These days, it’s pretty commonplace for directors to make cameo appearances in their own movies, but what’s sometimes more interesting is when they opt to show up in other filmmakers’ releases. This represents a level of respect and collaboration between different artists and highlights that even in the cutthroat world of Hollywood filmmaking, plenty of directors are on friendly enough terms with one another to pop up in each other’s films. While these are often brief cameo appearances, directors have occasionally gained more significant secondary roles in their competitors’ films.
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Some of the greatest directors of all time have taken a break from their busy schedules on set to portray characters in other auteurs’ works. This can be a thrilling change of pace, as directors normally associated with one genre have a surprise appearance in something that’s the total opposite of the work they’ve become known for. From Tim Burton in a rom-com to Orson Welles hanging out with the Muppets, there’s no shortage of amazing film directors appearing in other directors’ movies.
15 Steven Spielberg As Cook County Assessor’s Office Clerk
John Landis’s The Blues Brothers (1980)
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Director John Landis has made a habit of casting his filmmaker friends in minor roles in his movies, which led to a nice surprise when none other than Steven Spielberg showed up as the county office clerk who Jake and Elwood Blues deliver the $5,000 needed to save their childhood orphanage. While Spielberg was in good company as other cameos included Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and John Lee Hooker, the Jaws director opted not to sing the blues in this non-musical guest appearance.
John Landis also cast
The Muppets’
Frank Oz in
The Blues Brothers
,
Star Wars’
George Lucas in
Beverly Hills Cop III
,
Clueless’
Amy Heckerling in
Into the Night
, and
Suspiria’s
Dario Argento in
Innocent Blood
.
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7.5/10 The Blues Brothers RComedyMusicalCrimeMusicActionAdventure
After being released from prison, Jake Blues (John Belushi) reunites with his brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) to save a catholic home where they were raised together. To raise money, they put bring their old band back together and put on a show as “The Blues Brothers.” Set in Chicago and based on Saturday Night Live characters, The Blues Brothers features several musical celebrity cameos such as Ray Charles, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, and James Brown.
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*Availability in US Director John Landis Release Date June 20, 1980 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Dan Aykroyd , John Landis Cast John Belushi , ray charles , Cab Calloway , James Brown , Dan Aykroyd , Aretha Franklin Runtime 133 minutes Sequel(s) blues brothers Budget $27 million Expand
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14 Peter Jackson As Thief Dressed as Santa
Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz (2007)
Director Edgar Wright and co-writer and star Simon Pegg paid tribute to different genres of filmmaking with their Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy, so it’s no surprise some familiar faces make appearances. One interesting cameo came from The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, who appeared very briefly as the thief dressed as Santa, who stabbed Police Constable Nicholas Angel (Pegg) in the hand. While Jackson has made several cameos in his own work, it was a real surprise to see him show up in the cult classic British comedy.
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9.3/10 Hot Fuzz RActionComedyMysteryThriller
The second film in Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Hot Fuzz stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as two policemen who investigate a seemingly idyllic community in the English countryside. After London hotshot policeman Nicholas Angel is transferred to the sleepy town of Sandford, he finds himself partnered with bumbling local officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). However, the pair soon discover that Sandford is not all it appears to be, uncovering shocking secrets that will shake the town to its very core.
Director Edgar Wright Release Date February 14, 2007 Studio(s) Paramount Pictures , Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures , Universal Pictures , Focus Features Writers Edgar Wright , Simon Pegg Cast Simon Pegg , Martin Freeman , Bill Nighy , Robert Popper , Joe Cornish , Chris Waitt Runtime 121 minutes Budget $16 million Expand
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13 Sam Raimi As Hudsucker Brainstormer
The Coen brothers’ The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
The Evil Dead, Spider-Man, and eventually Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi has had a long-standing creative connection with the Coen brothers, best encapsulated by their work together on The Hudsucker Proxy. Not only did Raimi co-write the movie, but he also served as second unit director and had a cameo as a Hudsucker Brainstormer. The Hudsucker Proxy was a screwball comedy that bombed at the box office, yet it has since grown in stature to become an underappreciated cult classic.
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The Hudsucker Proxy PGComedyDramaFantasy
Norville Barnes, a fresh-faced graduate with big dreams, starts his career in the mailroom of Hudsucker Industries. The company’s president’s shocking suicide prompts the board to install Norville as a figurehead president, expecting him to drive the company into the ground and depress stock prices for their gain. Contrary to their plans, Norville invents the hula hoop, leading to an unprecedented boom in sales and a surge in the company’s success.
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*Availability in US Director Joel Coen , Ethan Coen Release Date March 11, 1994 Writers Ethan Coen , Joel Coen , Sam Raimi Cast Tim Robbins , Paul Newman , Jennifer Jason Leigh , Charles Durning , John Mahoney , Bruce Campbell , Bill Cobbs Runtime 111 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Expand
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12 Tim Burton As Brian
Cameron Crowe’s Singles (1992)
As an icon of Gothic horror and richly imagined fantasy worlds, a Cameron Crowe rom-com would be the last place people expect Tim Burton to show up, yet Burton’s sole acting credit was in 1992’s Singles. Burton appears in one scene where he plays the role of Brian, a smug video dating service director described as “the next Martin Scorsese.” With a casual dissatisfaction, Burton was seen hilariously thumbing through a book as he agreed to shoot a character’s video for $20.
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Singles PG-13ComedyDramaMusicRomance
Singles is a romantic comedy directed by Cameron Crowe, set in early 1990s Seattle. The film explores the lives and relationships of a group of twentysomething friends and neighbors. The ensemble cast includes Bridget Fonda, Campbell Scott, Kyra Sedgwick, and Matt Dillon. Singles captures the essence of Seattle’s grunge music scene, featuring cameos by local bands and a soundtrack that underscores the era’s cultural zeitgeist.
Director Cameron Crowe Release Date September 18, 1992 Writers Cameron Crowe Cast Bridget Fonda , Campbell Scott , Kyra Sedgwick , Sheila Kelley , Jim True-Frost , Matt Dillon , Bill Pullman , James Le Gros Runtime 99 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Expand
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11 David Cronenberg As Dr. Aloysius Wimmer
Jim Isaac’s Jason X (2001)
While director David Cronenberg is known for the shocking body horror of films like The Fly or the intense thrillers of A History of Violence, he’s also a talented actor in his own right. This was seen in his effective role as Dr. Aloysius Wimmer in the futuristic Friday the 13th sci-fi horror sequel Jason X. Cronenberg perfectly encapsulated the smug nature of a doctor who was unconcerned with the lives of innocent people as he sought to revive a cryogenically frozen Jason Voorhees to exploit his regenerative powers. However, in typical horror fashion, Cronenberg met a gruesome end.
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8.5/10 Jason X RHorror Sci-Fi
Jason X is the tenth installment in the Friday the 13th franchise. This 2001 sci-fi horror film brings back slasher icon Jason Voorhees in 2455 after being cryogenically frozen for 445 years. As usual, anyone who crosses the path of the now cybernetically enhanced killer suffers a painful death, this time in outer space.
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*Availability in US Director James Isaac Release Date April 26, 2002 Studio(s) Crystal Lake Entertainment , Friday X Productions Distributor(s) New Line Cinema Writers James Isaac Cast Kane Hodder , David Cronenberg , Lexa Doig , Lisa Ryder , Chuck Campbell , Melyssa Ade , Peter Mensah Runtime 93 Minutes Franchise(s) Friday the 13th prequel(s) Freddy vs. Jason , Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday , Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan , Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood , Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives , Friday the 13th: A New Beginning , Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter , Friday the 13th Part III , Friday the 13th Part 2 , Friday the 13th Budget $14 million Expand
10 Gus Van Sant As Dr. Campbell
Paul Schrader’s The Canyons (2013)
The critically derided erotic thriller The Canyons was either a total failure or a hidden gem depending on who’s asked about it, as the combination of director Paul Schrader, writer Bret Easton Ellis, and star Lindsay Lohan was a real whose-who of lightly controversial figures. One notable name who also popped up was Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant as Christian’s (James Deen) psychotherapist, whose sessions the wealthy young man was forced to attend as a condition of his trust fund. A brief but effective appearance, Van Sant’s calm authority was in sharp contrast to the film’s other characters.
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9 Wes Craven As Himself
Kevin Smith’s Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
Director Wes Craven was no stranger to self-referential humor as he played with his own legacy in the A Nightmare on Elm Street sequel New Nightmare and showed up as himself directing a new Scream movie in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. This hilarious sequence saw the latest incarnation of Ghostface being revealed to be a monkey, much to the dissatisfaction of its star, Shannon Doherty. When questioned about this choice’s ridiculousness, Craven simply said, “The market research says people love monkeys.”
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Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back RComedy
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a 2001 comedy film directed by Kevin Smith, starring Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith as the titular characters. The plot follows the duo as they embark on a cross-country journey to Hollywood to prevent a film based on their likenesses from being made. Along the way, they encounter various comedic misadventures and cameos from the View Askewniverse.
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*Availability in US Director Kevin Smith Release Date August 24, 2001 Writers Kevin Smith Cast Jason Mewes , Kevin Smith , Harley Quinn Smith , Ever Carradine Runtime 104 minutes Main Genre Comedy Expand
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8 Werner Herzog As A Face of the Damned
Vincent Ward’s What Dreams May Come (1998)
The fantasy drama What Dreams May Come was one of Robin Williams’s strangest and most underrated film roles. Williams portrayed a man searching for his wife as he traveled through the afterlife. This unique concept saw Williams come face-to-face with those who had been damned to hell, and here among the litany of lost souls was film director Werner Herzog. With a distinctive and, at times, unnerving voice, it was impossible to miss the famed filmmaker and documentarian among the faces of the damned.
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10/10 What Dreams May Come PG-13FantasyDramaRomance
What Dreams May Come is a visually rich drama directed by Vincent Ward. It stars Robin Williams as Chris Nielsen, who navigates the afterlife to reunite with his wife, played by Annabella Sciorra. The film explores themes of love, loss, and the metaphysical journey of the soul, blending elements of fantasy and spirituality in a unique portrayal of the hereafter.
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*Availability in US Director Vincent Ward Release Date October 2, 1998 Writers Richard Matheson , Ronald Bass Cast Robin Williams , Cuba Gooding Jr. , Annabella Sciorra , Max Von Sydow , Jessica Brooks Grant , Josh Paddock , Rosalind Chao , Lucinda Jenney , Maggie McCarthy , Wilma Bonet , Matt Salinger , Carin Sprague , June Carryl , Werner Herzog , Clara Thomas , Benjamin Brock Character(s) Chris Nielsen , Albert Lewis , Annie Collins-Nielsen , The Tracker , Marie Nielsen , Ian Nielsen , Leona , Mrs. Jacobs , Stacey Jacobs , Angie , Reverend Hanley , Best Friend Cindy , Woman in Car Accident , Face , Little Girl at Lake , Little Boy at Lake Runtime 113 Minutes Main Genre Fantasy Expand
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7 David Fincher As Christopher Bing
Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich (1999)
In the same year as David Fincher’s Fight Club was released, he also had a much different film project on his slate due to his uncredited cameo appearance in Spike Jonze’s’ Being John Malkovich. Fincher played Christopher Bing in the American Arts & Culture pseudo-documentary on John Malkovich within the movie, who lavished praise over Malkovich’s “god-like ability” to “breathe life into inanimate objects” as the man in his head (John Cusack) had taken over and ironically turned him into a puppeteer.
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Being John Malkovich RComedyDramaFantasy
Being John Malkovich: This film follows the story of an unsuccessful puppeteer named Craig who discovers a portal that leads into the mind of actor John Malkovich. The phenomenon soon entices others to explore the bizarre and controlling world of inhabiting another person’s consciousness.
Director Spike Jonze Release Date October 29, 1999 Cast John Cusack , John Malkovich , Cameron Diaz , Catherine Keener , Mary Kay Place , Orson Bean , Charlie Sheen , Reggie Hayes , W. Earl Brown , Carlos Jacott , Willie Garson , K.K. Dodds , Byrne Piven , Judith Wetzell , Gregory Sporleder , Octavia Spencer , Ned Bellamy , Eric Weinstein , Madison Lanc , Kevin Carroll , Gerald Emerick , Richard Fancy , Patti Tippo , Daniel Hansen , Mariah O’Brien Character(s) Craig Schwartz , John Horatio Malkovich , Lotte Schwartz , Maxine Lund , Floris , Dr. Lester , Charlie , Don , First J.M. Inc. Customer , Larry the Agent , Guy in Restaurant , Wendy , Captain Mertin , Tiny Woman , Drunk at Bar , Woman in Elevator , Derek Mantini , Father at Puppet Show , Daughter at Puppet Show , Cab Driver , Sad Man in Line , Johnson Heyward , Malkovich’s Mother , Boy Malkovich , Girl Creeped Out by Malkovich Runtime 113 minutes YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UuRFr0GnHM Expand
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6 John Waters As Pete Peters
Don Mancini’s Seed of Chucky (2004)
As a transgressive cult filmmaker who never shied away from the more horrific sides of camp, John Waters was perfectly cast in his role as Pete Peters in Seed of Chuck. Waters played a paparazzo who met a gruesome end in his darkroom as Glen/Glenda accidentally caused Peters to fall and be soaked in sulfuric acid, much to the delight of Chucky. As a film conjuring up much of the same over-the-top energy and satirical horrors as Water’s own Serial Mom, Seed of Chucky felt like an outrageous addition to Water’s unique resume.
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Seed of Chucky UnratedComedyHorror
Seed of Chucky is the fifth film in the Child’s Play franchise and follows up six years after the events of Bride of Chucky. The film follows Glen, a living doll and the spawn of Chucky and Tiffany, who discovers and revives his parents, hoping for a family he never had. However, their murderous tendencies create tension as the two dolls bicker over how their child should be raised – all while trying to steal the bodies of Jennifer Tilly and Redman.
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*Availability in US Director Don Mancini Release Date November 11, 2004 Studio(s) David Kirschner Productions , La Sienega Productions Distributor(s) Rogue Pictures Writers Don Mancini Cast Jennifer Tilly , Redman , Hannah Spearritt , John Waters , Billy Boyd , Brad Dourif Runtime 87 Minutes Franchise(s) Child’s Play Sequel(s) Curse of Chucky , Cult of Chucky prequel(s) Bride of Chucky , Child’s Play 3 , Child’s Play 2 , Child’s Play Expand
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5 Orson Welles As Lew Lord
James Frawley’s The Muppet Movie (1979)
Part of the appeal of the Muppets was that you never knew what celebrity guests they would run into, and this was especially the case of The Muppet Movie from 1979. With a litany of incredible Muppets‘ guest stars, one of the most surprising was Orson Welles, who, as the director of Citizen Kane, perhaps the most acclaimed film of all time, still took the time to meet with Kermit and the gang. Welles played the Hollywood executive Lew Lord, a character whose name alludes to Sir Lew Grade, head of ATV, the British company that co-produced The Muppet Show.
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The Muppet Movie GAdventureComedyFamilyMusical Where to Watch
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*Availability in US Director James Frawley Release Date May 31, 1979 Writers Jack Burns , Jerry Juhl Cast Jim Henson , Frank Oz , Jerry Nelson , Richard Hunt , Dave Goelz , Charles Durning Runtime 95 minutes Main Genre Adventure Expand
4 Jim Jarmusch As Car Salesman
Aki Kaurismäki’s Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)
Jim Jarmusch’s films have always blended pure Americana with a European sensibility, so it’s no surprise he opted to show up in Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki’s Leningrad Cowboys Go America. As the story of an eccentric band that traveled to the U.S. to show off their unique polka music mixed with American stylings, the idiosyncratic nature of these cowboys felt like it could have come straight out of a Jarmusch film. However, Jarmusch did not direct it and instead played the car salesman who sells the band a luxury car to use as they travel across the states.
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3 David Lynch As John Ford
Steven Spielberg’s The Fablemans (2022)
It was only appropriate that a true cinema icon of modern times portrayed a legend of the past, as seen by David Lynch’s role as the Western directing extraordinaire John Ford in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans. This powerful scene comes toward the film’s end as Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) comes face-to-face with his idol, who has provided him with wisdom about filmmaking. Spielberg explained how Lynch’s cameo happened on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, stating that he had a different actor in mind, but once Lynch was suggested, “a light bulb” went off, and he knew they had to cast him.
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7.3/10 The Fabelmans PG-13Drama
The Fabelmans is a film loosely based on the life of a young Steven Spielberg, with Gabriel Labelle playing the role of 16-year-old aspiring filmmaker Sammy Fabelman. Fictionalizing but treading essential moments in the director’s life, The Fabelmans is set in the 1960s with the titular family moving from New Jersey to California, where a dark secret begins to cause the life of young Sammy to unravel. To escape the reality he’s faced with, he turns to films and reinforces a new dream – the aspiration of becoming a filmmaker. The film allows the director and the audience to look back on the past and try to understand the motivations of family members’ various actions by contextualizing them through the lens of film.
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*Availability in US Director Steven Spielberg Release Date November 23, 2022 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Steven Spielberg , Tony Kushner Cast Paul Dano , Gabriel LaBelle , Seth Rogen , Judd Hirsch , Nicolas Cantu , Michelle Williams , Gabriel Bateman , Sam Rechner , Oakes Fegley , Julia Butters Runtime 151 minutes Budget $40 million Expand
2 Quentin Tarantino As Pick-Up Guy
Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado (1995)
Quentin Tarantino has had a long-standing friendship with fellow filmmaker Robert Rodriguez that even led to the duo famously co-releasing the double feature movie Grindhouse in 2007, which combined Rodriguez’s horror comedy Planet Terror and action thriller Tarantino’s Death Proof. But their relationship goes back even further, as Tarantino had a cameo role in Rodriguez’s Desperado as the Pick-Up Guy telling a crude joke in a Mexican bar. Tarantino would later play an even larger role in Rodriquez’s From Dusk ‘Til Dawn the following year, a vampire action movie with a script by Tarantino.
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Desperado
Desperado is a 1995 action film directed by Robert Rodriguez, featuring Antonio Banderas as El Mariachi, a musician seeking vengeance for the murder of his lover. The film follows El Mariachi’s quest to confront a drug lord responsible for the tragic event. Salma Hayek co-stars as Carolina, providing both romantic and practical support. Desperado balances intense action sequences with its deeply personal storyline, expanding upon the mythos established in Rodriguez’s earlier film, El Mariachi.
Director Robert Rodriguez Release Date August 25, 1995 Cast Antonio Banderas , Salma Hayek , Joaquim De Almeida Runtime 1h 44m
1 Martin Scorsese As Vincent van Gogh
Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990)
Although Martin Scorsese has had several cameos in his own movies, such as the unnerving passenger ranting about his cheating wife in Taxi Driver, he rarely appeared in work he was not directly involved in making. One notable exception to this was his role as Vincent van Gogh in Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams. Scorsese had long been an admirer of Kurosawa’s work, and this collaboration represented one of the most impactful directors of American movies coming together with an icon of Japanese cinema. As a true meeting of masters, it was incredible to witness Scorsese in a Kurosawa movie.
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Source: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert