The epic Star Wars may well be the biggest franchise on the planet, spanning 40+ years, 12 theatrical films, 10 varying-in-quality TV shows, and ventures into many other media. It is a cornerstone of pop culture, known by all and beloved by many. It is not just beloved by regular day-to-day folks either, but also celebrities and big names who have either grown up with or came to love the franchise.
Due to the franchise's status, these names are world-famous, but Star Wars has also come to be known for its many cameos — particularly in the Disney film era. Fans can always expect them, but may not always notice major celebrities popping up in these beloved movies. Here are ten Star Wars cameos even devoted fans forgot about.
RALPH MCQUARRIE AS GENERAL PHARL MCQUARRIE - EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)
Nearly all Star Wars fans know of Ralph McQuarrie. He is famous to lovers of the franchise for his phenomenal concept art depicting a variety of characters and pieces of lore which have come to life in the franchises 40+ year history.
What a lot of people do not know — or have forgotten — is that McQuarrie made an appearance in The Empire Strikes Back. This is as a Rebel general on Hoth by the name of Pharl McQuarrie. A clever twist on the artist's name and a great cameo for those who respect his work, even if it is uncredited.
JEREMY BULLOCH AS CAPTAIN COLTON - REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005)
Fans of Star Wars know Jeremy Bulloch as the man behind the famous mask of Boba Fett in the original trilogy. While his voice work was replaced by Temuera Morrison who plays Jango and the clones in the prequels in one of the many special edition changes, fans still know Bulloch.
What is less known is that Bulloch makes an appearance in the prequels, specifically as Captain Colton in Revenge Of The Sith, who pilots the Tantive III, which was used to rescue and transport Bail Organa, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi to Coruscant.
RICHARD MARQUAND AS MAJOR MARQUAND - RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983)
Richard Marquand was the director of the final original trilogy film Return Of The Jedi. Most fans know George Lucas did not direct all three Star Wars original trilogy films, and Marquand was hired to follow up Irvin Kershner's efforts in Empire Strikes Back.
Richard Marquand was the first Star Wars director, though, to put himself in his own Star Wars film appearing as Major Marquand, an Imperial AT-AT driver and a Tempest Scout 2 pilot.
PETER SERAFINOWICZ AS DARTH MAUL - THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999)
Everyone knows Darth Maul, that much is obvious. Fewer people know that Ray Park plays him in both The Phantom Menace and Solo. Most hardcore fans know of Sam Witwer and his role with Maul throughout Clone Wars and Rebels.
What a lot of people do not know is that in The Phantom Menace, neither of those people voice Maul. It was, in fact, The Tick and Shaun Of The Dead actor Peter Serafinowicz. With only 2 lines and 31 words, Serafinowicz is as much a cameo as anyone else on this list.
AHMED BEST & ANTHONY DANIELS AS ACHK MED-BEQ & DANNI FAYTONNI - ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002)
Ahmed Best is well known for his outings as the infamous Jar-Jar Binks. Meanwhile, Anthony Daniels is known for his numerous appearances as C-3PO and cameos in other Star Wars films, such as Solo.
What may not be widely known is that both make an appearance together in Attack Of The Clones. They play a pair of friends/partners who are con artists seen in Outlander Club when Anakin and Obi-Wan look for Zam Wesell.
TOM HARDY AS FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER "926" - THE LAST JEDI (2017)
Everyone knows Tom Hardy as a brilliant, Oscar-nominated actor with a great filmography — but not tons of people know The Last Jedi is part of it.
Hardy makes a cameo as a First Order Stormtrooper, which was highly rumored around the time of the film, but nobody could pick him out. That is because his cameo was — rightfully — cut and can only be found on the Blu-ray for the film. It is an awkward exchange with Finn in an elevator which has no place in the film, but is still a cameo nonetheless.
MICHAEL GIACCHINO AS FN-3181 - THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015)
Michael Giacchino is one of the consistently finest scorers of films working today and has a great career with an Academy Award and various great films to his name. This filmography includes Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, in which he wrote the score in a month following Alexandre Desplat falling out of the project due to reshoots.
But before that, the musician has another role in the Star Wars universe — Giacchino plays a First Order Stormtrooper in the film which has the name FN-3181, which some fans have speculated is a jumbled reference to George Lucas' THX 1138.
JOE JOHNSTON AS IMPERIAL GUNNER & SHAWN VALDEZ - A NEW HOPE (1977) AND THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)
Joe Johnston is a filmmaker known for Captain America: The First Avenger and Jumanji. But, before this, he worked for Lucasfilm and ended up designing Boba Fett's iconic armor. Other than backstage work, though, Johnston makes a couple of appearances in the original trilogy.
Johnston appears as an Imperial Gunner in A New Hope in an uncredited role alongside a couple of other parts that fill out the numbers. Then in Empire Strikes Back, Johnston defers to the Rebellion and plays Captain Shawn Valdez, a Rebel Captain seen on Hoth.
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT AS SLOWEN LO - THE LAST JEDI (2017)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has appeared in every Rian Johnson movie to date, from Brick to Looper to Knives Out and The Last Jedi was no exception to this long-running collaboration.
Slowen Lo is the character played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the film. The Abednedo who informed the Canto Bight police about Rose and Finn illegally landing and leaving their ship on the Canto Bight beach. It is not a cameo many would notice but is well worked by Johnson to get Levitt into the film.
GEORGE LUCAS AS BARON PAPANOIDA - REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005)
George Lucas is the man and mind that created it all. From the idea to the building of the worlds to the story to a lot of the directing and writing, Lucas is the man all Star Wars fans have to thank for their love of the franchise and a lot of happiness they have felt over the years.
Lucas, in his last live-action Star Wars film, though, gave himself more than a writing and directing credit. He cameoed as Baron Papanoida in Revenge Of The Sith, a statesman, and playwright. Interestingly enough, Lucas' daughter Katie played Papanoida's daughter Chi Eekway Papanoida in the film, with his son Jett playing Zett Jukassa, a youngling, and his other daughter Amanda playing Senator Terr Taneel.