You know those moments when you’re watching a show, and then out of nowhere, one of your favorite celebrities comes across your screen? It feels like you just saw one of your family members or friends on TV for the first time. You may even scream with excitement at the TV.
Celeb cameos are a longstanding tradition in Hollywood and aid in gaining viewership. They help provide longevity to a series and allow our fave celebs to express a side of themselves that we wouldn’t usually see.
According to The Conversation, “Cameos take advantage of our desire to watch our favourite stars again and again onscreen, allowing films to pack recognizable faces into small spaces in the narrative.” Celeb cameos add familiarity and make us feel nostalgic while watching our comfort shows.
As popular as celeb cameos are, you’ve probably forgotten a few of them, so I’ve compiled a list of some of the most iconic — and random — ones to date.
- Sarah Jessica Parker on Glee
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SJP on Glee was an incredibly iconic moment. She made her cameo by attending a Kiki, a term created by Black LGBTQ communities and loosely defined as a gathering of friends coming together to gossip and share stories. SJP’s character got invited by Kurt Hummel, played by Chris Colfer. They immediately break out into song and dance after SJP makes her way to the Kiki.
Episode she appears in: Season 4, Episode 8.
Where you can watch: Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, and Apple TV.
- Prince on New Girl
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That’s right — Prince was on New Girl! One of my favorite shows and celeb cameos. During a tiff, Prince plays mediator between Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess (Zooey Deschanel). Nick and Jess freak out, naturally. Prince was a big fan of the show and wanted them to be together, and he did just that and became an iconic cast member in the process.
Episode he appears in: Season 3, Episode 14.
Where you can watch: Netflix and Disney+.
- Shakira on Wizards of Waverly Place
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Shakira’s cameo on Wizards of Waverly Place was random but incredibly heartwarming. She sang with Alex Russo (Selena Gomez) in a duet of her song “Gypsy.” The scene ends with a hilarious transition of Shakira magically turning into Uncle Kelbo (Jeff Garlin).
Episode she appears in: Season 3, Episode 12.
Where you can watch: Disney+.
- Britney Spears on How I Met Your Mother
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Britney Spears appeared on How I Met Your Mother as a character named Abby, the receptionist to Stella (Sarah Chalke), one of the main characters in the show, and her cameo lasted a few episodes.
Episodes she appears in: Season 3, Episodes 13 and 19.
Where you can watch: Hulu and Disney+.
- Lady Gaga on Gossip Girl
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In true Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) fashion, our girl managed to arrange a private performance from Lady Gaga. Although Lady Gaga didn’t have any lines, her performance of “Bad Romance” was just as iconic as it played in the background during a heartbreaking conversation between Dan (Penn Badgedly) and Olivia (Hilary Duff).
Episode she appears in: Season 3, Episode 10.
Where you can watch: HBO Max.
- Shawn Mendes on The 100
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Shawn Mendes made his cameo on The 100 after tweeting at the showrunners. According to Seventeen, Mendes tweeted @the100writers and said, “can I act in your tv show.” The showrunners tweeted him back with a “Hell yes,” and Shawn appeared in the Season 3 premiere. He was not only able to act, but he also sang and played piano in the episode.
Episode he appears in: Season 3, Episode 1.
Where you can watch: Netflix.
- Ed Sheeran on Game of Thrones
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Ed Sheeran played a Lannister soldier on Game of Thrones, and his cameo was in the first episode of the seventh season. Sheeran has been a fan since GOT’s third season and started asking producers for a cameo. Unfortunately, he later publicly spoke about the backlash he received for his cameo and how it “sort of muddied” his joy around the appearance.
Episode he appears in: Season 7, Episode 1.
Where you can watch: HBO Max.
- Jesse McCartney on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
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Jesse McCartney played himself in his cameo on Suit Life. It was one of the most iconic moments of the show’s first season. It was an unforgettable memory not only for Maddie (Ashley Tisdale) and London (Brenda Song), but for young Gen Z viewers everywhere (Jesse was HOT!).
Episode he appears in: Season 1, Episode 17.
Where you can watch: Disney+.
- Pete Wentz on One Tree Hill
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Fall Out boy band member Pete Wentz cameoed as himself on One Tree Hill during the show’s third season. His role has become controversial over the years as fans of the show call out his character’s inappropriate age gap with his love interest, Peyton (Hilarie Burton). Despite the show’s controversies, Wentz’s multiple appearances remain iconic.
Episodes he appears in: Season 3, Episodes 4, 15, 18.
Where you can watch: HBO Max and Hulu.
- Aaron Carter on Lizzie McGuire
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The late Aaron Carter cameoed on Lizzie Mcguire and was the main event in the show’s first Christmas episode. The most iconic part of the episode was when Aaron performed for the “I Want Candy” music video, and Lizzie (Hilary Duff) and Miranda (Lalaine) had cameos as his backup dancers. Carter sadly passed away in November, and Duff took to Instagram to remember Carter’s legacy and the imprint he had on her teenage years.
Episode he appears in: Season 1, Episode 7.
Where you can watch: Disney+.
Celeb cameos have been a long-standing fan favorite, and we’ll probably continue to see them for years.