Keeping Up Appearances
What’s the main feature of a cameo? It’s a surprise! And in a surprising turn of events, we’re going to take a look at the best cameos on TV shows by actors rich and famous, not so rich and famous, and even some non-actors along the way.
Alex Trebek On The X-Files
There’s the seriously bizarre, and there’s the amusingly bizarre, and the episode “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space” leaned into alien encounters of the second kind. Some very odd Men In Black show up, including one played by Alex Trebek! A “quizzical” turn of events indeed!
Arnold Schwarzenegger On Two And A Half Men
Actor Charlie Sheen did not show up to his former stomping ground for the hit series’ very last show, but everyone blamed his character for some ominous messages. A cop played by Arnold Schwarzenegger solved the case, the culprit being played by another cameo. Who? Stay tuned!
CBS, Two and a Half Men (2003-2015)
Brad Pitt On Friends
Pitt joined his then-wife Jennifer Aniston on Friends, playing Thanksgiving guest Will. Over turkey, Will admits he and Ross spread a rumor in high school about Aniston’s character, and created the I Hate Rachel Greene Club. Just another awkward Thanksgiving dinner!
Britney Spears On How I Met Your Mother
Creator Carter Bays says Spears’ cameo boosted the show so much, he never again had to worry network bosses would cancel his program. And it did great things for Spears too, as she was dipping her toes back in the entertainment scene after years of erratic behavior and controversy.
CBS, How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
Bruce Willis On Friends
Willis guest-starred on three episodes, playing the father of Ross’s girlfriend—and Rachel’s surprise love interest. And why did he do the cameo? He lost a bet to Matthew Perry, his co-star on The Whole Nine Yards, after the film’s box office (to Willis’ surprise) went the whole nine yards.
Bryan Cranston On 30 Rock
Cranston can be dark and sinister, but his comedic side is priceless when he plays Ron, Kenneth’s goofy stepdad. Josh McBrayer had major problems with Cranston and Catherine O’Hara, who plays Kenneth’s mom: He just couldn’t stop laughing. And he was starstruck too!
Cher On Will & Grace
Utterly obsessed with Cher, Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) unknowingly gets to meet his idol, but dismisses her as a drag-queen impersonator, albeit a very good one. In a later episode, Cher, direct from heaven, appears to him in a dream to convince him not to give up on showbiz.
Christian Slater On Two And A Half Men
Arnold Schwarzenegger, you may recall, was hot on the case of ominous messages that left the impression Alan’s brother, Charlie, was still alive. Schwarzenegger’s Lieutenant Wagner catches the culprit, played by Christian Slater, so as the episode title says, “Of Course He’s Dead”.
CBS, Two and a Half Men (2003-2015)
Christopher Reeve On Smallville
Reeve has shaped so much of our understanding of Superman, but when he showed up on a TV show about Clark Kent, he was playing Dr Virgil Swann, who reveals Kent came from the planet Krypton. It was a pretty significant plot point—and a nice handoff between superhero actors.
The CW, Smallville (2001-2011)
Conan O'Brien On The Office
The ever-observant Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is visiting New York City when he spots Tina Fey outside Rockefeller Center (nicknamed “30 Rock”). Except it’s not Tina Fey. And in the process of accosting the poor woman, he manages to miss the real Conan O’Brien walking by.
Cyndi Lauper On Gossip Girl (Original Series)
It’s Blair Waldorf’s 18th birthday party and her future father-in-law manages to get Lauper in as a surprise guest. It seems highly appropriate–after all, Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” (sadly, not performed) mixes girl power and celebrity in a show centered on those very themes.
The CW, Gossip Girl (2007-2012)
Dwayne Johnson On That ’70s Show
Johnson was known more for wrestling than acting when he played his own father in a 1999 episode, signing autographs for Eric and Red Forman. The retro theme continued as the fictional Rocky Johnson said he hoped his son would make it big in show business one day.
FOX, That '70s Show (1998-2006)
Ed Sheeran On Game Of Thrones
In a controversial cameo in the seventh season, many fans had their immersion in the show broken when Ed Sheeran appeared, singing “Hands of Gold” to Lannister soldiers by the campfire. He also sang to a vengeful Arya, played by Maisie Williams, a friend Sheeran was trying to surprise. Sadly, a castmate’s loose lips spoiled that reveal at an earlier speaker's panel!
HBO, Game of Thrones (2001-2019)
Hillary Clinton On Broad City
Clinton took 45 minutes out of her busy campaign schedule to appear in an episode called “2016,” where co-creator Ilana Glazer’s character volunteers for the campaign. Glazer and the show’s other co-creator, Abbi Jacobson, said they weren’t being political, but saw Clinton as an “iconic figure”.
Comedy Central, Broad City (2014-2019)
Joe Biden On Parks And Recreation
Leslie Knope’s ideal man has “the brains of George Clooney and the body of Joe Biden,” so Amy Poehler’s character is super-thrilled to meet Biden in two episodes. The first broadcast right after the 2012 election, and the second for the 2015 series finale, in a flash-forward to 2025.
NBC, Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
Jon Bon Jovi On Sex And The City
Rocker Bon Jovi didn’t really know much about Sex And The City before his memorable 1999 cameo—he mainly wanted to boost his odds of getting movie parts. In the episode, Carrie Bradshaw meets Seth in a therapist’s waiting room, leading to dinner and a very flexible Twister session.
HBO, Sex and the City (1998-2004)
Jon Hamm On Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm has never tried to curb guest appearances, but Hamm ranks up there in the “meta” department. He plays a version of himself who prepares for a Larry David–like role by mimicking Larry David so well, everyone is tormented by this two-for-one double menace!
HBO, Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-2024)
Katee Sackhoff On The Big Bang Theory
Howard Wolowitz just can’t seem to get enough of Sackhoff, so she’s appeared in many of his fantasies, including two episodes of the hit TV show. But idle imagination soon turns into serious advice sessions, with the Battlestar Galactica star even joined by George Takei!
CBS, The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
Lady Gaga On American Horror Story
Not exactly a cameo as she was cast as lead in the fifth season, Hotel, but Lady Gaga is another great example of a musician-turned-actor. She said she channeled her rage into her role as killer Countess Elizabeth Johnson in order to free her mind to do her music and philanthropy.
FX, American Horror Story (2011-)
Liam Neeson In Life’s Too Short
In the premiere episode of this mockumentary about showbiz, a very serious Neeson, playing himself, shows up at a talent agency looking for work. As he tries out increasingly unfunny scenarios, he seems somehow incapable of realizing he has no comedic talent whatsoever.
BBC Two, Life's Too Short (2011-2013)
Many Actors On What We Do In The Shadows
In fact, looking just at the seventh episode of the first season, “The Trial,” we have Kristen Schaal, Dave Bautista, Tilda Swinton, Paul Reubens, Danny Trejo, Evan Rachel Wood, and, dialing it in via Skype, Wesley Snipes, playing a vampiric daywalker quite akin to Blade!
FX, What We Do in the Shadows (2019-)
Matt Damon In Entourage
Damon hounds Entourage members to donate to a child charity at the end of the sixth season, even pressuring Vince to increase his $10,000 donation. In the final scene, post credits, Damon leaves a voicemail berating Vince for not sending a check, then breaks down. Drama indeed!
Michael Jackson On The Simpsons
Homer meets Leon Kompowsky, who implausibly believes he’s Jackson, in a mental institution, and gets him to write a birthday song for Lisa—which Jackson actually did write. However, he couldn’t sing it because of his contract with his record company, so a sound-alike was used.
Michelle Obama On iCarly
Promoting an initiative to help military families, the First Lady appeared on the hit Nickelodeon show iCarly in 2012. She also did some “random dancing” with the show’s characters, and promised more fruit and vegetables for the school cafeteria, reflecting another initiative.
Nickelodeon, iCarly (2007-2012)
Prince On New Girl
The legendary musician’s cameo was seen by 26 million viewers instead of the show’s usual 3 or 4 million, with numbers further boosted by the episode coming right after the 2014 Super Bowl. Prince forbade any of the Kardashians from appearing, so Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner’s scenes had to be cut.
Ricky Gervais On The Office
Considering that Gervais was the star and creator of the original UK version of the show, having his David Brent bump into Michael Scott in season 7 of the US version wasn’t a shock, but the transatlantic bonding was delightful, as the two bosses proved no borders can hold back doltish overconfidence.
Robin Williams On Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Williams let it be known he’d like to appear on the show, so producers wrote the 200th episode for him. It’s the tale of a troubled audio engineer who’s been impersonating the police in phone calls, and despite some dubious plot twists, Williams’ dark energy is something to behold.
NBC, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-)
Scrubs Cast On Cougar Town
Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence co-created Cougar Town, so it’s fitting that short-tempered grouch Ted Buckland showed up a few times. In one episode, as he pondered the similarities between his present and past co-workers, Scrubs actors show up to play more and more of the characters.
Seinfeld Cast On Curb Your Enthusiasm
Season 7 provided the closest thing to a real Seinfeld reunion that you’re ever likely to see, as Larry David (the character) insists he can do this without it looking lame. In the process, you get to see script readings, rehearsals, and takes of the actual reunion—that isn’t actually real.
HBO, Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-2024)
Stan Lee On Heroes
When superhero expert Stan Lee did this cameo, he was in the driver’s seat! In the first season episode titled “Unexpected,” Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka) boards a bus. Lee was supposed to just say, “Hi, there,” but “Well, young man, where you headed off to?” was just the start of his improv.
Stephen Hawking On Star Trek: The Next Generation
Everyone’s favorite android, Data, gets Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking together in a holodeck program to play poker together. The real Hawking plays the artificial rendition of himself, and wins the game! Even in the 24th century, Hawking is one of the greats.
Paramount, Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
Stephen King On Sons Of Anarchy
Famed horror writer King praised the show, so creator Kurt Sutter offered him a part in an episode, and promised to put him on a Harley. King played “Bachman” (a nod to his retired literary pseudonym), who disposes of bodies for a living—then drives off on a bright-red Harley.
FX, Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014)
Suzanne Pleshette On Newhart
In the series finale, Dick Loudon wakes up as Bob Hartley from his previous series, The Bob Newhart Show, and tells his wife, played by Pleshette, about his dream. Newhart’s real-life wife Ginnie came up with the idea at a party also attended by Pleshette, who immediately agreed.
Taylor Swift On New Girl
Playing Elaine, Swift foils an arranged marriage by telling Shivrang she’s in love with him, a feeling that turns out to be mutual, thus freeing up bride Cece to pursue her interest in Schmidt. The scene recalls Swift’s “Speak Now,”a song about a girl interrupting a wedding to try to get her guy.
Tom Baker On Doctor Who
If at first you don’t succeed, try 38 years later. Fan favorite Tom Baker returned as an incarnation of the Doctor in 2017 to help complete an episode canceled in 1979 due to a strike. Animation and voice acting added to his filmed scene for “Shada,” written by Douglas Adams.
William Shatner On 3rd Rock From The Sun
You wouldn’t want an interstellar celebrity like Shatner to appear just once, so the “Big Giant Head” shows up various times to shake up his band of human-impersonating aliens. In a “meta” moment, he even sings with John Lithgow, an homage to their days on The Twilight Zone.
NBC, 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996-2001)
Winona Ryder On Friends
In “The One With Rachel's Big Kiss,” a chance reunion in Central Park leads to a heated debate about who kissed whom during Rachel’s sorority days. Melissa, played by Ryder, denies any such incident, and now Rachel’s credibility in the face of Phoebe’s deep skepticism is at stake.
Carrie Fisher And James Earl Jones On The Big Bang Theory
That these two Star Wars legends showed up on the same episode of The Big Bang Theory is already amazing, but to think their 2014 cameos were the first time they’d ever met in person is astounding. That’s because Jones only voiced Darth Vader, so never had to be on set.
CBS, The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
To Be Continued…
There are lots of arguments for and against cameos, but when you consider how audiences love both celebrities and surprises, don’t expect these casting twists and turns to end anytime soon. That truly would be a surprise!
