Cameos or short appearances by actors, directors, musicians, presenters, models, politicians, or athletes are very common in the entertainment industry.Alfred Hitchcock was frequently spottedin his films, posing as a bus passenger or pictured in a newspaper. Ed Sheeran played a Lannister soldier onGame of Thrones.Taylor Swift was hilariousas the enamored ex-girlfriend who stopped Cece and Schivrang’s church wedding onNew Girl. Shakira played Uncle Kelbo’s alter ego on an episode ofWizards of Waverly Place. Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking graciously popped onThe Big Bang TheoryandThe Simpsons. And as a diehard Trekkie, King Abdullah II of Jordan didn’t need much convincing to be an extra onStar Trek: Voyager.
Cameo examples abound on stage, film, and TV, but sometimes they are anticipated, either because they have been announced, or because the character type is traditionally associated with the guest star. Because his breakthrough role was as Tom Hanson in the police drama21 Jump Street, it was only natural for Johnny Depp to appear in the 2012cop comedy movieof the same name, alongside Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. And MCU fans always looked forward for creator Stan Lee’s stints in related films, TV shows, or video games, where he played himself, as well various characters, from a World War II general to a beauty pageant judge.
By contrast, the following list features 15 of the most unexpected and bizarre TV show cameos, specifically by film actors.
15Daniel Radcliffe – BoJack Horseman
Harry Potter’s leadDaniel Radcliffeplays himself in Season 2 of the adult animated seriesBoJack Horseman, in an episode titledLet’s Find Out. He is BoJack’s opponent on Mr. Peanutbutter’s game show, as the “even more famous celebrity,” and the competition has been rigged for him to win, just so that the prize money would go to charity. The funniest part is when BoJack answers the question “Who starred inHarry Potter?” with “Elijah Wood” out of spite, knowing all too well that the two actors are oftenmistaken for each other in public.
A longtime fan, Radcliffe asked to be included in a story that originally didn’t feature him, and he read his lines over the phone. He also returned to the show in the finale,Nice While It Lasted, to voice a jury member in BoJack’s trial.
14Christopher Lloyd – A Million Little Things
Christopher Lloydappears in a flash in the family dramaA Million Little Things’ emotional and nostalgic Season 5 episodeFather’s Day. Gary (James Roday Rodriguez) dreams that he is having a drink with his late dad while they’re watching the famous 70s and 80s sitcomTaxi, which featured Lloyd as the spaced-out but gentle Jim.Later on, while he is sitting in a restaurant booth, Gary drops his keys on the floor, and another patron picks them up. “I got it. No problem,” says the stranger while handing a stunned Gary the keys, and then he quickly leaves. It was none other than Lloyd himself.
Related:Best Ben Falcone Cameos with Wife Melissa McCarthy, Ranked
13Adam Brody – New Girl
In the episodeExeson Fox’sNew Girl,Adam Brody(Mr. & Mrs. Smith,Thank You for Smoking,Jennifer’s Body) plays Jess’ (Zooey Deschanel) ex-boyfriend Berkley, who drives Nick jealous and insecure. Berkley is an annoying stay-at-home, hipster-wannabe dad now. Though the stint itself had been announced, audiences couldn’t process just how different the character was from Brody’s usual lovable roles, such the endearing Seth inThe O.C.
12JK Simmons – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Film, television, and voice actorJK Simmonsplays Detective Frank Dillman in the NBC seriesBrooklyn Nine-Nine’s episodeDillman. The character’s friend, Deputy Commissioner Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher), who has previously mentioned him as the best he’s ever worked with, calls him to the 99th precinct to help him with an internal investigation regarding a glitter bomb explosion on an officer’s desk.
“Twin A is missing an upper right incisor, while Twin B is missing a lower left incisor, suggesting that they were seven when the photo was taken, which would put them in second grade. Spring semester of second grade is when the Brooklyn schools do their solar system unit, a highlight of which is constructing a mobile of the planets. My hypothesis is that Twin A and Twin B requested Daddy’s help making Mars sparkle, hence the red glitter.”
11Jon Voigt – Seinfeld
Jon Voightguest stars as himself in the NBC sitcomSeinfeld’s 94th episodeThe Mom and PopStore. After George (Jason Alexander) buys a convertible that supposedly belongs to Voight, Kramer (Michael Richards) runs into him on the street, just as the actor is hailing and getting into a cab. Disheveled and suffering from a nose bleed, Kramer must seem quite dangerous to Voight while he shouts his name and tries to grab him, so Voight bites his arm, and the taxi leaves. The whole scene is as shocking and funny as it is swift.
10Seth Rogen – The Boys
9Burt Reynolds – The Golden Girls
The first major celebrity cameo on the sitcomThe Golden Girlswas by 1970s iconBurt Reynolds(White Lightning,The Longest Yard,Smokey and the Bandit). He plays himself in Season 2’s episodeLadies of the Evening, as the three main characters, Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche win tickets to a movie party with him, but are mistaken for hookers and cuffed.
Blanche: My God! You’re Mr. Burt Reynolds!
Reynolds: I hope so. Otherwise, I got the wrong underwear on.
[to Sophia]
Reynolds: These the roommates you told me about?
Sophia: Yeah.
Reynolds: Which one’s the slut?
Blanche, Dorothy, Rose: I am!
8James Earl Jones and Carrie Fisher – The Big Bang Theory
CBS’s sitcomThe Big Bang Theory, starring Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, and Kaley Cuoco, featured a plethora of guest stars, from Stephen Hawking to Star Trek’s William Shatner, George Takei, LeVar Burton, and in a recurring role, Wil Wheaton. With lead characters that nerdy and geeky, it was only a matter of time beforeStar Warsalumni popped in, too, but nobody expectedJames Earl Jones(the voice of Darth Vader) andCarrie Fisher(Princess Leia) to appear in the same scene. After a star-struck Sheldon (Parsons) bumps into Jones in a restaurant, the latter takes him to Fisher’s house for a prank. They ring the bell and hide. Fisher opens the door, wearing a robe and holding a baseball bat, and yells, “It’s not funny anymore, James!” To which James’ sardonic voice replies, “Then why am I laughing?”
Fun fact: PerLooper, it was actually the first time Fisher and James met in person, as James’ voice was always dubbed later in theStar Warsfilms.
7Leonard Nemoy – The Big Bang Theory
Speaking ofStar Trekveterans,Leonard Nimoy, whose half-Vulcan character Spock is Sheldon’s absolute favorite fictional hero, guest stars onThe Big Bang TheoryepisodeThe Transporter Malfunction, as the voice of a vintage Spock action-figure. The figure convinces Sheldon to play with his transporter and then blames him for replacing it with Leonard’s copy after breaking it.
6Robin Williams – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
The popular NBC crime drama showLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitfeatures many guest stars as either criminals or victims, andRobin Williams’ cameo, which includes a torture scene based on real experiments, is especially chilling. He plays Merritt Rook on the Season 9 episodeAuthority, a character who poses as a police offer to strip-search a restaurant employee, then chooses to represent himself in the subsequent trial.
