Favorite actor self parodies

The ones that jump immediately to mind for me are:

  1. William Shatner on SNL, telling Trekkers to “get a life!”

  2. The cast of the original Star Trek on Futurama

  3. “Family Guy” reuniting the cast of ST:TNG in an episode called Not All Dogs Go to Heaven.

Peter Falk playing himself in Wings of Desire.

In the movie we find out that Peter Falk is actually an angel that has left heaven to come to earth and live as a mortal.

James Van Der Beek was hilarious as himself in Don’t Trust the B____ in Apt 23.

How could I forget?

James Van Der Beek, Jason Biggs*, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Gus Van Sant all played caricatures of themselves in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”

*aka “The Pie Fucker”

Plus one

Mark Hamill on “Just Shoot Me”. Return-stalks David Spade’s obsessive Star Wars fan character.

The whole Lego Movie “Behind the Bricks” featurette is filled with the voice actors parodying themselves but none so well as Morgan Freeman talking about his own voice.

“Wait a minute. I know you. You’re Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You play basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers.”

“I’m sorry, son, but you must have me confused with someone else. My name is Roger Murdock. I’m the co-pilot.”

“You are Kareem! I’ve seen you play. My dad’s got season tickets.”

“My name is Roger Murdock. I’m an airline pilot.”

“I think you’re the greatest, but my dad says you don’t work hard enough on defense. And he says that lots of times, you don’t even run downcourt. And that you don’t really try, except during the playoffs.”

“The hell I don’t! Listen, kid: I’ve been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA; I’m out there busting my buns every night; tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes!”

I came to say Jennifer Grey as well. I wished this show got better traction, it was pretty funny but it sputtered a bit and was perceived as a West Coast Seinfeld knock off. Having Grey play herself (and I think they got her dad in on the show once or twice as well) seemed pretty innovative to me at the time.

Christ does James Franco even act anymore? “This is the End”, “30 Rock”…

Mark Hamill too, right?

Also, I think Wes Craven played himself in the scene where they crash the Scream filming if I’m remembering it right.

James Van Der Beek in “Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23.”

They even got the ponytail guy from Good Will Hunting.

Bruce Campbell in My Name is Bruce

Billie Dee Williams as his suave self in a “I Love Laquita” episode in In Living Color.

Quite true, which is probably why I didn’t mention Brando at first. But on re-thinking, I couldn’t deny that the role was clearly a self-parody–and therefore I edited it in.

Also true.

(I like that movie. Haven’t seen it in a while; Maximilian Schell’s recent death reminded me of it. He was wonderful in his small role.)

Patrick Stewart’s was awesome.

But I also really liked Daniel Radcliff’s.

Ben Stiller’s was funny…but maybe not too much of a parody ?

I’m surprised you left Johnny Depp off that list.

Didn’t see that on. I LIKE her ASPCA ads!

His “Robot Insurance” bit from SNL is a riot!