It’s a joy to hear our favorite songs grace a movie’s soundtrack, but it’s an even greater feeling when our favorite musicians drop in on a film. Whether playing themselves or portraying a character, there is nothing like seeing a beloved act take on the big screen. Here are 10 unexpected cameos from musicians in movies.
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1. Huey Lewis in Back to the Future
Synth-pop rocker Huey Lewis makes a brief appearance in the 1985 sci-fi comedy Back to the Future. He can be seen in the beginning portraying the spectacled, megaphone-wielding faculty member judging auditions for the high school’s Battle of the Bands.
Lewis wrote his hit, “The Power of Love,” specifically for the movie’s soundtrack. The song is performed by Marty McFly for his audition to the annoyance of Lewis’ character.
2. David Bowie in Zoolander
The crowd parts and David Bowie appears in the 2001 comedy Zoolander. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson’s characters compete in a “walk-off,” in which Bowie, playing himself, steps forward to act as the judge.
“The David Bowie… I think Ben and I were surprised that he even agreed to do the movie,” Wilson said of working with the musician. “He was such a cool, lovely guy the day that we worked together. When I got the sad news of his death earlier this year, of course, I thought a lot about that day.”
3. Gwen Stefani in The Aviator
Gwen Stefani appears in the 2004 drama The Aviator, portraying actress and 1930s sex symbol Jean Harlow alongside Leonardo DiCaprio’s Howard Hughes.
4. Jack White in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Is it difficult for a musician to act as another musician? Jack White makes a cameo in the 2007 comedy Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story as an eccentric Elvis Presley. The film parodies musical biopics like Walk the Line and White, in turn, parodied the King, giving the star a bumbling reimagining.
5. Snoop Dogg in Half Baked
A stoner flick would not be complete without a reference to Snoop Dogg, but the 1998 buzzed comedy Half Baked trumped them all with an actual appearance from the rapper himself. Portraying a “scavenger smoker,” Snoop emerges out of nowhere for a little puff-puff-pass.
6. Phil Collins in Hook
Rocker Phil Collins took on the small role of Inspector Good in the 1991 Peter Pan reimagining Hook. His appearance is brief as he is called in to investigate a disappearance which he firmly denies is the case.
7. Keith Richards in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
Rolling Stones member Keith Richards was made to be in a Pirates of the Caribbean film, or maybe the films were made for Richards. The rock legend made a cameo as Pirate Lord Captain Teague in the franchise’s third installment At World’s End. Richards would make another appearance as Teague in the following film, On Stranger Tides.
8. Tom Jones in Mars Attacks!
Every actor seems to make an appearance in the 1996 sci-fi comedy Mars Attacks! Every actor and one Tom Jones. The pop star appears as himself, performing on a Las Vegas stage when Mars …well, attacks.
9. Billy Idol in The Wedding Singer
Leave it to Billy Idol to save the day. The “White Wedding” singer made a cameo as himself at the end of The Wedding Singer, leading the first-class passengers to help Adam Sandler’s character get the girl.
10. Tom Waits in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Nearly unrecognizable as a scraggly prospector, it’s Tom Waits’ distinct voice that gives him away in the 2018 anthology film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. He leads the vignette as he searches for gold only to be struck down by an opponent … or does he?
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