A surprise cameo can quickly stand out in a movie, and many action movies use them to change the pace or draw attention to certain things. While cameos are most often associated with comedies, any genre can use them to inject some humor, with a subtle fourth-wall break that draws attention to the actor.
Action movies have to be careful with their use of cameos, because they can be distracting if they’re used too often or in a way that doesn’t suit the tone of the movie. When they’re made with thought, however, they can be a highlight of any action movie, and something that fans look forward to on a rewatch.
10Cate Blanchett In Hot Fuzz (2007)
Blanchett’s Cameo Is Intentionally Hard To Spot
Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogyis packed with so many jokes that it can be easy to miss some of the quips, sight gags and pop culture references. One joke that’s intentionally hard to pick up on is Cate Blanchett’s brief cameo, since her character’s face is almost entirely obscured by a surgical mask.
Blanchett’s cameo is a fun Easter egg for fans of Wright’s work.
Blanchett’s cameo is a fun Easter egg for fans of Wright’s work, but most people wouldn’t even recognize the actor in her single scene.Hot Fuzzalso has a hilarious cameo from Wright’s friend Peter Jackson, with the director playing a man dressed as Santa Claus who stabs Sergeant Angel in the hand.
9David Beckham In The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Beckham’s Friendship With Guy Ritchie Led To A Surprise Cameo
David Beckham and Guy Ritchie have been friends for years, with the two Londoners even owning a pub together. Still, not many people expected to see Beckham making a brief cameo as a Soviet projectionist in Ritchie’s comedic Cold War thrillerThe Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Beckham’s cameo is easy to miss, since he’s obscured in shadow and his character doesn’t draw attention to himself. The only moment when fans might recognize the soccer legend is when the projectionist inserts a slide upside-down, and he apologizes to his comrades in Russian.Beckham later appeared in Ritchie’sKing Arthur: Legend of the Sword.
8Tom Cruise In Tropic Thunder (2008)
Tropic Thunder Hired A Legendary Action Star To Sit In An Office
Tropic Thundermay be a comedy movie first and foremost, but it’s also a surprisingly effective action movie when it chooses to be. Tom Cruise’s appearance could have been used to add some action pedigree, butit’s a great meta joke thatTropic Thunderconfines the world’s biggest action star to an office for his scenes.
While comedians like Jack Black and Ben Stiller are tasked with the action side ofTropic Thunder,Cruise’s role is purely comedic. He’s often the funniest part of the movie, reminding audiences that he had plenty of comedic roles earlier in his career. His foul-mouthed studio executive character subverts his image brilliantly.
7Madonna In Die Another Day (2002)
Madonna’s Cameo Is An Oddity In The James Bond Franchise
TheJames Bondfranchise has never been overly keen on cameos, despite leading the action genre since the 1960s. Most of the memorable cameos are Easter eggs for fans in the know, which is what makes Madonna’s appearance inDie Another Dayso unique.
Madonna added her name to the illustrious list of musicians who created aJames Bondtheme songwithDie Another Day,but this doesn’t mean fans were expecting to see her on screen as a fencing instructor. It’s as strange as it would be to see Adele inSkyfallor Paul McCartney inLive and Let Die.
6Channing Tatum In Bullet Train (2022)
Channing Tatum’sBullet Traincameo delivers one of the biggest laughs of the movie, and his character wouldn’t be nearly as memorable if he was played by somebody else. Tatum plays a train passenger reading a romance novel when Ladybug gives him a hat and glasses to wear as a decoy.
After Brad Pitt made a great cameo inThe Lost City,Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock both returned the favor by playing minor roles inBullet Train.They contribute to a fun ensemble cast, with Tatum in particular getting a laugh from each one of his lines.
The Musician Plays A Street Fighter
Road Houseis one of many recent ’80s action movie reboots, although Doug Liman’s version tries to separate itself from the original. Patrick Swayze’sRoad Houseseems to take place in a world where bouncers enjoy the status of minor celebrities. The reboot makes Dalton a former UFC fighter, and it fleshes out this idea with an early fight scene featuring Post Malone in a surprise cameo.
Road Housegives Conor McGregor his acting debut, andit also features cameos from some UFC personalities, but Post Malone’s appearance is the most surprising of all. He plays an underground fighter who laps up the adulation of the crowd until his next opponent is revealed to be a notorious UFC champion who famously killed an opponent in the ring. WithRoad House 2seemingly going ahead, it will be interesting to see whether the sequel adds some more unexpected cameos.
4Elton John In Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
Elton John Suits The Kingsman Sequel’s Over-The-Top Tone
TheKingsmansequel is noticeably more colorful, more stylistic and generally louder than the original. In line with this aesthetic, Elton John’s cameo makes perfect sense.The legendary musician plays himself, although he’s been kidnapped by a megalomaniacal drug lord and taken to a heavily-guarded compound in the jungles of Cambodia.
The difference betweenThe Golden Circleand its predecessor reflects Matthew Vaughn’s trajectory as a director, as he doubles down on his idiosyncratic style. While the image of Elton John winking to camera as he delivers a flying karate kick would probably have been too bizarre for the firstKingsmanmovie, it somehow fits intoThe Golden Circlenaturally.
3Wolf Blitzer In Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
The News Anchor Adds Some Relatability And Realism
Wolf Blitzer isn’t someone whoMission: Impossiblefans expected to turn up inFallout,but this works in the movie’s favor. The news anchor makes a cameo as himself, although this is soon revealed to be part of an elaborate scheme by Ethan and his IMF team.
Real-life news anchors and journalists can often provide some worldbuilding flavor in movies, injecting some everyday noise that can ground a wild action movie. With Anderson Cooper inBatman v Supermanand Huw Edwards inShaun of the Dead,this has become a fun action movie trope that adds some realism.
2Ronda Rousey In Furious 7 (2015)
The UFC Star Puts Her Skills To Use
TheFast and Furiousfranchise is packed with great cameos, starting with Ja Rule’s memorable performance as a street racer in the first movie. There are so many actors and musicians in the franchise that it’s hard for any one cameo to standout, butRonda Rousey’s brief appearance inFurious 7delivers something different.
More than just appearing for the sake of it, like so many other cameos, Rousey takes part in a hard-hitting fight scene, indicative of the way that the franchise has tried to diversify its action sequences beyond street racing. The UFC fighter proves to be a formidable foe for Letty.
1Seth MacFarlane In Logan Lucky (2017)
MacFarlane Makes A Rare Live-Action Cameo
Seth MacFarlane is most famous for creatingFamily Guy,as well as voicing Peter Griffin and many other characters in the show. He’s made sporadic live-action movie appearances over the years, so it’s always a surprise to see him on-screen. He fits in neatly withLogan Lucky’s stellar comedic cast.
His British accent is also a sly meta joke about Daniel Craig’s affected southern accent inLogan Lucky.
MacFarlane seems to be playing a cartoon character in live-action inLogan Lucky,with a brash persona and a ludicrous cockney accent. There are shades of Mike Myers in his performance, but his British accent is also a sly meta joke about Daniel Craig’s affected southern accent inLogan Lucky.
