The 25 Most Unexpected Celebrity Cameos in Movies

Including Bill Murray as the greatest zombie ever.

Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Big-budget Hollywood movies are typically so formulaic that you can predict every beat within the first five minutes. Which is why, in most cases, surprises are welcome. That's where the celebrity cameos come in.

From Bill Murray in Zombieland to Eminem in Funny People, celebs can make an ultimately standard flick more memorable. Here are the 25 Most Unexpected Celebrity Cameos in Movies.

Brett Favre in There's Something About Mary (1998)

Director: Peter Farrelly

To prove that everyone does, in fact, have something for Mary, she even woos a famous Greenbay Packers quarterback, Brett Favre. As Mary's former lover, Favre is pretty convincing despite not having an acting credit to his name. And in case you're wondering what he's doing there, showing up in Mary's life again, he's there to "play the Dolphins, you dumbass."

Michael Jackson in Men in Black II (2002)

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Jackson, apparently, loved the first Men in Black so much that he personally called up Will Smith and said if there was ever a sequel, he wanted in. So, naturally, the King of Pop was in MIB 2.

And what people don't seem to realize about the singer is he actually had a terrific sense of humor about himself. Hell, he played an alien. With no stage make up. Just his face.

Kurt Vonnegut in Back To School (1986)

Director: Alan Metter

In a natural career move, the author responsible for classics like Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle appeared in the Rodney Dangerfield flick, Back to School.

How did this even happen? Not to diss Dangerfield, but the film in't required viewing for, well, anyone. However it happened—whether Vonnegut was a huge fan of Dangerfield and college comedies, or there was a huge check involved—it still proves to be one of the greatest, and most memorable, cameos ever.

Dustin Diamond in Made (2001)

Director: Jon Favreau

Screech gets a bad rap. He's been dumped on since he was a teen in Saved By the Bell. Dude, imagine if that was you? Not only did you have to go through an awkward phase, but then it was immortalized in one of the greatest teen shows ever made. You're forever the geek. Plus, he was in that porno. Moving on.

That's why we give Diamond a lot of credit for being the joke in Made. After he gets let into the club before Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau, Vaughn says what everyone was thinking, "You let Screech in?"

Chuck Norris in Dodgeball (2004)

Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber

Truly, the most beautiful scene in film history in five hundred years. Yeah, we know motion pictures have only been around for like, 115 years. (If the Oracle is right, the scene that will take its place will also star Chuck Norris, after he's been brought back to life in 3000 AD.)

Anyway, we digress. Chuck Norris is the last judge to give the Average Joe the thumbs up to play the final round. There were no words. Just feelings.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Airplane! (1980)

Director: David Zucker

Airplane! is one of those few golden comedies where logic really goes out the window. Case in point, we don't know why the Lakers star, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was fronting as a co-pilot named Roger Murdock. We only care that he got to explain to a young fan in the cockpit how he dragged "Walton and Lanier up and down the floor for 48 minutes," while the pilot asked the fan if he's ever seen a grown man naked.

Mike Tyson in The Hangover (2009)

Director: Todd Phillips

This cameo just makes sense. It feels right. Of course three dudes who got too turnt in Vegas run into Mike Tyson. Of course Mike Tyson would own a tiger that the boys stole. And, of course, Mike Tyson would reveal that he struggled with his appearance in the first film because he was way too high on cocaine during filming. Its like the stars aligned for that movie, man.

Jarvis Cocker in Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Director: Wes Anderson

One of the figureheads of the Britpop scene in the '90s, Jarvis Cocker originally had a larger role in Fantastic Mr. Fox, but people were worried no one would understand his narration of the film on account of his thick accent. Still, he was rewarded with his own mini-me claymation and a spot in the movie.

Bruce Springsteen in High Fidelity (2000)

Director: Stephen Frears

For most of us, the voice inside of our head giving us the good (OK, maybe bad, probably bad) advice is a little whiny version of our real voice. For John Cusack's character in High Fidelity, it's Bruce Springsteen playing some jazz guitar.

Bob Barker in Happy Gilmore (1996)

Director: Dennis Dugan

There's something about Bob Barker that reminds us of dear ol' grandpa. Maybe it's the fact that he took care of us when we were sick (The Price is Right is prime home-sick-from-school television), or maybe because he always gave us great advice ("Spay and neuter your pets."), or maybe because he was always telling us how much everything costs and the importance of a dollar.

Whatever the reason, seeing Bob Barker as a celebrity golfer in Happy Gilmore fulfills something within us. It's always nice to see grandpa lay the smack down on some smart ass.

Bobby Brown in Ghostbusters 2 (1989)

Director: Ivan Reitman

Before all the drama, Bobby Brown recorded the theme song "On Our Own" for the 1989 sequel Ghostbusters II. As a trade-off, the R&B singer was also given a 20-second spot as the door man for Gracie Mansion who asks for an extra proton pack for his "kid brother." Oh, the irony.

Mariah Carey in You Don't Mess With the Zohan (2008)

Director: Dennis Dugan

In an off-the-wall movie about an Israeli counter-terrorist named Zohan (Adam Sandler) who fakes his own death to follow his dream of becoming a top notch hairstylist in New York City, it makes perfect sense that Zohan ends up in the dressing room of an equally flamboyant figure, Mariah Carey. She plays an exaggerated version of her diva self. Which isn't really acting if you ask us.

Hulk Hogan in Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Director: Joe Dante

When the gremlins begin to take over a Manhattan theater, the legendary pro wrestler, who is trying to casually enjoy a movie, is asked by the usher to help him get rid of the critters in the projection booth. What follows is Hogan in full WWF mode—shirt-ripping action and all—screaming, "Do I have to come up there myself? Do you think the Gremsters cannot stand up to the Hulkster?!"

Tears of joy.

Vanilla Ice in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)

Director: Michael Pressman

After "Ice, Ice, Baby", the second most popular lyric from the '90s rap artist is obviously "Go ninja, go ninja, go!" Making a cameo in the second live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles flick, Vanilla Ice performs the "Ninja Rap" for the four anthropomorphic turtles. We can't decide if this was cheesy or horribly awesome.

Billy Idol in The Wedding Singer (1998)

Director: Frank Coraci

When singer Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler) and waitress Julia Sullivan (Drew Barrymore) are engaged to the wrong people, leave it to "White Wedding" singer Billy Idol to help destiny right its course. In one of the most recognizable scenes of the movie—second only to Grandma Rosie's rap—when Robbie finds out his true love is on the same plane as him, the '80s rocker encourages Hart to serenade Julia by singing "Grow Old With You."

Eminem in Funny People (2009)

Director: Judd Apatow

The movie about funnyman George Simmons (Adam Sandler) takes a depressing turn when he finds out he has a terminal disease. In need of some life advice, Simmons turns to his unlikely BFF, Eminem, who tells him he should just go die, before cursing out Ray Romano in a fit of rage for wanting to take a photo of him. That's a good cameo.

Bob Saget in Half Baked (1998)

Director: Tamra Davis

In 1998, America's favorite dad made an appearance in one of the least expected (or most expected, depending on what you know about him) movies we could think of: Dave Chapelle's Half Baked. In the scene where Thurgood seeks help to get over his marijuana addiction, Bob Saget admits to sucking dick for cocaine. [Insert requisite Bob Saget coke joke here.]

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

Director: Kevin Smith

Jay and Silent Bob somehow manage to play extras in their own movie, winding up alongside Matt Damon and Ben Affleck on the set of Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season. The stoners heroically attempt to beat the crap out of the Academy Award-winning actors to stop them from destroying the film's legacy with a shitty sequel.

Charlton Heston in Wayne's World 2 (1993)

Director: Stephen Surjik

When Mike Myers walks into a gas station and asks a man for directions, he isn't pleased with the so-called "Bad Actor" who dishes it to him. Instead, in a move we all wish we could pull in terrible movies, he replaces said actor with Charlton Heston. Naturally, he utters his lines in such a Shakespearean way that it moves Mike to tears.

David Bowie in Zoolander (2001)

Director: Ben Stiller

When VH1's Top Model of the Year award is given to Hansel (Owen Wilson) instead of Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller), ending his three year streak as America's favorite model, there's only one answer to figuring out who the best male fashion model actually is: a walk-off. And who better to judge a walk-off then the King of Glam Rock himself, Mr. David Bowie?

Neil Patrick Harris in Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle (2004)

Director: Danny Leiner

After getting freshly stoned, all Harold and Kumar want is to fulfill their munchies at White Castle. The last thing they expect? Neil Patrick Harris.

They find the How I Met Your Mother actor wandering on the side of the road, tripping balls after dropping some ecstasy from a stranger at a party. Of course.

Xavier McDaniel in Singles (1992)

Director: Cameron Crowe

Sex is awkward enough as it is without fantasizing about a post-game interview with Seattle SuperSonics starter, Xavier Daniels. Which is exactly what happens in Singles, a film about the misadventures of a group of twenty-somethings living in Seattle, while Campbell Scott's character is actually scoring with his girl Linda Powell (Kyra Sedgwick).

Alice Cooper in Wayne's World (1992)

Director: Penelope Spheeris

While "The Godfather of Shock Rock" is known for his stage show featuring guillotines and fake blood, his cameo in Wayne's World is a complete 180 from that. Rather than inspiring riots and anarchy, Cooper doles out a quick history lesson. Did you know that Milwaukee was the only major American city to elect three socialist mayors? Apparently, the heavy metal entertainer covered in heavy make-up has the knowledge of a heavy history textbook.

Steve Irwin in Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001)

Director: Steve Carr

How could there be a movie about a doctor who can speak to animals and not have a cameo by the late animal enthusiast Steve Irwin? While Irwin hunches into the camera explaining to the audience how he's about to rescue an unsuspecting alligator, Eddy Murphy's character Dr. Dolittle overhears the alligator explaining how he is going to catch The Crocodile Hunter off guard by letting him believe he doesn't know Steve is back there and, at the right time, bite his arm off.

If only Irwin had Dolittle around when he was sneaking up on that sting ray, things could have ended up much differently.

Bill Murray in Zombieland (2009)

Director: Ruben Fleischer

When Woody Harrelson and Emma Stone start dancing to the Ghostbusters theme song in 2009's Zombieland, audiences should be able to guess that the loafers hitting the cheetah-print covered floor belong to the incomparable Bill Murray. We don't blame Harrelson's character for freaking out because, well, it's Bill fucking Murray! In fucking zombie form!