Comingsoon.net knows there’s nothing like a good cameo. Check out our favorites in the gallery below!
Movie cameos have become something of an art form as of late, it seems. Maybe it’s because the production of so many films these days are plagued with near-constant media coverage, leaving the filmmakers to come up with at least one or two surprises to keep audiences on their toes. Maybe it’s simply because cameos are fun and unexpected, no matter what the genre. Either way, an uncredited A-lister appearing on-screen for a few minutes can be the highlight of a film.
It seems the art of the cameo is employed most in comedies, but (thanks to a certain 20th-century director) they can also be incredibly effective in dramas and action films, as well. No matter what, though, we simply love to see them. Of all the cameos throughout film history, these ones are easily our favorites.
cameos
-
Airplane! (1980)
Today, comedies utilize obscure cameos for big laughs almost incessantly. But, back when Airplane! was released, this wasn’t really all that common. The film’s utilization of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar goes down in history as one of the first cameos of its kind as well as one of the most iconic.
-
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)
In both Anchorman films, director Adam McKay pulls out all the stops to bring in countless familiar faces for two gigantic fight sequences. Sachs Baron Cohen, Marion Cotillard, Will Smith, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Carrey, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Tim Robbins, and more—the stream is endless.
-
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Christopher Walken is one of the most beloved and praised actors of the back half of the 20th century, so his appearance in Pulp Fiction deserves some recognition for combining one of the most-respected actors and one of the most-revered films. He’s only on-screen for one scene, but it’s a scene that continues to be pored over.
-
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
What’s the one cameo that would help drive home Sunset Boulevard’s point about the fall of silent stars in exchange for the rise of talkie stars? An appearance from Buster Keaton, sitting at a poker table in Norma Desmond’s house, looking sullen.
-
The Muppet Movie (1979) and The Muppets (2011)
Like the Anchorman films, Muppet movies rely heavily on cameos. Unlike the Anchorman films, though, the Muppet movies also rely heavily on nonhuman characters. For this reason, any human role in a Muppet movie is likely to be a cameo, ranging from someone as obscure as Orson Welles to someone as recognizable as Lady Gaga or a popular Disney star.
-
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Matthew McConaughey shows up toward the beginning of The Wolf of Wall Street to teach Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Jordan Belford a thing or two about stocks and investing. Naturally, in typical McConaughey fashion, the lesson is far from normal. It remains a frequently-quoted highlight even to this day.
-
Tropic Thunder (2008)
Tom Cruise wearing extensive prosthetics and wearing an unrecognizable getup makes for (easily) one of the best cameos ever. It’s unclear why or how this role came to be, but we welcome it wholeheartedly (and long for the once-rumored spinoff film about his character).
-
A Whole Slew of Alfred Hitchcock Films
Before Stan Lee was appearing in every Marvel movie, Alfred Hitchcock was inserting himself into the background of almost all his films. An older man with an instantly recognizable look, it’s clear to see why Marvel hopped on the opportunity to steal one of Hitchcock’s signature moves.
