Film cameos have the power to dazzle and entertain audiences, taking many delightfully by surprise; they also are able to leave viewers stunned. While there have indeed been countless unforgettable celebrity appearances in hit movies, such as Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction and Bill Murray in Zombieland, there have also been many that filmmakers would probably prefer to erase and forget altogether.

From Bill Cosby giving sage advice to a young and impressionable boy in Jack, to Donald Trump crossing paths with the devious misfit Kevin McCallister in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, some movie cameos have not gone on to withstand the test of time. Let’s take a closer look at some of cinema’s most notorious cameos that have not aged well.

8 O.J. Simpson (The Naked Gun)

The Naked Gun
Paramount Pictures 

Prior to becoming the face of the most infamous murder trial of the 20th century, former NFL running back O.J. Simpson was no stranger to making appearances in both television and film, with one of his most prominent roles being (ironically) a detective in The Naked Gun franchise. Seeing the accused murderer appear in a light-hearted comedy, with a plot focusing on law enforcement and catching bad guys, is unsettling and watching Simpson engage in slapstick humor leaves a sour taste in the mouths of audiences. It's hard to ignore the fact that the disgraced athlete was put on trial for both the murder of his ex-wife and her close friend, and later convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping in 2008.

7 Lance Armstrong (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story)

Lance Armstrong in Dodgeball_ A True Underdog Story
20th Century Fox

Once a celebrated professional cyclist who was a beacon of inspiration after beating cancer before notoriously falling from grace, ex-sports icon Lance Armstrong was one of many celebrity cameos in the comedy hit Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. During a scene in which Vince Vaughn's character Peter LaFleur is feeling down and out over his dodgeball team's chances of winning a crucial competition, Armstrong shows up to restore his morale and encourages him to keep fighting, telling Peter, "Well, I guess if a person never quit when the going got tough, they wouldn't have anything to regret for the rest of their life."

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While the scene was hilarious and message uplifting at the time, the touching sentiment now sounds hollow in retrospect as the wise words are coming from someone who lied, cheated and was ultimately stripped of his titles for using performance-enhancing drugs to get ahead.

6 Donald Trump (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York)

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
20th Century Fox

Back in the days when he was simply a hotshot business mogul and not a controversial political figure, Donald Trump made a surprise cameo in the 1992 Christmas comedy classic Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. When the devious 10-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) ends up stranded in the titular city and in need of a place to stay, he books a fancy suite at the Plaza Hotel and crosses paths with none other than Trump himself, who directs him to the lobby.

Trump insisted on making an appearance in addition to the standard filming fee, as he was the owner of the luxury hotel at the time of production. In 2021, Culkin voiced his support to have the divisive Trump digitally removed from the film and replaced by the then 40-year-old actor when fans began an online petition.

5 Harvey Weinstein (My Scene Goes Hollywood: The Movie)

Harvey Weinstein in My Scene Goes Hollywood_ The Movie
Buena Vista Home Entertainment 

Convicted sex offender and defrocked film producer Harvey Weinstein notoriously preyed upon young actresses and abused his power in the entertainment industry, and following more than 80 accusations of sexual assault and an eye-opening trial, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020. The fact that the vile Weinstein made an odd and downright creepy cameo in the Barbie-themed animated rom-com My Scene Goes Hollywood: The Movie has truly delivered on the ick factor; in the unfortunate appearance, Weinstein is surrounded by teen school girls in a scene that leaves viewers crawling out of their skin.

In a 2017 The New Yorker article, producer Nancy Bennett expressed her regret putting Weinstein in the film and admitted she was more concerned that star Lindsay Lohan would have caused more waves and generate negative publicity for the Barbie brand, expressing, "I was more worried that Lindsay was going to do something that people would associate with the brand. I never in a million years imagined it would be Harvey.”

4 Jared Fogle (Super Size Me)

Jared Fogle Super Size Me
Samuel Goldwyn Films

Former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle famously appeared in commercials and advertisements for the fast food restaurant for 15 years, having lost 245 pounds by eating at the popular sandwich chain. Before he was disturbingly convicted of possessing child pornography and of child sex tourism, Fogle made an appearance in Morgan Spurlock's eye-opening documentary Super Size Me. The flick chronicled the filmmaker's shocking physical and mental transformation as he only ate McDonald's for a year, and Fogle cameoed and shared his story and relationship with fast food. Fogle's presence in the doc is repulsive and downright gag-worthy, as he is currently fulfilling his 15-year prison sentence.

3 Phil Spector (Easy Rider)

Phil Spector in Easy Rider
Columbia Pictures

Despite having once been a lauded songwriter and record producer who skyrocketed to prominence in the '60s, Phil Spector's reputation has since been forever tarnished and destroyed. The music bigwig had a profound influence on pop music and was a respected figure in the industry, and he famously made a brief appearance in Dennis Hopper's legendary road drama Easy Rider, portraying a drug dealer in the independent hit.

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Spector's legacy came crashing down in 2009 after he was convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson in 2003, being sentenced to 19 years to life in prison; he died in 2021. In hindsight, it is both perplexing and unsettling watching Spector on the big-screen and knowing where he would ultimately end up.

2 Matt Lauer (Lady Bird)

Matt Lauer on the Today Show
NBCUniversal News Group 

The world was left stunned when revelations surrounding inappropriate sexual behavior circulated around NBC's Today host Matt Lauer in 2017, with the media news personality being accused of misconduct by multiple women over his tenure at the long-running morning program. Lauer frequently guest-starred and cameoed in television shows and films throughout his career, appearing in Will & Grace, Sesame Street and I, Tonya before showing up in Greta Gerwig's critically-acclaimed hit Lady Bird. Having the journalist be featured in the coming-of-age picture is indeed jarring to see, especially in a female-driven drama amid his sexual misconduct allegations that resulted in his termination at NBC.

1 Bill Cosby (Jack)

Bill Cosby alongside Robin Williams in Jack
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution 

Bill Cosby is the last person who should be providing insight and guidance for young, impressionable minds, but that is exactly what he did when he appeared in Francis Ford Coppola's drama Jack, which follows the great Robin Williams' eponymous character as he struggles with Werner syndrome, a disorder that causes him to age four times faster than the natural rate. Cosby portrays Jack's well-meaning tutor Lawrence Woodruff, who encourages the young boy to attend school and experience the social interactions public school has to offer. The comedian and actor faced numerous sexual assault allegations in 2014 and was sent to prison for the crimes before his conviction was vacated in 2021; Cosby's legacy and reputation has never recovered.