As the Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps growing, it makes sense that so many Hollywood stars want their moment in the Marvel spotlight. Marvel has made celebrities out of up-and-coming stars. However, existing Hollywood stars have also played an essential role in the MCU. Celebrity appearances in Marvel projects have either been teased for ages leading up to a release or have come entirely out of nowhere, without warning.
Some cameos are off-screen, like Miley Cyrus' voice in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Some, like Harry Styles' Starfox, are set up to be key players in future Marvel entries. Celebrity cameos can surprise, especially in the earlier days of the MCU. Even anticipated appearances often add another layer of hype to movies and series in a franchise with a massive following. At their best, celebrity appearances can add a layer of fun to any MCU entry.
Harry Styles — 'The Eternals'
Harry Styles is no stranger to TV guest appearances. The singer joined the MCU as the brother of Thanos, Starfox, in a post-credits scene of The Eternals. Styles' acting career had been relatively limited up to this point. In fact, his only feature had been Dunkirk.
Although social media spoiled the surprise that he appeared here, it was no less delightful. His almost elfish appearance lent itself perfectly to this otherworldly creature. This appearance played to Styles' undeniable charisma.
Matt Damon — 'Thor: Ragnarok'
Thor: Ragnarok was best known for harnessing the chaotic energy of the MCU. What only added to the chaos was a play depicting the events of Thor: The Dark World. Enter Matt Damon and his motley crew of Asgardian players. Recapping one of Loki's many deaths, this was a parody for the ages.
This cameo was so great because of how much it mocked the source material. This snippet of a play perfectly encapsulates the melodrama of Thor: The Dark World. The fact that it was Matt Damon leading the charge made this entire sequence much more hilarious. The reprisal in Thor: Love and Thunder continued the bit in the best possible way.
Melissa McCarthy, 'Thor: Love and Thunder'
There were a lot of Thor: Love and Thunder spoilers leading up to the movie's release. Melissa McCarthy's appearance was not one of them. Joining the Asgard Players, McCarthy gives a hilarious rendition of Cate Blanchett's sinister Hela. Joining Luke Hemsworth and Matt Damon, she joined the acting troupe in taking down the Asgardian aristocracy with humor.
McCarthy's cameo made the entire concept of the Asgardian Players simultaneously more hilarious and ridiculous. The passion and heart she brought to mock this MCU villain was a testament to McCarthy's talent. This appearance was a perfect way to integrate Marvel's signature self-referential humor.
Kenneth Branagh — 'Avengers: Infinity War'
Kenneth Branagh has indeed done it all in his long and storied career. The multi-talented Thespian directed Thor, so he is no stranger to the MCU. Branagh was the voice of the Asgardian distress call in Avengers: Infinity War. This was a heartbreaking moment in the aftermath of Thanos' destruction.
Arguably what made this cameo so shocking is that Branagh has not yet appeared on-screen, even though he has made his directorial debut within the MCU. Of course, his gravitas makes him a natural choice to be the voice of such a critical moment.
Howard the Duck — 'Guardians of the Galaxy'
While he's not a star in the same sense as Matt Damon or Joan Rivers, Howard the Duck has gained something of a cult following since the chaos that was the 1986 movie. However, the character was given new life in the MCU in the end credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy. The character has had several Marvel appearances, including Ultimate Spider-Man and Marvel's What If...?
This has become one of the most iconic post-credit scenes in the MCU. This was the moment when it became clear that the MCU could truly do anything and bring in any character from comic canon and make them a part of the franchise. It was so shocking that Marvel successfully re-introduced one of its weakest characters for this cameo that remains iconic.
Miley Cyrus — 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'
Former Disney star Miley Cyrus is another celebrity who has had an MCU moment. She was the voice of Mainframe in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. This is the Artificial Intelligence embedded in the Ravager Clan's ship.
This cameo certainly makes sense with the Disney-Marvel partnership. Perhaps what made this appearance surprising was how natural and low-key it was. Certainly, Cyrus is a spectacularly talented artist. She made use of every moment when her voice could be heard.
Joan Rivers — 'Iron Man 3'
Iron Man 3 was filled with celebrity cameos, mostly critiquing the movie from within itself. The legendary Joan Rivers was a stand-out. She mainly commented on the renaming of War Machine to Iron Patriot. Her segment, The Fashion Police, was a venue to criticize the suit's overall look.
Frankly, Joan Rivers was among the last people who would have been expected to appear in an MCU project, even briefly. She was from a different era, long before the fandom the MCU has cultivated. However, in true Joan Rivers fashion, she made her brief appearance work spectacularly. This self-deprecating humor has worked wonders for Marvel.
Trevor Noah — 'Black Panther'
Black Panther gave fans a fantasy world we'd all like to visit. It also featured a who's-who of Black talent and excellence. One talent featured here was Trevor Noah. The late-night comedian lent his voice to the role of Griot, the AI system in Everett Ross' (Martin Freeman) flight simulator.
What should not have been shocking about this cameo is how hilarious Noah made his role. Even though you couldn't see his face, his comedic chops were clear. The flight simulator scenes were among the most memorable in the movie.
Charlie Cox — 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'
Daredevil star Charlie Cox was always going to return to the MCU. This appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home as Peter Parker's lawyer served as the official introduction of this character, who was featured in his own Netflix series.
Even though fans knew this appearance was coming, it was still pretty shocking to see it play out. There was the question of how similar this character would be to the Netflix iteration. However, it didn't even matter since it was such a delightful fan-service moment and a reminder of what made Matt Murdoch such a great character.
Megan Thee Stallion — 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law'
In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law season 1, episode 3, the end-credit scene features Jennifer Walters, in Hulk form, twerking with Megan Thee Stallion. This is a moment of joy in a series that has made it a point to comment on and provide satire on popular culture.
This was possibly among the most random cameos in the MCU, which may have made it one of the greatest. Among She-Hulk's stacked cast of characters, Megan Thee Stallion should have come as no surprise, considering what this show has been trying to do.