A good celebrity cameo can really add zest and zing to a movie, especially when a beloved entertainer pops up in an unexpected way.
While some musicians have dipped their toes into the acting pool in roles both large and small, others prefer to play themselves, often to great comedic effect. The best kind of cameo is one in which the guest star really goes for it, leveraging their reputation to delight fans. There is a surplus of venerable cameos out there, but some musicians do it better than others.
Tom Jones Survives Alien Invasion in ‘Marks Attacks!’
Tom Jones, a crooner with a string of hits, was a Las Vegas staple for over 40 years. He was a womanizer and a smooth operator, guaranteed to flirt with every woman in the front row of his shows.
In his 1996 film, Mars Attacks!, Tim Burton capitalized on Jones’ reputation and had him singing his hit song ‘It’s Not Unusual’ to adoring fans in Vegas when aliens suddenly fire wildly into the crowd. Jones barely manages to escape with his life. Burton loves to take a strange situation and make it stranger. Las Vegas already feels like a parody of itself, the invading aliens are funny but dangerous, and then to top it off with a legendary showman leading a rag-tag group of survivors? Comedic genius.
Snoop Dogg Inspires Streaking in ‘Old School’
In Todd Phillips’ 2003 raunchy comedy Old School, three middle-aged men try to recapture their youth by opening a frat-house near their alma matter. Frank (Will Ferrell) and Beanie (Vince Vaughn) throw their friend Mitch (Luke Wilson) a party, Mitch-A-Palooza, to get their buddy back on his feet after a breakup.
Among many, many irresponsible actions, Beanie uses money from his business to book Snoop Dogg to perform at the party. It’s a success despite the fact that ‘Frank The Tank’ interrupts Snoop’s set to announce they’re going streaking. Snoop, ever the professional, declines to participate, as does his friend in the green hat. Snoop pops up in a number of great cameos, but this is an iconic scene and Snoop plays it extra cool.
David Bowie Volunteers As Judge in ‘Zoolander’
In 2001’s Zoolander, models Derek (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) are fierce competitors. They resolve to end their feud once and for all, the only way two models can: with a walk-off. Who will ultimately decide which one is the better model?
None other than David Bowie, who appears from out of nowhere, ripping off sunglasses that did absolutely nothing to conceal his identity. Bowie’s star wattage was peerless, and he was uniquely qualified to pass judgment. Married to supermodel Iman from 1992 until his death in 2016, Bowie knew a thing or two about catwalk success, and his presence in the film was an unexpected thrill for fans.
Usher Makes It Rain In ‘Hustlers’
Hustlers recounts the true story of entrepreneurial strippers who responded to their reduced income during the 2008 banking crisis by drugging men and bilking every last cent from their credit cards.
True to the time period when he would have been at the top of his game, Usher visits the club and all the girls rush out on stage to dance for him, including JLo, Constance Wu, Lizzo, and Keke Palmer. When Lopez’s Rowena bends down to ask his name, he responds “Usher, baby,” with a smirk while the women gyrate and the DJ plays his song, ‘Love In This Club.’ It’s a fantastic, meta wink to his past.
Alice Cooper Defies Expectations In ‘Wayne’s World’
Alice Cooper, the godfather of Shock Rock, incorporated macabre, theatrical elements from horror and vaudeville into his metal shows – anything to shock audiences and push boundaries.
After Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) see his show, they go backstage where Cooper is wielding a riding crop, fully leather-clad, and already hosting debauchery. While Garth struggles to express himself, Cooper challenges stereotypes by knowledgeably discussing the region’s Algonquin and French trader roots. Some cameos succeed by giving fans exactly what they want, but this one does so by giving fans what they didn’t even know was possible.
Billy Idol Plays Cupid In 'The Wedding Singer'
Julia (Drew Barrymore) is running off to Vegas to marry the wrong man, while Robbie (Adam Sandler) chases after her, determined to prove he’s the one she should be with. After recounting their love story to mesmerized fellow first-class passengers, Robbie discovers that Julia’s actually on the same flight, albeit in economy.
As luck would have it, Billy Idol is among the first-class passengers, and he’s a sucker for love. Lending him his guitar, Idol helps Robbie sing a love song to Julia over the plane’s in-flight intercom. When Mr. Wrong tries to intervene, Idol physically traps him with a drink cart, allowing Julia and Robbie to reunite. This plays against Idol’s punk rock renown, though he delightfully manages to balance the role with some rebel flair.
Ed Sheeran Can’t Compete With The Beatles In ‘Yesterday’
In Danny Boyle’s 2019 film Yesterday, Jack (Himesh Patel) wakes up in an alternate universe where everyone else on Earth has forgotten about the Beatles. It doesn’t take this struggling artist long to realize he can benefit from this strange reality, claiming and performing Beatles songs as his own. People are blown away by his sudden surge in talent.
People include Ed Sheeran, who brings Jack on tour with him. Sheeran’s role in Yesterday is a little more substantial than a mere cameo as they discuss music, and Sheeran suggests changing ‘Hey Jude’ to ‘Hey Dude’. They have a friendly songwriting contest, where Sheeran’s entry ‘Penguins’ is handily defeated by Jack’s ‘The Long and Winding Road’. Sheeran doesn’t know this isn’t a fair contest, and he gives his role nuance, reconsidering his own talent by comparison.
Miley Cyrus Peer Pressures A Proposal in ‘The Night Before’
In The Night Before, three friends (Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are spending their last holiday hurrah together before Rogen’s character has a baby and everything changes. The guys spend the night hunting down both the season’s most exclusive party and JGL’s ex-girlfriend. They eventually find both.
Also, at the party: Miley Cyrus, set to perform. Gordon-Levitt begs Cyrus to dedicate a song to his girlfriend, but Miley is amped up on love and tells him to go big or go home. She pressures him into proposing to his girlfriend on stage in the middle of a cringe-inducing attempt at Wrecking Ball. Cyrus continues to be the world’s best hype man and fans will appreciate her energy and optimism.
Ozzy Osbourne Eats Bat In ‘Little Nicky’
In Little Nicky, Adam Sandler plays the literal son of the devil. Nicky’s dad is dying because his other two sons are wreaking havoc on Earth, preventing the souls of the damned from entering hell. Nicky is sent to try to curtail his brothers, but Nicky’s “not that into evil” and is a much gentler soul than his brothers, not to mention unfamiliar with Earth.
Nicky dies repeatedly of unfortunate encounters with things like subways, and eventually lands not in hell but up in heaven, where he discovers his mother (Reese Witherspoon) is an angel. She gives him a ball made of white light and when Nicky eventually throws the ball, Ozzy Osbourne pops out. This is awfully convenient because Nicky’s brother has taken the form of a bat and Osbourne is notorious for having bitten the head off a live bat. He repeats his most infamous feat and proves that while metal may sound like the devil’s music, it can also be used for good.
Life Goes On For The Backstreet Boys In ‘This Is The End’
In This Is The End, Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel play best friends and fictionalized versions of themselves. While attending a huge party absolutely bursting with fun celebrity cameos, the biblical apocalypse begins, leaving survivors to bunker down and hope for rescue.
When the end finally does come, friend Craig Robinson greets them at the pearly gates and tells them that in heaven, you can wish for literally anything you want. Jay Baruchel closes his eyes and viewers are immediately struck by the opening notes of ‘Backstreet’s Back’. While Backstreet Boys sing, all of heaven’s angels join in the choreography, and soon even Rogen, Baruchel and Robinson are busting some serious boy band moves. After a crude and violent movie, this is the catharsis viewers deserved.