History Main / RealPersonCameo

* PlayedWith in ''TheTheoryOfEverything''; after previewing the movie, Stephen Hawking gave permission for the filmmakers to use a version of his synthesized voice to replace the simulation they used.

* Tony Wilson himself appears as a TV studio technician in ''Film/TwentyFourHourPartyPeople''. After his cameo, it is immediately pointed out by the [[BreakingTheFourthWall actor playing Tony Wilson]] (the film has NoFourthWall, at least when dealing with the main character) who then also mentions several other cameos by actual musicians from throughout the film to that point. One notable example features Howard Devoto, the lead singer for the bands the Music/{{Buzzcocks}} and Music/{{Magazine}}, appearing in a scene featuring the actor playing him, only to turn around and bluntly state that he doesn't remember this happening at all. It's ''that'' kind of [=Biopic=].

[[AC:Films]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

* In ''Series/MicroMen'' Sophie (née Roger) Wilson, as well as being a major character played by actor Stefan Butler, has a cameo right at the end of the programme as a pub landlady.

[[AC:Miscellaneous]]

[[AC:MusicVideo]]

* The real Frank Abagnale Jr. was an extra in ''Film/CatchMeIfYouCan''. He played one of the French police officers.

* Tony Wilson himself appears as a TV studio technician in ''Film/TwentyFourHourPartyPeople''. After his cameo, it is immediately pointed out by the [[BreakingTheFourthWall actor playing Tony Wilson]] (the film has NoFourthWall, at least when dealing with the main character) who then also mentions several other cameos by actual musicians from throughout the film to that point. One notable example features Howard Devoto, the lead singer for the bands The Buzzcocks and Magazine, appearing in a scene featuring the actor playing him, only to turn around and bluntly state that he doesn't remember this happening at all. It's ''that'' kind of [=Biopic=].

* In-Universe example happens during the climax of ''Film/PeeWeesBigAdventure'', where his travailing all over the country to find his bike is made into an over the top action film. Peewee appears as a hotel check in clerk.

* In ''Film/AnAdventureInSpaceAndTime'', a docudrama about the making of early ''Series/DoctorWho'', William Russell (Ian Chesterton) plays Harry, Creator/TheBBC commissionaire, and Carole Ann Ford (Susan) plays Joyce, a grandmother whose grandsons are ''Doctor Who'' fans. A few other actors from the early years appear at various points, most notably in the crowd at Verity Lambert's leaving do.

* In ''Film/HoldingTheMan'', Tim's real mother Mary Gert Conigrave, Tim's real sister Anna Davison and one of her daughters appear briefly sitting on a table during Anna's wedding reception scene.

* ''Film/SomeCameRunning'' is a 1958 film starring Music/FrankSinatra and Music/DeanMartin, in which a number of poker games are portrayed. In one such game, Frank and Dino are playing against Creator/JamesJones, who wrote the novel upon which the movie is based. (For you ultimate trivia buffs, another person at the same table is [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} Uncle Leo]].)

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''
** Astronaut Mae Jemison appeared in an episode as a transporter operator; this made her the first performer in the franchise's history to have actually been in space.
** Stephen Hawking plays his Holodeck self in Data's poker game in "Descent"; this made him the only person in the franchise's history to play himself.

* ''Some Came Running'' is a 1958 film starring Music/FrankSinatra and Music/DeanMartin, in which a number of poker games are portrayed. In one such game, Frank and Dino are playing against Creator/JamesJones, who wrote the novel upon which the movie is based. (For you ultimate trivia buffs, another person at the same table is [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} Uncle Leo]].)

* SkyOne's ''Little Crackers'' series comprises biographical skits about (and usually written by) comedians and comedy actors, who always appear as a secondary character. For instance, Alison Steadman as her own mum, or Creator/StephenFry playing his headmaster.

* George Harrison, one of the biggest supporters of ''TheRutles'', appears in the film as a grey-wigged reporter.

* The film ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087212/ Ernie Kovacs: Between The Laughter]]'' features a scene where Edie Adams (portrayed by Melody Anderson) has a chance to see ''Creator/MaeWest''. Mae West is portrayed by the real ''Creator/EdieAdams''.

* Astronaut Mae Jemison appeared in an episode of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' as a transporter operator; this made her the first performer in the franchise's history to have actually been in space.

* Music/GeorgeHarrison's 1988 video for "When We Was Fab", a nostalgic look back at [[Music/TheBeatles Beatlemania]], features his former bandmate Music/RingoStarr, first as a personal assistant and then as a drummer (the latter being Starr's real-life role in The Beatles), and also former Beatles road manager Neil Aspinall holding up a copy of Music/JohnLennon's 1971 album ''Music/{{Imagine}}''. Rumors that Music/PaulMcCartney also appeared in the video have never been confirmed. The video also features several other cameos from music celebrities that don't fit this trope.

* In Music/EltonJohn's 2001 video for "Original Sin", MandyMoore plays a bespectacled, ShrinkingViolet Elton fan in TheSeventies who shuts herself in her room as her father is setting up a camera for a family portrait in her living room. She falls asleep and dreams she is following the [[Music/GoodbyeYellowBrickRoad Yellow Brick]] [[Film/TheWizardOfOz Road]] to attend an Elton concert from the time period at the height of his success and flamboyance); though "Elton" is never seen, many celebrities (played by lookalikes) are in the audience. Mandy's character's father is played by Elton himself.

* At the end of ''Film/WhatsLoveGotToDoWithIt'', the real Music/TinaTurner is shown singing the iconic song during her first successful world tour of her hit album ''Private Dancer'' which the song is on.

* In ''Film/{{Secretariat}}'', Penny Chenery, owner of the all-time great [[UsefulNotes/HorseRacing racehorse]], is played by Diane Lane. The real Chenery, in her mid-80s at the time of filming (more than 35 years after Secretariat's Triple Crown run in 1973), appears in a crowd scene at the Belmont Stakes, not far from Secretariat's cinematic connections.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' dips into this every now and then, especially in the new series. Newscasters have been used, of course, but also the late Patrick Moore as a secret member of a group of people the Doctor consults in case of Alien occurences in the Series 5 opening ''Recap/DoctorWhoS31E1TheEleventhHour?from=Recap.DoctorWhoS31E01TheEleventhHour''.

* Happens [[http://www.criminaljusticedegreesguide.com/features/10-real-people-that-inspired-characters-on-the-wire.html more than once]] on ''Series/TheWire'', as several characters are loosely based on real cops and criminals who are given cameos on the show. Most notably, the real Jay Landsman ends up playing a recurring character.