sense to us. But walk-offs are very serious business, and Derek cannot keep up with the dexterous Hansel. Bowie immediately gives his harsh verdict: disqualified. Bowie’s somber, straight-faced attitude towards the walk-off shenanigans makes this already funny scene comedy gold.

#10: Billy Idol

“The Wedding Singer” (1998)

Who better to make an appearance in a musical rom-com than Billy Idol? “The Wedding Singer” follows Robbie Hart, the titular character who falls in love with a waitress named Julia. Unfortunately, Julia is set to marry her long-time fiancé, the boorish Glenn Gulia. After breaking up with his own fiancée, Robbie catches a plane to stop Julia’s wedding to Glenn, regaling his tale of woe to Billy Idol and the other passengers. Idol is totally on Team Robbie and Julia, and gets in on a plan to help him woo Julia back by announcing Robbie’s song on the speaker. He and the other passengers then give Glenn his comeuppance. Idol’s obvious enthusiasm for the role elevates the already heartwarming climax.

#9: Neil Patrick Harris

“Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” (2004)

In this stoner comedy, friends Harold and Kumar embark on an odyssey to fast food restaurant White Castle. But not before they pick up a most unexpected hitchhiker: Neil Patrick Harris. Shocked but pleased, Harold and Kumar soon discover that Harris is intoxicated and keen to derail their plans even more. Things then take a wild turn with a hilarious sequence where Harris steals the friends’ car, leaving them stranded at a convenience store. Harold and Kumar finally arrive at White Castle, only to discover their money is gone. Harris appears once again like a mischievous trickster, to apologize and compensate them for their trouble. It’s a pitch-perfect cameo that fits seamlessly into the movie.

#8: Bruce Willis

“Split” (2016)

This psychological thriller would not be the same without this Bruce Willis tie-in. “Split” follows Dennis, a man living with dissociative identity disorder, who kidnaps three girls and imprisons them beneath a zoo. He manages to kill two of the girls, but one escapes. However, there is more to this tale of split personalities than meets the eye. In the ending cameo, Bruce Willis appears as David Dunn, confirming that “Split” is set in the same universe as 2000’s “Unbreakable.” M. Night Shyamalan had conceived of the Dennis character during “Unbreakable,” but had to cut him due to length constraints. Willis’ crucial cameo makes “Split” a rare example of a standalone sequel that ties into another universe.

#7: Mike Tyson

“The Hangover” (2009)

This hit comedy about a bachelor party-turned-epic journey undoubtedly delivers an excellent cameo. Facing memory loss from their drunken debauchery the previous night, friends Phil, Stu, and Alan must find Doug and get him to his wedding. After getting arrested for stealing a police cruiser, the trio find themselves face-to-face with none other than Mike Tyson, rocking out to “In the Air Tonight.” He then punches Alan and demands that they return his Bengal tiger. What follows is a hilarious sequence of them sedating the tiger and taking it back to Tyson’s mansion, where they discover that Doug had been with them during their initial visit. Tyson’s performance turns what would have been a forgettable cameo into great comedy.

#6: Will Ferrell

‘Wedding Crashers” (2005)

This popular rom-com features divorce mediators, John and Jeremy, who crash weddings in the hopes of meeting women. John falls for Claire, the maid of honor, while Jeremy gets entangled with an overly clingy Gloria. When their real identities are revealed, Claire rejects John, causing him to spiral into depression. Fortunately, Will Ferrell comes to the rescue. Ferrell’s Chezz Reinhold, a former wedding crasher, invites John to crash a funeral with him. Here, John has an epiphany about the nature of love. He rushes to Jeremy’s and Gloria’s wedding, reunites with Claire, and the two couples live happily ever after. All thanks to Will Ferrell and the meatloaf.

#5: Bob Barker

“Happy Gilmore” (1996)

Beloved game show host Bob Barker makes a smashing impression in this hockey-turned-golf-pro sports comedy. Adam Sandler plays the titular character, and in this scene, he is paired with THE Bob Barker in a celebrity golf tournament. When a heckling spectator causes Happy to mess up his swing, it sparks an argument with Barker. Frustrated, Happy punches Barker, setting off a nasty brawl between the two that sends them careening down the course. This fight leads Commissioner Doug Thompson to suspend Happy for a whole month and slap him with a $25,000 fine. Fighting with Bob Barker has serious consequences. But the most important lesson here is: You don’t mess with “The Price Is Right.”

#4: Tom Cruise

“Tropic Thunder” (2008)

What would this movie even be without Tom Cruise’s excellently outrageous Les Grossman? In the satirical action flick, a group of actors and their hapless director shoot a movie in the middle of a jungle—only to be met with a fierce gang that causes them trouble. What makes them take this disastrous decision? An ultimatum by studio executive Les Grossman, played by none other than Tom Cruise, to shape up or get out. A radical departure from his usual action hero roles, Cruise plays Grossman with no-nonsense, obscenities-filled panache. Even the Flaming Dragon gang cannot hold their own against this high-powered executive with a filthy mouth. Oh, and he dances too, because why not?

#3: Johnny Depp & Peter DeLuise

“21 Jump Street” (2012)

You know what’s better than two undercover agents? Four undercover agents. In this seminal buddy cop comedy, Agents Schmidt and Jenko become high school students to find and arrest a drug supplier. When they finally meet the motorcycle gang, it looks to be the end of them. Fortunately, two former 21 Jump Street members, played by Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise, reveal themselves and turn the guns on the gang. This betrayal doesn’t end well for the two, however, and they are unceremoniously killed. The best part of it all is that Depp and DeLuise were the former stars of the original TV series of the same name, making this cameo a fantastic send-off.

#2: Patrick Stewart, John Krasinski, Hayley Atwell, Lashana Lynch & Anson Mount

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (2022)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe never wears us out with its significant cameos. In this film, Doctor Strange must protect teen America Chavez, who has the power to travel between universes, from the Scarlet Witch. Amid all the universe-jumping, Strange and Chavez find themselves in Earth-838, where they are taken and brought before the Illuminati. The Illuminati comprises Charles Xavier, Reed Richards, Peggy Carter, Captain Marvel, and Blackagar Boltagon, played by Stewart, Krasinski, Atwell, Lynch, and Mount respectively. They explain that the Doctor Strange in their universe nearly destroyed their world while trying to defeat Thanos. Thanks to their appearance, Strange manages to confront his counterpart and destroy him. Talk about a universe-saving cameo.

#1: Bill Murray

“Zombieland” (2009)

Who would have thought that the best Bill Murray tribute would be in a zombie film? After a zombie pandemic, Columbus and fellow survivors end up at Bill Murray’s mansion. As Columbus educates Little Rock on “Ghostbusters,” the man himself shows up to Tallahassee and Wichita as a zombie. Well, disguised as one. It turns out zombies don’t mess with other zombies, so Murray came up with this clever disguise as a survival tactic. Unfortunately it backfires on him when, in an attempt at a practical joke, Columbus shoots him instead. At least Murray only had “Garfield” as his last regret. RIP, king.