50 times celebrities have appeared in music videos

If, as an artist, you play your cards right, creating a memorable music video can turn a modest song into the ultimate hit.

There are many tactics to do this, one of them is to show up with a prominent face. Introducing a celebrity, an actor or model, is an incredibly effective way to get listeners to rate a song – it’s rarely about what other people do. They don’t forget to see more than they don’t forget to hear.

In the list below, we have collected 50 examples of celebrity cameos in music videos. In some cases, the user is recognizable almost immediately, but in other cases, the celebrity in question selected before they became ubiquitous, so you may need to take a closer look. . .

1. Aaron Taylor-Johnson in R. E. M. From: Collapse Into Now (2011)

English actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson didn’t just star in the music video for R. E. M. for “Uberlin,” but the project was directed by her then-fiancé, Sam Taylor-Wood, best known for his 2008 film Nowhere Boy about John Lennon’s childhood. (Taylor-Johnson also starred in the title role. )

2. Alek Wek in Tina Turner’s “GoldenEye” Print: 1995 James Bond GoldenEye

When Sudanese-British fashion and fashion designer Alek Wek was cast in the music video for Tina Turner’s James Bond theme “GoldenEye,” she was still a teenager and years away from becoming a global hit. But one thing she always remembered about her experience was the way Turner, herself a superstar, interacted with actors. “He talked to all of us and said, ‘I appreciate you guys,'” Wek recalled to Vogue in 2020. “Who does that? It was the sweetest thing. All he had to do was put on sweatpants, pajamas, and maybe a jacket. I never will. Years later, I met her and she still remembers me.

Angelina Jolie in “Anybody Seen My Bathrough” via the Rolling Stones, from: Bridges to Bathroughlon (1997)

In 1997, actress Angelina Jolie is not a family name, but she is extraordinarily close to it. Just a few years after appearing as a New York stripper in the Rolling Stones’ music video for “Anybody Seen My Baby,” she won the Oscar. Mick Jagger romantically pursued Jolie, who resisted his advances after the video was made. “She scares me a little bit, I like her,” he allegedly said at the time, but that relationship, of course, didn’t work out. .

Angelina Jolie in “Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through” via Meat Loaf From: Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell (1993)

Just a few years before appearing in the Stones’ music video, she starred in the music video for Meat Loaf’s “Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through. “She was only 18 at the time, just over a year before she landed her breakthrough role in Hackers.

5. Anthony Hopkins in “I Forgive All” via Mudcrutch From: Mudcrutch 2 (2016)

The story of how Anthony Hopkins became the star of Mudcrutch’s music video for 2016’s “I Forgive It All” is pretty straightforward, according to the video’s co-director, Sean Penn. “He’s just an artist for the artist’s sake and I just liked the concept of doing it and trying it,” Penn told Rolling Stone at the time. “I asked him and he said yes. It’s as undeniable as that. “Penn said the entire video was recorded in one day.

6. Arnold Schwarzenegger on AC/DCDe’s “Big Gun”: 1993 single

It stands to reason that since AC/DC’s “Big Gun” was used in the soundtrack of the film Last Action Hero starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the iconic actor will also appear in the song’s music video. In it, Schwarzenegger mimics Angus Young’s approach that the guitarist had to teach him. “I’d never met Arnold before, he walked off the set, I was sitting there and he said, ‘Would you like to practice this in the parking lot?'” Young recalled in a 2020 interview. “So, you might see this tall guy and this ankle-deep little guy, jumping into the parking lot!I’m going to grant him that, he was already determined to do it. “him. “

7. Arnold Schwarzenegger on “You Could Be Mine” via Guns N’ Roses from: Use Your Illusion II (1991)

Oh, and it’s not the first time Arnold Schwarzenegger has made a nasty appearance in a rock music video. He had done it two years earlier for Guns N’ Roses’ “You Could Be Mine. “Interestingly, it was Schwarzenegger who sued GNR, even inviting the band to dinner at his space so they could come to an agreement to use the song in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

8. Ben Stiller in “Tribute” from Tenacious D From: Tenacious D (2001)

Let’s make one thing clear from the get-go: it’s Dave Grohl as the fighting demon in Tenacious D’s “Tribute” video. But that’s not all. Wait until the last minute of the video and watch Ben Stiller casually walking around the scene (Five years later, Stiller would also appear in Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny).

9. Bruce Willis in Gorillaz’s “Pen” De: Plastic Beach (2010)

Is there anything cooler than Bruce Willis in aviator tones behind the wheel of a red Ancient Road?It’s hard to say. According to Jamie Hewlett, shooting the video was remarkably expensive, considering the cost of the stunt doubles and security measures: “The only one who didn’t charge money was Bruce,” he said in 2011, “because he did it for free because he’s a sweetheart. “

10. Chevy Chase in “You Can Call Me Al” via Paul Simon From: Graceland (1986)

Paul Simon and comedian Chevy Chase go back a long way: They met on the set of Saturday Night Live in 1975. More than a decade later, Chase (six feet four) appeared next to Simon (five feet three) in the music video for “You Can Call Me Al,” with the help of Lorne Michaels and director Gary Weiss. Reportedly, Chase learned the song in the car on the way to filming.

11. Chloé Sévigny in “Sugar Kane” via Sonic YouthDe: Dirty (1992)

Actress Chloe Sevigny is 17 years old and it wasn’t noticed when she appeared in Sonic’s Youth’s music video for “Sugar Kane,” her first film credits. The video also featured a new clothing line from Marc Jacobs literally called the “grunge collection. “Three years later, Sévigny landed a role in Kids and continued his rise to fame.

12. Christoper Walken in Fatboy Slim with “The Weapon of Choice” via Bootsy Collins From: Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars (2000)

Understand this: Bootsy Collins wasn’t even the unexpected top contributor when it came to Fatboy Slim’s “weapon of choice. “That honor goes to Christopher Walken, who showed off his dance moves for the video. “It’s a very catchy song,” Walken told Venice magazine in 2003. “It’s for tap dancing because it has a planned rhythm that sounds at most like a drum. They say tap dancers are like drummers. “

13. Courteney Cox in Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” From: Born in America (1984)

Since 1984, Bruce Springsteen has been recreating the music video he directed for “Dancing in the Dark,” gathering enthusiasts to dance with him and the E Street Band. The original video featured Courteney Cox as the lucky fan. Looking back to 2022, Cox remembers feeling nervous and uncomfortable during her audition, but that clearly worked in her favor. “I think that’s why they gave it to me because I thought, ‘Okay!'” he told Howard Stern. “I think that’s what they wanted, a fan who just couldn’t. “

David Cross in “Juicebox” via The Strokes From: First Impressions of Earth (2005)

Does David Cross appear in a Strokes music video?It’s more likely than you might think, given that the actor opened for the organization in 2001, which went awry. That didn’t stop the Strokes from inviting Cross back into their band to play as a radio DJ in the music video for “Juicebox. “

15. Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson in Michael Jackson’s “Remember the Time” from: Dangerous (1992)

At some point in his career, it became apparent that Michael Jackson would necessarily be able to choose his collaborators. For the 1992 music video for “Remember the Time”, the other people were Eddie Murphy, Iman (the same year she married David Bowie), and Magic Johnson, among others. Set in ancient Egypt, the video was praised at the time for its innovative special effects and aired on MTV.

Elisha Cuthbert in Weezer’s “The Perfect Situation” from Make Believe (2005)

Directed by Marc Webb, the music video for “Perfect Situation” portrays actress Elisha Cuthbert as the lead singer of a band called Weeze, which eventually morphs into Weezer with Rivers Cuomo at the helm. “We wanted to make a video that in the spirit of the old Spike Jonze Weezer videos, like ‘Buddy Holly’ or ‘The Sweater Song,'” Webb told MTV at the time. “These wonderful young videos, so complicated and so clever. We wanted to play with what video is and what it can be. “

Eric Roberts in “Mr. Brightside” from The Killers From: Hot Fuss (2004)

There are two music videos for “Mr. Brightside” through the Killers. The first one was filmed in Staten Island, New York, however, the one we are talking about here was made in Los Angeles and starred actor Eric Roberts, Julia Roberts’ eldest. brother and father of Emma Roberts (Eric Roberts ended up returning for another Killers music video, “Miss Atomic Bomb”, in 2012).

Eva Mendes and Sean William Scott in Aerosmith’s “Hole in My Soul” from: Nine Lives (1997)

Eva Mendes came incredibly close to her breakthrough when she appeared in Aerosmith’s “Hole in My Soul” music video. In fact, at the time, he hadn’t yet appeared in a feature film of any kind, but he joined. through another actor who is about to cause a big sensation: Sean William Scott.

Evan Rachel Wood and Jamie Bell in “Wake Me Up When September Ends” to Green Day From: American Idiot (2004)

“It’s the most productive thing I’ve ever done in my life,” director Sam Bayer, a leading figure in music video directing for years, told MTV in 2005 about the video he made for Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends. “I’ve worked with so many rock bands over the years and shot so many videos, but ‘September’ is hands down the most productive thing I’ve ever done. “The video was treated in much the same way as a feature film. “We spent a month shooting the video,” he continued. Evan Rachel Wood and Jamie Bell are wonderful actors. We did rehearsals, castings, we approached it precisely as a big film. “

20. Finn Wolfhard in Weezer’s “Take on Me” From: Weezer (2019)

In 2018, actor Finn Wolfhard’s band Calpurnia sang Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So. “So, in turn, Weezer invited them to star in one of their 2019 music videos, a chant of A-ha’s “Take On Me. “Wolfhard is known for his role in Stranger Things. )

Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard in David Bowie’s “The Next Day” from: The Next Day (2013)

Gary Oldman’s appearance in David Bowie’s “The Next Day” music video, alongside Marion Cotillard, wasn’t all that surprising: he and Bowie were close friends and enjoyed weekly Skype calls. Perhaps the most intriguing component of the video is at the end. , when Bowie says, “Thank you Gary, thank you Marion, thank you all” and then temporarily disappears.

22. Gaten Materrazzo in Green Day’s “Find Me on the Roof” From: Father of All Motherfuckers (2020)

Actor Gaten Matarazzo made the impression in Green Day’s “Meet Me on the Roof” music video, in which Billie Joe Armstrong plays a stuntman.

Graham Chapman on “Can I Play with Madness” through Iron Maiden’s Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)

Filmed in the ruins of Tintern Abbey on the Welsh-England border, the music video for Iron Maiden’s “Can I Play With Madness” features Monty Python’s Graham Chapman in one of his last appearances before his death in October 1989. “He asked me to have an idea,” director Julian Doyle recalled to Classic Rock in 2023. “So I asked Graham if he wanted to do it. He is a fan of pop and rock music, he is friends with Keith Moon. I’m not sure Iron Maiden is on his radar at the time (Bruce Dickinson is a longtime Monty Python fan, so Chapman is on his radar).

24. Hugh Hefner in Weezer’s “Beverly Hills” from: Make Believe (2005)

When you think of Beverly Hills, photographs of luxury cars, giant mansions, and the California sun come to mind. And who better to include the spirit of opulence than Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. Weezer didn’t just allow Hefner to star in its music video. , but they also had to shoot it at the Playboy Mansion.

25. Hugh Laurie and John Malkovich in “Walking on Broken Glass” by Annie Lennox. From: Diva (1992)

The music video for Annie Lennox’s “Walking on Broken Glass” is inspired in part by the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons, a period drama starring, among others, John Malkovich. Thus, Malkovich invited to appear in the clip, as well as Hugh Laurie.

Jack Black and Kyle Gass in Foo Fighters’ “Learn to Fly. “Excerpted from: Nothing Left to Lose (1999)

Several years before Dave Grohl gave the impression of being a satan in Tenacious D’s “Tribute” video, Jack Black and Kyle Gass began lending their talents to Foo Fighters’ “Learn to Fly” video. The production won a Grammy for 2001. al Best Short Music Video.

Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman in Paul McCartney’s “My Valentine” from: Kisses on the Bottom (2012)

Paul McCartney didn’t need to direct an elaborate music video for 2012’s “My Valentine. “Instead, he enlisted the help of some prominent friends, Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp, and directed them himself. “I talked to Natalie and Johnny before filming and we were just having a general conversation,” she told Vanity Fair at the time. “Then we’d turn on the camera and there would be a complete transformation. It’s not surprising, because, you know, they’re so “Well, but to see that happen in front of you is pretty remarkable. It’s like I’m seeing two completely different people, like they’re becoming screen gods right in front of me. “

Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway and Matt LeBlanc in “Into the Great Wide Open” via Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. From: Into the Great Wide Open (1991)

In the video above, Johnny Depp is in his 40s, but in the video below for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Into the Great Wide Open,” he’s much younger and plays the lead role of a young boy who travels to Hollywood in search of fame. The two remained friends until Petty’s death in 2017. Oh, and it’s none other than Faye Dunaway who plays Eddie’s manager in the video, and be sure to keep an eye out for Matt LeBlanc’s brief appearance as well.

29. Josh Duhamel on “I Will Go With You” via Donna Summer: 1999 Single

Believe it or not, Josh Duhamel began his acting career by appearing in music videos in 1999. One of them is “Genie in a Bottle” by Christina Aguilera and the other is “I Will Go With You (Con te partiro)” by Donna Summer.

30. Kate Moss in The White Stripes “I just don’t know what to do with myself” From: Elephant (2003)

Model Kate Moss has appeared in several music videos throughout her career, but one of the most memorable is White Stripes’ “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself,” in which she appears only black. and black-and-white photographs of their pole dancing. The film was directed by Sofia Coppola, who came up with the concept and pitched it to Jack White. “I said, ‘I don’t know, how about Kate Moss pole dancing?'” Coppola told The New York Times in the “I said that because I’d like to see it. That’s how I work: I revise to believe what I’d like to see. “

31. Key

To be clear, this is the only Weird Al music video to feature celebrities, but it’s a pretty exciting team. There’s a lot going on in the video for “White. “

Kim Basinger in “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” via Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from: Greatest Hits (1993)

When actress Kim Basinger got the call about her appearance in Tom Petty’s music video for “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” she didn’t hesitate. “I did it for a reason: I did it for Tom Petty,” he told Billboard in 2017. There are certain artists that you spend with in life and they entertain you and help you throughout a time of your life or have a significant influence on the message that they brought at that time. . . It’s an old video and I’m very proud to have been a part of this. “

33. Kristen Stewart in the Rolling Stones’ “Ride ‘Em on Down” From: Blue

Filmed over two days in Los Angeles, the Rolling Stones’ music video for Kristen Stewart’s “Ride ‘Em on Down” naturally cooled on a blue hot rod.

Liv Tyler and Alicia Silverstone in Aerosmith from: “Crazy” from Get a Grip (1993)

We’re not sure whether to add Liv Tyler as a celebrity guest on the tracks of Aerosmith’s “Crazy” music video given that her father is the band’s frontman, but in any case, she’s there at 16. There’s also Alicia Silverstone, whose acting career was about to take off at the time.

Macaulay Caulkin, Tess Harper, George Wendt and Tyra Banks in Michael Jackson’s “Black or White. “From: Dangerous (1991)

Among the prominent faces in Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” music video: Macaulay Caulkin, Tess Harper, George Wendt and a very young Tyra Banks. The video was directed by John Landis, who was also the culprit behind Jackson’s iconic “Thriller” video.

36. Matt LeBlanc on “Night Moves” via Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. From: Night Moves (1976)

Are you tired of seeing Matt LeBlanc’s face?It’s a shame because here’s another clip that introduces it. Bob Seger released the song “Night Moves” in 1976, but waited until 1994 to make a video. LeBlanc is friends with the video’s director, Wayne Isham, and landed the role just a few months before taking on the role of Joey Tribbiani on Friends.

37. Matt LeBlanc in “Miracle” via Jon Bon Jovi From: Blaze of Glory (1990)

If you think Matt LeBlanc is no longer on this list, think again. Here he is in Jon Bon Jovi’s music video for “Miracle” in one of his first appearances as an actor. It was obviously a busy time for LeBlanc as he took on the role in Tom Petty’s “Into the Great Wide Open” video the following year.

38. Mila Kunis in Aerosmith’s “Jaded” From: Just Push Play (2001)

“Oh my God, that’s the most productive thing,” 17-year-old Mila Kunis told the New York Post in 2001 about her experience in Aerosmith’s “Jaded” music video. “It’s a great honor to work with them. How wonderful it is that Steven Tyler reached out to me. And it’s great because it’s down-to-earth. There isn’t a single user on this planet who does that. I don’t know who he is. “

39. Naomi Campbell in “Is This Love” via Bob Marley and the Wailers. Directed by: Kaya (1978)

If you didn’t recognize Naomi Campbell’s style in Bob Marley’s music video for “Is This Love,” it’s perfectly understandable: she was only 8 years old at the time. It is the first of several music videos by Campbell, who later turned to tap dancing. on Culture Club’s “I’ll Tumble Four Ya” and “Mistake Number 3”.

40. Cynthia Rhodes and Patrick Swayze in “Rosanna” from TotoDe: Toto IV (1982)

Cynthia Rhodes played the principal dancer in the music video for Toto’s “Rosanna,” a role that helped land her the cast of Staying Alive with John Travolta the following year. There’s also Patrick Swayze, who, for some reason, wasn’t credited as Was a Dancer, but things worked out well: He landed a role opposite Rhodes in Dirty Dancing.

41. Paulina Poriskova in “Drive” CarsDe: Heartbeat City (1984)

Paulina Porizkova was a 19-year-old actress and model when she appeared in Cars’ “Drive” music video, and would later be Ric Ocasek’s third wife. The video was directed by another actor, Timothy Hutton, who turned out to be Being a neighbor of Cars manager Elliot Roberts.

42. Robert Downey Jr. in “I Want Love” via Elton John Excerpt from: Songs of the West Coast (2001)

Elton John’s idea was to cast Robert Downey Jr. in the music video for “I Want Love,” though he’s not sure if the actor, who was suffering from addiction at the time, would be willing to do so. “I even thought, ‘Oh my God, the lyrics are very familiar. I wonder if he’s going to do it. ” John explained in an interview with MTV. “It all fell into place in five or six days. We sent him the album and he said, “Yes. “I’m very happy with that. I love the fact that it’s an exclusive video. He threw 16 strikes. They used the last take because I was absolutely at ease then. He’s overlooking it and the way he’s downplaying it is fantastic. “

43. RuPaul in B-52’s “Love Shack” from: Cosmic Thing (1982)

If you blink, you might miss iconic drag queen RuPaul’s brief appearance in the B-52’s “Love Shack” video. It was her first national exhibition, as she moved from San Diego to Atlanta at the age of 15 with her. sister to pursue a career in the arts. ” It was special,” Cindy Wilson told Billboard in 2017. “Of course, Ru’s star has become a huge star. It’s amazing that she had the TV screen [RuPaul’s Drag Race], and “It’s one of the most productive exhibitions on the planet. Right away. “

Stephanie Seymour in “November Rain” via Guns N’ Roses From: Use Your Illusion I (1991)

Sometimes it’s nice to have prominent friends or associates, as in the case of Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain” video, starring Stephanie Seymour, then Axl Rose’s girlfriend. ” video. ) And she and Rose got married on screen, their own engagement ending in February 1993.

45. Sydney Sweeney in The Rolling Stones’ “Angry” From: Hackney Diamonds (2023)

We’re not done with the featured actresses in the Rolling Stones videos yet. Here’s one more, and the most recent: Sydney Sweeney is having an unforgettable time in the back of a convertible while playing “Angry. “Video of the Stones. Is it cool and iconic?” he told Billboard in 2023. I felt so good. All the moves, everything I did was freestyle. I mean, who else can roll on the roof of a convertible driving down Sunset Boulevard?With police escorts? It’s great. There are things in this career that I had no idea I can do.

46. Sylvester Stallone in “The Winner Takes All” via Sammy Hagar Excerpt from: Over the Top Soundtrack (1987)

It makes perfect sense that since Sammy Hagar’s “Winner Takes All” was used in the 1987 film Over the Top, the film’s main character, Sylvester Stallone, would appear in the music video. “I had a very bad opinion of him for about 20 minutes,” Hagar admitted in her 2003 documentary The Long Road to Cabo, referring to how Stallone’s security team kicked everyone out of the men’s room so the star could spend time alone. “And after that, he started talking to me and said, ‘Oh man, ever since I did Rambo, other people have been throwing blood-soaked flags at me and stuff. ‘It was great.

47. Multiple Stars in Paul McCartney’s “Queenie Eye” From: New (2013)

At the beginning of Paul McCartney’s “Queenie Eye” video, it’s just him sitting at the piano in the studio. But in the end, a total legion of stars surrounds him, including: Johnny Depp, Chris Pine, Jude Law. , Sean Penn, James Corden, Meryl Streep, Kate Moss, Tom Ford and more.

48. Multiple stars in Korn’s “Twisted Transistor”. Excerpted from: See You on the Other Side (2005)

Instead of appearing in their own music video for “Twisted Transistor,” Korn will bring in 4 rappers to upgrade: Lil Jon as Jonathan Davis, Xzibit as Fieldy, David Banner as David Silveria, and Snoop Dogg as James Shaffer.

49. Wesley Snipes in Michael Jackson’s “Bad” From: Bad (1987)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, Michael Jackson’s music video for “Bad,” in the style of West Side Story, featured one of the first appearances by actor Wesley Snipes. “[Jackson] had this idea that he was in a gang,” Snipes recalled in 2017. “He didn’t know I was a trained comedian. “

Milton Berle in Ratt’s “Round and Round” from Out of the Cellar (1984)

Although Ratt was largely unknown prior to the release of their debut album in 1984, they were able to tap into a family connection with comedian Milton Berle (the uncle of the band’s manager, Marshall Berle) for a memorable two-character lead. role in the “Round and Round” bachelor video. “There’s a generation gap,” Berle admitted. I’m in my forties. . . I mean, I’m in my sixties and the guys are in their twenties. ” The comedy legend also gave the impression in the video for another Out of the Cellar song, “Back for More. “

Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp

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