We all know the big actors in the MCU like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Scarlett Johnasson, to name a few. Even newer players like Chadwick Boseman and Brie Larson have come along recently and made their mark in a relatively short amount of time. For all the huge stars we recognize, there are smaller roles that need to be filled, and oftentimes they’re filled by actors we love but don’t always catch due to the fast pace of most MCU movies. Tons of actors have made cameos in the MCU, so it would be nearly impossible to include them all in this list. Some of the more notable ones that we don’t cover below include Terrence Howard in Iron Man, Linda Cardellini in Avengers: Age of Ulton, and Glenn Close in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Sometimes these appearances are due to the actors previous connection with the director. Other times it’s just for a little fun or a poke at what people are talking about on social media. With over a decade of movies in the bag and four different Phases all intermingling and connecting, even the most keen eyed fans would be forgiven for forgetting some of the people on this list. Whether their roles are big or small, the actors below all had a hand in making the MCU the powerhouse that it is today, and who knows which ones could show up in the future for an encore? Let’s take a look at some of the actors you probably forgot appeared in the MCU.
20 MATT DAMON IN THOR: RAGNAROK
Thor: Ragnarok starts with some pretty funny scenes. You may recall that Thor: The Dark World ended with Loki disguised as Odin and faking his demise. In Ragnarok, Thor returns to Asgard to find Loki ruling with equal parts tyranny and jest, watching Shakespearean-style plays of his own monumental revelation from The Dark World.
Enter Matt Damon, who plays Loki in these low-key theatrical productions. We see Damon in full Loki garb, acting out the “death” scene with Sam Neil (more on him later). Keen-eyed fans will remember that Matt Damon also played Loki in Kevin Smith’s tongue-in-cheek comedy Dogma, which make his Ragnarok appearance that much more self-depreciating and funny.
19 DONALD GLOVER IN SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING
When he’s not ripping up the stage as Childish Gambino, Donald Glover has a pretty amazing acting career to fall back on. The Atlanta star has a cameo in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Aaron Davis, a small time crook who actually seems pretty chill when confronted by Peter Parker.
This of course is the MCU’s humorous answer to fans campaigning for Glover to play Spider-Man himself. Fans have renewed interest in that idea since Glover’s appearance, with many noting that Miles Morales’ Spidey would be a good fit for him. Interestingly, Aaron Davis is Miles’ uncle in the Ultimate Spider-Man comics.
18 CHRIS O’DOWD IN THOR: THE DARK WORLD
Irish actor Chris O’Dowd, best known for his hilarious roles in Bridesmaids and The IT Crowd, appears briefly in Thor: The Dark World. He plays a guy named Richard who goes on a date with Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) to a fancy restaurant. But her mind is obviously somewhere else, as Richard points out that she’s been staring at the menu too long considering it only has three items.
When Darcy (Kat Dennings) crashes their date to tell Dr. Foster that some of her old “scientific equipment” is malfunctioning, Dr. Foster slams it on the table to no avail. It’s a fairly pointless scene in terms of the larger plot, but at least O’Dowd gets a few quips in to make it worth it.
17 BILL MAHER IN IRON MAN 3
"Comedian" and Real Time talk show host Bill Maher makes a cameo in Iron Man 3 as himself to mock War Machine’s transformation into Iron Patriot. Maher is a political commentator who is no stranger to the big screen, having written and starred in the 2008 documentary film Religulous.
However, comic book fans are not happy with Maher as of late after he posted a controversial rant on his blog connecting comic books have to the breakdown of America, so it's no wonder that fans have forgotten (or have wanted to forget) that he's ever appeared in anything to do with Marvel, or comics as a whole.
16 ALEXIS DENISOF IN THE AVENGERS
The star of the TV show Angel had minor roles as The Other in both The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. The Other is one of Thanos’ servants, keeping a close eye on Loki’s actions. He warns Loki that if he fails, Thanos will never left him forget it. We later find out that this threat is very true.
In Guardians of the Galaxy, The Other brings Nebula and Ronan the Accuser into Thanos’ lair to discuss why Gamora betrayed Ronan and Thanos. He gets in a fight with Ronan, and Ronan uses the power of the Universal Weapon to break The Other’s neck. He perishes instantly, ending Denisof’s stint in the MCU.
15 SYLVESTER STALLONE IN GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the Sylvester Stallone played a hard-nosed Ravager named Stakar Ogord (aka Starhawk). When he runs into Yondu at one of his favorite hangouts, Starhawk argue over their past and it’s obvious they know each other very early in the movie.
We know from the 1969 comics that Yondu and Starhawk were teammates in the original Guardians of the Galaxy. Director James Gunn explained Stallone’s appearance, saying, "With all the post-credits scenes on this movie, they're all funny and fun, and most of them are things we hope to see continue on in the MCU.”
14 HARRY DEAN STANTON IN THE AVENGERS
Through a long and respected career, Harry Dean Stanton carved a niche for himself in movies by the likes of John Carpenter, David Lynch, and more. He was a character actor who put everything he had into his art, most notably as the villain Roman Grant in the HBO series Big Love.
In The Avengers, Stanton played a lowly security guard who helped a naked Bruce Banner get up from a pile of trash near the end of the movie. Stanton’s last movie was called Lucky, a reflective picture about a 90-year old man coming to terms with his impending end. A touching tribute if there ever was one.
13 OLIVIA MUNN IN IRON MAN 2
Yes, Psylocke from the last X-Men movie X-Men: Apocalypse had a small role in Iron Man 2. Before she was the telepathic warrior, Munn has a brief role as a news reporter doing a live hit from outside the Stark Expo in a place called Flushing, New York.
Although mostly known for her hosting skills on the pop culture show Attack of the Show!, Munn, originally born in Oklahoma City, also had notable roles in The Predator, and The LEGO Ninjago Movie. She will reprise her role as Psylocke in the Simon Kinberg movie X-Men: Dark Phoenix, due out in the summer of next year.
12 SETH GREEN IN GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
As an avid comic fan, funny man Seth Green is one of the few actors with a long history with both DC and Marvel. He voiced Howard the Duck in the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy. He previously voiced the character in Ultimate Spider-Man and worked with Guardians director James Gunn on Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.
But that’s not all. Green also voiced Rocket Racoon in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. and Avengers Assemble, and also Rick Jones in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. Not bad for a guy who started out moonlighting as a vampire on the teen drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
11 DANNY PUDI IN CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
Even before his guest role in Captain America: Civil War, Danny Pudi was familiar with directors Joe and Anthony Russo. He worked with the duo on the hit TV comedy Community, a show that helped launch the careers of the aforementioned star Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, and more.
Pudi’s cameo in Civil War is fairly minor. He takes on the role of ballsy S.H.I.E.L.D. technician Abed Moore. It’s not the only Community reference the Russo Brothers have managed to tie-in to their MCU films. Both D.C. Pierson (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) and Brie Larson (next year’s Avengers: Endgame) appeared in the NBC/Yahoo Screen! series, which ended its six season run in 2015.
10 TOMMY LEE JONES IN CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
Screen legend and hard-knock cowboy tough guy Tommy Lee Jones had a pretty big role in Captain America: The First Avenger, but so much has happened since that movie that he’s often forgotten. Jones played Colonel Chester Phillips, an officer of the United States Army and the director of the Strategic Scientific Reserve. The 72-year old actor previously worked with Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) in Rules of Engagement.
As Steve Rogers’ commanding officer, Colonel Phillips helped create Captain America and lead S.H.I.E.L.D. in the fight against Hydra. His picture appears again briefly in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but he hasn’t appeared in the MCU since then.
9 TY BURRELL IN THE INCREDIBLE HULK
In The Incredible Hulk, Modern Family star Ty Burrell took on the role of Leonard Samson, Bruce Banner psychiatrist. Leonard was also interested in Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), Bruce’s on-again, off-again, girlfriend. When Leonard becomes worried about Betty, he calls her father who brings in the army to try to capture and control Bruce.
Realizing that calling for troops was a mistake, Leonard argues with General Ross, who he finds out isn’t the good person Leonard thought he was. Leonard empathizes with Bruce and allows him to be with Betty, as he knows Bruce loves her and was just trying to protect her all along.
8 KATE MARA IN IRON MAN 2
While many fans and critics considered Iron Man 2 to be a colossal failure, some saw Kate Mara’s cameo in the movie as a shining light. She played a U.S. Marshal sent to subpoena Tony Stark to see the Senate Armed Service Committee, but the encounter doesn’t quite go as planned.
Being the playboy that he is, Stark proceeds to flirt with Mara’s character in a small bit that included some clever writing and good acting. Her on-screen comic journey didn’t end there, however, as she also played Invisible Woman in Fantastic Four in 2015. Mara also went on to play prominent roles in Netflix’s House of Cards, and American Horror Story: Murder House on FX.
7 GARY SINESE IN CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
Gary Sinise is best known for his role as Mac Taylor in CSI: NY, which ended in 2013. The legendary character actor also had big parts in Apollo 13, Forrest Gump, and The Green Mile. If you’re struggling to recall when you saw him in an MCU movie though, there’s a simple reason for that -- you didn’t.
Sinise appeared briefly in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as the narrator of the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian museum. Bucky sees a WWI era picture of himself and starts to realize who he truly is. Sinise’s part is barely noticeable but he’s there.
6 NATHAN FILLION IN GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Nathan Fillion’s role in Guardians of the Galaxy was mostly CGI, but it was notable nonetheless. He appeared as the voice of Monstrous Inmate, a giant blue creature imprisoned in the Klyn after being captured by the Nova Corps. When Peter Quill and the gang first get to the slammer, the Monstrous Inmate threatens Peter, but Rocket Racoon and Groot quickly jump in.
Groot sticks his fingers up the monster’s nose, while Rocket tells the other inmates not to mess with any of them. The Monstrous Inmate is subsequently ended when Ronan the Accuser raids the prison and tells his henchmen to take out the witnesses to cover their tracks.
5 VING RHAMES IN GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2
Ving Rhames appears in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Charlie-27, a Ravager leader who was a good friend of Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker). At Yondu’s funeral, Charlie-27 salutes his teammate saying, “Fare thee well, old friend.” Rhames previously worked with Rooker on the 2002 flop Undisputeed.
In the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Stakar Ogard (Stallone) considers reuniting the old team, which includes Charlie-27. Director James Gunn notes there’s room for the team in the MCU, saying “When they’ll show up, and how they’ll show up, we’re still working on.”
4 HANNIBAL BURESS IN SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING
Comedian Hannibal Buress appears in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Coach Wilson, Peter Parker’s high school gym teacher. Wilson seems disinterested in his job but the phys-ed curriculum forces him to show the kids an old affirmation video from Captain America. “Pretty sure this guy’s a war criminal now,” remarks Wilson. “Well, whatever. I have to show this video; it’s required by the state.”
Even funnier is the fact that Buress sent a lookalike to the premiere of Spider-Man: Homecoming in his place. He hired the body double -- later identified as Joe Carroll -- through social media and supposedly offered $500 to anyone who would be up for the stunt.
3 ROB ZOMBIE IN GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Not only is Rob Zombie (House of 1,000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects) a household name in the metal/hard rock scene, he’s a respected horror director and actor as well. Stepping away from his forte behind the camera, Zombie appeared in a voice role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Having already voiced Ravager Navigator in the first Guardians movie, Zombie returned to help out director James Gunn again by voicing an unseen Ravager in Vol. 2. Zombie is currently working on a follow-up to The Devil’s Rejects called 3 From Hell. He wears many hats in the pop culture universe, making him more human than human for sure.
2 MICHAEL STUHLBARG IN DOCTOR STRANGE
Long Beach, CA actor Michael Stuhlbarg first broke through in the 2009 Coen Brothers dramedy A Serious Man. He since landed critically acclaimed roles in The Post, The Shape of Water, and Call Me By Your Name. In Doctor Strange, Stuhlbarg plays Dr. Nicodemus West, a college of Dr. Stephen Strange at Metro-General hospital.
Strange and West don’t always get along, with each believing they are more intelligent and therefore better doctors than the other. Although West saved Strange’s life after a car accident, Strange is typically ungrateful to his co-worker as he was left with permanent nerve damage in his hands, making it difficult for him to continue to perform surgery.
1 SAM NEILL IN THOR: RAGNAROK
Finally, let’s circle back to that hilarious theatrical play scene in Thor: Ragnarok. Yes, everyone’s favorite Jurassic Park alum Sam Neil appeared in the movie. He plays the fictional version of Odin, full royal armor and all, in the phoney play alongside fellow Asgardian actors Matt Damon (Loki) and Luke Hemsworth (Thor).
Neill’s cameo may have been a result of his connection with Ragnarok director Taika Waititi, whom he worked with on her previous film Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Ironically, Neill’s Jurassic Park co-star Jeff Goldblum also appears in Ragnarok -- albeit in a much larger role -- as The Grandmaster.