Actresses Who Played Themselves in Movies

Sometimes the story gets more fun when a familiar face shows up as herself. These cameos can move a plot along, ground a scene in the real world, or simply capture a moment in pop culture. They can be brief or substantial, but they all bring a flash of recognition that audiences remember.

Here are twenty actresses who appeared on the big screen as themselves. You will see everything from classic wartime morale boosters to modern comedies and capers. Each entry notes where the cameo happens and how it fits the movie, so you can spot it the next time you watch.

Emma Watson

Emma Watson appears as herself in the apocalyptic comedy ‘This Is the End’. She arrives at James Franco’s house after the catastrophe begins, interacts with the group of actors who are also playing themselves, and then exits once tensions rise inside the house.

Her scene connects to the film’s running idea that Hollywood friends are riding out world ending chaos together. It places her alongside Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and others who are likewise credited as themselves, which makes the cameo part of the movie’s central joke about celebrity circles under pressure.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson plays herself in ‘Borat’. The scene takes place at a public signing where Borat attempts a staged abduction, and the sequence uses her real world fame to sell the shock of the moment.

The appearance became one of the film’s most discussed set pieces. It shows how a recognizable star in a real venue can anchor a mockumentary style narrative while still serving a scripted story beat.

Megan Fox

Megan Fox appears as herself in ‘The Dictator’. She is shown in a luxury hotel scenario opposite Sacha Baron Cohen’s character, with the movie treating her as a high profile celebrity within its fictional world.

The cameo uses her public persona to underline the lead character’s status and lifestyle. It also ties into a montage of encounters that help establish his relationships and influence at the start of the story.

Anna Faris

Anna Faris plays herself in ‘Keanu’. She is featured in a scene with the main characters during a tense house visit, and the movie credits her as Anna Faris rather than a fictional role.

That moment leans on her well known comic image while placing her inside a crime caper setup. It lets the film blur the line between real Hollywood and the characters’ misadventures as they search for the missing cat.

Katie Holmes

Katie Holmes shows up as herself in ‘Ocean’s 8’. She appears during the Met Gala sequence, one of several real life figures who populate the event to make it feel like an authentic high society night.

Her cameo works alongside other celebrity appearances to give the heist setting a credible backdrop. It also helps motivate the undercover maneuvers the crew runs on the gala floor while surrounded by recognizable guests.

Dakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning appears as herself in ‘Ocean’s 8’. She is among the stars seen at the gala, which the film uses as a crowded real world environment where the crew can slip through security and mingle.

That casting choice supports the movie’s aim to mirror an actual Met Gala guest list. It helps the production stage shots where thieves move past cameras and journalists while famous attendees provide cover.

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell is credited as herself in ‘The Disaster Artist’. She appears in the opening montage of interviews that frame the cultural footprint of ‘The Room’, speaking about its place in moviegoing.

The cameo functions like a documentary device inside a scripted comedy. It brings an industry voice to the story of how a small independent project built a following, which sets up the narrative about its creation.

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg plays herself in ‘Top Five’. She appears opposite Chris Rock’s character in a scene that places real entertainers inside his world as he navigates publicity and personal history.

Her presence fits a movie that mixes fiction with cameos from comedians and actors. It lets the story show a working performer in conversation with a peer, which grounds the main character’s career in familiar show business circles.

Anjelica Huston

Anjelica Huston appears as herself in ‘The Player’. She is one of several Hollywood figures who enter the story during studio meetings and industry gatherings that the main character attends.

Those cameos help frame the film’s satire of studio politics. They add a layer of authenticity to scenes set on lots and in offices where real names and faces make the power plays feel closer to actual practice.

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts plays herself in ‘The Player’. She shows up within the film’s web of pitches and projects, and her presence is part of a mosaic of real actors seen around the studio system.

That choice reflects how the story tracks a producer through a world where celebrity and development talk intertwine. Using Roberts as Roberts situates the fictional executive among the stars who drive actual greenlights.

Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin appears as herself in ‘The Player’. She turns up in the network of screenings and meetings that show how movies get packaged, with the cameo presented in a natural industry setting.

Her appearance supports the film’s method of folding real performers into scenes about decision making and buzz. It helps the audience read those scenes as snapshots of actual Hollywood routines.

Susan Sarandon

Susan Sarandon plays herself in ‘The Player’. She is part of the ensemble of recognizable names who populate the landscape of studio offices, parties, and project discussions.

Her inclusion underscores the movie’s approach to realism inside its satire. Seeing Sarandon as Sarandon signals that the fictional producer is moving among real stakeholders as he tries to protect his job.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman appears as herself in ‘Zoolander’. She is seen on the fashion event circuit along with other stars, and the film uses those sightings to sketch out the world around its models.

The cameo helps the comedy place its characters inside a celebrity heavy scene. Real appearances by actors and musicians turn the red carpets and after parties into believable spaces where the plot can unfold.

Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder shows up as herself in ‘Zoolander’. She is part of the crowd of well known figures around Derek and Hansel, which the movie treats as normal life for fashion icons.

Her presence contributes to the mockumentary vibe of cameras catching real celebrities at industry functions. It supports the film’s quick cut style that moves from runways to interviews to parties with familiar faces in view.

Emily Ratajkowski

Emily Ratajkowski plays herself in ‘Entourage’. She appears as a neighbor and potential love interest for a key character, and the script identifies her by name within the story.

That setup ties the fictional talent manager world to real Los Angeles life. It shows how a celebrity version of everyday interactions can affect deals and friendships for the core group.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba appears as herself in ‘Entourage’. She is seen during a business related encounter that creates tension and then pushes a subplot forward as the group scrambles to fix a problem.

The movie uses her cameo to illustrate how a recognizable star can influence negotiations and reputations. It keeps the stakes grounded in entertainment industry logic where relationships and favors matter.

Joan Collins

Joan Collins plays herself in ‘Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie’. She appears among many high profile cameos that surround the central duo during their chaotic return to the fashion world.

Her appearance aligns with the film’s parade of real personalities who populate parties and photo ops. It helps establish that the characters are moving through a scene full of famous people who react to the latest scandal.

Bette Davis

Bette Davis appears as herself in ‘Hollywood Canteen’. She is featured at the servicemen’s club that the movie celebrates, and she participates in onstage moments designed to lift morale.

The film gathers numerous stars who greet and entertain troops. Davis’s presence reflects her real involvement with the wartime canteen and preserves a record of how studio talent supported the effort.

Ida Lupino

Ida Lupino plays herself in ‘Hollywood Canteen’. She appears within performances and meet and greet segments that mirror the actual club where actors volunteered.

Her cameo fits the movie’s blend of narrative and revue. It documents how a working actress engaged with service members and shows the range of appearances that made the canteen a special place.

Marlene Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich appears as herself in ‘Stage Door Canteen’. She performs for soldiers within the story’s recreation of the famous New York venue, and the production presents her with her real name.

The appearance reflects her well known support for troops during the war. It gives the film a documentary flavor inside a scripted frame by capturing her performance style in a setting that audiences recognized.

Share your favorite examples of actresses playing themselves in movies in the comments so everyone can discover more standout cameos.