30 Celebrity Cameos in Music Videos
If there’s one thing that pushes the spectacle of a crazy music video for an awesome song into the canon of great pop culture it must be the celebrity cameo. The simple fact of having a contemporaneous superstar alongside a given musical artist gives the video that extra time capsule value as an artifact for the ages. Here, then are Listicles’ 12 Celebrity Cameos in Music Videos. (Click the images to see the videos.)
Michael Jackson’s “Jam,” “Remember the Time” and “Black or White” - Michael Jordan, Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson, George Wendt, Macaulay Culkin
MJ went a little cameo-crazy with the videos for his Dangerous album, but none seemed more random and awkward than Michael Jordan’s appearance in the “Jam” video alongside Heavy D and Kriss Kross. .
Memphis Bleek’s “Do My…” - A Half-Dozen Female Sports Superstars
We especially like the part where one of the Williams sisters schools Jay-Z and Bleek on the court.
Enrique Iglesias’s “Hero” and “Escape” - Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mickey Rourke, Anna Kournikova
Okay, we get it, Enrique has his way with 90s sex symbols.
Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice” - Christopher Walken
This Spike Jonze video confirmed everyone’s suspicions that Christopher Walken could do anything.
Madonna’s “Music” - Sascha Baron Cohen
Was this the first time Ali G came stateside?
Elton John’s “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore” and Gnarls Barkley’s “Run” - Justin Timberlake
JT can lend your video ironic-retro-cool too!
Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around” - Scarlett Johansson
Proving that he doesn’t just fill others’ needs for cameos, JT recruits Scarlett Johansson.
Moby’s “Natural Blues” - Christina Ricci
If we had to pick an actress to take us into the netherworld, Ricci would be definitely be on the shortlist.
Kanye West’s “Touch the Sky” - Pamela Anderson
If you’re gonna make a retro-style exploitation movie daredevil music video, Anderson is kinda the perfect cameo choice, no?
Aerosmith’s “Crazy” and “Cryin’” - Alicia Silverstone, Liv Tyler, Stephen Dorff and Josh Holloway
A pre-Clueless Silverstone was hardly a star when these videos premiered, just a struggling actress and friend of Steven Tyler’s daughter Liv. He also cast her in the video for “Cryin’” which features a breakup scene with Dorff and a robbery scene with Lost bad boy Holloway, then just an unknown model.
Master P’s “Make ‘Em Say Uhh” - Shaq
It’s only natural that this basket-ball themed video should feature a rapping NBA superstar, and since P’s attempt to join the Toronto Raptors didn’t really work out, Shaq is the logical choice.
Tom Petty’s “Into the Great Wide Open” - Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway
Tom Petty’s outfit from this video would later inspire Depp’s costume in Tim Burton’s Willy Wonka film.
Paula Abdul’s “Rush, Rush” - Keanu Reeves
At the height of his stardom, Reeves starred as Abdul’s convict lover.
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