10 Best Celebrity Cameos on TV

Jennifer Lopez is about to make her triumphant return to Will & Grace during Thursday’s brand new episode, proving that even the best of shows can be elevated with a quick celebrity cameo.

In fact, there is something particularly entertaining about seeing a big Hollywood celebrity stop by one of your favorite shows, be it for a special episode, re-imagining an iconic role or simply because they’re fans of the show.

Scroll through to see ten of the best celebrity cameos on television’s favorite series.

Rihanna, Bates Motel

The singer famously showed off her acting chops when she stepped into the iconic role of Marion Crane for the Psycho prequel series’ final season.

At the time, the show’s producers said Rihanna reached out saying she was a fan of the show, so they decided to cast her in the role made famous by Janet Leigh in the 1960 horror film.

Michael Jackson, The Simpsons

When Homer is institutionalised for wearing a pink shirt to work, he meets former bricklayer Leon Kompowsky in the New Bedlam Insane Asylum. Leon is convinced he is the real Michael Jackson.

A fan of the show, Jackson contacted Matt Groening offering his services and voiced Kompowsky. The catch? He was credited under the pseudonym John Jay Smith. When Kopmposky sings, the vocals were provided by soundalike Kipp Lennon whose performance is so uncanny that rumours still abound that it was Jackson singing, “Lisa, it’s your Birthday!”

Winona Ryder, Friends

In the episode, Rachel meets up with a high school friend who fell for her after a drunken try during their college days.

Stranger Things star Winona Ryder appeared as Rachel’s old sorority sister, Melissa Warburton, who now denies anything happened. After a few “Will they? Won’t they?” moments the episode comes to a big kiss between the two actresses as Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) looks on.

Demi Lovato, Grey’s Anatomy

The singer may be long past her acting days but before she focused on her music full-time, the Camp Rock star paid a visit to Seattle Grace Mercy West hospital.

Lovato played a patient during the sixth season of the medical drama, as a teenage patient that has been incorrectly diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) eventually diagnoses Haley with a rare inner ear disease that makes her listen to everything going on inside her body.

Michelle Obama, Parks And Recreation

When Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) bumps into Mrs. Obama, the then First Lady encourages her to take a new job with the National Parks Service in Chicago.

Knope’s response includes an awkward high-five, delirious shouting and bewildered commentary: “I agree with you on all things, throughout history until the end of time. Forever.”

Jamie Foxx, White Famous

Playing himself, Jamie Foxx’s brief appearance on the show, based on his early life as a struggling actor, is a hilarious send-up of his own Hollywood persona.

Over-sexualised with a penchant for wearing skimpy frocks, he freaks out young-up-and-coming-comedian Floyd Mooney (Jay Pharoah) in a dream sequence that lives little to the imagination.

Kathy Bates, Two and a Half Men

The final season of Two and a Half Men will go down in infamy after lead actor Charlie Sheen was fired from the show after making explosive comments about series creator Chuck Lorre.

After Sheen’s Charlie Harper was killed, the character still made several appearances on the series. One of the most hilarious being after Alan (Jon Cryer) suffers a heart attack, and the ghost of Charlie Harper pays a visit to his hospital bedside in the form of Kathy Bates.

Prince, New Girl

The music icon was a huge fan of New Girl, which is why he contacted the show and offered himself up as a co-star.

On the show, Prince is throwing a party and Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and Nick (Jake Johnson) want in. When the pair does eventually meet him, their freak-out is an absolute delight.

Ed Sheeran, Game of Thrones

The British singer’s brief moment in the HBO hit series was not greeted fondly, with many feeling that his appearance took the audience out of the ensuing drama. 

Jennifer Lopez, Will & Grace

Jennifer Lopez will make a hilarious cameo comeback during the hit NBC comedy series’ reboot playing both herself and her Shades of Blue alter-ego FBI agent Harlee Santos.

Lopez also appeared in three episodes of Will & Grace‘s original run as herself. She was in the final two episodes of the sixth season, when Karen (Megan Mullally) married Lyle Finster (John Cleese). In the story, Lopez had grown up with Karen’s maid, Rosario (Shelley Morrison) back in the Bronx. The star then returned for the season 7 premiere.