Dreamworks Pictures
Every movie buff loves a great cameo.
A well-placed cameo can even be the highlight of an already great film. Who doesn’t love turning to their movie-watching partner and whisper-shouting, “GADZOOKS! THAT’S (insert person you recognize)!” We’ve compiled the 10 best movie cameos of all time (in no particular order). Check them out and then go impress your friends with your crazy movie knowledge.
1. Ben Stiller in Anchorman
Stiller steals the show as Arturo Mendez — complete with mustache and bravado — bringing extra hilarity to the Spanish-language news team in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo.
2. David Bowie in Zoolander
As the ultimate judge in a male model walk-off, Bowie’s cameo remains iconic—Ben Stiller himself was stunned he agreed.
3. Bill Murray in Zombieland
Murray appears as himself, hidden among zombies—until he’s not. It’s a post-apocalypse cameo that perfectly subverts expectations.
4. Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder
Disguised (unrecognizably) as gangster Les Grossman, Cruise commits fully: prosthetics, bald cap, and dance moves included, crafting a faux-secondary legend.
5. Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction
Walken turns in an unforgettable cameo as Captain Koons delivering a diatribe about a gold watch that’s both bizarre and memorable.
6. Neil Patrick Harris in Harold & Kumar
NPH plays himself on a wild, drug-addled night out. An overt cameo that aligns perfectly with the film’s absurdity.
7. Sigourney Weaver in Cabin in the Woods
Weaver surprises viewers as Dr. Sitterson, a cameo that delights horror fans and flips the script with meta awareness.
8. Orson Welles in The Muppets
Welles appears as himself, coaching Scooter with nursery rhymes. An unforgettable nod to Hollywood history.
9. Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross
Baldwin delivers a powerful, non-fictional “Always Be Closing” speech as Blake—this version is a cinematic cameo that’s seared into memory.
10. Takashi Miike in Hostel
Director Miike quietly appears in his own disturbingly gory horror masterpiece, adding a wicked director’s wink for those in the know.
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The best celebrity cameos remind us why we love the movies. They break the fourth wall, flip the script, and turn a great scene into an unforgettable one.
And let’s be honest, half the fun is spotting them. So next time you’re watching a film and think, “Wait, was that…?” — it probably was.
