# Favorite tv/movie appearances by a well known celebrity who hid their identity well **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 10, 2019, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956 "2019-09-10T00:28:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/21 "2019-09-10T15:26:00Z")
Jon Cryer played an old man in one episode of _ **Two and a Half Men** _. It took hours to make him up, and the scenes where he and Alan interacted were shot separately and then composited by computer. I was fooled 110%! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/22 "2019-09-10T15:30:24Z")
> [@Telperion](#): > > Matt Damon in Deadpool 2 takes the cake for me. Even after I knew which role he played I had to really look at him before it clicked. His cameo in _Thor: Ragnarok_ was the same. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/23 "2019-09-10T19:09:14Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > His cameo in _Thor: Ragnarok_ was the same. He has made an art out of this. Another role is Matt as a singer in the movie _Eurotrip_ singing “[Scotty Doesn’t Know](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vyj1C8ogtE)” ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/24 "2019-09-10T19:26:44Z")
Yul Brynner in _The Magic Christian_ (with Roman Polanski). Stacy Keach in \*Sin City: A Dame to Kill For\* [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nGrfudq1-UQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Stacy Keach "The Face" of Wallenquist in Sin City 2") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGrfudq1-UQ) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/25 "2019-09-10T20:25:43Z")
Simon Pegg as Unkar Plutt in _The Force Awakens._ ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/26 "2019-09-10T20:54:16Z")
Mike Myers in _Bohemian Rhapsody_. I saw his name in the opening credits, but it was only near the end when I asked myself when he was going to appear. And, then, the penny dropped. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/27 "2019-09-10T21:04:50Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Gene Hackman in Young Frankenstein. I was gonna make espresso, and say that. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/28 "2019-09-10T21:36:41Z")
Charlton Heston as an elderly ape, in the first of the new Planet of the Apes movies. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/29 "2019-09-10T23:28:40Z")
Guillermo del Toro as [Pappy McPoyle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB5VW4KIpAI&t=10s). Not quite a secret or anything, but Hugo Weaving is not shy about avoiding face time as an A lister in V for Vendetta and Captain America. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > His cameo in _Thor: Ragnarok_ was the same. Odin was Sam Neill, and Thor was Luke Hemsworth. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/30 "2019-09-11T04:58:42Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Tom Cruise on Tropic Thunder and Johnny Depp in Tusk are two of my favorites where a well known celebrity hid their identity pretty well with voices, prosthetics and makeup, to the point where I wouldn’t have guessed who they were. > > Any other good examples. I didn’t recognize Cruise in _Tropic Thunder_, but I _did_ (sort of) recognize his voice; I kept going, “I know that voice, but who is that?” Roll credits, and…:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/31 "2019-09-11T13:08:22Z")
Jodie Foster wasn’t wearing elaborate makeup but to me was still almost unrecognizable as a dowdy French housewife - speaking perfect French, which she can IRL - in the WWI drama _A Very Long Engagement._ ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/32 "2019-09-11T14:08:46Z")
Keanu Reeves as Keanu in Keanu. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/33 "2019-09-11T17:28:54Z")
Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder was one of the first two examples I thought of. The other was Heath Ledger as the Joker. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/34 "2019-09-11T17:31:01Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Simon Pegg as Unkar Plutt in _The Force Awakens._ I’d mention George Lucas in _Revenge of the Sith_, but I’d be lying if I said that I’ve ever noticed his character, even knowing he’s in there and what he looks like. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/35 "2019-09-11T18:10:06Z")
Halle Berry made up as a man in _Cloud Atlas_. I was probably the only person who didn’t immediately recognise Robert Culp’s voice as the villain in _Half Life 2_. More of a C list actor, but as a fan of Doctor Who you think I would have recognized Sylvester McCoy as Radaghast in _The Hobbit_. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/36 "2019-09-11T19:05:28Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > He has made an art out of this. Another role is Matt as a singer in the movie _Eurotrip_ singing “[Scotty Doesn’t Know](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vyj1C8ogtE)” When I think of Matt Damon that’s the first thing I think of, but he wasn’t disguised. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/37 "2019-09-11T19:40:07Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Not quite a secret or anything, but Hugo Weaving is not shy about avoiding face time as an A lister in V for Vendetta and Captain America. V for Vendetta, I’ll grant you, but he was his recognizable self throughout the first half of Captain America. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/38 "2019-09-11T19:55:45Z")
Michael Caine in [Sleuth](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069281/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1). I don’t want to spoil it, but if you’ve seen the movie you know what I’m talking about. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/39 "2019-09-11T20:29:07Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > V for Vendetta, I’ll grant you, but he was his recognizable self throughout the first half of Captain America. I’ll have to watch it again, I only recall that he’s only in the very beginning killing monks, and then briefly again before he reveals himself as a SuperNazi and betrays the regular Nazis. Vendetta of course is 100% masked or shadowed. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956/40 "2019-09-11T21:41:15Z")
In _Kingdom of Heaven_, whenever King Baldwin was onscreen, I kept thinking, “That voice is familiar. Who is that?” Then I watched the credits, and saw that it was Edward Norton. 🆒 And I immediately visualized Kevin Spacey’s face. :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-tv-movie-appearances-by-a-well-known-celebrity-who-hid-their-identity-well/839956.md?page=1)