Ali Plumb's 10 Favourite Popstar Cameos In Movies

In my earlier cameos piece - the snazzily-titled 'Ali Plumb's Top Five Most Random A-Lister Movie Cameos', by the by - I went deep on the utterly bizarre, out-of-nowhere and occasionally unrecognisable celebrity movie appearance. Today, I go deeper: it's time to shout out the awkward non-actor popstars who've popped up on the big screen.

Famously, there have been some brilliant comic turns from the likes of David Bowie in Zoolander (2001), and perhaps even more famously, some appallingly uncomfortable turns from the likes of Madonna in Die Another Day (2002). Perhaps the less said the better.

But before I dig in, I should point out some honorable mentions, such as:

• Anthony Kiedis in Point Break (1991)
• Flea and Aimee Mann in The Big Lebowski (1998)
• Gwen Stefani in The Aviator (2004)
• Alanis Morissette in Dogma (1999)
• Usher in Hustlers (2019)
• Michael Jackson in Men in Black II (2002)
• Blink 182 in American Pie (1999)
• Celine Dion and Lady Gaga in Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
• MeatLoaf, Elton John and Elvis Costello in Spice World (1997)

...but honestly, I had to draw the line somewhere! Also, if you have the time, I really recommend Hustlers. Just a little tip for you there.

Here are just some of my favourite musician cameos in movies, in no particular order - and fingers crossed they'll remind you to go and see the actual films as some of these are actually really quite good, honest (though perhaps not the last one...)

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Pulp's very own Jarvis Cocker heads up wizarding band The Weird Sisters, who you may remember playing at the Yule Ball. And yes, that's his Pulp bandmate Steve Mackey, plus Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway because... I mean, why not?

Alas, a lot of their work ended up on the cutting room floor, but it lives on in deleted scenes on YouTube for the hardcore fans and now, well, you!

And there's a bonus rockstar cameo in different Harry Potter film: Stone Roses' Ian Brown plays 'Wizard In The Leaky Cauldron' in Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), essentially because he was friends with the director Alfonso Cuarón.

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Criminally underseen cult comedy favourite Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping was made by comic trio The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone) and as veterans of Saturday Night Live they had the perfect big-name rolodex to flick through.

Hence everyone from Mariah Carey to Ringo Starr stopping by for their Justin Bieber mickey take. DJ Khaled! Seal! ASAP Rocky! Adam Levine even sings along with them in hologram form in one of their songs. Honestly, if you haven't seen this movie already, read my 'underseen 21st century comedies' piece and get to renting as soon as possible.

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There are many bonkers cameos in Goldmember - it begins with Tom Cruise backflipping out of a Union Jack car "as Austin Powers", plus Gwyneth Paltrow, Steven Spielberg and the rest - but perhaps the most "What am I watching?" moment was Britters, as a fembot with a machine gun bra, performing a dance battle with Austin before her head explodes. You may want to read that again, and I do not blame you.

Let's be honest: Zoolander 2 ain't great. But its cameos... its cameos are something else. As well as this Susan Boyle airport paparazzi gag - "Take a picture of that!" as she extends a middle finger to the braying hordes of photographers - there's an extended Justin Bieber opening bit, plus appearances from MC Hammer, Skrillex, Joe Jonas and Katy Perry. And while the film is weak, I have to say the chemistry between Will Ferrell (as Mugatu) and Kristen Wiig (as Alexanya Atoz) is just superb.

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Tom Jones is an integral part of the Martians' plan for world domination, so perhaps this is a bit more than a cameo, but I just love everyone's favourite welsh crooner here. The way he reacts to Danny DeVito going way over the top is just... I mean, it's just great. It's safe to say they don't make movies like this one any more.

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The Foo Fighters' very own Dave Grohl plays Animal's rival drummer 'Animool' in the Muppets movie reboot, complete with some pretty out-there fur placement. But if you think this is odd, don't forget he played satan - red make-up, horns and all - Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny (2006) after playing Lucifer in the original music video to Tribute (2002). With all the hours in the make-up chair required, that's real dedication to the cause.

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I had to include this one. Though I can see its flaws, and some of it hasn't aged all that well, I just have the biggest soft spot for John Cusack's Nick Hornby adaptation High Fidelity. One of my favourite moments is when The Boss himself appears in a daydream to Cusack's music store owner Rob Gordon, encouraging him to meet up with all his top five old flames. Terrible advice, sure, but it's a daydream! There are no rules!

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The White Stripes' Jack White is no stranger to a cameo. Like Dave Grohl he's Muppeted in his time, as well as appearing in the likes of Cold Mountain (2003) and the amazingly-named Mutant Swinger from Mars (2003). Then there are a whole host of documentaries he's popped up in, not to mention all the White Stripes DVDs over the years. This one, though, I mean... "LOOK OUT MAN" because this is a doozie. Jack White, as Elvis, in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007). He is obviously having a ball mucking about as The King, slurring his words and doing judo chops. Plus, I think many people don't even realise it's him...

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All-star end of the world comedy This Is The End is stuffed full of cameos, from Emma Watson to Paul Rudd, but there are two I'd really love to flag up here. One is Rihanna, who's appeared in proper, more-than-a-cameo roles in films like Ocean's 8 (2018) and Battleship (2012), but excels with the whole Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel gang in this movie. Is it that funny with 2020 hindsight? You be the judge. One part of the movie that really works, and probably will forever and ever, is The Backstreet Boys popping up at the very end to perform 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back)' in a way that just fills your heart with joy.

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This is not a great cameo. This is not a great film. But in a perverse "Did this really happen?" way I feel obliged to include it. Taylor Swift has appeared in films like Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience, Hannah Montana: The Movie and the oft-forgotten The Giver but this one takes the cake. Here is Swifty, as Bombalurina the cat, gliding down on a crescent moon, shaking catnip around. There are no words. Honestly, this is incredible. Just... feast your eyes and ears on the utter insanity that is one of the biggest popstars on the planet CGIed into looking like a cat in a way that makes you feel thoroughly uncomfortable in the most amazing way. Purest, unfiltered nightmare fuel.