Every Major Cameo In Judd Apatow Movies Ranked Worst To Best

Comedy is a complex artform, and the professionals sometimes sound like modern-day philosophers when they attempt to describe the subject. Nonetheless, there is one name that stands apart from the rest when it comes to formulating the contemporary comedy film — Judd Apatow. The stand-up comedian turned writer-producer-director literally teaches the Master Class on the art of comedy. With credits in some of our greatest generational comedies, Apatow's name has become synonymous with the entire genre.

Kicking off his directorial career with beloved cult classic sitcoms "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared," Apatow initiated a renaissance of comedy for the new millennium. Integral to the advancement of a compendium of comedic actors — including Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, and Jay Baruchel, the number of films that owe thanks to Apatow's architecture is virtually endless.

A kingpin of comedy, Apatow's films feature A-list casts offering some of the most beloved names in Hollywood. Not only does he routinely include his wife Leslie Mann and their children in his films, but the director also never shies away from bringing in friends for a spot. Even when it comes to quick cameos, Apatow has a penchant for landing top talent in his films, which is why it's about darn time we ranked all the significant cameos in Apatow's filmography. For simplicity's sake and to avoid composing the longest listicle in history, these rankings only include movies in which Apatow was the director (with all due respect to his work as a producer and screenwriter, as well as his many contributions to television). Continue reading for all the cameos you forgot and perhaps a few surprise names.

"The Office" is easily one of the most celebrated sitcoms of our generation. The Steve Carell-starring staple has spawned memes, quotes that evolved into common conversational phrases, and a loyal fan base. Yet in 2005, "The Office" featured a relatively unknown cast and nobody was sure if an American version of the British hit series would connect. Still, Judd Apatow was enough of a believer in star Steve Carell that he helped him develop "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" after one of the actor's failed comedy bits.

Surprisingly, Carell is not the only fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company employee to appear in the 2005 comedy hit. Writer-slash-actress of "The Office" Mindy Kaling makes a memorable performance as Paul Rudd's unrequited love interest. However, there is one more blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from another "The Office" alum. Jenna Fischer, best known for her Pam Beesly role, can be seen as an extra during the nightclub scene. Her uncredited role as "Woman #1" is not her only appearance in an Apatow project, as Fischer also had a minor role in the "Undeclared" television series. Even more entertaining is Fischer's own embarrassing story on the red carpet of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" premiere, which she shared on the Office Ladies podcast.

With all the television and movie stars peppering Judd Apatow movies, it was an unexpected twist for hockey fans when four members of the 2011-2012 Philadelphia Flyers pop up in "This Is 40." The movie stars Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann reprising their roles from "Knocked Up" in a story that illuminates the struggles of becoming middle-aged. Rudd's character Pete is a record label owner, which explains the presence of musicians like Billie Joe Armstrong and Graham Parker. However, the arrival of professional hockey players is highly unanticipated.

The NHL stars in question include Scott Hartnell, Matt Carle, James van Riemsdyk, and Ian Laperrière, all members of the Philadelphia Flyers at the start of the 2011-12 season. According to NHL.com, Laperrière is friends with Apatow, which accounts for the unforeseeable connection. Unfortunately, none of the cameoing athletes were ever considered superstars of the NHL. And between their bad dancing and terrible acting (despite playing themselves), the quick appearance not only dates the film but is also one of the few times a cameo in a Judd Apatow movie feels forced.

Best known for her role in the latest trilogy of the "Star Wars" franchise, Daisy Ridley is one of the most surprising faces to pop up during a Judd Apatow movie. However, 2022's pandemic-focused feature "The Bubble" has more than one "Star Wars" alum, with "The Mandalorian" himself, Pedro Pascal, contributing a leading role. Unfortunately for fans of a galaxy far, far away, the pair's shared scene is one of the most cringeworthy moments in "The Bubble."

In the film, Ridley plays a simulated personal trainer in a mirror smart gym workout machine. Awkwardly, with Pascal's character freshly on a high dose of psychedelics, the session quickly turns into a different kind of workout. While the exchange might have some "Star Wars" fans squeamish at the ramifications of such a romance, a Cosmopolitan article points out that other fans are obsessed with Pascal's comedic role, including the unprecedented crossover of "Star Wars" actors. Once again, it seems "Star Wars" fans can't agree about anything. 

Unquestionably, some of the best parts of "The Bubble" are the multiple dance sequences. Judd Apatow's daughter Iris Apatow plays a TikTok star injected into a big-budget film, and the results are a pair of over-the-top dance routines. Astonishingly, one of the more tepid dance numbers features a live virtual performance from Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Beck. Thankfully, Apatow's interview with Consequence gives the scene some entertaining context.

The lackluster dancing is not a failure of the celebrated musician; instead, the actors in the scene are reacting to the director's a cappella rendition of "Ladies Night." It wasn't until after the movie wrapped that the director reached out to Beck, who he had worked with previously on benefit concerts. Amazingly, the performance fits seamlessly into the scene, partially thanks to Kate McKinnon's added performance as the studio head. Reversely, watching the original sequence in which the actors were forced to dance to Apatow's unrefined singing would be humorous.

Judd Apatow and James Franco go back — all the way back. Arguably, without Apatow giving the actors their roles in "Freaks and Geeks," Franco and Seth Rogen would have never built the relationship that led to multiple box office successes. Hence, it was only a matter of time before the Golden Globe-winning actor made a cameo in one of Apatow's comedy hits, and somewhat predictably, it happens to star his good friend Rogen.

Franco makes a minor uncredited appearance in "Knocked Up," being interviewed by Katherine Heigl's character, who is tormented with morning sickness on the cusp of discovering her pregnancy. It was a fitting role for the actor coming off his "Spider-Man" fame. Yet, it was a mock behind-the-scenes sequence released by Funny or Die featuring Franco and Apatow arguing over screentime that truly showcases what the powerhouse combo can deliver. They have since worked with each other multiple times, including Apatow making a cameo in "The Disaster Artist," which Franco directed.

Although it may be true that Judd Apatow is the catalyst for a generation of modern comedy writers and actors, there is always room for the legends. Specifically, the film "This Is 40" required a pair of grandfathers, which pointed Apatow toward Albert Brooks and John Lithgow. The aging actors delivered stand-out performances in their own right. In the case of Lithgow, the experience made him a fan of Apatow's directorial style as shown in an interview released by Universal Pictures.

Lithgow appears in "The Bubble" via a Zoom call as the studio chairman giving Kate McKinnon's character as much grief as she very recently gave her own subordinate. Hilariously, Lithgow's character immediately has another version of basically the same conversation with boss. Akin to the feelings everyone in the real world experienced during the COVID pandemic, Lithgow's character becomes elated to spend some time with somebody in the real world, even if it is his angry boss. In a movie that is overloaded with celebrities, Lithgow's lighthearted performance is a comforting gem.

A heap of confusion surrounded "The Bubble" during its pre-release phase. Aside from a blended cast list that included some relatively unknown comedians with MCU and "Star Wars" alumni, Apatow fueled the mystery with the film's first official teaser. The movie was first introduced as "Cliff Beasts 6: The Battle for Everest: Memories of a Requiem," and looked like a B-rate action film. Thankfully, an April Fools' release date gave audiences the first clues to a bigger picture, primarily since Apatow is not known for his action films, and Netflix had the "Cliff Beasts" sequel slated as "The Bubble." Not long after, leaked images added further confusion to the awaiting fans.

Images of James McAvoy chasing down Karen Gillan swarmed social media as speculations rose, wondering what "The Bubble" would be about. Thankfully, McAvoy's arrival in the film does not disappoint, and the action and horror star makes a rare comedic appearance.

Back in 2014, the paparazzi had a field day when they captured images of former "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe walking a parade of dogs and smoking a cigarette through the streets of Manhattan. The photos swarmed social media pages, and a cacophony of questions arose. Thankfully, news followed quickly that Radcliffe was not trying out a new profession, but rather filming a movie with Judd Apatow. And despite Apatow's best effort to dispel the rumor, the actor indeed made a splash with his arrival on the screen within the movie "Trainwreck."

Awkward age difference aside, Radcliffe plays opposite Marisa Tomei in the movie within a movie, "The Dogwalker." The snippet of the fictional romance showcased in "Trainwreck" is only a peek at the complete film. Thankfully, a larger clip of the imaginary movie has been released online, loaded with even more sexual innuendo and an over-the-top monologue delivered by Radcliffe about his family pup.

Ray Romano was one of the biggest names in sitcom television in the late '90s. As the character Ray Barone, he appeared in multiple prime-time shows, including "Cosby," "The King of Queens," and his own long-running series, "Everybody Loves Raymond." Unfortunately, by 2009 much of the love for Romano had waned as the actor was limited to minor roles and his ongoing voiceover position as Manny in the "Ice Age" franchise.

His time stuck in famous person purgatory made Romano the ideal target as the butt of the joke in "Funny People." At a party filled with comedians and celebrities honoring Adam Sandler's character's recovery, the stand-out scene features rapper Eminem and near-forgotten comedian Romano having an uncomfortable exchange across the restaurant. Although the moment leans into the hands of the 15-time Grammy-winning musician, it is easy to forget that the scene would not work without the confused and bewildered Romano. Although, the way Apatow describes it, much of Romano's confusion was genuine.

Probably one of the most unlikely names on this list, especially this close to the end, is "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest. Best known as a television personality hosting everything from talk shows to "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," Seacrest is not a name often associated with comedy movies. However, Seacrest serves up an energetic tirade as host of "E! News" in "Knocked Up" that is so over-the-top it won him the 2007 Teen Choice Award for best hissy fit.

On the red carpet during the premiere of "Knocked Up," the co-host of "Live with Kelly and Ryan" revealed to Showbiz Junkies that much of the scene was improvised. Giving credit to Apatow's direction, Seacrest delivered an outburst that is shockingly the opposite of his optimistic, smiley persona. The rare film appearance is a memorable spot not just for Seacrest but for Apatow-directed features; unfortunately, it hasn't resulted in further walk-ons from the TV personality.

Jonah Hill is one of the many "Apatowian Acolytes," as described in a Judd Apatow interview with The Australian Jewish News. Unlike co-star regulars like Seth Rogen and James Franco, Hill was not a member of the cult-beloved "Freaks and Geeks" series that handed many celebrities their ticket to the Hollywood scene. Instead, it was Apatow's first stab at directing a major motion picture, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," that gifted Hill his inauguration into making audiences laugh. Looking back years later, it is not only one of the best cameos in an Apatow film, but the arrival of a new comedic powerhouse.

In the movie, Hill plays a customer at the eBay store who doesn't comprehend why he cannot purchase a pair of bedazzled high-heel boots at the brick-and-mortar storefront. The actor made such an impact with the minor role it catapulted his career. As Seth Rogen explained in an interview with GQ, the scene established their friendship and, through cause-and-effect, led Hill to his breakout role as a younger version of Seth Rogen in "Superbad."