Top 20 Most Important Movie Cameos Ever

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Top 20 Movie Cameos That Actually Mattered Wait for it... Some cameos aren’t just for laughs — they elevate the entire movie.  Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down the film cameos that actually enhanced the story, left a lasting impression, or delivered a twist you didn’t see coming. ⚠️ Major spoilers ahead!  Our list includes unforgettable appearances in:  Happy Gilmore ⛳  Zoolander 👠  The Cabin in the Woods 🧟 …and more surprise moments that changed the game.  💬 Which celebrity cameo do YOU think truly made a movie better? Drop your picks in the comments!

Transcript

00:00It's the Price is right, Happy.

00:02Oh yeah, sorry.

00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best film cameos that

00:07actually enhance the movie.

00:09Major spoilers to come.

00:10You guys at Jump Street?

00:11Yeah, yeah.

00:12That's funny because we were actually Jump Street.

00:16Number 20.

00:17All of Them.

00:18Deadpool and Wolverine.

00:19I waited a long time for this team up.

00:22In Sean Levy's mega meta Deadpool and Wolverine, fan service reigns supreme, and to say that

00:27the film is cameo stuffed would be a wee bit of an understatement.

00:30After all, the movie doubles as a love letter to the Fox-era cast of super characters, and

00:34from Elektra, to Blade, to Johnny Storm, they all have their moments to shine.

00:42Now picture that.

00:44But everywhere.

00:45Heck, we even get cameos from superheroes that fail to get their films off the ground.

00:48Looking at you, Gambit.

00:49Look, I was a fan of Gambit since I was a kid, so there's a lot of things that I've been

00:52looking forward to getting to do.

00:54One might argue that there were too many.

00:55But when it comes to Deadpool, Excess is kind of the name of the game.

00:59Number 19.

01:00Paul Reubens.

01:01Batman Returns.

01:02Fans of Batman Returns may be surprised to learn that another Tim Burton collaborator

01:06had a brief cameo in the film.

01:08Paul Reubens, of Pee-wee's big adventure fame, plays the Penguin's father opposite

01:12fellow Pee-wee star, Diane Salinger.

01:14Reubens' character, Tucker Cobblepot, heartlessly dumps his malformed newborn son in the sewer,

01:19who is then adopted by a family of penguins.

01:25Reubens' brief cameo is not just a meta-reference.

01:31It is chillingly effective in setting up the Penguin's dark and tragic backstory.

01:35And that's not the end of Cobblepot.

01:37Reubens would go on to reprise the role in the crime drama series Gotham, albeit for a

01:41much more tragic end.

01:42You never told me.

01:44Told you what?

01:47That I had a son.

01:48Number 18.

01:50Huey Lewis.

01:51Back to the Future.

01:51Next, please.

01:53On a much lighter note, Huey Lewis' cameo in Back to the Future is a tuneful one.

01:57Director Robert Zemeckis asked singer Lewis to contribute two songs to the movie.

02:01One of them, The Power of Love, even hit number one on Billboard's Hot 100.

02:05Fantasy in your life, that's the power of love.

02:12But Lewis' involvement went beyond songwriting.

02:15He also appears in the movie as a judge in the Battle of the Band scene, panning Marty

02:19McFly's playing of his own song, as Tudor and Love.

02:22Fun and funny, but it also forces Marty to reflect on his rejection and makes him worry

02:26about ending up like his parents.

02:28He then meets up with Doc Brown, and the rest is cinema history, so thanks Huey Lewis.

02:32Are you telling me that you built a time machine out of a DeLorean?

02:37Number 17.

02:38Bruce Springsteen.

02:40High Fidelity.

02:41It was inevitable that a movie all about music would feature at least one musical artist.

02:452000's High Fidelity rolled out the big guns, however, by having Bruce Springsteen himself

02:50make an appearance as himself.

02:52Record store employee Rob Gordon is unlucky with women, so he reaches out to his old partners

02:56to find out why his current relationship failed.

02:59Fortunately, Bruce Springsteen appears in his dreams to deliver some tuneful wisdom.

03:03That's what you're looking for.

03:04You want to get ready to start again?

03:06That'd be good for you.

03:07Springsteen even references his own song, Bobby Jean, in encouraging Rob to see closure and

03:11move on from his past lovers.

03:12This sets Rob on an emotional journey to reconcile with Laura and commit to her fully.

03:17Is there anything Bruce Springsteen can't do?

03:19Thanks, boss.

03:20Number 16.

03:21Kurt Vonnegut.

03:22Back to School.

03:23Hi, I'm Kurt Vonnegut.

03:25I'm looking for Thornton Mellon.

03:26Literature lovers were thrilled to encounter a cameo from this famous author in the 80s comedy

03:31Back to School.

03:32Wealthy but largely uneducated businessman Thornton Mellon decides to return to school and encourage

03:37his own unmotivated son Jason to continue in his studies.

03:40It isn't long before Thornton falls for English literature professor Dr. Diane Turner and

03:44decides to impress her with a paper on Kurt Vonnegut.

03:47And who better to write it than Vonnegut himself?

03:49Hilariously enough, this backfires as Diane sees through the deception.

03:54What's more, she believes the one who really wrote the paper doesn't know the first thing

03:58about Kurt Vonnegut.

03:59Lesson learned?

04:00Do not rely on authors to understand their own works.

04:02Next time I'll call Robert Ludlam.

04:04Number 15, David Hasselhoff, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.

04:08How will we ever get back to Bikini Bottom now?

04:11I can take you there.

04:13Admittedly, this cameo is one of the most random ones you'll ever see.

04:16Parents watching this with their kids might have been tempted to ask, what do David Hasselhoff

04:20and SpongeBob SquarePants have to do with each other?

04:22In the movie's climax, SpongeBob and Patrick are stranded at the beach when David Hasselhoff

04:27appears and offers to give them a ride.

04:28They literally ride on his back while Hasselhoff glides across the water like a speedboat.

04:33Hitman Dennis tries to knock them off, but gets knocked down himself when Hasselhoff passes

04:37underneath another boat.

04:39All in all, it's a fun if random cameo turned into a chase scene.

04:42David Hasselhoff, everybody!

04:44You done good, Hasselhoff.

04:46Number 14, Orson Welles, The Muppet Movie.

04:49Please, sir.

04:49My name is Kermit the Frog and we read your ad and, well, we've come to be rich and famous.

04:55Now, this cameo is nothing less than an honor.

04:58For Orson Welles, of course.

04:59Meshing together two legends is always a treat.

05:02Encouraged by a talent scout, Kermit the Frog embarks on a journey to LA, meeting all the

05:06other Muppets, as well as a slew of humans and guest stars along the way.

05:10Among the heavyweights is Orson Welles of Citizen Kane fame, a big fan of the Muppets.

05:15He plays Lou Lord, the cigar-chewing head of Worldwide Studios who meets with Kermit et al.

05:20A few words from Kermit, however, is all that Lord needs to make his decision.

05:24Welles' facial expressions and screen presence help elevate this brief cameo into an iconic one.

05:29It's Tracy.

05:32Prepare the standard rich and famous contract for Kermit the Frog and company.

05:38Number 13, Sigourney Weaver, The Cabin in the Woods.

05:41As long as they accept our sacrifice, they remain below.

05:46But the other rituals have all failed.

05:47This meta-sci-fi satire wouldn't be complete without cameos.

05:51In this film, American college students stay in a cabin in the woods, unaware that a group

05:55of lab scientists control the building remotely, releasing mind-altering drugs and manipulating

06:00events to decimate the group.

06:01The last survivors, Dana and Marty, soon discover the truth behind these grisly occurrences.

06:06Played by Sigourney Weaver, the director explains the deaths have all been part of an arcane ritual

06:11demanding the sacrifice of typical horror movie archetypes.

06:14But even Weaver's sci-fi gravitas can't prevent Dana and Marty from electing not to kill each

06:18other arbitrarily, and instead kill her.

06:20Gosh, they're both so enticing.

06:22Number 12, Gene Hackman, Young Frankenstein.

06:25A visitor is all I ask.

06:28A temporary companion to help me pass a few short hours in my lonely life.

06:32Speaking of horror film satire, this classic parody has its own very effective cameo.

06:40In the movie, Gene Wilder plays Frederick Frankenstein, sorry, Frankenstein, who travels to his family's

06:46estate in Transylvania.

06:47While there, he ends up creating the monster, who later escapes and crosses paths with a priest,

06:52played by Gene Hackman in a rare comic role.

06:55All the lonely priest wants is a companion, and he immediately bonds with the monster.

06:58As the priest is blind, he hilariously pours soup down the monster's lap and lights his

07:03thumb on fire.

07:04Unfortunately, the monster storms out after this, missing out on the chance to have espresso.

07:08Hackman's foray into comedy is definitely a scene-stealer.

07:11Where are you going?

07:13I was going to make espresso.

07:15Number 11, David Bowie, Zoolander.

07:18If nobody has any objections, I believe I might be of service.

07:23Of course the fabulous David Bowie would be in this movie.

07:26The plot follows male model Derek Zoolander, who is brainwashed into assassinating the

07:30prime minister by evil fashion mogul Mugatu.

07:33As Derek hits the runway in the walk-off against a preening Hansel, David Bowie himself volunteers

07:38to be the judge and lays out the rules.

07:40Makes sense to us.

07:41But walk-offs are very serious business, and Derek cannot keep up with a dexterous Hansel.

07:46Bowie immediately gives his harsh verdict, disqualified.

07:49Bowie's somber, straight-faced attitude towards the walk-off shenanigans makes his already funny

07:53scene comedy gold.

07:54Disqualified.

07:56Number 10, Billy Idol, The Wedding Singer.

07:59Who better to make an appearance in a musical rom-com than Billy Idol?

08:02The Wedding Singer follows Robbie Hart, the titular character who falls in love with a

08:06waitress named Julia.

08:07Unfortunately, Julia is set to marry her longtime fiancé, the boorish Glenn Guglia.

08:12After breaking up with his own fiancé, Robbie catches a plane to stop Julia's wedding

08:16to Glenn, regaling his tale of woe to Billy Idol and the other passengers.

08:19Glenn doesn't deserve her.

08:21All he cares about are possessions.

08:24Fancy cars.

08:25CD players.

08:27Even women are possessions to him.

08:29Idol is totally on team Robbie and Julia, and gets in on a plan to help and woo Julia back

08:33by announcing Robbie's song on the speaker.

08:35He and the other passengers then give Glenn his comeuppance.

08:38Idol's obvious enthusiasm for the role elevates the already heartwarming climax.

08:42Mind if I give her a kiss first?

08:45Oh yeah, do what you gotta do.

08:46Number 9, Neil Patrick Harris.

08:49Harold and Kumar go to White Castle.

08:50Excuse me, are you Neil Patrick Harris?

08:53Yep.

08:53In this stoner comedy, friends Harold and Kumar embark on an odyssey to fast food restaurant

08:58White Castle, but not before they pick up a most unexpected hitchhiker, Neil Patrick

09:02Harris.

09:03Shocked but pleased, Harold and Kumar soon discover that Harris is intoxicated and keen to derail their

09:08plans even more.

09:09Things then take a wild turn with a hilarious sequence where Harris steals the friend's

09:13car, leaving them stranded at a convenience store.

09:15Harold and Kumar finally arrive at White Castle, only to discover their money is gone.

09:20Harris appears once again like a mischievous trickster, to apologize and compensate them

09:24for their trouble.

09:24It's a pitch-perfect cameo that fits seamlessly into the movie.

09:27What happened to my car?

09:29I made some love stains in the back seat.

09:32You'll see.

09:33Number 8, Bruce Willis.

09:35Split.

09:35This psychological thriller would not be the same without this Bruce Willis tie-in.

09:39Split follows Dennis, a man living with dissociative identity disorder, who kidnaps three girls and

09:44imprisons them beneath a zoo.

09:46He manages to kill two of the girls, but one escapes.

09:48However, there is more to this tale of split personalities than meets the eye.

09:52Rejoice!

09:59The broken are the more evolved.

10:10Rejoice!

10:11In the ending cameo, Bruce Willis appears as David Dunn, confirming that Split is set in

10:16the same universe as 2000's Unbreakable.

10:19M. Night Shyamalan had conceived of the Dennis character during Unbreakable, but had to cut

10:23him due to length constraints.

10:24Willis' crucial cameo makes Split a rare example of a standalone sequel that ties into

10:29another universe.

10:30And he gave him a funny name, too.

10:33What was it?

10:35Mr. Glass.

10:37Number 7, Mike Tyson.

10:39The Hangover.

10:39This hit comedy about a bachelor party turned epic journey undoubtedly delivers an excellent

10:44cameo.

10:45Facing memory loss from their drunken debauchery the previous night, friends Phil, Stu, and

10:49Alan must find Doug and get him to his wedding.

10:52After getting arrested for stealing a police cruiser, the trio find themselves face-to-face with

10:56none other than Mike Tyson, rocking out to In the Air Tonight.

11:00Shhh.

11:01This is my favorite part coming up right now.

11:07He then punches Alan and demands that they return his Bengal tiger.

11:10What follows is a hilarious sequence of them sedating the tiger and taking it back to Tyson's

11:15mansion, where they discover that Doug had been with them during their initial visit.

11:19Tyson's performance turns what would have been a forgettable cameo into great comedy.

11:23Nice!

11:24Nice, guys!

11:26Number 6, Will Ferrell, Wedding Crashers.

11:29This popular rom-com features divorced mediators John and Jeremy, who crash weddings in the

11:34hopes of meeting women.

11:35John falls for Claire, the maid of honor, while Jeremy gets entangled with an overly clingy

11:40Gloria.

11:40When their real identities are revealed, Claire rejects John, causing him to spiral into depression.

11:45Fortunately, Will Ferrell comes to the rescue.

11:47Ferrell's Shez Reinhold, a former wedding crasher, invites John to crash a funeral with

11:52him.

11:52At a funeral?

11:53Grief is nature's most powerful aphrodisiac.

11:57Here, John has an epiphany about the nature of love.

12:00He rushes to Jeremy's and Gloria's wedding, reunites with Claire, and the two couples live

12:04happily ever after.

12:05All thanks to Will Ferrell and the meatloaf.

12:07Hey, Mom!

12:08The meatloaf!

12:10Number 5, Bob Barker, Happy Gilmore.

12:13Beloved game show host Bob Barker makes a smashing impression in this hockey-turned-golf-pro-sports

12:18comedy.

12:19Adam Sandler plays the titular character, and in this scene, he's paired with THE Bob Barker

12:24in a celebrity golf tournament.

12:25When a heckling spectator causes Happy to mess up his swing, it sparks an argument with

12:29Barker.

12:30Frustrated, Happy punches Barker, setting off a nasty brawl between the two that sends

12:34them careening down the course.

12:36All right, let's go.

12:39This fight leads Commissioner Doug Thompson to suspend Happy for a whole month and slap

12:43him with a $25,000 fine.

12:45Fighting with Bob Barker has serious consequences, but the most important lesson here?

12:49You don't mess with THE PRICE IS RIGHT.

12:51I think you've had enough.

12:54No?

12:58Now you've had enough.

12:59Number 4, Tom Cruise, Tropic Thunder.

13:02Who here is a key grip?

13:04You?

13:05You.

13:07Hit that director in the face.

13:09What would this movie even be without Tom Cruise's excellently outrageous Les Grossman?

13:15In the satirical action flick, a group of actors and their hapless director should

13:19shoot a movie in the middle of a jungle, only to be met with a fierce gang that causes them trouble.

13:23What makes them take this disastrous decision?

13:25An ultimatum by studio executive Les Grossman, played by none other than Tom Cruise, to shape

13:30up or get out.

13:31A radical departure from his usual action hero roles, Cruise plays Grossman with no-nonsense,

13:37obscenities-filled panache.

13:38Even the flaming dragon gang cannot hold their own against this high-powered executive with

13:42a filthy mouth.

13:43Oh, and he dances, too.

13:44Because, why not?

13:45Number 3, Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise, 21 Jump Street.

13:54You know what's better than two undercover agents?

13:57Four undercover agents!

13:58In this seminal buddy cop comedy, agents Schmidt and Jenko become high school students to find

14:03and arrest a drug supplier.

14:04When they finally meet the motorcycle gang, it looks to be the end of them.

14:08Fortunately, two former 21 Jump Street members, played by Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise, reveal

14:12themselves and turn the guns on the gang.

14:14Little dweebs just ruined a five-year investigation.

14:17We had no idea!

14:18You're like an amazing actor, man!

14:20This portrayal doesn't end well for the two, however, and they are unceremoniously killed.

14:24The best part of it all is that Depp and DeLuise were the former stars of the original

14:27TV series of the same name, making this cameo a fantastic send-off.

14:31The only approval that I ever needed was my best friend.

14:39Thanks, man.

14:40Number 2, Patrick Stewart, John Krasinski, Hayley Atwell, Lashana Lynch, and Anson Mount.

14:46Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

14:49We were at war.

14:50While the rest of us pandered together to try to stop Thanos, Stephen, as always, chose to

14:57go it alone.

14:58The Marvel Cinematic Universe never wears us out with its significant cameos.

15:02In this film, Doctor Strange must protect teen America Chavez, who has the power to travel

15:06between universes from The Scarlet Witch.

15:09Amid all the universe jumping, Strange and Chavez find themselves in Earth 838, where they

15:14are taken and brought before the Illuminati.

15:16The Illuminati comprises Charles Xavier, Reed Richards, Peggy Carter, Captain Marvel, and

15:21Blackagard Boldogon, played by Stewart, Krasinski, Atwell, Lynch, and Mount, respectively.

15:26They explain that the Doctor Strange in their universe nearly destroyed their world while

15:30trying to defeat Thanos.

15:32Thanks to their appearance, Strange manages to confront his counterpart and destroy him.

15:36Talk about a universe-saving cameo!

15:38You ever had that dream where you're falling, as if you've been pushed off a tall building?

15:43That was probably me.

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16:03Number 1, Bill Murray, Zombieland

16:08Who would have thought that the best Bill Murray tribute would be in a zombie film?

16:15After a zombie pandemic, Columbus and fellow survivors end up at Bill Murray's mansion.

16:19As Columbus educates Little Rock on Ghostbusters, the man himself shows up to Tallahassee and Wichita

16:24as a zombie.

16:25Well, disguised as one.

16:26It turns out zombies don't mess with other zombies, so Murray came up with this clever

16:30disguise as a survival tactic.

16:32A buddy of mine, makeup guy, showed me how to do this.

16:34Cornstarch.

16:35You know, some berries, a little licorice for the ladies.

16:38Suits my lifestyle.

16:39You know, I like to get out and do stuff.

16:41Unfortunately, it backfires on him when, in an attempt at a practical joke, Columbus shoots

16:45him instead.

16:46At least Murray only had Garfield as his last regret.

16:49R.I.P. King.

16:50So do you have any regrets?

16:55Garfield, maybe?

16:56Which other celebrity cameos do you feel really took it to the next level and made a great film

17:00even better?

17:01Let us know in the comments down below.

17:03Where are you going?

17:05Wherever God takes me.

17:06Did you enjoy this video?

17:08Check out these other clips from WatchMojo.

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