We all love a good cameo by a celebrity who shows themselves off for a brief, but fun, moment. However, what I’ve always found most amusing is when a famous person portrays themselves in a starring role more prominent than a movie, or in a television guest appearance that is the main focus of that episode(s), or even in the title role. It drives the whole story. With Nicolas Cage playing his role The unbearable weight of talentIn this article, we wanted to take a look at our picks for some of the best performances by the athletes, musicians or actors who have played them.
Neil Patrick Harris (Harold & Kumar movies)
future How do I meet your mother Cast member Neil Patrick Harris was still known as a star Doogie Howser MD When he stole the show in the great 2004 classic comedy film Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle K Extremely Theatrical version of himself. The Emmy nominee will reprise the role in two series that further blend the actor’s reality with increasingly absurd fiction, including Jesus’ expulsion from heaven by Jesus in Happy birthday Harold and Kumar too After being shot by prostitutes in Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo Bay.
Cate Blanchett (coffee and cigarettes)
All vignette in coffee and cigarettes – Jim Jarmusch’s 2003 anthology of short films starring famous people – is gold, but Cate Blanchett leads one of the most unique and thought-provoking films of the group called The Cousins. This clip is, in addition, one of the most profound testaments to the two-time Academy Award-winning chameleon talent, as it makes it so easy to forget that she’s playing herself and her brunette cousin, Shelly, who struggle to connect with each other while catching up in the hotel lobby. .
James Van Der Beek (Don’t trust the B**** in Apartment 23)
In 2012, James Van Der Beek made a major comeback to television as a series regular Do not trust the B**** in apartment 23 In a role very close to his heart: James Van Der Beek. The actor brilliantly mocks his subsequent leadership of Dawson’s Creek Casts a career and predicts his future Dancing with the Stars He spent it as Chloe’s famous best friend by director Krysten Ritter – the main character of the short-lived, but critically acclaimed ABC comedy.
Bill Murray (Zombieland)
Most people would think of Bill Murray’s sudden appearance in Zombie land Being one of the greatest highlights of his career (and there are so many great examples to choose from). However, with only four other characters in the main cast in the 2009 classic zombie comedy, I think we can justifiably count the Oscar nominee’s iconic and hilarious portrayal of his post-apocalyptic character as the title role despite lasting minutes.
Keanu Reeves (Always Be Maybe)
Another example of a relatively short look that still earns the right to be called a starring role is happening in 2019 always be maybe When Marcus (Randall Park) is shocked to learn that his childhood friend (and crush), Sasha (Ali Wong) is only dating Keanu Reeves. The John Wick The star doesn’t pull the punches in his partially impromptu portrayal of a grotesquely silly version of himself in the Netflix original rom-com, in which, during a double date at a restaurant, he appears wearing glasses without lenses and asks the waiter for a plate playing with the “concept of time.”
Heather Langenkamp (A New Nightmare)
After she played Nancy Kerrigan in two divisions Nightmare on Alam Street The movies made her one of the best scream queens of the ’80s, and Heather Langenkamp would have had, arguably, her best performance in the franchise when she returned—not as Nancy, but as herself—in 1994. new nightmare. The cleverly meta-thriller, in which the actress is mocked by a supposed demon as Freddy Krueger, also stars fellow horror scientist Robert Englund, as this new movie plays on the iconic villain and himself as well as writer-director Wes Craven.
The Beatles (Tough Night)
The cinematic phenomenon of famous musicians offering a fictional peek into their lives off the stage (as Nick Cave in the 2014 semi-documentary film). 20,000 days on earth Or Foo Fighters in a horror comedy movie studio 666 more recently) arguably started with the Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr show strong comedic timing and deep sportsmanship as they run from a screaming crowd in 1964 a hard day’s Night The first number of dramas that the Fab Four made together.
LeBron James (train wreck)
Professional Basketball star LeBron James has portrayed himself on screen several times, most recently in 2021 Space Jam: A New Legacy – A sequel to the hit Michael Jordan/Looney Tunes movie from 1996. However, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Small Forward team has received the most acclaim in his acting career thus far for playing the part train wreck – Star and writer Amy Schumer 2015 rom-com that he and Bill Hader portrayed as “Sports Doctor to the Stars” as best friends.
Stan Lee (Mallrats)
Before his heartbreaking death in 2018, Stan Lee perfected the art of engraving by appearing in countless Marvel movies. One of the first and most notable acting gigs (and actually mentioned in the opening credits as well) was the same in Kevin Smith’s 1995 movie. clerks tracking, Malrats. The comic book icon makes you a “true believer” in his acting ability when he appears in several scenes to give comic book-obsessed Brody (Jason Lee) some much-needed relationship advice.
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
It’s no secret among fanatics Seinfeld Fans that Jason Alexander’s deeply irritating and highly neurotic character, George Costanza, was heavily inspired by the character and life experiences of co-creator Larry David. for following up on Seinfeld The long-running original comedy on HBO curb your enthusiasm David has received multiple Emmy Award nominations for playing a version of himself that makes George look like a saint, burning bridges with Hollywood and alienating friends and casual spectators at every turn.
Hollywood satire star and co-author Ricky Gervais Extras Full of amazing celebs as the guest star, but Kate Winslet made a good argument for being considered the funniest in the history of Emmy-winning comedy. British Titanic The star was spotted playing a nun on the set of a movie about the Holocaust (which she admits she agreed to star in only to win an Oscar, having not yet won it. the reader) before she later proves she’s a lady of double temptations when she offers an extra coworker, Maggie Jacobs (Ashley Jensen), sex advice over the phone.
John Malkovich (being John Malkovich)
It’s rare for the actor to appear in a movie himself while playing the title character, but in 1999 Being John Malkovich — from writer Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jones — is also a rare genre of film, in many ways too. The two-time Academy Award nominee is understandably shocked and scared to discover that a Manhattan puppeteer (John Cusack) was using a magic portal to be able to walk in his shoes for 15 minutes at a time in this creative comedy.
Bruce Campbell (My name is Bruce)
Another rare example of an actor playing his titular role in the film is Bruce Campbell my name is bruceIt is also the last movie the B-movie icon directed himself. Campbell was hilarious in the 2007 horror comedy as a rambunctious version of himself forced to direct his famous pictures evil dead character, Ash Williams, in order to defeat a demon wreaking havoc in a small town in Oregon.
Oprah Winfrey (30 rock)
Another example of a hilarious, memorable, and often embarrassing, guest appearance in a popular television comedy is Oprah Winfrey in season three of 30 rocks. Liz Lemon (star and creator Tina Fey) is delighted to find the larger-than-life media mogul sitting next to her on a plane and can’t help but seize the opportunity to receive a dose of wisdom, but who can really blame her for that?
Kevin Garnett (uncut gemstone)
As much as I agree Adam Sandler deserves more attention for his leading performance in 2019’s Uncompromising Thriller. Uncut GemstonesI think we should be even more pissed off at the fact that former NBA player Kevin Garnett has received no interest in any awards whatsoever. I’d go so far as to say I’m glad the Safdie Brothers didn’t get the athlete they wrote the original for (The Knicks’ Amar’e Stoudemire) because Garnett impresses himself (circa 2012), who was interested in shooting rare garnets. A series of increasingly dire circumstances for self-destructive Sandler jeweler Howard Ratner.
This is the end of the cast
The whole point of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s debut in 2013 this is the end Watch the entire cast (including Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson, and more, Many More) as playfully exaggerated versions of themselves who struggle to withstand the Apocalypse and a merciless barrage of gags at their expense. Highlights also include horrible absurdity (and demonic possession) Jonah Hill; Michael Cera’s saucy jade Coke; ax wielding Emma Watson; The Channing Tatum is employed by cannibal Danny McBride as his sex slave.
You must love seeing a famous person released and presenting a completely different and fantastical side of themselves to the world on screen. I can’t wait to see more examples of actors playing themselves in the future.
