Celebrities Who Got Paid Thousands To Play Themselves in Blockbuster Movies

Movie: Zombieland
Earnings: $250,000*
Length of Appearance: 10-15 minutes

Bill Murray has proved time and time again that he’s really capable of rising to any occasion. Although the actor enjoyed mainstream success in the ’80s and ’90s, he’s been keeping more of a low-profile in recent years. However, in 2009 he popped up in the unlikeliest of movies. 

Bill Murray - Zombieland @CiandePaor / Twitter.com

Murray played himself in Zombieland, much to the delight of audiences. Despite the apocalypse depicted in the Sony caper, he continued to play golf, crack jokes, and even threw in a Ghostbusters tribute. It’s true what they say, you just can’t get better than Murray. 

Movie: This Is The End
Earnings: $250,000*
Length of Appearance: Approx 10 minutes

Emma Watson may have started out as little Hermione Granger, but the British actress has become a real force to be reckoned with in the movie industry. Her good girl rep hasn’t gone unnoticed though, so when Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg wrote their parody movie This Is The End in 2013, they knew they needed to get her on board. 

Emma Watson - This Is The End @ThePlaylist / Twitter.com

Luckily Watson was up for it and was totally down for playing a highly-strung version of herself in a movie all about the end of the world. Of course, she then went on to play Belle in Disney’s highly successful Beauty and the Beast remake.

Movie: Ocean’s 12
Earnings: $20 million*
Length of Appearance: 2 hours

Julia Roberts is one of the main characters in the highly popular Ocean’s 12 that was released in 2004. Roberts actually plays the love interest of George Clooney’s Danny Ocean, Tess. Interestingly, filmmakers decided to take a risk with the role. 

Julia Roberts - Ocean's 12 @agocspal272 / Pinterest.com

The backbone of the plan relies on Tess looking just like a famous actress who just so happens to be Julia Roberts. Essentially, Roberts is playing a character who is playing Roberts, which should be a little confusing. However, it ended up working out quite well, considering it took home $362 million at the box office.

Movie: Goldmember
Earnings: Unknown
Length of Appearance: 5 minutes

Steven Spielberg is a serious filmmaker, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like having fun. In 2002 he showed up in Austin Powers: Goldmember. The spoof spy movie saw Steven appear as the director of the fictional movie Austinpussy. The best part is arguably when the director backflips his way off the set. 

Steven Spielberg - Goldmember @TheBeardedTrio / Facebook.com

It’s not clear how much Steven was paid for appearing in the Warner Bros caper, but his involvement was certainly memorable. Spielberg is definitely more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it, with two directing Oscars and several more nominations under his belt. 

Movie: Zoolander 2
Earnings: $250,000*
Length of Appearance: 5 minutes

There was a time when Bieber Fever was very real. In fact, fans still go wild for the pop sensation to this day, which is why fans were super excited to learn he would appear in the long-awaited Zoolander 2 in 2016. 

Justin Bieber - Zoolander 2 @ONE Media / Youtube.com

Unlucky for them, Bieber was actually killed off in one of the early scenes for comedic effect. The scene was a welcome skit for many who thought it was hilarious. As for Justin, he probably didn’t mind what happened as long as he got paid and didn’t look too ridiculous.

Movie: JCVD
Earnings: $1 million*
Length of Appearance: 96 minutes

Jean-Claude Van Damme is an expert when it comes to action movies, but there’s no denying that he isn’t enjoying the peak of his popularity anymore. Back in 2008, he starred in a very strange project called JCVD. The arthouse movie wasn’t entirely lucrative for the star, but it was interesting. 

Jean-Claude Van Damme - JCVD @IRW48 / Pinterest.com

The entire film saw the actor play a fictionalized version of himself. Gone was the strong Hollywood star and in his place was a lost, down-and-out Jean-Claude. Fans loved it and thought it was something entirely different, with Van Damme actually delivering a very good 6-minute monologue. 

Movie: Knocked Up
Earnings: $50,000*
Length of Appearance: 5 minutes 

Even though Steven Carell has been in the acting business for quite some time, his big breakthrough came with Judd Apatow’s 40-Year-Old Virgin. After that, the actor maintained a good friendship with the director and was happy to make a cameo in 2007’s Knocked Up. 

Steve Carrell - Knocked Up @videismo / Pinterest.com

Katherine Heigl’s character is reporting at a red carpet event when Steve tries to reassure her that she looks great and nothing like a “fat cow.” Carell plays awkward very well, so this version of himself is quite similar to other characters he has portrayed in the past.   

Movie: Mallrats
Earnings: $50,000*
Length of Appearance: 10 minutes

Stan Lee was the creator of some of the biggest and most lucrative characters ever to grace the silver screen thanks to his comic book creations, but he wasn’t known for being an A-list actor himself. Years before he popped up in movies like Captain America and Iron Man, however, Lee was busy playing himself in 1995’s Mallrats. 

Stan Lee - Mallrats @jayandbobminute / Twitter.com

The iconic figure only appeared in the movie for 10 minutes, but it was an interesting turn. Lee actually acted in this movie, starring alongside Jason Lee in a couple of scenes. This movie proved that despite what his cameos in the Disney Marvel projects might have us think, Lee could act. 

Movie: A Hard Day’s Night 
Earnings: Unknown
Length of Appearance: Over 3 hours

The Beatles may have made a reputation for themselves as the biggest musicians the world has ever seen, but their reach extended far beyond the radio airwaves. Beatlemania was real, and as a result, the demand to see the fab four on-screen was extraordinarily high. 

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night @Venny_Personal / Twitter.com

John, Paul, Ringo, and George starred in three movies including 1964’s A Hard Day’s Night. The band played themselves for over three hours in what was billed a “hilarious” musical comedy. Fans loved it, helping it gross $11 million against a $240,000 budget. Two more movies followed later that decade. 

Movie: Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back
Earnings: $50,000*
Length of Appearance: 3 minutes 

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been friends for years, rising up through the ranks to achieve true stardom. Just because they’re A-list legends now doesn’t mean that they aren’t capable of poking fun at themselves, though. In 2001 they both parodied themselves in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. 

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back @thrillist / Pinteres.com

In the scene, Affleck mocks Damon for his choice of roles, while Damon throws it back at Affleck by pointing out that he starred in Reindeer Games, made by the formerly Disney-owned company, Miramax. Even though the appearance was small, it was a welcome addition to Kevin Smith’s movie.

Movie: Wayne’s World
Earnings: $100,000*
Length of Appearance: 4 minutes

Let’s face it, Alice Cooper looks a little scary when he’s rocking out on stage to hits like “Poison.” That’s what makes the seasoned musician all the more recognizable, but did you know that Cooper actually has a reputation for being one of the smartest men in the business, too? 

Alice Cooper - Wayne's World @hayley1079 / Pinterest.com

As it turns out, Mike Myers was well aware of this fact when he asked Cooper to play a version of himself in Viacom’s Wayne’s World. Cooper bored Garth and Wayne to death with his encyclopedic knowledge of Milwaukee.

Movie: The Hangover
Earnings: $100,000*
Length of Appearance: 2 minutes

Mike Tyson has certainly got a bit of a speckled reputation over the years. His immense highs and unbelievable lows have also turned him into somewhat of a parody, whether he intended it or not. Mike isn’t scared to laugh at himself – especially if it means making some more money. 

Mike Tyson - The Hangover @tbsportsblog / Pinterest.com

In 2009 he appeared as himself for a scene in the highly-rated Bradley Cooper comedy, The Hangover. The boxer was paid $100,000 to appear for 3 minutes in the Warner Bros. movie. He also popped up in the second installment, too.

Movie: High Fidelity
Earnings: $100,000*
Length of Appearance: Less than a minute

When it comes to music, Bruce Springsteen is one of the greats. The New Jersey native is the king of cool, which is what made his cameo in 2000’s High Fidelity even better. In true Bruce fashion, he turns up in somewhat of a garden angel capacity in one of Rob’s dreams. 

Bruce Springsteen - High Fidelity @consequence / Twitter.com

The entire scene lasts less than a minute, but it gave the music-heavy movie an extra level of sass. After all, it’s not every day that an iconic homegrown hero takes time out of their busy schedule to grace the silver screen. 

Movie: The Last Action Hero
Earnings: $15 million*
Length of Appearance: 2 hours 11 minutes 

Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t exactly have the best acting range out there, but it doesn’t matter. His charm and appeal go way beyond that. In the ‘90s, he starred in Last Action Hero and even played himself as the actor playing Jack Slater. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger - The Last Action Hero @CG Entertainment / Youtube.com

It sounds like a confusing concept on paper, but it works. Arnie was handsomely rewarded for his work on the movie, taking home $15 million. That’s not a bad amount by anyone’s standards. These days, the actor turned politician is worth an estimated $282 million.