Top 10 WTF Movie Cameos by Brits

The celebrities were queuing up for cameos in Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy, and is it any wonder? In a film like “Shaun of the Dead”, there’s plenty of room for an extra zombie or two. And that’s how Coldplay’s Chris Martin managed to sneak into the movie, almost unnoticed. As Shaun and Liz stage one last stand against the undead, you can just about spot Chris stumbling around outside the Winchester. Of course, he also popped up on Shaun’s telly too, opposite a certain Vernon Kay.

It’s hard to imagine anyone these days not knowing who Ed Sheeran is or what he looks like, but that’s the joke for this awkward cameo in “Bridget Jones’s Baby”. Ed gets into a fan photo mix-up with Bridget and her best mate, when they ask him for a backstage snap but their wires are clearly crossed. And the pair only realise their faux pas when Ed’s on stage later, performing in front of thousands. Not since his stint in Westeros has an Ed Sheeran cameo caught us so off guard.

If any film series is capable of recruiting members of the Royal Family for a scene or two, it’s “Star Wars”. It was rumoured for a while that William and Harry would appear in “The Last Jedi”, and though it seemed improbable, it was eventually confirmed by John Boyega. You’d be forgiven for not noticing the Princes though, because they’re well hidden under some Stormtrooper gear - reportedly during the scenes when Finn is captured by Captain Phasma.

This film left no celebrity stone unturned when it came to cameo appearances, with more than sixty famous faces featured in one way or another. But, more than anyone else’s, Nick Grimshaw’s part in Eddy’s dream sequence has got to be the most cringeworthy. As Jennifer Saunders’ character is whisked away into a fantasy room full of models, Grimmy seems more than a little out of place. And not even Kate Moss can distract us from the awkwardness.

Next, an ‘easy to miss’ moment, as one of Britain’s best known entrepreneurs shows up alongside the UK’s seminal super spy. Richard Branson reportedly outright asked to be in “Casino Royale”, after he provided the crew with a plane for some last minute filming. It’s got to be pretty difficult to say no to Sir Richard, so he wound up in this airport scene, setting off the metal detector. A fully fledged plane for a three-second cameo seems a fairly lopsided trade, but Branson was over the moon!

For one of the more bizarre scenes in his back catalogue, John Hurt reprised his famous role in “Alien” for the 1980s spoof film, “Spaceballs”. As Kane in Ridley Scott’s original, Hurt was at the centre of the iconic chestburster scene. So, when “Spaceballs” was made to mock all things sci-fi, they went and recreated the messy moment right down to the characters’ costumes. But this time around, the alien is all singing and all dancing. Seeing is believing, here.

An essential example of brilliant British comedy, “Life of Brian” might never have happened at all. The Monty Python movie had a troubled beginning after funding was pulled days before production was due to start. But, The Beatles’ George Harrison was so desperate to see the film finished, that he paid production costs to get it done. And in return he got to cameo as Mr Papadopoulos, appearing briefly in this John Cleese scene.

A stylish one off, Bowie was no stranger to the spotlight or the silver screen. So, it’s not exactly surprising that he should score a part in a comedy focussed on fashion. But the “Starman” singer goes and steals the show with the few scenes that he is in, playing a hard to please judge presiding over the elegant - and not so elegant - efforts of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson’s characters. And when Stiller gets it wrong, Bowie has the final word.

If you’re not an actor by trade but you want to star in a movie, it probably helps to be friends with the director. That’s seemingly how David Beckham landed a couple of cameos in Guy Ritchie’s films, with his role in “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” attracting most attention worldwide. Beckham was largely slated for his performance and thick cockney accent, so this might’ve been an own goal in his fledgling film career. Then again, the entire movie struggled to score well with most critics.

Our winner might’ve passed most moviegoers by, but it comes amidst a classic scene. Michael Palin pops up in the background of this Roald Dahl adaptation, cackling along with the rest of the witches during Bruno’s really rather creepy rodent reinvention. In fact, Palin’s easy to miss because he blends in so well, rocking a floral dress and curly wig for the frightening occasion. He’s a BAFTA fellow, a CBE, and a one-time president of the Royal Geographic Society - why shouldn’t he be a witch, too?