Top 20 Non-Actors Who Make Cameos in MCU Movies

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One of the best parts of watching Marvel movies is trying to spot familiar faces, and the MCU loves including quick cameos from people like directors, musicians, journalists, and athletes who aren’t actors by trade. These appearances often happen in news broadcasts, after-credit scenes, or very brief moments, and they frequently connect to the story. Here’s a list of twenty people who aren’t actors and where you can find them in the MCU films. Keep it nearby so you can impress your friends next time you recognize someone!

Stan Lee

Throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you can find John Ross Bowie playing a variety of small but memorable roles. He’s appeared as everything from a pageant judge in ‘Iron Man 3’ to an informant in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’, a charming Xandarian, and even a Smithsonian security guard in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. His last on-screen appearance in the MCU was in ‘Avengers: Endgame’, though eagle-eyed fans may have spotted him in earlier films like ‘Iron Man’ and ‘The Avengers’ in brief, fun moments.

Elon Musk

I was so excited to see Elon Musk pop up in ‘Iron Man 2’! It was brief, but really cool – he played himself at the Monaco Grand Prix and casually mentioned this idea he had for an electric jet. It totally made sense, knowing how Tony Stark is inspired by real innovators. The scene happened right after the race, amongst all the VIPs, and it felt like a clever little wink to the audience.

Larry Ellison

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison makes a quick appearance in ‘Iron Man 2’ during the scenes set at the Stark Expo. He briefly says hello to Tony Stark as the cameras follow him around the event. This cameo highlights the movie’s connection to the tech world and Silicon Valley, fitting with Tony Stark’s background. You can spot him while Tony is being introduced at the Expo.

Adam Goldstein

DJ AM, whose real name was Adam Goldstein, appears as himself in ‘Iron Man 2’. He’s the DJ performing at Tony Stark’s wild birthday party, and you can see him and his equipment as Iron Man and War Machine begin their fight. Sadly, the film was dedicated to his memory.

Tom Morello

Okay, so this is a fun one for movie buffs! Tom Morello, the guitarist from Rage Against the Machine, actually makes a quick appearance in the first ‘Iron Man’ movie. He’s one of the Ten Rings guards in the cave – you see him get taken out when Tony Stark makes his initial escape in the Mark I armor. But it’s not just a visual cameo, he also contributed some guitar work to the film’s score! It all happens during that intense breakout sequence, which is pretty cool if you know who you’re looking for.

Rob Zombie

The musician provided the voice for the navigation system of a Ravager ship in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and made a brief vocal appearance in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’. These are short audio clips heard as background chatter on Yondu’s ship when the Ravagers are planning their journeys.

Miley Cyrus

The singer provides the voice for Mainframe, an AI character, in a short scene after the credits of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’. This scene happens during the post-credit tags showing the original Ravagers reuniting. Her character, a robot, says one cheerful line to the team as part of the movie’s extended ending.

Trevor Noah

The comedian voices Griot, Shuri’s artificial intelligence, in ‘Black Panther.’ Griot helps pilot a jet remotely during the rescue of the Jabari tribe, providing important information during the action. Noah’s appearance in the film is only as this AI voice, and he doesn’t appear on screen.

Jim Starlin

Jim Starlin, the artist who created the villain Thanos, makes a cameo appearance in ‘Avengers: Endgame’. He’s shown as a member of the support group that Steve Rogers (Captain America) attends in 2023. This scene happens near the beginning of the movie, as the characters are dealing with the aftermath of the Blip, and Starlin is visible among those participating.

Ed Brubaker

The co-creator of the Winter Soldier character makes a brief appearance in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ as a HYDRA scientist who worked on the program that brainwashed Bucky Barnes. You can spot him during the scenes showing Bucky’s past, specifically in the bunker and lab settings – it’s a quick, silent moment where he’s wearing a lab coat.

Joe Russo

The director of many Marvel Cinematic Universe films often makes brief appearances in his movies. For example, in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier,’ he plays the doctor attending to Nick Fury. He also has a small role in ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ and appears as a man in a support group in ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

Anderson Cooper

The CNN anchor plays himself in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, appearing in the movie as a news reporter covering events in Wakanda. His reports are shown as television broadcasts within the film’s world, and they help explain how people are reacting to everything that’s happening.

Pat Kiernan

The NY1 news anchor makes several appearances as himself throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He reports on events in movies like ‘The Avengers’ and ‘Iron Man 3’, and later provides news updates in ‘Doctor Strange’ and ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’. These appearances always show him delivering local news reports from New York.

Christiane Amanpour

In ‘Iron Man 2’, a journalist plays herself, appearing in a TV interview with Pepper Potts. They discuss Stark Industries and recent events, adding a realistic touch to the film’s superhero narrative. This cameo is presented as an actual news report and is part of a larger sequence showing how the media covers Tony Stark.

Bill O’Reilly

A real-life commentator makes a cameo appearance in ‘Iron Man 2’ as himself. He appears in a news segment within the film, offering criticism of Tony Stark and the Iron Man program. This clip is shown while characters are watching, highlighting how the public views these events and contributing to the movie’s realistic portrayal of media coverage.

Bill Maher

Bill Maher, playing himself, makes a cameo appearance in ‘Iron Man 3’. He briefly offers his commentary on the new ‘Iron Patriot’ design and how it affects perceptions of national security. This segment is presented as a television broadcast within the movie’s storyline, and it’s one of several instances where real-world media is incorporated into the film.

Lloyd Kaufman

Lloyd Kaufman, co-founder of Troma Entertainment, makes a brief appearance in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ as a prisoner reacting to the commotion during a lockdown. This small role is a nod to director James Gunn’s early work with Kaufman. He also appears again for a quick moment in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’.

Kamaru Usman

The UFC champion makes a cameo appearance in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ as a naval officer during an action sequence on a ship. It’s a short role with very little dialogue, which suits the film’s depiction of the military. He is listed in the movie’s credits for his performance.

Tyler Bates

The composer for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ briefly appears in the film. He makes an uncredited cameo as a Ravager pilot during one of the space scenes, a fun way to acknowledge his work on the movie’s soundtrack.

George Kotsiopoulos

Okay, so as a film buff, I always get a kick out of spotting cameos, and this one is fun! The stylist and TV personality actually plays himself in ‘Iron Man 3’. He pops up during a news segment within the movie that’s talking about how superheroes build their brands and what the public thinks of them. It’s presented as just one of those quick media clips they show, and it’s a clever way to bring a fashion expert’s perspective into the whole in-universe conversation.

We want to know which surprise Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) cameo was your favorite! Also, let us know in the comments which character you’d love to see make an appearance in a future MCU project.

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2025-11-04 07:46