40 times celebrities played themselves on camera and crushed it

LeBron is no stranger to the camera, thanks to films like Smallfoot and Space Jam 2. Although he was exceptional in those roles, playing himself in Trainwreck allowed him to really shine. In the movie, he gives his friend sound advice and a lesson on why he’s the GOAT.

Tina Fey couldn’t keep her innermost thoughts contained when sitting next to Oprah during an episode of 30 Rock. She told the TV host about her emotional eating, desire to adopt a baby, and losing her virginity at 25. After letting her spiral, Oprah embraced her new friend, giving her sound advice as if they were on an episode of her wildly successful talk show.

Kim Kardashian loves any chance she gets to play herself in front of a camera. Years ago, she appeared on 30 Rock Live as a high-profile passerby who needed to use a private restroom. At the end of the episode, she boasted about herself and her social media pull, snapping a picture of a moment to share with her (at the time) 14 million followers. Today, she has more than 360 million followers on Instagram.

Even Debra Messing knows meeting her in the movie Bros is a big deal. But don’t worry. She reminded Billy Eichner’s character she’s human too before telling him she doesn’t have the answer to every gay man’s problems.

Shaun White had a few funny scenes in the film Friends With Benefits. He’s definitely not an actor, but he pokes fun at it during an almost bar fight with Justin Timberlake‘s character, Dylan. “What? Do you think I’m all chill because I snowboard and sh*t?” he asked while puffing his chest out. 

Neil Patrick Harris played a straight version of himself in the movie Harold & Kumar, begging for strippers, lap dances, and God knows what else. Thanks to the hilarious writing and his comedic timing, his cameo is one we’ll never forget.

Selena Gomez appeared in The Big Short, a 2015 film that explained the 2007-08 financial crisis. Although she was playing herself, she explained the No. 1 trading mistake at a Blackjack table in a way that feels so authentically her.

Margot Robbie also appeared in The Big Short to explain mortgage bonds in a hilariously classic way: a bubble bath.

Eminem appeared on a fictional talk show in the movie The Interview to talk about his controversial lyrics in a fictional album. “Well, first of all, when I rap, I feel like people twist my words,” he said. And if you know anything about Em, you know that’s always been his go-to answer.

After just being shot an unbelievable amount of times by a semi-automatic, Justin Bieber had to take the perfect selfie one last time before officially leaving us. “Peace out, world,” he said. “Peace out.”

Naomi Campbell also appeared in Zoolander 2 as the face of a lotion brand, so she didn’t have to do much preparation for this role.

Even if it was quick, we can’t forget about Vogue editor Anna Wintour’s cameo in Zoolander 2. She played, well, herself sitting front row at a fashion show. She even joked about seeing everybody’s runway walk in a behind-the-scenes video.

Katy Perry had serious questions about her career in Zoolander 2. “Am I this girl that has appeal towards tweens? Or am I that naughty seductress who appeals to their fathers?” she asked.

I’m certain Space Jam wasn’t Michael Jordan’s favorite project to take on, but it’s a symbol of the ’90s, and for that, we’ll always hold it in high regard. 

In the movie Knocked Up, Ryan Seacrest played himself doing what he does best: hosting popular television programs like E! News and American Idol. In one of his scenes, he had a few hilarious lines about the young talent he has to interview in Hollywood, saying he’s tired of connecting with stars who are less famous than he is. 

He’s Keanu Reeves! His slow-motion walk into the frame before even muttering a word in the film Always Be My Maybe was a sight to behold. 

Everybody did their thing in the movie This Is The End, but Michael Cera was exceptional. Just… watch to see for yourself.

James Marsden probably had a ball playing a hyped-up version of himself during Prime Video’s 2023 series Jury Duty. The show followed a fake trial and jury filled with improv actors and one cast member not in on the loop. During the first day, James told his newfound friend that if he could get the judge to notice him, they’d let out of his commitment.”They always do,” he said.

If Michelle Obama wanted to take up acting, I wouldn’t be opposed because she outdid herself on the show Parks and Recreation. During her appearance, she spoke about her love for Chicago and the real-life initiatives she was implementing as First Lady. And before the scene finished, she signed off with a message that was very on-brand for her: “Change happens one person at a time.” 

Beyoncé has never really loved being famous. On an episode of the late ’90s show Smart Guy, she discussed the challenges of fame, including the herds of out-of-control fans and $10 chocolate bars in the hotel fridges.

During a specific Parks and Rec episode, Amy Poehler‘s character, who dreams of running for The White House one day, gets the chance of a lifetime to meet then-Vice President Joe Biden. She let the moment overtake her by making strange comments and holding onto Biden’s biceps. “You’re very handsome,” she told him before she was escorted out of the room.

Judge Judy was tired of watching people misplay her character on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. Once she appeared, she showed the imposters how it was supposed to be done.

We’d love to drink with Kelly Ripa, so Abby from Comedy Central’s Broad City should consider herself lucky.

Simon Cowell channeled his inner reality TV villain in the movie Shrek 2, where he played a harsh and brash competition show judge on the fictional Far Far Away Idol.

One Direction didn’t need to appear on shows like GMA and Today to promote their song “What Makes You Beautiful” back in the day. All they needed was a mega-popular web show called iCarly.

Jesse McCartney had experienced the troves of screaming girls outside of his shows during the early days. But a pair of screaming waiters on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody was a first.

When Lizzie McGuire found out her celebrity crush, singer Aaron Carter, would be filming a video in her hometown, she had to do whatever she could to meet him on the set. After a struggle — and a bit of embarrassment — Lizzie’s Christmas wish came true. And Aaron even kissed her under the mistletoe.

It’s always fun to watch celebrities talk about their star power when they guest star on a TV show, and Prince handled his moment on New Girl perfectly. After appearing out of thin air, he tried to get into the details of Nick and Jess’ relationship. Once he noticed they weren’t reacting, he checked himself. “Oh, how rude of me,” he said. “I haven’t given you enough time to freak out yet.” Wise and considerate.

As Tom Brady walks out of a spa in the Netflix movie Living With Yourself, a commoner notices him and begins to stare. After catching his gaze, Tom asks the man, “First time?” The man replied, “Uh huh. You?” … “Six,” Tom said before hopping in his car, referring to his (at the time) six SuperBowl wins.

As a certified Sue Sylvester hater, I love seeing her get embarrassed. And who better to do that than Katie Couric? The award-winning journalist interviewed Sue on an episode of Glee after she won the title of Loser of the Year. 

Another Sue hater in Glee that we can’t get enough of is none other than Olivia Newton-John. While judging an acapella competition, she bumped heads with the internationally ranked cheerleading coach, throwing shade at her living in Ohio. “When this is done today, Josh and I are flying back to LA — first class — and you’ll be staying here. Just like those kids,” she said.

Ryan Reynolds becoming obsessed with Peter in Family Guy wasn’t the storyline we saw coming, but he (surprisingly) crushed it. The jokes were funny, and the actions made us laugh out loud. Plus, he seemed devoted to his character, which made for an engaging episode.

When you’re standing in front of a legend like Cher, you better seize the moment. Or she’ll whip you right into shape.

Not even Larry David could secure tickets to the hottest show on the block. Yes, I’m referring to Hannah Montana.

Thanks to the Jonas Brothers’ appearance on Hannah Montana, Gen Z fans got one of the best collabs of the 2000s… “We Got The Party.”

Many WWE Superstars have guest starred as themselves on Disney Channel shows. From The Rock to The Miz to John Cena. The latter showed off some of his signature wrestling moves while delivering one heck of a speech in the final season of Hannah Montana.

Hannah Montana’s biggest mistake was thinking she could beat a supermodel like Tyra Banks in a physical fight over a pair of shoes.

Dwayne Johnson appeared on Disney’s Cory In The House to do what he does best — show off his muscles. And that’s not an exaggeration. When it was time to introduce himself in the show, he threw his shoulders back and puffed out his chest before saying, “… but some people call me The Rock.”

We can all agree that teaching people about saving money is an important lesson, especially for the younger generation. So, who better to talk about its importance than Mark Cuban? The Shark Tank star made a cameo on Disney’s Girl Meets World and participated in a pretend “Meet The Sharks” segment involving students saying what they’d do with an investment from the billionaire.