A brief appearance by a well-known star or other famous person in a role that would otherwise be an extra or walk-on. This may include a reference to another work they've worked on, and today is most often used as a surprise or punchline of sorts.
Subtrope of The Cameo. May be a One-Scene Wonder and/or a Big-Lipped Alligator Moment. See also Special Guest, Stunt Casting, and Tuckerization. If the celebrity has a more prominent role but is still portrayed in the film as their own likeness, that's As Himself. When a movie or show only appears to have a cameo after some years have passed, that's Retroactive Recognition. Cameo appearances may often go uncredited.
Examples
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Anime & Manga
- Katri, Girl of the Meadows: In Episode 48, Vladimir Lenin shows up at the restaurant in Turku. Akki is intrested and tries to talk to him, believing that he can assist his dreams of Finnish independence.
- Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream:
- Moeko Ueda and Asami Konno (yes, that Asami Konno), TV anchors for TV Tokyo, appear in episode 39 of Aurora Dream.
- Takky (Sachi Taketani), the narrator of the commercials for Pretty Rhythm: Mini Skirt and MC for some of the franchise's live events
made appearances as a tournament commentator near the end of Aurora Dream.
- Trapp Family Story: In Episode 38, Maria and Georg encounter Hitler at the restaurant. In Real Life, they actually met him.
Comic Books
- Ziggy Pig - Silly Seal Comics: Method Man appears at the Alley Behind A Closed-Down Laundromat Comic Con to get an autograph from his favorite cartoon character — Toughy Cat.
Fan Works
- Apotheosis (MHA): Stan Lee makes an appearance in Chapter 24 running a clothes store.
- A Different Dragon: Michael Jackson shows up as the guest performer for the Brockton Bay Hinamatsuri festival thanks to Kiryu helping him out with filming the music video for "Thriller" sometime during the 80's, with Kiryu noting that the singer managed to survive being in Kamurocho during that time period.
- Future Shock: There's some of this through Kara's presence on social media. Rachel Maddow has offered styling tips while Gordon Ramsey wants to convince her rice pudding is a real dessert.
- Raise Yourselves Up (We're Done): Invoked twice by Marinette; one of the items offered by the World Travellers' Club during their fundraising raffle is a personal meeting with Ladybug, and she also makes an appearance at their auction in order to draw more attention and attendence.
Films — Animated
- Titeuf: The late French rock singer Johnny Hallyday makes an appearance in the movie.
Films — Live-Action
- Alice, Sweet Alice: The professional wrestler Antonino Rocca appears in a bit part as a funeral director.
- Barbershop: Jalen Rose gets a haircut at the shop.
- The Black Dahlia: k.d. lang appears as a singer in the lesbian bar that Dwight investigates.
- Collateral: Jason Statham pops up to deliver the workups on Vincent's targets.
- The Country Bears: Willie Nelson and Elton John both appear in the film. Other cameos include: Jess Harnell, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Jennifer Paige, et al.
- Cruel Intentions: A brief close-up of a family photo shows Sebastian and Kathryn with their parents alongside President Clinton and First Lady Hilary Clinton.
- The Dark Backward: James Caan has a small part, and Rob Lowe has one scene.
- Elmo Saves Christmas:
- Maya Angelou is the narrator.
- Charles Durning (who had previously played Doc Hopper in The Muppet Movie) is Santa Claus (Durning portrayed Santa on four other occasions).
- Harvey Fierstein is the Easter Bunny (he even gets his own song about trying to pass off Easter eggs as Christmas presents).
- 14 Karat Soul are the Christmas carolers.
- Forrest Gump: The Faceless Elvis Presley is played by an uncredited Kurt Russell.
- The Harder They Come: Toots & the Maytals can be seen laying down voice tracks in the studio. They are also featured on the soundtrack. Ska musician Prince Buster cameos as a DJ, and Leslie Kong, who had helped launch Jimmy Cliff's career a decade earlier, portrays a recording engineer.
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York:
- Donald Trump, the then-owner of the Plaza Hotel, appears in the film as the man who directs Kevin to the lobby.note Oddly enough, the directions he gives Kevin are incorrect.
- Frank Oz is briefly seen after the moment Marv steals coins from a Santa Claus red donation can (and says to Harry they are now the "Sticky Bandits").
- Ally Sheedy as the airport clerk who tells Kevin he's in New York.
- Hustlers: Usher appears in the club during the 2007 flashbacks.
- In & Out: Whoopi Goldberg and Glenn Close as themselves in the Academy Awards scene; the former is interviewed by Peter Malloy on the red carpet about Cameron Drake, while the latter presents the award for Best Actor during the ceremony.
- Job, or the Last Brain Cell: Krzysztof Ibisz, a famous Polish presenter, hosts the Show Within a Film about feuding neighbours.
- Just Go with It: Heidi Montag appearing in one scene as a guest at the beach party concerned over a boy's injury.
- Kung Fu Jungle: Veteran Shaw Brothers badass, David Chiang, as the retired Master Chan Pak-Kwong who works at a noodle stall. But there's also...
- Licorice Pizza:
- John C. Reilly appears as Fred Gwynne, being hassled by children while dressed up as Herman Munster.
- P.T. Anderson's partner Maya Rudolph appears as a producer of a pimple cream commercial, for which Gary gives an unsatisfactory audition.
- ''Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021)': The film has Lesley Stahl, Brian Williams and Conan O'Brien as themselves, reporting on Marcel's quest. The latter two just appear in the form of archival footage of their real-life reports on the "Marcel" shorts at the height of their popularity, but Stahl has a somewhat more substantial role as Marcel and Connie's idol who eventually helps them reunite their family.
- Mean Girls (2024): Megan Thee Stallion appears in some of the social media montages as herself. She also contributes to the soundtrack with the Movie Bonus Song "Not My Fault".
- Moron Five and the Crying Lady:
- The Filipino singer Nikki Gil (Billy Crawford's ex-girlfriend) appears as a pissed-off bank teller in an ATM Machine, from which Isaac tries to get money for his tuition.
- The actress Jennylyn Mercado (Luis Manzano's ex-girlfriend) appears as a prison visitor who mistakes Albert for his partner.
- The Muppets:
- The Great Muppet Caper: Peter Ustinov briefly appears as a truck driver when Miss Piggy hijacks his vehicle. He lands next to a trashcan containing Oscar the Grouch, who's making a Crossover Cameo, and the two comment on their brief appearances in the movie.
Ustinov: What are you doing here?
Oscar: A very brief cameo.
Ustinov: (looks at camera, sadly) Me too. - The Muppet Movie: Dozens of them:
- Steve Martin is a cranky waiter serving wine.
- Elliott Gould is the emcee for a county fair's beauty pageant, and Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy appear as themselves judging same. Ta-da!
- Richard Pryor is selling balloons.
- Milton Berle is a used car salesman.
- Carol Kane keeps showing up when someone says "Myth". ("Yeth?")
- Mel Brooks is a mad scientist.
- Dom De Luise is chased by an alligator and sets Kermit off on his journey to Hollywood.
- Madeline Kahn is a patron at The El Sleezo Cafe with Telly Savalas as her boyfriend, while Paul Williams is the pianist and James Coburn is the owner.
- Bob Hope sells ice cream cones.
- Cloris Leachman is secretary to Orson Welles as the Hollywood mogul who gives the Muppets the "Standard Rich & Famous Contract". note
- The Great Muppet Caper: Peter Ustinov briefly appears as a truck driver when Miss Piggy hijacks his vehicle. He lands next to a trashcan containing Oscar the Grouch, who's making a Crossover Cameo, and the two comment on their brief appearances in the movie.
- Pain & Gain: Kurt Angle as an inmate Doyle fights with during his first incarceration. Yes indeed, it's The Rock, fresh off a WWE Championship loss at WrestleMania at the time of the film's release, versus someone who was then a mainstay of TNA.
- The Perfect Man: Styx singer Dennis De Young as singer in a Styx tribute band.
- Pieces of April: Sisqo plays Latrell, who is trying to get Bobby a nice suit so he can make a good impression.
- Pokémon Detective Pikachu: Ryoma Takeuchi (best known as Shinnosuke Tomari), the Japanese dub actor for Tim, shows up as an unnamed trainer wearing an outfit similar to Red's.
- Smart House:
- The girl group B*witched performing "C'est la vie" on the backdrop of Angie's room as she jumps on her bed singing.
- The boy band 5ive giving a live performance of "Slam Dunk (Da Funk)" as Ben and his friends watch and dance along to the video before the party.
- Twin Dragons: The long-time Shaw Brothers action icon David Chiang appears as a hotel security chief.
- Weird: The Al Yankovic Story: Many, many celebrities pop up throughout the film, playing roles ranging from bit parts to minor supporting characters.
- Lin-Manuel Miranda plays the surgeon who pronounces Al dead at the beginning before Al regains consciousness.
- Thomas Lennon is the accordion salesman.
- Scott Aukerman plays a police officer.
- Michael McKean is the emcee at The Cobra Pit bar.
- Patton Oswalt, who played Dr. Demento in the original parody trailer, appears as a heckler.
- Quinta Brunson plays Oprah Winfrey.
- Josh Groban is the waiter who serves Al and Madonna at dinner.
- Seth Green plays a radio DJ.
- Johnny Pemberton, Jonah Ray and Jeremy Bolm as the members of Skunk Barf, the punk band Al unsuccessfully auditions for.
- The pool party scene features the likes of Jack Black (Wolfman Jack), David Dastmalchian (John Deacon), Conan O'Brien (Andy Warhol), Emo Philips (Salvador Dalí), Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer (as Paul Reubens and Alice Cooper), Paul F. Tompkins (Gallagher), and Nina West (Divine), just to name a few. And even the celebrities just played by extras include familiar faces such as Elton John, David Bowie, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark and Devo, among others.
- W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism: Tuli Kupferberg (The Fugs) walks around dressed up as as soldier, stroking his gun as the soundtrack plays "Kill For Peace" from The Fugs Second Album.
- Yes, Madam: Sammo Hung and David Chiang as roommates in a nursing home.
