History Main / AsHimself

* InUniverse example: In ''Literature/TheBarsoomProject'', actor Robin Bowles plays himself in the "fat ripper" Fimbulwinter Game. Participants speculate that the portly Bowles signed on to help him lose weight for an upcoming role.

* In ''Manga/CaseClosed'', Creator/MinamiTakayama appears as herself, while TalkingToHerself with Conan.

* The [[AnachronicOrder first broadcast]] episode of ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'' has this in-universe. That episode is in its entirety a [[StylisticSuck horrendously bad]] amateur movie in which each member of the SOS Brigade plays a character with their same name. (It's also a case of MyNaymeIs, since the characters' first names are in katakana, rather than the original [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseWritingSystem kanji/hiragana]].)

* Creator/BretEastonEllis' novel, ''Literature/LunarPark'' is narrated in first person by Bret Easton Ellis, who is, like in the real world, the author of ''Literature/AmericanPsycho'' and several other successful novels. The events in the novel, however, are completely fictional.

* Stieg Larsson wrote in Swedish boxer/tv-host Paolo Roberto as a character in ''The Girl Who Played With Fire'', book two of ''Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy''. Guess who played him in the movie?
* Creator/KurtVonnegut shows up in a few of his own books, most notably ''Literature/BreakfastOfChampions'' where he (as the author) directs the action for the last few chapters from the shadows.

* In ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'', William Goldman, the author, has a MAJOR role in the story (or at least plays an author named William Goldman...).

* In-Verse example: In ''Literature/TheBarsoomProject'', actor Robin Bowles plays himself in the "fat ripper" Fimbulwinter Game. Participants speculate that the portly Bowles signed on to help him lose weight for an upcoming role.

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* While George Lowe (most famous as the voice of [[WesternAnimation/SpaceGhostCoastToCoast Space Ghost]]) made frequent cameos in ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'' (often referred to by an alias or just going unnamed), the episode "Antenna" is the only episode where he's explicitly playing himself.
* Bud Abbott of the comedy team Abbott and Costello voices himself as a cartoon in the 1967 Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the team. The money he made was used to pay an outstanding [=IRS=] debt.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'', Christian Slater plays a secret agent version of himself who goes by Slater.
** The show also has Archer run into his Idol, [[MemeticBadass Burt Fricken Reynolds!]]
* ''Lots'' of celebrities did this in guest appearances on ''WesternAnimation/CelebrityDeathmatch'': In addition to boxing referee Mills Lane and Debbie Matenopoulos, who were regulars, Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin, Wrestling/TheUndertaker, [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince [=McMahon=]]], Wrestling/{{Chyna}}, Wrestling/MickFoley ([[Wrestling/{{WWE}} seeing a pattern?]]), Music/MarilynManson, Creator/LucyLawless, Geraldo Rivera, Chris Kattan, and Gilbert Gottfried, have all voiced themselves on the show. In a related note, several celebrities shown as participants on the show have mentioned they would have actually done their own voices [[YouDidntAsk if they had been asked.]]
* This was done in ''WesternAnimation/TheCritic'' several times, including the notable second season episode "Siskel and Ebert and Jay and Alice". Film critics Gene Siskel and Creator/RogerEbert voice themselves throughout the whole episode.
* An episode of ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUK'' featured Dennis entering a ''Series/BluePeter'' competition, with the then presenters playing themselves. In a nice bit of [[Creator/TheBBC BBC]] synergy, this resulted in a ''Series/BluePeter'' segment in which they showed viewers how voice-acting works.
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' subverts this and plays this straight, where most of the "As Themselves" are voiced by the core members of the voice cast. Occasionally, sometimes subtly, sometimes glaringly obviously, will an actual celebrity come to the show to voice themself.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', where actors have played themselves in roles that vary from [[AffectionateParody parodying]], paying neat homages, or [[ActorAllusion Actor Allusions]] to themselves.
** In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" (otherwise known as ''the'' Star Trek episode), every member of [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries the original cast]] reprised their roles, playing both themselves, AND were forced to play TOS' old characters "as themselves" during the episode. [[CharacterOutlivesActor Well,]] [[FakeShemp ALMOST]] [[RedShirt every]] [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute member...]]
* ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeTheMovie'' brought us [[DrillSergeantNasty Sergeant Slaughter]], played by [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} Sergeant Slaughter]]. He also appeared in live segments as the narrator when the movie was told in five parts during the show's normal time-slot, and in one other five-part storyline.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode "Headhunters", [[spoiler: Larry King and Coolio provide the voices of wax sculpture versions of themselves. Wax Larry King's head comes BackForTheFinale.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheGreatNorth'' credits Music/AlanisMorissette as playing [[ImaginaryFriend Alanis Morissette]].
* The ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueAction'' online short "Missing the Mark" features Creator/MarkHamill getting kidnapped by ComicBook/TheJoker, and [[ComicBook/TheFlash the Trickster]], with ComicBook/SwampThing rescuing him. [[TalkingToHimself Hamil himself voices all three characters for the show]].
* ''WesternAnimation/PepperAnn'': Creator/AlexTrebek and Mark Hamill play themselves, and the former ends up being Lydia's second husband in the DistantFinale.
* Both Buzz Aldrin and Dick Clark in ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''.
** Dick Clark voices his cartoon likeness in the 1994 ''Fantastic Four'' series as well.
* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' has a metric assload of cameo "as themselves". Some have recurring roles (Ryan Seacrest, Hulk Hogan, Snoop Dogg); others have "starring" one-shot appearances (Sir Mix-A-Lot, Joey Fatone, the Coreys Haim/Feldman).
* ''WesternAnimation/RocketPower'' had several real-life extreme sports athletes guest-star as themselves in various episodes, including pro skateboarder Tony Hawk, pro NHL hockey players Martin Brodeur, Jeremy Roenick, and Luc Robitaille, and downhill mountain biker Missy "The Missile" Giove.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SabrinaTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "Witchy Grrrls" Sabrina starts a band with her aunts and her friend Chloe. Music/WeirdAlYankovic guest stars as himself, performing a parody of one of their songs.
* Author Creator/HarlanEllison played himself (or rather a caricature of himself, like most Simpsons guest stars) in the ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' episode 'The Shrieking Madness'.
** Also ''WesternAnimation/TheNewScoobyDooMovies'', which had Creator/JonathanWinters, Creator/DonKnotts, Creator/SandyDuncan, Creator/DickVanDyke, Phyllis Diller and other celebrities voicing their cartoon likenesses. The Cartoon Network spoof ''Night Of The Living Doo'' had Gary Coleman, David Cross, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy'' voicing themselves in cartoon form.
** The 2020 film ''WesternAnimation/{{Scoob}}'' has Creator/SimonCowell voicing himself.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' has had more guest stars playing themselves than probably any show on television.
** A strange example appears in the episode "Bart the Murderer", where Neil Patrick Harris plays himself, playing Bart in an [[ShowWithinAShow in show movie]]. And Joe Mantegna plays himself playing Fat Tony in the same movie, as well as playing Fat Tony on the actual show.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheWackyAdventuresOfRonaldMcDonald'', Ronald is credited to himself.
* Martin and Chris Kratt in ''WesternAnimation/WildKratts''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' (and its sequel), each campaign is considered to be a separate "movie", in which the players take on the roles of the characters ("Alice as Bill, Bob as Francis, Xavier as Louis"...); whenever a character is played as a bot, the introduction screen and the ending credits both refer to him as "as himself/herself".
* [[WordOfGod Self-confessed]] video game addict Music/PhilCollins [[PromotedFanboy played himself]] in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCityStories''.
** Every ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' game from [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII the third]] onwards features Lazlow Jones as a radio personality (most often associated with talk radio shows, in addition to being the DJ for V-Rock in the ''Vice City'' duology), who hosts his own radio show in the real world. In addition, Lazlow is a major figure in the development of the series, being the chief writer in charge of managing the various radio stations that air in-game. He finally makes a physical appearance in ''Videogame/GrandTheftAutoV'', where he suffers various humiliations from the protagonists.
* Music/RobZombie, who provided the soundtrack for ''[[VideoGame/TwistedMetal Twisted Metal III and 4]]'' appeared as a playable character in ''Twisted Metal 4''. In his ending, his wish is to "let the world hear the wails and war cries of a dead man's soul." He gets it in the form of [[spoiler:a clip from one of his music videos]].
* Creator/TakashiMiike shows up in ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'' [[spoiler: to deliver a Beam katana to Shinobou.]] He shows up again in ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroesIII'' [[spoiler:to get Travis [[RiseFromYourGrave out of his grave]]]].
* Art Bell plays himself hosting a fictionalized version of ''Radio/CoastToCoastAM'' in ''VideoGame/Prey2006''. It is scripted to play out like real call-in segments of the show would, providing a from-Earth account of the in-game plot developments.
* Creator/BurtReynolds plays himself [[spoiler:as the Mayor of Steelport]] in ''Videogame/SaintsRowTheThird''.
** The same goes for Creator/KeithDavid in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV''. In the same game, the new gimmick voice is now Creator/NolanNorth playing himself. [[spoiler:A later mission features Wrestling/RoddyPiper as part of a massive reference to ''Film/TheyLive'']]. The game also has Creator/AshlyBurch as a DLC homie.
* ''VideoGame/NaziZombies''; one of the game modes for ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps'', gives us [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Cx82OFXM0 Call of the Dead.]] [[RuleOfCool Hell yeah we wanna party.]]
** Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North was brought along to help produce ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOpsII''. He also voices himself in a brief cameo early on in the campaign.
* The birds in ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend'' are stock images, the writer's own photography, and so on. One of the birds, Oko San, is represented with a photo of her own pet bird, Okosan. Unlike the other characters in the game, Oko San is a PartiallyCivilizedAnimal rather than a CivilizedAnimal, and while the others get human portraits, his is just a drawing of a pigeon.
* Some of the later [[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame Lego Adaptation Games]] feature minifigures based on real people as characters, with their real-life counterparts providing the voices:
** Creator/StanLee in ''Lego Marvel Superheroes''.
** Creator/AdamWest, Creator/KevinSmith, and Creator/ConanOBrien in ''Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham''.
** Paul Feig in the ''VideoGame/LegoDimensions'' ''Ghostbusters(2016)'' level pack.
* In ''Videogame/JustCause3'', Creator/DavidTennant is the voice behind the local PropagandaMachine and it's implied in-game that he might actually be the actor who was kidnapped in-universe.
* ''VideoGame/MarcEckosGettingUpContentsUnderPressure'' features cameos from several real-life graffiti artists, who give the player character Trane advice on graffiti techniques.
* The ''Webvideo/{{h3h3|productions}}'' DLC in ''Videogame/{{PAYDAY 2}}'' has Youtubers Ethan and Hila Klein playing fictionalized versions of themselves.
* Professional wrestler and avid video game fan Wrestling/XavierWoods voices his own Bomber counterpart in ''VideoGame/SuperBomberman R''.
* ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry7LoveForSail'': Peggy is listed in the credits as "Herself". She's actually voiced by Creator/MaryKayBergman, but requested not to be credited due to her foul language.
* ''{{VideoGame/Yakuza}}'':
** In ''Kiwami'', retired two time world judo champion Shinichi Shinohara appears in one sidequest, providing the [[InkSuitActor face]] and voice of... retired judo champion Shinichi Shinohara.
** During the development of ''VideoGame/YakuzaLikeADragon'', Sega held an open audition for the last party member of the Heroes of Tomorrow. The Top 5 all get cast as fictionalized versions of themselves, while the winner gets the added bonus of being an OptionalPartyMember.
*** Winner: Eri Kamataki - President (later Vice-President) of the struggling Ichiban Confections; She plays a major role in the Business Management activity, and acts as Ichiban's secretary. Make enough progress in Business Management, and she will be available as a party member.
*** Second Place: Iroha Yanagi - A showgirl at [[GoodGuyBar Survive]]; Ichiban can replay party chats through her.
*** Third Place: Sumire Sawa - Ex-delinquent and manager of the Romance Factory. Through her, Ichiban can craft weapons and armor and upgrade specific weapons.
*** Fourth Place: Manae Miyakoshi - A receptionist at the Ounabara Vocational School; through her, Ichiban can take courses that, if passed, develop aspects of his personality. This in turn increases his resistance to certain status ailments, unlocks access to certain activities, and allows him to apply for certain jobs.
*** Fifth Place: Ririka - An employee at the Ijincho branch of Hello Work; through her, Ichiban and his party can apply for new jobs, change jobs, and select outfits.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{VIP}}'' had Music/{{Lit}} appear [[Recap/VIP2X16HardValsNight as themselves]] hiring Val to be their bodyguard. They then later ask her to guest star AsHerself in [[Music/{{Miserable}} their music video.]] Which in itself [[ZigZaggedTrope zig zagged]] what happened in real life.
* ''Series/TheMonkees''
* ''Series/{{Extras}}'' episodes heavily feature this trope (most of the time they are [[SelfParody playing parodies of]] [[AdamWesting themselves]]). In fact, pretty much the ''only'' celebrities that do not play themselves are the regular cast.
* Pop star Music/GeorgeMichael played himself in the first season of ''Series/EliStone'', appearing both in musical visions and in the real world. At the end of the season, it's heavily implied that he is God.
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' features Creator/WilWheaton playing a JerkAss version of himself a few times, serving as Sheldon's nemesis and eventual friend. Creator/BrentSpiner becomes Sheldon's new nemesis.
* Played with in ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'', in which everyone would so often break character to remark how silly a sketch is that it felt like you were watching the actual members of Creator/MontyPython struggling to put on a decent TV show.
* A few ''Series/{{Entourage}}'' examples:
** Music/MandyMoore played herself as Vince's costar in ''[[ShowWithinAShow Aquaman]]''. They supposedly dated when they starred together in another (very [[Film/AWalkToRemember real]]) movie years earlier.
** Creator/SethGreen has shown up as himself several times, mostly to annoy Eric that he (maybe) dated Sloan before E did.
** Jamie-Lynn Sigler appeared as herself in the fifth and sixth seasons, dating Turtle. Even more bizarre, considering [[RomanceOnTheSet the two ended up dating]] in RealLife for about a year.
** Ed Burns plays himself as the producer of Drama's show.
** Several directors have appeared as themselves as well, including [[Film/{{Titanic 1997}} James Cameron]] and [[Film/GoodWillHunting Gus Van Sant]].
** Porn star Sasha Grey appeared in several episodes as herself and Vince's girlfriend.
* ''Series/TheGeneAutryShow'' featured country singer Music/GeneAutry playing a fictional version of himself taking part in a series of western adventures (his exact role, which saw him as a ranch hand in one week and a sheriff in another, tended to change from episode to episode).
* ''Series/GenerationKill'': Sgt. Rudy Reyes, one of the real 1st Recon Marines, plays himself. Initially hired as an advisor.
* ''Series/GossipGirl'' name-drops 90's one-hit wonder musician Lisa Loeb. Then in the flashfoward part of the finale [[CrackPairing she is romantically involved with main character Rufus.]]
* Loads in ''Series/DoctorWho'', among them Derek Acorah, Paul O'Grady and Alistair Appleton.
* Creator/LouisCK plays himself, a divorced stand-up comedian, in ''Series/{{Louie}}'', with various comedians also appearing as themselves.
* Some ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm'' examples:
** Creator/LarryDavid himself -- at first glance this appears to be a case of AdamWesting, until you learn that the Larry David we see on the show is not very exaggerated at all from the real Larry David.
** Creator/BenStiller, Creator/DavidSchwimmer, Creator/CadyHuffman and Creator/MelBrooks appeared when they were putting on a revival of ''Film/TheProducers''.
** Richard Lewis and Creator/TedDanson as Larry's friends, along with Mary Steenburgen and Rosie O'Donnell.
** The entire cast of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' in the seventh season.
* ''Series/JustShootMe'' has had Creator/MarkHamill, Creator/TyraBanks, Carmen Electra, Creator/PamelaAnderson and Ray Liotta appearing as themselves.
* ''The Man in the Funny Suit'' is a television drama based on the production of the ''Requiem for a Heavyweight'' presentation for ''Series/Playhouse90''. Its two stars, Creator/EdWynn and Creator/KeenanWynn are playing themselves, as are a great number of other people who were part of the original production including Creator/RodSerling, Red Skelton, Ralph Nelson, Bob Mathias and Ned Glass.
* ''Series/NeverHaveIEver'': John [=McEnroe=] narrates as himself. Later, Creator/AndySamberg does narration for Ben's Day In The Limelight. [=McEnroe=] later appears in the S01 finale, in the flesh.
* Series/ICarly: Jerry Trainor and Miranda Cosgrove in ''iBloop''.
* Posthumous example - UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler in ''Series/RedDwarf'' (using archive footage with Creator/CraigCharles superimposed next to him). Exists solely for a few HistoricalInJoke gags regarding his missing testicle and [[spoiler: his briefcase]]. The UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler As Himself credit got a huge laugh from the studio audience.
* ''Series/TheLarrySandersShow'' had several, including Jon Stewart as his rival and David Duchovny, who had a gay crush on Larry.
* ''Franchise/StargateVerse'':
** [[FourStarBadass General]] Michael E. Ryan and [[FourStarBadass General]] John P. Jumper, each the actual Chief of Staff of the Air Force at the time his episode aired, appeared as themselves in cameos on ''Series/StargateSG1'' in 2001 and 2004, respectively. Creator/RichardDeanAnderson recalls in a DVD featurette that he asked General Ryan if he had officers as irreverent as his character Jack O'Neill, and Ryan replied, "Son, yes we do have colonels like you and ''worse''."
** Series/BillNyeTheScienceGuy and UsefulNotes/NeilDeGrasseTyson both guest starred in an episode of ''Series/StargateAtlantis''. Neil was little more than a cameo, but Bill Nye played a somewhat extensive part.
--->'''Rodney [=McKay=]''': At least '''''I''''' didn't declassify Pluto from planet-status. Way to make all the little kids cry, Neil. That make you feel like a big man?
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' had several throughout the years. Most memorably, Keith Hernandez (the former New York Met), shows up as himself several times, before and after he dates Elaine. And technically, Jerry plays himself throughout the series, as evidenced by his appearance on the ''Today Show'' with Bryant Gumbel in The Puffy Shirt episode.
* Garry Shandling in ''Series/ItsGarryShandlingsShow''.
** In addition, the show had numerous guest stars, including Music/TomPetty, Creator/RobReiner, Martin Mull, and guest host Red Buttons.
* Seinfeld appeared in an episode of ''Series/{{Newsradio}}''.
* Creator/JenniferGrey in ''It's Like, You Know...''. The other characters are skeptical of this at first since Grey no longer had her distinct nose from her 1980s films.
* Penn of Creator/PennAndTeller appears in the season five episode 'Magic Show' of ''Series/Numb3rs'' to help investigate a magic trick gone wrong.
* Creed Bratton on ''Series/{{The Office|US}}'' falls between this and AdamWesting.
* Creator/LouFerrigno in ''Series/TheKingOfQueens''.
* Bristol Palin showed up for one scene in ''Series/TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager'' when Amy was at a music program for teen moms.
* Angela's father in ''Series/{{Bones}}'' is Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.
* Music/JoshGroban and Music/OliviaNewtonJohn have both made cameos on ''Series/{{Glee}}'', both having a blast making fun of themselves and pretending they're huge jerks.
* ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'' - Lifeguard Michael "Newmie" Newman is played by Michael Newman, a real LA County lifeguard.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Creator/StephenHawking appeared as a hologram of himself in "Descent: Part I", being the only person to play themselves in any ''Franchise/StarTrek'' production. He played poker with Data and holograms of Sir Isaac Newton and UsefulNotes/AlbertEinstein [[spoiler:and won]]. (Brent Spiner mentioned in an interview that, as he was accompanying Hawking off-set, they passed the warp core set, and Hawking said "I'm working on that." Since Hawking's synthesized voice makes him a perfect DeadpanSnarker, Spiner said he's still not sure whether Hawking was kidding.)
** Arguably, Joe Piscopo played himself in the second season episode "The Outrageous Okona", but he was only credited as "The Comic". Data picked him from a list of notable comics from history, so if it wasn't meant to be a genuine one--like Piscopo--any actor could have played The Comic.
* ''Series/StarTrekPicard'': A peculiar example in that the "actor" is a geologic feature rather than a person. [[KirksRock Vasquez Rocks]] has been used as a filming location many times throughout the ''[[Franchise/StarTrek Star Trek]]'' Franchise as far back as ''[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries The Original Series]]'', portraying a lengthy list of alien planets. In the third episode of Picard, Vasquez Rocks [[MythologyGag finally appear, in-universe, as Vasquez Rocks on Earth]]. There's even an establishing subtitle.
* Garry Shandling, Tea Leoni, and Wayne Federman all played themselves in ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "Hollywood A.D."
** Creator/AlexTrebek and Wrestling/JesseVentura cameoed as themselves (and MIB) in the episode "Jose Chung's From Outer Space".
*** Trebek made something of a franchise for himself in the 1980s and 90s with characters on many shows competing on ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}''. Including Dorothy Sbornak on ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'', Cliff Clavin on ''Series/{{Cheers}}'', Thelma Harper on ''Series/MamasFamily'' and Andrea Zuckerman on ''Series/BeverlyHills90210''.
** [[Series/TheJerrySpringerShow Jerry Springer]] played himself in the episode "The Post-Modern Prometheus"
* Creator/WalterCronkite appears as himself, Ted's idol, in an episode of ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow''. Johnny Carson attends one of Mary's parties in the last season, but a blackout occurs so the audience only hears his voice. He's still credited as himself at the end.
* Graeme Souness played himself in ''Boys from the Blackstuff''.
* ''[[Series/RowanAndMartinsLaughIn Laugh-In]]'''s Joanne Worley appears on an episode of ''Series/CarolineInTheCity'' when her Stage Door Deli sandwich gets renamed for Caroline.
* Some of the cast of ''Laugh-In'' appeared in an episode of ''Series/MadAboutYou''.
* Oliver North played himself in several episodes of ''Series/{{JAG}}''.
* Creator/SammyDavisJr once got a cab ride from [[Series/AllInTheFamily Archie Bunker]], and had to stop by the latter's house to retrieve his briefcase. HilarityEnsues (for real and UpToEleven).
* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'':
** John [=McEnroe=] appeared in the episode "Comes Around," playing both himself and a look-alike who makes a hobby of impersonating him. Played with in an interrogation scene, where the look-alike is explaining that he didn't even watch tennis, while the real [=McEnroe=] looks on and bitches about his double (including an utterance of his now trademark "You ''cannot'' be ''serious''!"), from behind the room's soundproof one-way mirror.
** Sportscaster Creator/DickEnberg appeared as himself in the episode "Super Men."
** Kid Rock, Maroon 5, and Josh Groban all peformed as themselves in various other episodes as well.
* Country music group Music/RascalFlatts appeared as themselves in an episode of ''{{Series/CSI}}'', which centered around bassist Jay [=DeMarcus=] getting shocked by his bass guitar.
* ''Clete Roberts'' plays himself in the Season 4 episode "The Interview" in ''Series/{{Mash}}''. Filmed in black-and-white, Clete Roberts interviews the characters making the episode look like a documentary. Unlike most episodes where everything was scripted and little ad-libbed, in this episodes, the actors were given a lot of freedom to answer the questions. He would return in the Season 7 two-parter "Our Finest Hour" as well as the pilot of unsuccessful spinoff ''W*A*L*T*E*R''.
* Sir Terry Wogan appeared as himself presenting his current (at the time of filming) quiz show - and as a voice of the afterlife, passing on instructions to Saul - in the Series 2, Episode 2 of ''Series/BeingHumanUK''.
* Most of the human cast in ''Series/GregTheBunny'' spin-off ''Warren The Ape''.
* Music/LouisArmstrong appears as himself in ''Film/HelloDolly''.
* The Seasons 5-7 cast of ''Series/ThreeTwoOneContact''.
* The OneEpisodeWonder TV pilot ''Series/HeatVisionAndJack'' featured (and would have continued to feature) Ron Silver "As Himself". Despite playing a NASA assassin on this show, Silver was still an actor and at one point, a character points out that "he was the bad guy from ''Film/{{Timecop}}''".
* ''Series/TheSopranos'' encountered many celebrities in their adventures, largely as a result of Chris's attempts to break into the movie business. Among them included Creator/BenKingsley, Creator/LaurenBacall, Creator/JonFavreau, Creator/JaneaneGarofalo, and Sandra Bernhard. Tony also saw Creator/AnnetteBening in one of his dreams.
* Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme played himself in an episode of ''Series/LasVegas''...in which he got killed off in a rigged motorcycle stunt.
* ''Series/TheWestWing'':
** Creator/PennAndTeller appeared in an episode, in which they pretended to burn an American Flag at the First Daughter's birthday party.
** Yo-Yo Ma, James Taylor, and other performers have played at various White House functions, and campaign events.
* The title characters of ''An Evening With Gary Lineker'' and its SpiritualSuccessor ''My Summer With Des''. Despite the titles, Lineker and Lynam have minor roles, the shows being about [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball football fans]] at the [[UsefulNotes/TheWorldCup 1990 World Cup]] and [[UsefulNotes/EuropeanChampionship Euro '96]].
* ''Series/CornerGas'' had a habit of frequently giving cameos to various Canadian celebrities, ranging from actors to athletes, to musicians, to ''politicians''.
* Very common on the ''Series/ColgateComedyHour''.
* [[Series/DawsonsCreek James Van Der Beek]] on ''Series/DontTrustTheBInApartment23''.
* Creator/CarlWeathers plays himself on ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' as an out-of-work actor who gives acting lessons to Tobias. The lessons mostly seem to be advice on how to get cheap meals.
* Creator/BillyDeeWilliams in the ''Series/ModernFamily'' episode "New Year's Eve."
* ''Series/{{Castle}}'' plays poker with real-life writers, most notably James Patterson, Dennis Lehane, and Stephen J. Cannell (who got a VanityPlate tribute and an EmptyChairMemorial when he died.)
* ''Series/SisterSister'' had a weird one: Marques Houston (who plays Roger) shows up as himself (Batman from Immature), just after Roger did a horrible impersonation of him. Naturally, [[MistakenForAnImpostor no one believed him when he said he was Batman.]]
* Bob Bellveau, one of the real "first sixteen" Los Angeles County paramedics, appeared a few times as himself in ''{{Series/Emergency}}'' episodes.
* ''Series/{{Monk}}'':
** "Mr. Monk and the Redheaded Stranger" is an episode-length cameo from Music/WillieNelson, who gets accused of shooting his road manager in a back alleyway. Monk is said to be a big Nelson fan (and Trudy was one, too), so he sets forth to clear Nelson's name.
*** Noticeably called back to in "Mr. Monk and the Blackout" when Monk mentions that he threw away a harmonica that Nelson gave him as gratitude to clearing his name, simply because he had played it before.
** "Mr. Monk and the Airplane" has Creator/TimDaly, interestingly ''Monk'' lead Creator/TonyShalhoub's costar from ''Series/{{Wings}}'', show up on the plane Monk and Sharona are flying to New Jersey on.
** "Mr. Monk Meets the Playboy" features a cameo by Creator/DannyBonaduce himself, as one of Dexter Larsen's golfing buddies.
** In "Mr. Monk Makes the Playoffs," Monk ends up getting press box tickets for himself and Mel Stottlemyre to sit with Creator/{{NBC}}'s own Bob Costas in the broadcast booth for a playoff game. Apparently Monk helped Costas out on a favor a long time ago. Stottlemyre says it had something to do with a demented cat salesman. Costas elaborates: the cat salesman was not demented, he sold demented cats, like a psychotic calico kitten, and one cat that tried to kill him with a squeeze toy.
* ''Series/FatActress'' ran on this trope.
* ''Series/PersonOfInterest:'' supermodel Creator/KarolinaKurkova appeared as... supermodel Karolína Kurková in the episode "[[Recap/PersonOfInterestS02E12 Prisoner's Dilemma]]."
* ''Series/TheBionicWoman'' featured Evel Knievel as himself in Season 3 episode "Motorcycle Boogie", where he becomes an unwitting accomplice to Jaime when she tries to retrieve a stolen data tape from behind the Iron Curtain. Needless to say his trademark motorcycle stunts prove conveniently useful.
* ''Series/JamAndJerusalem'':
** Half of the British pop-rock band The Magic Numbers appear as themselves in the Glastonbury episode.
** Creator/KateRusby sings in the wedding episode.
** Whether or not Creator/CharlesDance is planning to move to Clatterford becomes a major plot element in the third season.
* A regular occurrence on ''Series/TheNanny''. Lynn Redgrave, Ben Vereen, Creator/JaneSeymourActress, Creator/ElizabethTaylor, Marla Maples, Creator/ChevyChase, and the list goes on - including, hilariously, Creator/FranDrescher herself.
* Also on ''Series/HomeImprovement'', with George Foreman, [[UsefulNotes/IndyCar Michael and Mario Andretti]], Bob Vila, Music/TheBeachBoys, and the crews of the space shuttles ''Columbia'' and ''Endeavour'' (astronaut Ken Bowersox showed up with both crews).
* Series/MisterEd was always in the credits "as himself," even though he was voiced by Allan Rocky Lane (uncredited).
* In ''Series/ElChavoDelOcho'', Ramón Valdés is cast as Don Ramón, who was (as described by other actors in the series as well as Ramón's children) essentially himself, but without a stable income. Allegedly, when Chespirito had him cast as Don Ramón, the only instructions he gave Ramón was "be yourself".
** On the other hand, ''Series/ElChapulinColorado'' has an InUniverse example. When the lead actor of a film about the titular character quits, the director summons El Chapulín Colorado, and has him play himself in the film. Of course, with El Chapulín's clumsiness, HilarityEnsues.
* ''Series/TwinPeaks'': Outside of the bands featured in the roadhouse, Creator/MonicaBellucci is perhaps the only person who is not portraying a character when she appears in a dream Gordon Cole had of her.
* One episode of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' featured the guy who played the Soup Nazi on ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', who JD immediately recognizes. He insists that he isn't the guy and that JD is mistaken, but JD eventually tricks him into saying the Soup Nazi's famous CatchPhrase.
* Bill Nye appears as himself in several episodes of ''Series/{{Blindspot}}'', albeit a version of himself who happens to be [[TheSmartGuy Patterson's]] father. Also, his ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' appearance (listed above) gets a nod when he references Rodney [=McKay=] as his academic rival.
* ''Series/NickyRickyDickyAndDawn'' has had a number of episodes which fit this trope.
** Internet sensation Science Bob has been in three episodes: "The Quad Test", "No Ifs, Ands, or But-ers" and "She Blinded Him with Science (Bob)"
** Soccer star Alex Morgan was in "The Quad Test".
** WNBA star Candace Parker was in "I Want Candace".
** Olympic ice dancers Alex and Maia Shibutan were in "The Great Mullet Caper".
** Isaiah Thomas[[note]]the current NBA player, not the long-retired Hall of Famer [[MyNaymeIs Isiah]] Thomas[[/note]] (as well as his two young sons Jaden and James) appeared in "Quadcodile Dundee"
** The hour-long special had a number including Creator/JackGriffo of ''Series/TheThundermans'' as a fictionized version of himself, Alex Guarnaschelli of ''Creator/FoodNetwork'' and Creator/DaniellaMonet of ''Series/{{Victorious}}''. Hoerver, due to the TrumanShowPlot aspect of the episode, these actors could also be seen as also embodying this tripe InUniverse
* ''Series/UglyBetty'': Creator/KatharineMcPhee has a [[TheCameo cameo]] playing herself in "I'm Coming Out" where she bumps into Betty who is a FanGirl of her from her ''Series/AmericanIdol'' days.
* Jerry Vale appears in the ''Series/MidnightCaller'' episode "That's Amore", causing a mobster to nearly {{squee}} with excitement.
* ''Series/ThePartridgeFamily'':
** Music/JohnnyCash watches the family perform in the pilot.
** In "Star Quality", Danny has an ImagineSpot where he fantasizes about being interviewed by Creator/DickClark.
* ''Series/SilverSpoons'': In episode "Hot Shot", David Horowitz of ''Fight Back! with David Horowitz'' appears as himself in a CoincidentalBroadcast, informing Ricky that the $15 camera mail-order is a scam.
* ''Series/StElsewhere'':
** In "Sweet Dreams", Music/ZZTop perform their song "Legs" in Luther's music video inspired dream in which he and the Eliminator girls have fun around the hospital.
** In "Bye, George", Fiscus fails to recognise Michael Dukakis when he arrives at St. Eligius with a sprained ankle. He does not believe him when he gives his occupation as Governor of Massachusetts.
** In "Getting Ahead", Robb Weller interviews John Doe #6 (calling himself "Dr. C") about "his" sleazy bestseller ''The Cutting Edge'', which he actually stole from Dr. Craig.
** In "Heaven's Skate", Dr. Craig and Jackie Wade meet the award-winning figure skaters Randy Gardner and Tai Babilonia at the Aschenberg Ice Rink.
* ''Film/LiveForeverAsYouAreNowWithAlanResnick'': Alan Resnick stars as... Alan Resnick, who in this work is a technology genius, rather than a comedian.
* President Creator/RobertRedford, briefly mentioned in the ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' comic book, appears in the [[Series/Watchmen2019 HBO series]], played by Robert Redford.
* ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'': Season 3 features the eponymous team {{time travel}}ling to 1999 and meet Creator/JohnNoble during the shooting of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' trilogy. Funny thing is, Noble also voices the Season 3 BigBad, Mallus (which is actually a plot point).
* ''{{Series/Messiah}}'': Magician and professional skeptic James Randi appears playing himself and casts doubt on the apparent miracle performed by Al-Masih at the beginning of episode six.
* ''Series/DashAndLily'': The Music/JonasBrothers play a concert as themselves in the final episode and Music/NickJonas in particular doles out some advice.
* ''Series/ColonelMarchOfScotlandYard'': In "The Case of the Misguided Missal", RealLife StageMagician Chan Canasta appears as himself: brought in by March to demonstrate how the missing book could have been stolen from the safe.
* ''Series/FeelGood'': Mae Martin plays herself on the series, which is loosely based on her own life.
* ''Series/TheBrittasEmpire'': The Rt. Hon. Sebastian Coe MP appears as himself, shooting a small documentary at Whitbury Newtown. He becomes roped into opening a leisure centre toilet named after himself by Gordon Brittas, who promises "it'll only take two minutes." Of course,the show being [[WeirdnessMagnet what it is]] he ends up chained to a stair-rail while the leisure centre is pillaged and sacked by an army of Romans.
* ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' occasionally has celebrities cameo as themselves; the likes of Music/BritneySpears, Music/GloriaEstefan, Music/BrunoMars, and Creator/MarioLopez have appeared as hotel guests or as contacts of Rogelio.
* ''Series/TheLWord'':
** Gloria Steinem appears as herself in "Lacuna" for Melvin's memorial service, as an old friend of his. There is a lot of RealitySubtext here, as not only was Steinem really friends with Melvin's actor Creator/OssieDavis (the two are shown in a real together) but Davis actually died shortly before it aired.
** Former tennis player Billie Jean King later appears interviewing Dana about her career and being (like King) an openly lesbian athlete. Dana gushes that King is her hero and had paved the way for later lesbian athletes like her with her own coming out.
** Music/TeganAndSara appear as themselves in one flashback performing their song "Love Type Thing" while Dana and Shane listen. Dana hallucinates due to being on LSD at the time that they tell her she's a lesbian, urging her to come out of the closet, which she hadn't yet at the time.
** In ''Generation Q'' lesbian soccer player Megan Rapinoe and later bisexual feminist writer Roxane Gay show up too as themselves.
[[/folder]]

!!Examples:

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* 29 days after the sinking of UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic, a 10-minute-long movie ''Saved from the Titanic'' ([[MissingEpisode now lost]]) was released. The leading star and a co-writer of the script was Dorothy Gibson - a genuine ''Titanic'' survivor, playing as a girl named Dorothy, and filmed in the same clothes she was rescued in.
* Creator/NatalieWood has a brief [[TheCameo cameo]] as herself in ''Film/TheCandidate''.
* Creator/PeterFalk plays himself in ''Film/WingsOfDesire'' (to the point where children call him "Series/{{Columbo}}").
* [[UsefulNotes/HMTheQueen Queen Elizabeth II]] and Prince Philip as themselves in the made-for-TV film ''Film/ChildrensPartyAtThePalace''.
* Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme in ''Film/{{JCVD}}''.
* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger as both the main character and (briefly) himself in ''Film/LastActionHero''.
* Creator/AlPacino plays himself in the Creator/AdamSandler comedy ''Film/JackAndJill''.
* A dramatic example: Creator/DerekJacobi plays himself in ''Film/{{Hereafter}}'' as both the voice of a Creator/CharlesDickens audiobook and as a speaker at a literary festival.
* Creator/NeilPatrickHarris as "Neil Patrick Harris" in the three ''[[Film/HaroldAndKumarGoToWhiteCastle Harold and Kumar]]'' movies. He requested not to be credited "as Himself", to make it clear he's not a drug-sniffing, car-stealing womanizer in RealLife (he is in fact, the complete opposite -- an upstanding gentleman and in a stable relationship with David Burtka; i.e. no drugs, no stealing cars, and one guy, not many women). Burtka himself gets in on the act in ''Film/AVeryHaroldAndKumar3DChristmas'', using their real-life relationship as a cover for their characters' sordid behavior, and gets the same credits treatment ("David Burtka" played by David Burtka).
* ''Film/ForrestGump'' meets many famous figures throughout his travels, some played by actors, but others played by archive footage. Both times he meets the president, it's done using archive footage. Obviously fictional circumstances, since Forrest Gump didn't really exist.
* In ''Full Out: The Ariana Berlin Movie'' (which is BasedOnATrueStory), the real Ariana Berlin was the gymnastics double for Ana Golja, who played her in the film.
* 1990's ''Film/Gremlins2TheNewBatch'' features film critic Leonard Maltin (who disliked the original ''Gremlins'') in a scene where he discusses ''Gremlins 2'' on a Siskel-&-Ebert style show. After [[Main/BreakingTheReviewersWall giving the sequel a poor review]], a horde of Gremlins storm the set and [[Main/TakeThat kill him]].
** In a later scene, Gremlins hijack ''[[Main/NoFourthWall the film projector itself]]'', until Hulk Hogan stands up in the audience orders them to quit screwing around and let the movie finish. In the VHS version, the Gremlins record over the tape until John Wayne (recreated through archival footage) tells them off. The novelisation has the Professor Gremlin lock the author out of his office and type a few pages on his typewriter instead.
* Creator/PaulGiamatti plays Paul Giamatti in ''Film/ColdSouls''.
* Creator/BillMurray's appearance in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'' was widely promoted as a {{Cameo}}, but it actually falls into this territory, since he's in the movie for quite a bit of time (playing himself) and is actually the only other non-flashback speaking character outside of the main four.
* Creator/BillMurray again in ''Film/SpaceJam'', wherein he eventually fills out the ranks of the Tune Squad to avert a forfeiture of the game. (In fact, the trope applies for pretty much ''all'' the live-action stars of the movie, aside from Wayne Knight and a few others.)
** ''Film/SpaceJamANewLegacy'' has UsefulNotes/LeBronJames, and [[spoiler: Creator/MichaelBJordan briefly appears as himself for a BaitAndSwitch gag due to [[NamesTheSame sharing a name]] with the previous film's star]].
* Music/TheBeatles were playing themselves, but obviously inserted into fictional circumstances in ''Film/AHardDaysNight'' and ''Film/{{Help}}''
** Music/PaulMcCartney, Music/RingoStarr and others in ''Film/GiveMyRegardsToBroadStreet''.
* ''Film/{{Hamlet 2}}'' had 'Creator/ElisabethShue as Elisabeth Shue'.
* Creator/BruceCampbell as Bruce Campbell in ''Film/MyNameIsBruce'', though this example ''may'' skirt into AdamWesting territory.
* In ''Film/SunsetBoulevard'', film director Creator/CecilBDeMille plays himself. Norma Desmond first approaches him on the set of ''Film/SamsonAndDelilah'', on which shooting had just wrapped. Gossip columnist [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedda_Hopper Hedda Hopper]] appears at the end. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Q._Nilsson Anna Q. Nilsson,]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._B._Warner H.B. Warner]] and Creator/BusterKeaton appear in one scene as the "Waxworks", but aren't named.
* Creator/GloriaSwanson appeared as herself in ''Film/{{Airport}} 1975''.
* Music/{{Miyavi}} stars as a [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory highly fictionalized]], [[SmallNameBigEgo over-exaggerated]], ''[[TimeTravel time traveling]]'' version of himself in his 2004 VanityProject, ''Film/{{Oresama}}''. It is not PlayedForLaughs.
* ''Film/TheBluesBrothers'' plays with this, featuring the band members playing themselves. The majority of them were part of the original backing band, and are well known blues and R&B legends, including Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn (both of whom are in the UsefulNotes/RockAndRollHallOfFame as members of Booker T and The MG's), and Matt "Guitar" Murphy. Paul Shaffer turns up in ''Film/BluesBrothers2000'', but he's not actually playing himself -- he instead adopts a thick French accent, playing the role of Queen Mousette's aide, Marco. He later takes off the wig and performs with the band, though, for which he gets credited both as Marco and as himself on the end credits list.
* Every actor in ''Film/CoffeeAndCigarettes'' plays themselves, although arguably some of the minor characters may be cases of TheDanza.
* ''Film/FunnyPeople'' features several famous or once-famous comedians and entertainers as friends of the fictional George Simmons, whose career appears largely inspired by that of Creator/AdamSandler, who plays him.
* Creator/ZoeBell plays herself in Creator/QuentinTarantino's ''[[Film/{{Grindhouse}} Death Proof]].''
* ''Film/DickieRobertsFormerChildStar'' has a number of cameos by famous child actors and Brendan Frasier is in the film.
* ''Film/ThePlayer'', by Creator/RobertAltman contains over 50 cameos of famous Hollywood stars, all playing themselves.
* Creator/StanLee appears as himself in ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'', ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', ''Film/CaptainMarvel2019'' (where he can be heard preparing his lines for ''Mallrats'') and ''Film/{{Deadpool|2016}}'' (billed in the credits as "[[TheCameo a gratuitous cameo]]").
* Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino plays [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino]] in the first ''Film/AceVentura'' film.
* The Creator/AndyKaufman biopic ''Film/ManOnTheMoon'' featured numerous people from Kaufman's life as themselves, including
** the cast of ''Series/{{Taxi}}'' -- except for Creator/DannyDeVito, who was already playing Kaufman's manager
** Creator/DavidLetterman, Paul Shaffer, and the ''Late Night with David Letterman'' band, re-creating Kaufman's infamous appearance on ''Late Night With David Letterman'' with wrestler Wrestling/JerryLawler (also playing himself) -- though filmed on the ''Late Show'' set, with no real attempt made to make anyone look younger.
** Creator/LorneMichaels, as the producer of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' (though he wasn't actually producer when Kaufman appeared on the show).
* ''Film/KrushGroove'', a RomanAClef about the founding of Creator/DefJamRecordings, includes starring roles for Music/RunDMC, Music/RickRubin, [[Music/PrincesAssociates Sheila E]], the Fat Boys, and Music/KurtisBlow as themselves, and appearances as themselves from Music/LLCoolJ, Music/NewEdition, and the Music/BeastieBoys.
* The late Miami Dolphins football team owner Joe Robbie played himself in the movie adaptation of ''Literature/BlackSunday'' in which terrorists are going to attack the UsefulNotes/SuperBowl. He's interviewed about security at the Orange Bowl by Creator/RobertShaw, who is playing Israeli counter-terrorist David Kabakov.
* ''Film/TheBlindSide'': [[UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball NCAA Division I college football]] coaches Philip Fulmer, Lou Holtz, Tom Lemming, Houston Nutt, Ed Orgeron, Pepper Rodgers, Nick Saban, and Tommy Tuberville.
* In ''Film/GetShorty'', during the filming of the climax of Chili's movie, Harvey Keitel plays himself playing [[spoiler:Ray Bones]]. Also, Penny Marshall as herself, directing said movie.
* Creator/MaggieCheung plays herself in ''Film/IrmaVep''.
* In ''Film/OceansTwelve'', Creator/JuliaRoberts plays a character, Tess, who is persuaded to pose as Julia Roberts. This plan actually falls apart due to another surprise example: [[spoiler: Bruce Willis spots Tess!Julia and eventually is able to figure out it's not Julia Roberts, foiling the Ocean crew's plan.]]
* ''Film/WesCravensNewNightmare'' features Creator/HeatherLangenkamp, Creator/RobertEnglund, Creator/WesCraven and Bob Shaye all playing themselves. Freddy Krueger (though still played by Englund) is also credited [[CharacterAsHimself As Himself]].
* Paolo Roberto as himself in ''The Girl Who Played With Fire'', second film of ''Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy''. The Swedish language version, anyway; whether he will be cast as himself in the Hollywood version is yet to be seen.
* Creator/{{Steve|Irwin}} and Terri Irwin in ''Creator/TheCrocodileHunterCollisionCourse''.
* Music/TomJones in ''Film/MarsAttacks''.
* Fred Niblo, a real MGM movie director, has a comic supporting role in ''Film/FreeAndEasy'' as Fred Niblo, Creator/{{MGM}} director, who has a world of difficulty in getting Elmer J. Butts (Creator/BusterKeaton) to memorize a single line of dialogue.
* An unusual mutation can be found in the feature-length version of ''Film/TheWizardOfSpeedAndTime'': the cast list at the end of the film starts with "Mike Jittlov -- The Wizard" followed immediately by "The Wizard -- Himself".
* Creator/BrianAustinGreen and Creator/IanZiering both play exaggerated caricatures of themselves in the movie ''Film/{{Domino|2005}}''.
* Attorney Ed [=McDonald=] plays himself in ''Film/GoodFellas'' when Karen and Henry Hill look to the WitnessProtection program; he handled the Hills' case in real life. The Hills' dialogue was taken verbatim from the transcript of their conversation while [=McDonald=] ad-libbed his dialogue.
* ''Film/{{United 93}}'' featured many of the actual people involved in the original events, including Ben Sliney, former U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's National Operation Manager and the man who ordered the US airspace to a National Ground Stop during 9/11. He played himself, reenacting those same events, and does a damn good job of it.
* [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] in ''Film/{{Airplane}}''.
** "And introducing Otto [the autopilot] as himself."
* Several UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball players and umpires, as well as numerous sportscasters in ''Film/TheNakedGun''. Special mention to Reggie Jackson as a would-be brainwashed royal assassin.
* Music/WeirdAlYankovic in ''Film/TheNakedGun 1'' and ''3''. He's also in ''2'', but plays a part.
** Weird Al also sings the theme to ''Film/SpyHard'' while wearing a white tuxedo in the opening credits. When his name comes up in the credits for writing and singing the theme song, he points to it.
* Music/GeorgeClinton in ''Film/{{PCU}}''.
* In the [[GermanMedia German movie]] ''Keinohrhasen'', the main character is a paparazzo and sneaks into the engagement party of Yvonne Catterfeld (pop singer) and Wladimir Klitschko (professional boxer). While these two celebrities play themselves, their relationship is entirely made up.
* ''Film/UndercoverBrother''. Music/JamesBrown is captured by The Man's organization. Eventually he reveals himself to be [[spoiler: Undercover Brother in a LatexPerfection mask.]]
* ''Film/{{Contagion}}'' has Dr. Sanjay Gupta cameo in an interview with Dr. Cheever.
* In Creator/JerryLewis' ''The Bellboy'', Lewis plays himself and the bellboy Stanley. After Milton Berle (as himself) lectures Stanley, he runs into Jerry Lewis (as himself), and wonders if there can be "two of them." Berle goes off, then Lewis runs into a bellboy (played by Berle), and Lewis does an extended double-take.
* In ''Film/AllThePresidentsMen'' Frank Wills, the security guard who finds the masking tape on the door in the opening scene, is played by Frank Wills, the security guard who actually found the masking tape on the door at the Watergate. A lot of politicians and reporters appear as themselves in archival footage, including President and Mrs. Nixon, Spiro Agnew, Ron Ziegler, Walter Cronkite, etc.
* The original ''Film/AngelsInTheOutfield'' included (simulated) newsreel interviews with (actual) famous people concerning whether or not [=McGovern=] is actually conversing with angels. Among them is Ty Cobb, who simply says "All I can say is the game of baseball has certainly changed!"
* In ''Film/TheFighter'', Micky Ward's trainer/Lowell police sergeant Mickey O'Keefe is played by... Micky Ward's trainer/Lowell police sergeant Mickey O'Keefe. O'Keefe had never acted before and was reluctant to take the role, though Creator/MarkWahlberg was eventually successful in persuading him.
* In ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'', UsefulNotes/BuzzAldrin briefly appears as himself. So does Creator/BillOReilly. In a rather self-aware parody, he is quickly accused of "ambush journalism," and calls someone a pinhead.
* ''Film/PennAndTellerGetKilled''.
* ''Film/TalladegaNightsTheBalladOfRickyBobby'', being about UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}, features a lot of people who cameo as themselves, including:
** Dale Earnhardt Jr. asks Ricky for an autograph in one scene. He is seen in the garage at Talledega in a deleted scene.
** Ricky beats Jamie [=McMurray=] by running in reverse.
** Both the NASCAR on FOX broadcasting team (Mike Joy, Larry [=McReynolds=], and Darrell Waltrip) and the NASCAR on NBC team of 2005 (Bill Weber, Wally Dallenbach Jr., and Benny Parsons (died 2007)), are present; the FOX team is used for two races in the first half of the movie, while the NBC team is covering the Talladega race at the end of the movie.
*** There's even a funny moment where an NBC reporter in the stands claims to have spotted Music/KennyRogers and [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation Larry Bird]] on two different occasions, but Weber, Parsons and Dallenbach have a hard time believing him, suspecting he might have had a stroke.
%%* Music/{{WASP}} in ''Film/TheDungeonmaster''.
* ''Film/DodgeballATrueUnderdogStory'' has Lance Armstrong and Creator/ChuckNorris as themselves at one point.
* Extremely common in old westerns, especially of the "singing cowboy" variety. Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gene Autry, etc. all made many, many films playing characters with their own names.
* A variation is seen in ''Film/UnderSiege'', where Erika Eleniak's character is introduced to a man by another character by showing him a ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' centerfold and saying she's "Miss July 1989." While the character goes by a different name than the actress, she was in fact the actual Playmate of that month.
* The 1948 Franco-Norwegian film ''Kampen om tungtvannet'' (The battle for heavy water) with Jens-Anton Poulsson, Claus Helberg Urbye, Thorstein Skinnarland and HH Halban as themselves.
* There's kind of an example in ''Film/TheFrenchConnection'' - Coke, the UsefulNotes/NewYorkSubway driver, is played by a UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity Subway driver named Coke.
* In ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'' James Carville plays himself at a White House party.
* ''Film/ThisIsTheEnd'' is about Creator/SethRogen, Creator/JonahHill, Creator/JamesFranco, Craig Robinson, Creator/JayBaruchel, and Creator/DannyMcBride trying to ride out the Rapture in James Franco's mansion. Really, everyone in the movie plays themselves, if rather {{Jerkass}} versions of themselves in some cases.
* Creator/FredAstaire's first film appearance was as himself, in the 1933 movie ''Dancing Lady'' (with Creator/JoanCrawford and Creator/ClarkGable).
* In ''Film/TheGreatZiegfeld'', almost every one of the performers who were still alive when the movie was made were played by themselves. (Eddie Cantor is the exception.)
* Music/LouisArmstrong plays himself in the 1956 musical ''Film/HighSociety''.
* In ''Film/CoverGirl'' (1944), supermodel [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinx_Falkenburg Jinx Falkenburg]] has a cameo role as herself. Fifteen other real cover girl models of 1944 also appear as themselves in the ShowWithinAShow.
* Jason Biggs' portrayal of himself in ''Film/JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack''. He is frustrated that the only thing anyone remembers about him is that he [[Film/AmericanPie fucked a pie]].
** Also Creator/JamesVanDerBeek in the same scenes.
* The 2010 film ''Round Ireland With a Fridge'', based on Tony Hawks' 1999 book ''Round Ireland With a Fridge'', based on Tony Hawks actually travelling round Ireland with a fridge in 1997, stars Tony Hawks as Tony. The follow-up, 2012's ''Playing the Moldovans at Tennis'', also stars Hawks as himself. (Arthur Smith's role in the book and actual events is taken by Stephen Frost playing himself, rather than have an actor "do" the inimitable Smith.)
* Chris Berman plays himself in the 2005 remake of ''Film/TheLongestYard'' -- and since he's actually calling the game, you're hearing him a ''lot'' in the third act. Jim Rome also briefly appears as himself.
* Similarly, John Madden and Pat Summerall, respectively the color commentator and play-by-play announcer of ''Series/MondayNightFootball'' at the time, appeared as themselves in ''Film/TheReplacements2000''
* ''Film/ProWrestlersVsZombies'' features multiple wrestlers (as well as one Penthouse Pet and several members of the production staff) As Themself since the premise is that they were invited to a particular wrestling exhibition before the ZombieApocalypse starts.
* Lawyer and politician Fred Thompson started a prolific acting career in his forties when he was asked to play himself in ''Marie'', about a client of his who fought a parole-bribery scheme.
* TV journalists Sander Vanocur and Bree Walker appear as themselves in the PhonyNewscast ''Film/WithoutWarning1994''.
* ''Film/VivaKnievel'': UsefulNotes/EvelKnievel and Frank Gifford play fictionalized versions of themselves.
* Boxing legend Max Schmeling, his wife Anny Ondra, and actress Sonja Ziemann appear as themselves in the 1957 German comedy ''Die Zürcher Verlobung''.
* During the end credits of ''Film/HoubaOnTheTrailOfTheMarsupilami'', Music/CelineDion appears as herself, leaving a video message to a big fan of hers.
* Offbeat actor Creator/JohnMalkovich plays offbeat actor John Malkovich in the appropriately named ''Film/BeingJohnMalkovich'', although there are several significant differences between the character and the real person, as well as a couple thrown in just to make the point that they're not meant to be exactly the same (for instance, the film makes a point of mentioning that Malkovich's middle name is Horatio, while the real Malkovich's is Gavin).
* The movie ''Film/IShotJesseJames'' provides an intriguing InUniverse example. After killing UsefulNotes/JesseJames, Robert Ford performs as himself in a stage show that shows how he killed Jesse. Of course, [[http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-robertford.html this was something]] the real Robert Ford actually did, so it makes sense to include it within the film.
* Played with in ''Jolson Sings Again'', the second of two biopics of singer Creator/AlJolson. The film chronicles Jolson's later life, including the making of the first biopic, ''The Jolson Story''. Actor Larry Parks not only plays Jolson, but plays himself playing Jolson in the filmmaking scenes.
* In ''Film/ThePostman'', rock legend Music/TomPetty appears as CelebritySurvivor Tom Petty, mayor of the small post-apocalyptic settlement of Bridge City, Oregon.
--> Postman: I know you. You're... famous.
--> Tom: I was once... sorta. Kinda. Not anymore.
* Creator/ClintEastwood's film ''Film/TheFifteenSeventeenToParis'': Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler and Alek Skarlatos, the three American soldiers who heroically stopped a terrorist attack on a French train in RealLife, are played by themselves.
* In the 1923 comedy ''Film/TheExtraGirl'', silent stars William Desmond and Billy Bevan appear as themselves.
* In ''Film/PleaseStandBy'', Wendy's four housemates are all played by autistic actors with the same names as their characters.
* The wrestling biopic ''Film/FightingWithMyFamily'' features Wrestling/DwayneJohnson, Wrestling/{{Sheamus}}, Wrestling/BigShow, Wrestling/TheMiz, and Wrestling/JohnCena appearing as themselves. The eponymous family are played by actors whereas Wrestling/AJLee is played by fellow pro wrestler Wrestling/TheaTrinidad.
* ''Film/StickIt'' features gymnast Nastia Liukin playing herself two years before she won the Olympic All-Around gold. (Liukin is actually not the only real competitive gymnast who appears in the film, but she's the only one to be mentioned by name or play a role in the story; the others are mostly background.)
** NBC gymnastics commentators Bart Conner, Tim Daggett, and Elfi Schlegel appear as themselves during the national championships sequence.
* In ''Film/KickinItOldSchool'', Creator/DavidHasselhoff appears and loans Justin [[Series/KnightRider KITT]] so he can take Jennifer on a date.
* In ''Film/DuckButter'', Naima is hired (and quickly fired) as an actress in a film directed by Mark and Jay Duplass, who play themselves. On her way to the set, she listens to a podcast where the Duplass brothers are interviewed about their filmmaking methods - though Mark and Jay Duplass' characters are simply listed as Mark and Jay with no last names, their last names ''are'' mentioned in the podcast heard in the movie, which is an excerpt of a real podcast they were interviewed for.
* Chubby the dog from ''Film/RelativeFear'' is credited this way.
* In ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'', ''Godzilla'', ''King Ghidorah'', ''Mothra'', and ''Rodan'' are all credited as himself/herself, as part of the ''cast'' credits while the motion capture performers who brought the kaiju to life were listed as a separate set of credits.
* ''Film/SomeoneGreat'': Musicians Questlove and Jessie Reyez appear as themselves at Neon Classic.
* ''Film/TalesOfHalloween'': Adrianne Curry makes [[TheCameo a cameo]] as herself in "The Night Billy Raised Hell", with Billy and Mr. Abaddon carjacking her and stealing her car.
* ''[[Film/StTrinians St. Trinian's]]'' (the 2007 film): [[Creator/StephenFry Stephen Fry]] appears as the host of "School Challenge", a [[Series/UniversityChallenge University Challenge]]-like quiz.
* ''Film/RingOfFear'' is a NonActorVehicle featuring circus owner/lion tamer Clyde Beatty and author Creator/Mickeypillane as themselves solving a mystery at Beatty's circus. Additionally, various members the Clyde Beatty circus appear as themselves performing their circus acts.
* In ''Film/OneTrickPony'', Music/TinyTim appears during the Salute to the Sixties, wandering around backstage playing his ukelele.
* In ''Film/Molly1983'', the titular singing dog is credited this way.
* ''Film/SafetyPatrol:'' Singer Music/WeirdAlYankovic and TV show hosts Wink Martindale and John Walsh briefly appear as themselves.
* Creator/SharonStone, Creator/KevinKline, Creator/BarryLevinson and Creator/BobCostas all briefly appear as themselves in ''Film/HereToday''.
* ''Film/BloodDripsHeavilyOnNewsiesSquare'' has a majority of the cast playing themselves going about a typical day shooting ''Film/{{Newsies}}'' until a serial killer shows up.
* In ''Film/KnockedUp'', Ryan Seacrest plays a fictional version of himself and the boss of Alison Scott. Unlike in real life where Ryan enjoys being in entertainment shows like E!, this version of Ryan hates it because he wanted to be a respected TV reporter doing real journalism but got stuck doing tabloid news of celebrities.
* In ''Film/MadLove1995'', the band 7 Year Bitch perform as themselves during a club scene.
* In ''Film/TheDrummerAndTheKeeper'', rock band the Strypes appear towards the end of the movie, when Christopher gets a job as their roadie.
* ''Film/CallMeBwana'': Golfer Arnold Palmer appears during a scene where Matt's party stumbles upon a country club, where Palmer and Matt play golf.
[[/folder]]

Supertrope of NewscasterCameo (newsreader As Himself) and LenoDevice (talk-show host As Himself).

[[folder:Web Comics]]

Occasionally, there will be an example of this with a deceased star/famous figure. This will often be done using archive footage, but the trope still applies because they are still playing themselves in fictional circumstances (''Film/ForrestGump'' didn't actually meet UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy or UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson, folks).

* Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino plays [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino]] in the first ''Film/AceVentura'' film.

* ''Film/KrushGroove'', a RomanAClef about the founding of Creator/DefJamRecordings, includes starring roles for Music/RunDMC, Music/RickRubin, [[Music/PrincesAssociates Sheila E]], the Fat Boys, and Kurtis Blow as themselves, and appearances as themselves from Music/LLCoolJ, Music/NewEdition, and the Music/BeastieBoys.

* Steve and Terri Irwin in ''Creator/TheCrocodileHunterCollisionCourse''.

* Stew, book writer and co-music writer of the semi-autobiographical show ''Theatre/PassingStrange'', starred in the original productions as TheNarrator, who introduces himself in the first song as "Stew", which just adds to the [[MindScrew strangeness]] because he's narrating a story based on the real Stew's life story, which is also strongly implied to be the character Stew's literal life story. It's a little confusing if you think about it too hard, [[BellisariosMaxim so don't.]] Things would have gotten '''really''' crazy if his understudy had ever gone on.

* In ''Film/SunsetBoulevard'', film director Creator/CecilBDeMille plays himself. Norma Desmond first approaches him on the set of ''Film/SamsonAndDelilah'', on which shooting had just wrapped. Gossip columnist [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedda_Hopper Hedda Hopper]] appears at the end. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Q._Nilsson Anna Q. Nilsson]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._B._Warner H.B. Warner]] and Creator/BusterKeaton appear in one scene as the "Waxworks", but aren't named.

* ''Webcomic/HeroineChic'': Fashion designer protagonist Zoe Porter has a run-in with Christene Barberich (real life global editor-in-chief & co-founder of the women's media-entertainment company [=Refinery29=]) in [[https://www.webtoons.com/en/drama/heroine-chic/chapter-26-going-in-style-season-1-finale/viewer?title_no=561&episode_no=30 Chapter 26]], when Christene compliments Zoe's work. This appearance was part of a larger ProductPlacement partnership between the comic's creators and several fashion/ lifestyle brands.

* ''Series/TheLWord'': Gloria Steinem appears as herself in "Lacuna" for Melvin's memorial service, as an old friend of his. There is a lot of RealitySubtext here, as not only was Steinem really friends with Melvin's actor Creator/OssieDavis (the two are shown in a real together) but Davis actually died shortly before it aired.

* ''Series/TheLWord'': Gloria Steinem appears as herself in "Lacuna" for Melvin's memorial service, as an old friend of his. There is a lot of RealitySubtext here, as not only was Steinem really friends with Melvin's actor Creator/OssieDavis (the two are shown in a real together) but Davis actually died shortly after this aired.

* The ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueAction'' online short "Missing the Mark" features Creator/MarkHamill getting kidnapped by ComicBook/TheJoker, and [[ComicBook/TheFlash the Trickster]], with ComicBook/SwampThing rescuing him. [[TalkingToHimself Hamil himself voices of all three characters for the show]].

* The ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueAction'' short features Creator/MarkHamill not only voicing his regular characters of ComicBook/TheJoker, the Trickster, and ComicBook/SwampThing, but himself as the former two kidnap him and the latter save him.

* Creator/BrianAustinGreen and Creator/IanZiering both play exaggerated caricatures of themselves in the movie ''Film/{{Domino}}''.

* WebVideo/OnCinema: A lot of the people who appear on the show, especially if they make more than one appearance, including Creator/TimHeidecker, Creator/GreggTurkington, Creator/MarkProksch and Joe Estevez though they tend to play fictionalized versions of themselves.