If you have ever wondered why a certain extra gets unusual attention or has some witty or funny lines that seem out of place, it is because they are usually played by famous celebrities. Whether the cameo role was offered by the director, or the actor simply wished to be part of the movie in a subtler way, there are quite many unexpected celebrity cameos in movies. The following list brings together the most recent and surprising cameos, some of which are actually impossible to spot.
1. Johnny Depp
Movie: 21 Jump Street
Year: 2012
The first on our list of unexpected celebrity cameos in movies is Johnny Depp. No one expected to see original cast members in the 21 Jump Street movie, released after more than twenty years after the original series. However, he managed to surprise us all during an action-packed scene, when the villains removed his fake wig and beard, revealing the well known celebrity.
2. Daniel Craig
Movie: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Year: 2015
The next cameo is impossible to identify, because the actor never really reveals himself. Even though the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie created a huge hype among fans and geeks, we never suspected it would be so popular among well established actors as well. Daniel Craig managed to get a small part as a Stormtrooper. However, there is one way to identify him: pay close attention to the few Stormtroopers who speak. The longer the camera lingers on him the higher the chances are he is Daniel Craig in disguise.
3. Cate Blanchett
Movie: Hot Fuzz
Year: 2007
Hot Fuzz is the follow up of the successful Shaun of the Dead, sprinkled with many celebrity cameos, from Peter Jackson as a violent Santa Claus to Bill Nighy and Martin Freeman. However, there was another cameo that you might not be aware of. There is one scene where Simon Pegg’s girlfriend appears, but she is wearing a medical mask. Thanks to her recognizable voice we could identify her as Cate Blanchett and Pegg could prove that he spoke the truth when he had declared that his film is starring an Academy-Award winning actress.
4. Bill Murray
Movie: Dumb and Dumber To
Year: 2014
Bill Murray’s presence in Dumb and Dumber To is among the unexpected celebrity cameos in movies. The actor appears when Lloyd goes back to the apartment after twenty years and Harry introduces him to his new roommate named Icepick. Icepick, a meth dealer, has a meth lab set up in the kitchen. Thus, when we see him he is in full costume and mask, making it impossible to recognize him.
5. Wil Wheaton
Movie: Star Trek
Year: 2009
Wil Wheaton has previously appeared in the Star Trek franchise as Wesley Crusher, a genius living on the Enterprise. More recently he is known for playing his own role in The Big Bang Theory TV series. However, he managed to get a small part in the Star Trek reboot from 2009. He is present on Nero’s ship as a Romulan officer. However, the actor wears a lot of make-up and has a digitally altered voice, so it does look like the part was created for his sake.
6. Nathan Fillion
Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy
Year: 2014
The last appearance on our list cannot really be considered one of the unexpected celebrity cameos in movies, since it was known that Nathan Fillion would be part of the 2014 movie. However, everyone imagined that he would get the part of Richard Rider, also known as Nova. It was not meant to be, but the actor was present as a prisoner who seeks to start a fight with Star-Lord. However, he ended up defeated by Groot.
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