7 Times Real Musicians Became Unexpected Heroes In Movies

There are several movies from over the years in which a real musician stars as themselves, but only a few are also unexpected heroes. Surprise celebrity cameos in movies are always exciting, whether they’re playing a character or a version of themselves. Appearances from musicians are often a great surprise because, most of the time, these popular figures don’t have any notable acting ability, which makes it even more intriguing. Despite this, some of the biggest musicians ever still pop up in some of the best movies of all time.

✕ Remove Ads

While some musicians are the subject of their biopics, and occasionally feature as themselves, it’s always strange to see a real-life person in a fictional movie world. The term hero can vary depending on the context of events, but typically, a hero is someone who fixes an issue in the story or stops some sort of threat. However, these musicians are remembered for protecting others against aliens, giving blossoming love stories a happy ending, and even calling out bad behavior.

7 Elton John

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

Close

Elton John’s cameo in Kingsman: The Golden Circle is definitely a strange occurrence, but his appearance in the film is still brilliant. The legendary piano man is kidnapped by the villainous Poppy, who keeps Elton hostage in her fabulous hideout to perform for her at her beck and call.

✕ Remove Ads

Elton John’s appearance in the Taron Egerton movie is fantastic, especially as audiences don’t expect to see him take part in an exciting fight scene.

Poppy is obsessed with Elton, and even names her dogs Bennie and Jet in honor of his hit song “Bennie and the Jets,” but the pop star naturally doesn’t appreciate the extent of her love for him. When Eggsy and Harry storm Poppy’s lair, Elton takes the opportunity to fight back, too.

Kingsman the golden circle movie poster

Your Rating

close10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo 8/10 7/10 Kingsman: The Golden Circle R

Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the second film in the Kingman franchise, is based on the comic book series of the same name by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. Kingsman: The Golden Circle continues the story of Eggsy (Taron Egerton), now codenamed Galahad. When a mysterious cartel known as the Golden Circle threatens international security, Eggsy must travel to America to request the help of the Statesman agency. The Golden Circle sees Egerton, Mark Strong, and Colin Firth reprise their roles from the previous film, and also introduces Julianne Moore, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, Halle Berry, and Jeff Bridges to the franchise in supporting roles.

Director Matthew Vaughn Release Date September 22, 2017 Cast Jeff Bridges , Colin Firth , Channing Tatum , Halle Berry , Pedro Pascal , Mark Strong , Julianne Moore , Taron Egerton Runtime 2h 21m

It’s hilarious to see the “Rocket Man” singer stomp on the foot of one of the guards and squash him under the piano, before repeatedly tell the rest of the henchmen to “F*ck off.” Elton John’s appearance in the Taron Egerton movie is fantastic, especially as audiences don’t expect to see him take part in an exciting fight scene. With his sudden help, Eggsy and Harry are able to retrieve the laptop and stop Poppy’s robotic dogs.

✕ Remove Ads

6 Tom Jones

Mars Attacks! (1996)

Close

Mars Attacks! is widely considered Tim Burton’s strangest movie, but one of the oddest things that happens in the film is the unusual cameo from Tom Jones. The iconic Welsh singer pops up in the second half of the movie while he is performing in Las Vegas. As he sings one of his biggest hits, “It’s Not Unusual,” to the crowd, the Martians suddenly open fire and the room erupts into chaos.

Rocketman, Funny Girl, and Straight Outta Compton Related 10 Best Music Biopics Of All Time, Ranked

These music biopics chronicle the lives & experiences of some of the greatest performers & musicians who have ever lived in iconic works of cinema.

Posts2

✕ Remove Ads

His reaction of “Jesus Christ!” as he spots three of the aliens behind him on stage is rather comical, and as sparks fill the air, he runs off. However, his role in Mars Attacks! doesn’t end there. As Tom Jones is such a big celebrity, it seems weird that he offers to fly the plane, but he knows he doesn’t have the time to be a diva.

Mars Attacks! - poster

Your Rating

close10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist

Success!

Mars Attacks! PG-13

Mars Attacks! is a science fiction comedy directed by Tim Burton. Set against the backdrop of a global Martian invasion, the film follows a series of misadventures involving various characters, including a U.S. president played by Jack Nicholson and a quirky scientist portrayed by Pierce Brosnan. The ensemble cast also features Glenn Close, Annette Bening, and Danny DeVito, blending dark humor with Burton’s signature visual style.

Director Tim Burton Release Date December 13, 1996 Cast Jack Nicholson , Pierce Brosnan , Sarah Jessica Parker , Annette Bening , Glenn Close , Danny DeVito , Martin Short , Michael J. Fox , Natalie Portman Runtime 106 Minutes

Tom Jones probably doesn’t expect his day to end with him piloting through the aliens’ destruction of Earth, but without him, Barbara and Cindy are likely to die before the Martians are finally defeated. Every Tim Burton movie offers something unexpected, but Tom Jones saving the day is definitely one of the oddest things to happen on the silver screen.

5 Seal

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)

Close
✕ Remove Ads

Seal’s cameo in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping proves he has a good sense of humor. The musician initially shows up to perform while Conner proposes to Ashley, which also includes the appearance of several trained wolves. Seal’s singing riles the wolves up, which makes them break loose and start attacking the surrounding crowd. Thankfully, Seal fights back, and he later reveals that his facial scars are a result of a past wolf attack.

In real life, Seal’s scars are because of a type of lupus, but it’s great to see the singer play into the humor of the film. Seal later sues over being attacked by wolves for the second time in his life, and while that doesn’t make him seem like much of a hero in the Lonely Island movie, he is.

Your Rating

close10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo 5/10 7.3/10 Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping R

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a 2016 comedy starring The Lonely Island members Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer. The film centers on Samberg’s character, Conner, a former boy band member who slowly sees his celebrity status drop. However, he’ll do anything to reach stardom again.

Director Jorma Taccone , Akiva Schaffer Release Date June 3, 2016 Cast Sarah Silverman , Bill Hader , Andy Samberg , Imogen Poots , Jorma Taccone , Will Forte , Martin Sheen , Joan Cusack Runtime 87 Minutes

✕ Remove Ads

Because he explains to Conner about his past, Seal blocks one of the animals from climbing into the car and violently mauling the passengers. Conner’s guilt over the events does make him spiral, but it also later allows him to reflect on himself and how he handles fame. Seal fighting wolves is a strange way for him to be a hero, but he still is one‌.

4 David Bowie

Zoolander (2001)

Close

One of the best cameos in Zoolander is David Bowie, who is surprisingly uncredited in the movie. The legendary singer memorably appears during the walk-off sequence, and when Hansel asks who should be the judge, Bowie volunteers. Both the crowd and audiences are shocked to see Bowie step into the scene, but he’s confident as he outlines the rules to Hansel and Derek.

✕ Remove Ads

This moment initially seems superficial, but Bowie’s presence provides more good to the two main characters than anyone could predict. At the last moment, Bowie disqualifies Derek for failing to remove his underwear without his trousers. This embarrassment shifts the titular character’s perspective. After this, Derek properly acknowledges Matilda’s concerns, and he is also able to realize that the peak of his career is now over.

Your Rating

close10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo 7/10 8/10 Zoolander PG-13

Released in 2001, Zoolander is an American comedy starring Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander, a world-renowned fashion model that is nearing the end of his career. But as he is stepping out of the spotlight, Derek is brainwashed into killing the Prime Minister of Malaysia. The film spawned a sequel, Zoolander 2, which was released in 2016.

Director Ben Stiller Release Date September 28, 2001 Cast Owen Wilson , Ben Stiller , Milla Jovovich , Christine Taylor , Will Ferrell Runtime 90 minutes

Without this change in outlook, Derek is unable to fully understand the ramifications of the evil Mugatu’s actions. It’s also unlikely that without Bowie’s judgement, Hansel and Derek wouldn’t patch things up. Derek’s bruised ego plays a significant part in the pair teaming up, as not only does Derek appreciate what he has, but Hansel also sees vulnerability in his rival.

✕ Remove Ads

3 Billy Idol

The Wedding Singer (1998)

Close

Adam Sandler’s The Wedding Singer features an appearance from English punk singer Billy Idol. Idol meets Sandler’s character on a flight to Las Vegas, where he listens to Robbie’s story and his feelings for Julia. The singer is nothing but sympathetic to Robbie’s qualms and is heavily invested in the tale, to the extent that when they discover Julia and her fiancé are on the same flight, Idol sets a plan in motion.

Without Idol, Julia may have made it to Las Vegas to marry Glenn without knowing how Robbie truly feels.

✕ Remove Ads

Idol works with the cabin crew so that Robbie can serenade Julia over the speaker, which is not only sweet, but it’s also a selfless act. Idol could easily perform when he says there is going to be some “in-flight entertainment” and take the glory for himself, but he recognizes that this is Robbie’s moment, and he’s more than happy to let his new acquaintance shine.

The Wedding Singer Poster

Your Rating

close10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist

Success!

8/10 The Wedding Singer PG-13

Set in 1985, The Wedding Singer sees comedy icon Adam Sandler play a nice guy with a broken heart whose misery is compounded by his job as a wedding singer. Jilted at the altar by his fiancée, he crashes hard, only to find love again when he meets Julia (Drew Barrymore), who asks for help planning her wedding. Then, the race is on to show Julia how he feels before her wedding.

Director Frank Coraci Release Date February 13, 1998 Cast Adam Sandler , Drew Barrymore , Christine Taylor , Allen Covert , Angela Featherstone , Matthew Glave , Alexis Arquette Runtime 97 Minutes

Without Idol, Julia may have made it to Las Vegas to marry Glenn without knowing how Robbie truly feels. Idol also helps defend Robbie from Glenn, who tries to attack him. He’s even so inspired by their love story that he offers to tell his record company about Robbie, which kicks off The Wedding Singer’s happy ending.

2 Rihanna

This Is The End (2013)

Close
✕ Remove Ads

Heroes don’t always need to be life savers or those who fight for some sort of righteous good. Sometimes, heroes are simply the ones who say what everyone is thinking. This is the case for Rihanna in This is the End. The “Umbrella” singer only appears in a few brief moments, but when Rihanna slaps Michael Cera in This is the End, it’s nothing short of hilarious.

This is the End
has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Superbad actor smacking Rihanna on the behind is wild, but her hitting him around the face and her immediate response of “Don’t touch my butt” is heroic in its own way. This is the End is a meta comedy, and this moment was planned out by the two, but viewers still cheer for her.

✕ Remove Ads

This is the End Movie Poster

Your Rating

close10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo 6/10 6/10 This is the End r

In This Is the End, a group of celebrities play exaggerated versions of themselves during the end of the world. Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride star in the 2013 apocalypse comedy, with appearances by Emma Watson, Rihanna, Kevin Hart, Paul Rudd, Mindy Kaling, Channing Tatum, the Backstreet Boys, and various other Hollywood celebs.

Director Seth Rogen Release Date September 12, 2013 Cast Seth Rogen , James Franco , Jonah Hill , Michael Cera Runtime 107minutes

Rihanna may not be the hero of the film, but she’s definitely the hero of these early scenes during James Franco’s party. It’s a shame that she is quickly swallowed up by the ground not long after this, as she has the potential to be a great addition to the group of celebrity survivors. However, some of her last actions are telling off Michael Cera for inappropriately touching her, which is a pretty applaudable end for Rihanna.

1 Ed Sheeran

Yesterday (2019)

Close

✕ Remove Ads

Ed Sheeran’s actions in Yesterday don’t seem heroic, but upon closer analysis, they can be considered as such. After Jack performs as Sheeran’s opening act in Moscow, the English singer challenges him to a songwriting competition. Sheeran doesn’t realize that this contest is unfair, and he gracefully accepts defeat when Jack sings “The Long and Winding Road,” but without it, Jack’s career would never skyrocket.

movie-actors-play-themselves Related 10 Actors Who Played Themselves In Major Movie Roles

Actors embody a variety of roles throughout their careers, however, sometimes the biggest challenge comes when an actor must play themself in a movie.

Posts

Because of the win, Sheeran’s Los Angeles manager takes notice of Jack and signs him to the label. Yesterday is a movie about a Beatles-less world, so not only does he help Jack achieve fame, it’s also because of Ed Sheeran that humanity is reintroduced to the legendary band and their music.

Your Rating

close10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist

Success!

ScreenRant logo 5/10 7.3/10 Yesterday PG-13

Written by famous rom-com director Richard Curtis, Yesterday follows Jack Malik, a struggling musician who one day wakes up to discover that he is the only person who remembers famous 1960s rock band The Beatles. As Jack begins using his exclusive knowledge to his advantage, he must reckon with the burden of it and the price that comes with his newfound fame. The film stars Himesh Patel as Jack, with a supporting cast of Lily James, Joel Fry, Kate McKinnon, and Ed Sheeran. 

Director Danny Boyle Release Date June 28, 2019 Cast Kate McKinnon , Sophia Di Martino , Ana De Armas , Alexander Arnold , Ed Sheeran , Lily James , Camille Chen , Himesh Patel , Maryana Spivak , Joel Fry , Lamorne Morris , Ellise Chappell Runtime 116 minutes
✕ Remove Ads

While he probably could make a name for himself online or as a local star, without Sheeran, Jack probably wouldn’t be as famous as he is later in the film. Although Jack gives up his glitzy career to be with Ellie, which Sheeran helps him announce while performing at Wembley Stadium, Yesterday’s protagonist has to live these experiences in the spotlight to come to this conclusion.

Leave a Comment