The Most Memorable Seinfeld Guest Stars
One of the best things about Seinfeld—aside from its legendary cast and everyday absurdity—was its celebrity cameos. Some as themselves, others as quirky characters, often getting tangled in Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer's absurd world.
Jennifer Coolidge
Before she became a comedy queen with her scene-stealing performances in Legally Blonde and American Pie, Jennifer Coolidge had a guest role on Seinfeld. She appeared in Season 5, Episode 9, "The Masseuse," playing Jodi—a professional masseuse who dates Jerry but refuses to give him a massage.
Seinfeld The Masseuse with Jennifer Coolidge as the masseuse by Giulia
Jennifer Coolidge (Cont.)
Jodi drives Jerry insane because she was completely uninterested in his charm, which was rare for his love interests. The irony of a masseuse who won't give her boyfriend a massage made for an unexpected plot, and her deadpan delivery added to the humor.
Seinfeld The Masseuse with Jennifer Coolidge as the masseuse by Giulia
Sarah Silverman
While she only appeared in one episode of Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman's role as Emily was another example of how the show loved casting future comedy stars before they hit it big. She was one of Kramer's many short-lived girlfriends. Her defining trait? She talks in her sleep—loudly.
Kramer's Girlfriend Wears Him Out | The Money | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
Sarah Silverman (Cont.)
In Season 8, Episode 9, "The Money," viewers could see how her actions led to all sorts of confusion and paranoia when Jerry overhears her mumbling something about "Jimmy" in her sleep. Silverman was already building her comedy career, and her Seinfeld appearance pushed her forward.
Kramer's Girlfriend Wears Him Out | The Money | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
Rob Schneider
Comedy veteran Rob Schneider made a brief but memorable appearance in Seinfeld during Season 7 "The Friar's Club” episode. He played Bob, a low-talking assistant at the Friars Club who causes all sorts of misunderstandings. Already known from Saturday Night Live, brought his signature comedic style to the role.
Rob Schneider on Seinfeld by snorri500
Rob Schneider (Cont.)
If the "low talker" concept sounds familiar, it's because the show already had a famous low-talker (Leslie, the woman who got Jerry to wear the puffy shirt). But Schneider's character took it to another level as his performance fit perfectly with Seinfeld's love of exaggerated personality quirks.
Bob Grossberg by I always cut stuff
Keith Hernandez
One of the most famous guest stars wasn't an actor at all—it was New York Mets legend Keith Hernandez. He appeared in the two-part Season 3 episode "The Boyfriend," where he played himself in the episode. Many fans consider this one of the show's best guest appearances.
Seinfeld: Keith Hernandez (Clip) | TBS by TBS
Keith Hernandez (Cont.)
When Jerry meets Hernandez, he immediately develops a bit of a man crush on him while trying to become his friend. The episode is packed with hilarious moments, including Kramer and Newman confronting Hernandez in a perfect parody of the JFK assassination "magic bullet" theory.
Jerry And Elaine Date Keith Hernandez | The Boyfriend | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
Courteney Cox
At the time, Courteney Cox was already a rising star, having appeared in Family Ties and the infamous Bruce Springsteen "Dancing in the Dark" music video. However, her Seinfeld appearance came just a few months before Friends debuted, where she became a household name as Monica Geller.
The Ones With Monica Being Controlling | Friends by Friends
Courteney Cox (Cont.)
Cox played Meryl, Jerry's girlfriend, in Season 5, Episode 17, "The Wife". However, Jerry and Meryl pretended to be married so that she could take advantage of his dry-cleaning discount. Cox's chemistry with Jerry was spot-on, and the way she casually dropped the word "husband" into conversations was hilarious.
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Stephen Tobolowsky
“The Heart Attack” was the episode that got Seinfeld’s fans to meet Stephen Tobolowsky. The American actor has memorable roles in several movies and shows, including Groundhog Day, Memento, Glee, and Chicago Hope. But who can forget when he turned Goerge purple?
Seinfeld I MiniEpisode I Tor Eckman I The Heart Attack by seingrams
Stephen Tobolowsky (Cont.)
In this episode, George heads to a holistic healer, played by Tobolowsky. The healer gives him herbal tea, which unfortunately causes an allergic reaction and turns him purple. While taken to the hospital, the ambulance gets into an accident, leaving George in a neckbrace after having his tonsils removed.
Seinfeld I MiniEpisode I Tor Eckman I The Heart Attack by seingrams
Paul O'Neill
Unlike many other guest stars, Paul O'Neill appeared as himself in "The Wink". The episode revolves around Kramer promising a sick kid that O'Neill will hit two home runs in a game, a completely ridiculous and impossible request.
Paul O'Neill On Seinfeld by Ortmeyer41
Paul O'Neill (Cont.)
Kramer then tracks down O'Neill in the Yankees locker room and pressures him to make it happen. O'Neill's reaction—complete confusion and frustration—was hilarious because it felt so real. This cameo is one of the most memorable sports-related moments in Seinfeld.
Paul O'Neill On Seinfeld by Ortmeyer41
Bryan Cranston
Long before he was cooking up drugs as Walter White in Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston had a recurring role as Dr Tim Whatley, Jerry's dentist. He first appeared in Season 6, Episode 8, "The Mom & Pop Store," and made a few more appearances throughout the series.
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Bryan Cranston (Cont.)
Whatley is one of Seinfeld's best minor characters. He starts off as Jerry's regular dentist, but over time, he becomes more and more eccentric. In "The Yada Yada," he converts to Judaism and immediately starts making Jewish jokes—something that bothers Jerry because he thinks Whatley only converted for the jokes!
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Rudy Giuliani
It's quite unlikely for politicians to appear on sitcoms, but Rudy Giuliani appeared in "The Non-Fat Yogurt” episode, playing himself before his political career took off. Giuliani was a big fan of the show and didn't think twice when he was offered the cameo.
Elaine Gets Kramer's Yoghurt Tested For Fat | The Non-Fat Yoghurt | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
Rudy Giuliani (Cont.)
He was still mayor-elect of New York City when Jerry, Elaine, and Newman became obsessed with a trendy frozen yogurt shop that claims to sell "non-fat" yogurt. However, when they all mysteriously start gaining weight, Elaine has the yogurt tested—only to find out it's loaded with fat.
Elaine Gets Kramer's Yoghurt Tested For Fat | The Non-Fat Yoghurt | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
Raquel Welch
Raquel Welch's appearance in Season 8, Episode 22, "The Summer of George," is nothing short of legendary. The Hollywood icon, known for her roles in One Million Years BC and Fantastic Voyage, played a hilariously exaggerated version of herself.
Seinfeld 0822 - Raquel Welch Is A Menace by Michael Bradley
Raquel Welch (Cont.)
Kramer gets a job as a seat filler at the Tony Awards, which results in him being mistaken for a producer, assigned to fire Welch from a show. When he confronts her, she reacts exactly as you'd expect a movie star with a massive ego to react—she physically attacks him.
Seinfeld 0822 - Raquel Welch Is A Menace by Michael Bradley
Jon Favreau
Away from Iron Man and his work on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jon Favreau played a small but hilarious role in Seinfeld. He appeared in Season 5, Episode 19, "The Fire," as Eric the Clown. Yes, Favreau—future Hollywood powerhouse—played a birthday party clown.
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Jon Favreau (Cont.)
In this episode, George attends his girlfriend's son's birthday party, and in true George fashion, he panics when he thinks there's a fire and tramples over children and old ladies to escape. One of the funniest moments comes when George berates Eric for not knowing who Bozo the Clown is.
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Teri Hatcher
Jerry and Elaine had many crazy moments, but one of them happened in Season 4, Episode 19, "The Implant". In this episode, Teri Hatcher played Sidra, a woman Jerry dates who Elaine insists has implants. She appeared in another episode, but this was the most famous one.
Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Teri Hatcher (Cont.)
Things escalate when Elaine accidentally falls onto Sidra in a sauna and concludes that her body parts are, in fact, real. When Jerry, satisfied with this information, tries to get back together with Sidra, she drops one of the most memorable lines in Seinfeld’s history: "They're real… and they're spectacular".
Seinfeld - They're real and they're spectacular by ClipsAboutNothing
Jon Lovitz
Jon Lovitz, famous for his time on Saturday Night Live and his distinctive, almost cartoonish voice, made his appearance in Season 6, Episode 13, "The Scofflaw". He played Gary Fogel, an old acquaintance of Jerry's who fakes having cancer just to gain sympathy.
Jon Lovitz - Seinfeld - 3 Jacks! by Bob Chebat
Jon Lovitz (Cont.)
Gary pretends to be sick so that people will treat him better—including getting free wigs from the toupee store. Meanwhile, Jerry is devastated when he hears the news and is beyond furious when he learns that Gary lied about the whole thing. His reaction? Classic Jerry: passive-aggressive sarcasm.
Jon Lovitz - Seinfeld - 3 Jacks! by Bob Chebat
Debra Messing
Debra Messing appeared in Season 7's "The Wait Out" as Beth, who is married to David. When Elaine and Jerry hear that their marriage is on the rocks, they can't help but root for a divorce. Of course, as things often do in Seinfeld, the situation spirals into chaos.
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Debra Messing (Cont.)
Beth later reappears in the series finale, but by then, Messing had already become a TV star. Her performance showed early signs of her comedic talent, with her perfect delivery of Beth's self-absorbed nature. While her role was small, it was a stepping stone to her stardom.
Seinfeld: Anti-Dentite (Clip) | TBS by TBS
Catherine Keener
In a classic Seinfeld plot, Catherine Keener plays Nina, who writes Jerry an emotional letter after they break up. Then, Jerry realizes he's just another guy receiving recycled material. Nina, caught in the lie, tries to play it off, but Jerry is (understandably) furious.
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Catherine Keener (Cont.)
Known for her incredible roles in Being John Malkovich and Get Out, Catherine Keener's performance was hilarious. In the episode, Jerry, touched by her words, decides to take her back—only for Elaine to recognize the letter word for word as a plagiarized excerpt from a famous Neil Simon play.
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James Spader
Unlike his intense roles in Boston Legal, The Blacklist, and Pretty in Pink, James Spader made his way to Seinfeld in Season 9, Episode 9, "The Apology" as Jason. And what a role it was. Spader's dry, condescending delivery made Jason a scene-stealer.
George Expects An Apology That Never Comes | The Apology | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
James Spader (Cont.)
Jason Hanky was an old friend of Jerry and George's who, after recovering from alcoholism, is now going through the steps of making amends. The problem? He refuses to apologize to George—who takes it personally and becomes obsessed with getting an apology he doesn't really deserve.
George Expects An Apology That Never Comes | The Apology | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
Bob Odenkirk
In Season 8, Episode 9, "The Abstinence,” Elaine had a new boyfriend. And he's no other but everyone's favorite shady lawyer, Saul Goodman, in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Bob Odenkirk. He plays Ben, a medical student who hasn't officially become a doctor yet—a fact that really bothers Elaine.
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Bob Odenkirk (Cont.)
As a matter of fact, she's dating him partly because she sees herself as a future doctor's wife. When he finally passes his medical boards and becomes a real doctor, Elaine is thrilled… until he immediately dumps her in an unexpected twist and a performance that highlights Odenkirk's comedic skills.
Bob Odenkirk on Seinfeld by Better Call Bob!
Lloyd Bridges
Hollywood legend Lloyd Bridges, famous for his parody films like Airplane!, brought his iconic energy to Seinfeld. He appeared in two episodes in Season 8, "The English Patient" and "The Blood," as Izzy Mandelbaum, the hyper-competitive elderly fitness fanatic, who challenges Jerry.
Seinfeld Clip - Jerry And The Mendelbaums by MFrancojr1
Lloyd Bridges (Cont.)
His catchphrase, "It's go time!" became a fan favorite, as we see Izzy obsessed with proving his strength. The best part? Every time Izzy tries to prove himself, he ends up hurting himself and winding up in a hospital bed—only to challenge Jerry again from his hospital room.
Seinfeld Clip - Jerry And The Mendelbaums by MFrancojr1
Bette Midler
Bette Midler, the legendary singer and actress from Beaches and The First Wives Club made a guest appearance in Season 6, Episode 24, "The Understudy". And in true Seinfeld fashion, she played herself with fans loving her ability to poke fun at herself.
Kramer Takes Care Of Bette Midler | The Understudy | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
Bette Midler (Cont.)
The setup? Jerry is dating Gennice, a woman who is unbelievably clumsy. When George and Jerry attend a charity softball game, Gennice slides into home plate—and accidentally takes out Bette Midler in the process. The entire city of New York turns against Gennice, and Kramer becomes obsessed with Midler.
Kramer Takes Care Of Bette Midler | The Understudy | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
Jane Leeves
You probably remember Jane Leeves from playing Daphne Moon on Frasier. However, she made an early appearance as Marla, Jerry's British girlfriend, in a multi-episode arc during Season 4. Her relationship with Jerry revolves around the fact that she hasn't been intimate with anyone.
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Jane Leeves (Cont.)
This fact becomes an ongoing source of stress for him. She ultimately breaks up with Jerry after learning that he and his friends made a bet about her in “The Contest” episode. Disgusted, she runs straight into the arms of John F. Kennedy Jr.
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Lauren Graham
One of Jerry's numerous girlfriends was Valerie, played by Lauren Graham. She appeared in Season 8, Episode 20, "The Millennium," and at first things were going great. Then, Jerry realizes Valerie rates her boyfriends and keeps an actual ranking system.
Lauren Graham on Seinfeld by ihartrory
Lauren Graham (Cont.)
When he sees himself slipping in the rankings, he becomes obsessed with boosting his score. It's peak Jerry: his ego is so fragile that he starts bending over backward to impress her, all in hopes of earning a better ranking. But, of course, it backfires.
Lauren Graham on Seinfeld by ihartrory
Marcia Cross
Best known for her role on Desperate Housewives, Marcia Cross made a memorable guest appearance on Seinfeld as Dr. Sara Sitarides in Season 9, who dates Jerry but unknowingly drives him crazy with her success.
Jerry Dates A Life-Saving Doctor | The Slicer | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
Marcia Cross (Cont.)
While Jerry initially enjoys the idea of dating a doctor, things take a turn when he realizes she is more successful than him. His attraction quickly fades, leading to yet another classic Seinfeld breakup. Cross’s performance poked fun at the absurdity of how stupid jealousy could derail relationships.
Jerry Dates A Life-Saving Doctor | The Slicer | Seinfeld by Seinfeld
