Best Movie Cameos Of All Time

With the Emmys tonight, I was thinking about awards shows and it reminded me of my favorite category that doesn’t exist; Best Cameo. Here are some of my favorite movie cameos of all time that I believe deserve some recognition from the academy:

1. Matthew Mcconaughey In Wolf Of Wall Street

Please don’t be soured to this performance just because bro-culture has adopted Matthew Mcconaughey’s chest-thumping hums in the most blatant case of  “missing the metaphor and playing into the stereotype” we may ever witness. Mcconaughey is brilliant here. The rhythm with which he delivers these lines is entrancing.

Often portrayals of “wall street” types can be over the top and unrealistic, and while Mcconaughey’s character says some of the most absurd “GS Elevator” shit I’ve ever heard, he is nothing short of convincing. He speaks with such a calm sense of confidence and with such a eerie air of casualness that his words seem to ring from a place of truth

It’s rare for a small character to fit in this well with the overall story and then disappear after 5 minutes. I wanted more but deep down I know that having this character on screen for a limited time was ultimately a blessing.

2. Kyle Mooney In Neighbors 2

(Start video at 1:02)

Okay this one is certainly more niche than the first, which is further evidenced by the fact that the above video was the only clip I could find of this scene online (I apologize for the poor quality), but to me it was a must-have on this list.

Yes, I have a special place in my heart for Kyle Mooney and think that everything he does is genius. But taking my bias out of this, his portrayal of an uptight RA that also wants to be seen as a “cool guy that you can come to with your problems” is spot on. There is no way to watch this performance and not be immediately transported back to your freshman dorm. Mooney perfectly walks the tightrope of a character that wants to come off as likable while he simultaneously abuses his small position of authority . This hits so hard because of how real this person is. The type of person that tells you to confide in them but will also get you in trouble for what you told them exists and Mooney nails it (sidebar: RA’s are like therapist’s with no client-patient confidentially).

In a movie full of laughs and absurdity, this small moment resonated with me the deepest as I believe it to be the truest depiction of the freshman experience.

3. Jonah Hill In Django Unchained

Regardless of the Jonah Hill cameo, this may be one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history period. The juxtaposition between what the scene is supposed to be about and what it actually ends up being about is shocking. The scene literally could not be about a more serious or darker topic, a racist-led raid on horses, and yet its veers seamlessly into relatable observational comedy. I don’t know if anyone could pull that off other than Tarantino.

Anyway, amidst this hilarious scene in which these racist townspeople discuss the difficulties of riding horses with bags over their heads, America’s sweetheart Jonah Hill just quietly pops in. He isn’t needed for this scene to be funny. It was already funny without him. He doesn’t even say that much in this scene. There is no real reason for him to be here. He just is. And that’s what makes me love this so much.

I’ve got to believe that Tarantino just causally told Hill about this scene in passing and Hill surprisingly responded with something along the lines of “oh my god that is amazing can I be a part of that” to which Tarantino responded “eh yeah sure why not”. Or something like that. Jonah Hill was too big of a star at this point to just plop into a movie unannounced and not make a tremendous splash and yet he handles this role with a true subtle touch. He doesn’t take anything away from what is already in motion but rather acts as a surprising flavor in an already flavorful dish. It’s a masterclass in being impactful without being at the forefront.

 

Anthony Hopkins’ award winning role in Silence of The Lambs, a movie in which he was only on-screen for about 16 minutes, paved the way. Now I think it is time to give more recognition to the small roles that have long-lasting impacts.

Let me know if you agree with the above list or think I missed any cameos by emailing Dan.Markowitz@shenanigang.com or commenting below!