History Main / RealPersonCameo

* Creator/DaveBarry guest-starred in one episode of ''Dave's World'', the sitcom based on his column. He was a disgruntled character who got into a bidding war with Dave over an air conditioner during a heatwave. The end credits featured real Dave Barry and screen Dave Barry (Harry Anderson) jamming together on guitars. To take things full-circle, the real Dave then wrote a column about his experience on the show, which was published in the book ''Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up''.

* Creator/DavidFincher 's 2007 movie ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'' features a brief appearance of Zodiac survivor Bryan C. Hartnell. Hartnell also consulted for the film.

* In ''Film/{{Casino}}'', Frank Cullotta, the inspiration for Frank Vincent's character, appears at the end of the film as a hit man dispatched to eliminate those who [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness have outlived their usefulness]].

* In-Universe example happens during the climax of ''Film/PeeWeesBigAdventure'', where his traveling 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.

** Earlier in the second act, Zak is seen participating in a hardcore match. The wrestler he's up against is played by the real Roy Bevis, the real Zak's older half brother.

* In ''Film/TickTickBoom'', Creator/StephenSondheim appears in the film as played by Bradley Whitford. In the film's final act, Jon gets a voicemail from Stephen Sondheim giving praise to Jon over the latter's "Superbia" workshop. But here's the thing: the real Stephen Sondheim provides the voice of himself in the voicemail!

* 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 Balitmore cops and criminals who are given cameos on the show.

* In ''Toast'', Creator/TheBBC's dramatisation of celebrity chef Nigel Slater's autobiography, Slater plays the chef who gives young Nigel his first job.

* In ''Film/AnAdventureInSpaceAndTime'', a docudrama about the making of early ''Series/DoctorWho'', Creator/WilliamRussell (Ian Chesterton) plays Harry, Creator/TheBBC commissionaire, and Creator/CaroleAnnFord (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 Creator/VerityLambert's leaving do.

* In ''Film/AnAdventureInSpaceAndTime'', a docudrama about the making of early ''Series/DoctorWho'', William Russell (Ian Chesterton) plays Harry, Creator/TheBBC commissionaire, and Creator/CaroleAnnFord (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 Creator/VerityLambert's leaving do.

* Music/WeirdAlYankovic:
** In the video for "I Lost on Jeopardy", a parody of The Greg Kihn Band's "Jeopardy" with its lyrics focusing on the [[Series/{{Jeopardy}} game show of the same name]], the following individuals directly connected to the parody subjects appear:
*** Greg Kihn himself.
*** Art Fleming, the host of the original (1964–75) version of ''Jeopardy!''
*** Don Pardo, the announcer for the original ''Jeopardy!''
** The video for "Smells Like Music/{{Nirvana}}", a parody of "[[Music/{{Nevermind}} Smells Like Teen Spirit]]", doesn't feature any member of the band, but ''does'' feature the janitor and many of the extras from the original Nirvana video.

** The bank teller who gives money to Immaculata coach Cathy Rush, played by Creator/CarlaGugino, is the real Cathy Rush.

* In ''Film/LaBamba'', during a family party Music/RitchieValens sits next to an elderly woman who is Valens' real mother.

* Sue Thomas appears in three episodes of ''Series/SueThomasFBEye''. In two of them, she plays a character called Deanne Bray!

* Roughly halfway through the MiniSeries "I Know My First Name Is Steven", the real [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Stayner Steven Stayner]] plays one of the police officers escorting "Steven" through a crowd of reporters and civilians back to his family's home.
* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'': In "The Once and Future King", Music/ElvisPresley's life long best friend Red West plays his boss Mr. Harris of the Crown Electric Company.

[[folder: Miscellaneous ]]

* In Funny or Die's spoof trailer for ''Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,'' the faux Al's goatee'd manager is played by Al himself.

[[folder: Music Video ]]

* In ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falling_from_the_Sky:_Flight_174 Falling from the Sky: Flight 174]]'', when two guys just out of a flight simulator complain to an examiner that it's impossible for both engines to fail because of a pump failure, the examiner tells them that this exact scenario has actually happened. The examiner is played by Robert Pearson, the Captain of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider The Gimli Glider]], a Boeing 767 which ran out of fuel in mid-air.

* ''Film/ManOnTheMoon'' features a number of these - for example, the real Bob Zmuda (played by Creator/PaulGiamatti in the film) appears as the producer of ABC's "Fridays."

* Aside from being portrayed by an actor as part of the Rolling Stone staff, the actual Jann Wenner has a cameo in ''Film/AlmostFamous'', reading a newspaper in the back of a taxi.

** The real Ben Bradlee, Jr. is seen listening to his fictional counterpart reporting on 9/11.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* In ''Film/LaBamba'', during a family party Music/RichieValens sits next to an elderly woman who is Valens' real mother.

* ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'' features a cameo by astronaut Jim Lovell (who flew on the actual Apollo 13 mission) as the captain of the aircraft carrier that recovers the crew after splashdown. Lovell is, of course, being played by Tom Hanks. The cameo is doubly appropriate, given that Lovell is a retired Navy captain. (The plan was for him to be an admiral for the part, but he declared, 'I retired a captain, and I'll be a captain.')

* In-Universe example happens during the climax of ''Film/PeeWeesBigAdventure'', where his traveling 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.

* 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 [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0010944/?ref_=tt_cl_t12 Edie Adams]].

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

* In ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'', Hunter S. Thompson's alter ego Raoul Duke (played by Johnny Depp) has a flashback in a nightclub where he hallucinates that he sees himself sitting at a table. The man at the table is the real Hunter S. Thompson.
-->"There I was... holy shit, ''there I am!''

* Sharon Rice-Weber (the wife of noted novelist Creator/DavidWeber) gave her permission to be included in ''Fanfic/TheInstituteSaga''. Her character shows up on the [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10580880/17/The-Institute-Saga-III bridge that Magneto relocates]] [[spoiler:and is the one who takes Magneto down]].

* In ''Film/ThePeopleVsLarryFlynt'' Larry Flynt appears as Judge Morrisey, a trial judge in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition civil rights attorney Bert Neuborne, who aided Flynt in his defense against a lawsuit by prominent religious conservative Jerry Falwell, plays Falwell's attorney in that lawsuit.

A subtrope of TheCameo. Compare CelebrityParadox, AutobiographicalRole.

* Cleverly used in ''Film/ErinBrockovich''. When Erin is in a restaurant, one of the waitresses is being played by the ''real'' Erin Brockovich. She even has a nametag that reads "Julia", as Brockovich is played by Julia Roberts. At the table behind her is the real Ed Masry, the lawyer who represented Erin.

* In ''Film/ThePursuitOfHappyness'', the real Chris Gardner (Will Smith's character) is the very well-dressed black man crossing the street behind Will Smith and his son at the end of the movie.

* ''Film/ManOnTheMoon'' features a number of these - for example, the real Bob Zmuda (played by Paul Giamatti in the film) appears as the producer of ABC's "Fridays."

* PlayedWith in ''Film/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.

** Actual WWE Superstars Sheamus, The Miz, and Big Show all appear as themselves for the scene at ''Wrestling/WrestleMania''.

* In ''Film/AnAdventureInSpaceAndTime'', a docudrama about the making of early ''Series/DoctorWho'', William Russell (Ian Chesterton) plays Harry, Creator/TheBBC commissionaire, and Creator/CaroleAnnFord (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.