Top 20 Times Big Actors ATE UP Small Roles

Instantly lovable in any performance, John Candy is a welcome addition to “Home Alone.” He plays the amiable musician Gus Polinski in only a couple of scenes from the film. He offers Catherine O’Hara a much-needed ride, but not before mentioning his polka career. Candy employs lots of improvisation for his cameo that’s both goofy and heartwarming. He’s able to save the day and provide some wisdom near the end of the movie, showcasing his versatility and likability as a performer. He’s so perfect for the role that we almost wish he had more screen time overall.

Keanu Reeves mostly spends his days fighting bad guys, but his occasional appearances in romantic comedies are a welcome changeup to his more standard action fare. His cameo in “Always Be My Maybe” functions as both a massive surprise and a delightful sendup of vapid celebrities. Reeves stuns his dinner guests with his presence and even offers up some choice quotes. The actor is more than willing to make fun of himself, which takes this scene to a whole other level of hilarious. We definitely think that John Wick should star in a lot more comedies because of his stellar work in this one.

Quentin Tarantino’s screenwriting abilities have never been better than in this tense scene from “True Romance.” The sequence works especially well because of Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken’s star power, bringing together a gravitas that rarely happens on film. Walken’s mobster intimidates and beats his co-star in a sinister interrogation. Once Hopper gets a chance to fire back, he offers up a verbal beatdown with a few notable twists and turns. It’s not politically correct in the slightest, but it does speak to the dark sense of humor that both characters share. Tarantino’s dialog truly sings in the mouth of two industry professionals that read the lines as if they were Shakespeare’s.

Among the more surprising cameos in all of the MCU, Matt Damon makes an appearance in “Thor: Ragnarok.” He doesn’t even play an actual superhero in his brief time on screen. Damon actually plays an actor in a comical play within the movie, entertaining a disguised Loki with his stirring rendition of the trickster’s death scene. The performer really sells the moment with some comedic overacting. His timing is impeccable in one of the funniest Marvel films, providing a brief sequence of meta humor for fans to enjoy. As great as Tom Hiddleston is in the original role, this Oscar winner brings his own energy to this parody.

Jack Nicholson can switch on his one-of-a-kind charm for any movie. For his part in “A Few Good Men,” Nicholson commands a courtroom with a performance to rival any of his finest leading roles. He plays the controversial Colonel Jessep in an intimidating appearance in the witness box. His character doesn’t let Tom Cruise’s lawyer push him around, finally admitting to a serious offense after a tense verbal exchange. The actor also utters a piece of dialog that quickly entered the cinematic lexicon. Earning a well-deserved Oscar nomination, the performer comfortably steals the film away from his co-stars.

Since the first “X-Men” movie in 2000, Hugh Jackman has owned the role of Wolverine across a series of sequels and standalone films. His appearance in this adventure is even more special for its quick and extremely funny payoff. The prequel finds Professor X and Magneto searching for a team of fellow mutants, prompting them to pay a visit to the adamantium hero. He doesn’t even let them finish their thought before showing off his unique form of hospitality. Jackman sells the moment with his blunt delivery, in a scene that reminds us all of Logan’s lovably gruff exterior.

Drew Barrymore doesn’t make it past the first scene in “Scream,” but she has one of the most important roles in the entire film. She answers the infamous phone call that kick-starts the plot and arguably sets the tone for the entire series. Barrymore puts on her most frightened face and plays along with Ghostface’s schemes, slowly realizing that she’s been trapped by the killer. The actress probably influenced the next decade of scream queens with her terrified reactions. Not only was it a surprise to find the performer in this kind of horror movie. It also threw audiences for a loop that she’d only be in the opening moments.

Always entertaining, Matthew McConaughey makes the most of any film role regardless of its size. The actor dishes out some questionable advice to the anti-hero during this lunch meeting in "The Wolf of Wall Street." McConaughey teaches wannabe broker Jordan Belfort the ropes of the finance industry with some colorful vocabulary and a few interesting vocal inflections. The engrossing performer emits pure charisma at all times, never letting up throughout this chaotic scene of drinking and drug taking. He brings it all together with a chest-bump ending that audiences will never forget and likely mimic in their own life.

You only need one scene to make an impact in a film. Viola Davis provides ample evidence for this position, making the most of her role in “Doubt.” She plays the mother of a child that may or may not have been abused by a priest, holding her own opposite Meryl Streep in a thought-provoking sequence. Davis boils down her character into several nuanced glances and lines, thoroughly building out her part with limited time. She raises her voice at a dramatic turning point that pulls her entire situation into perspective. Always authentic and engaging, the performer draws in the audience and creates an award-nominated effort.

After a few torturous moments for the hero of “The Princess Bride,” Westley’s friends bring him to Miracle Max. The magical helper is played by Billy Crystal in a highlight from the film. Crystal’s comedic sensibilities never fail to bring a smile to audiences, with the inclusion of hair and makeup to transform him into a believable fantasy character. He’s both good at his job and still able to crack more than a couple of one-liners for good measure. The comedian also has fantastic chemistry with co-star Carol Kane, while still managing to offer up some hilarious jokes in this Rob Reiner classic.

As the wedding-crashing guru, Chazz helps out Owen Wilson’s John in his quest for a new wingman. Will Ferrell hangs around for a short amount of time, but he arguably has the best scene in the entire movie. His gregarious character lights up the screen with an energy that isn’t soon forgotten. Chazz frequently asks his mom to cook for him and his guest, putting one hilarious saying after another into the comedic pantheon of quotes. Needless to say, we’ll never think about meatloaf the same way. The final shot of him at a funeral makes for a brilliant sight gag, and certifies Ferrell as one of the most hilarious scene-stealers ever.

This comic masterpiece from director Mel Brooks contains multiple references to Universal Pictures’ “Frankenstein” film series of the 1930s. One specific homage follows the eponymous monster stumbling upon the house of a blind man named Harold. Award-winning actor Gene Hackman plays the kindly character who welcomes the giant into his house and offers him some food. Known mostly for his dramatic roles, Hackman proves to be a comedic natural with an instinct for physical gags and witty dialogue. He and scene partner Peter Boyle riff off each other like they’ve been a Vaudeville team for years. Although this was one of his few funny roles, the actor’s ease with the material certainly elevates the scene.

An unexpected hit of its time, this modern day classic remains one of the funniest zombie films ever made. And that’s even before we encounter Bill Murray’s outrageous cameo. While taking refuge in Murray’s mansion, the characters come to realize that he’s very much alive and well. The fictionalized portrayal, complete with the Eddie Van Halen wig and ridiculous makeup, is guaranteed to send anyone into a fit of laughter. The sequence culminates in Murray’s tragic death, making way for one of the comedian’s best lines in recent memory. His brief appearance satirizes both his personality and celebrity status, which allows this role to somehow seem perfectly natural.

This high school drama brings a fresh take on the beloved genre and introduces quite a few big surprises along the way. The main plot concerns the unlikely partnership between Drea and Eleanor, who first come together after the latter overhears a diabolical plot by Erica. Played by Sophie Turner, the character immediately comes off as the stuck-up villain every teen movie needs. After Drea learns about Erica's deceit, she exacts her revenge on her in the most delectable way possible. This leads to Erica being sent off, kicking and screaming. While many may have expected Turner to be more like Sansa Stark, this cameo reveals just how versatile an actor she is.

In the film adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Glengarry Glen Ross”, David Mamet includes an additional character to introduce the main cast’s motivations. Alec Baldwin’s Blake rallies the salesmen with bold statements and threats to their jobs. His performance is filled with so many iconic lines that it's arguably the most famous scene of the entire movie. Baldwin doesn’t suffer any fools in this speech, openly antagonizing his co-stars to no end. He even presents them with a few choice prizes for their ability to sell real estate. The actor disappears afterwards, but his initial monologue haunts the rest of the narrative in more ways than one.

“The Big Short” director and co-writer Adam McKay needed an inventive way to explain the financial crisis to a general audience. Instead of traditional exposition, the filmmaker resorted to a few unexpected cameos from stars like Margot Robbie. Appearing in a bubble bath, the actress explains difficult concepts with her lively personality and natural sense of humor. Who would've thought of a better way to discuss things like subprime mortgages? This satirical look at the housing collapse of the late 2000s jumps through several hoops in a bid to explain modern history to its viewers. And with the help of Robbie’s pointed and tongue-in-cheek commentary, it delivers.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘70s mosaic “Licorice Pizza” contains a series of vignettes that highlight the characters instead of a central plot. One such story revolves around the leads showing up at the house of movie producer Jon Peters to install a water bed. Bradley Cooper plays the real-life man like a genuine maniac, bulldozing through everything and everyone in his path. Whether he’s worried about his home or the pronunciation of his girlfriend’s name, Peters always seems like he’s one tick away from a violent outburst. With just a few minutes of screentime, Cooper blazes through the ensemble film, delivering a performance that is sure to stick with you.

Released in 1996, “Hard Eight” was the debut feature for acclaimed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. More importantly, it started one of the best actor-director partnerships in modern cinematic history. Philip Seymour Hoffman appears in the film as a fast-talking craps player that antagonizes the lead character played by Philip Baker Hall. Hoffman takes a small part and elevates it to award-worthy status with his one-of-a-kind style. As Hall’s character Sydney silently takes the verbal abuse, his co-star seems to up the notch every time, with one perfectly-executed moment after another. Hoffman never shows up again in the film, but his tour-de-force one-scene cameo is, frankly, more than enough.

For his Oscar-winning sophomore feature “Pulp Fiction,” Quentin Tarantino brilliantly casts a variety of Hollywood veterans in key roles. In this particular scene, Christopher Walken plays Captain Koons, a veteran tasked with passing down a gold watch to a younger version of Bruce Willis’ character, Butch. Walken delves into a lengthy monologue, outlining the colorful history behind the highly coveted watch. His sincerity guides the viewers into the detailed story, and before long, it becomes clear that this isn’t a wholesome fairytale. The actor plays both the dramatic and comedic portions of the speech with perfect timing. Even in such a tiny role, Walken’s magnetic performance is easily one of the standouts of the entire film.

It’s hard to imagine Tom Cruise going this crazy in any film, let alone in a comedy like “Tropic Thunder.” He plays the part of Les Grossman, a crass and hot-tempered studio executive who clearly thinks of his actors as disposable. Wasting zero time on screen, Cruise shouts and swears his way through some of the most hilarious tirades in movie history. But that’s only half the performance. The actor also undergoes a shocking physical transformation, suiting up in heavy prosthetics to pull off the look. If all of his antics in the film aren’t enough, he reappears for a dance scene in the finale that leaves a long-lasting impression.