Spoiler Warning: The Suicide Squad (2021), Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)Everyone loves a good cameo, especially an iconic one. Who didn't love seeing Stan Lee, the brilliant creative mind behind countless Marvel Comics, showing up in countless MCU films? Or James Bond's Daniel Craig in Star Wars? Or Matt Damon, who arguably has more cameos than most actors do credits? It's always a pleasant surprise when a beloved celebrity pops in for a brief appearance in our favorite flicks.

Short cameos have become more prevalent than ever in today's celebrity-centric media landscape. Whether they're there to break the fourth wall, as a much-needed comedic reprieve, or the star just wants to cash in a favor, lately it seems that not a straightforward piece of creative entertainment can be released without an unrelated A-lister cameo. A cameo actor should be improvisational, able to stand out or blend in as needed, and have a strong sense of self. It makes sense then that a contemporary master of cameos would be a comedian, someone who reflects constantly on the eccentricities of human behavior. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the cameo casting of comedian Pete Davidson.

Ever since he was cast on Saturday Night Live all the way back in 2014, Pete Davidson has become one of the most popular funnymen in entertainment. This comedian's humorous styling is a reflection of his laid-back attitude. His apparent apathy regarding his own success has served to endear him to audiences everywhere. In recent years, Davidson has been taking on more roles, such as 2020's The King of Staten Island, and has even starred as himself in 2023's Bupkis, which was just renewed for Season Two. More often, however, he specializes in much smaller cameos. Nevertheless, he always makes the most of his time on screen, never exiting a film without getting at least a couple of laughs from the audience. Here are some reasons Pete Davidson is the reigning king of cameo.

Update October 26, 2023: Pete Davidson has popped up in plenty more cameos and this article has been updated by Amanda Minchin with more information about his various cameos.

Betrayal Gets Blackguard a Bullet in The Suicide Squad

One of the most noteworthy Pete Davidson cameos came in DC's Suicide Squad. In the film, he portrayed a mercenary named Blackguard, who joins the Suicide Squad on a mission to infiltrate the nation of Corto Maltese and perform an assassination attempt. Pete's face was splattered over movie posters, in the trailers, and in other promotional materials, which served to make his character's death all the more unexpected (and frankly, hilarious). Much like their comic book characters, most of Amanda Waller's team of ex-convicts and supervillains don't make it past the first fifteen minutes of the film. Which, if the placing of bets over their kill times was any indication, should have been expected from the start. To be fair, he was far from the only one left behind. In fact, he's just the second to die, after a creature named Weasel, who couldn't swim past the drop zone. ​

So, how does this go down? The answer is with lots and lots of blood. In the very first moments of the titular Suicide Squad's mission, Blackguard reveals himself as a traitor by giving away his team's position. Apparently, he called ahead. Though he expected his betrayal to earn him favor with the Corto Maltese military, no such offer is extended. In fact, Blackguard is instantly shot and killed, thus marking the end of Davidson's very brief appearance in the film. His betrayal also results in many other Suicide Squad members being killed, including most of the villains who appeared in the film's predecessor, 2016's Suicide Squad.

Pete Davidson Dies a TikTok Death in Bodies Bodies Bodies

Pete Davidson was undoubtedly the biggest star cast in 2022's Bodies Bodies Bodies. Much like in The Suicide Squad, he was a major facet of the film's promotion. And, much like in The Suicide Squad, his abrupt and sudden demise came as a complete surprise to moviegoers everywhere. Following a blackout, Davidson's David is found dead in a truly gruesome way. The discovery of David's body begins the paranoia-laden manhunt that results in several future deaths.

So, what actually happened to Pete's character? Ever the one to poke fun at popular trends, at the end of the film, it's revealed that David's demise surrounded the making of a TikTok video. By this point, any upcoming movies that the comedian appears in will likely see audiences wary as to the longevity of his characters.

Pete Davidson's "Secret" Cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

After briefly working with James Gunn in 2021's The Suicide Squad, it was only fitting that Davidson pull out yet another cameo in Gunn's latest foray into the Marvel Universe. Considering he's not shy about recasting from his previous endeavors, this should come as no surprise. Other fan-favorite cameos included Nathan Fillion as Orgoscope Guard Master Karja and Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord.

In the film, Davidson play Phlektik, a guard of the film's baddie, the High Evolutionary, a mad scientist who created the beloved Rocket Raccoon. Unlike in his other cameos, his face was mostly obscured. Some of his scenes were cut from the final picture, though they were later included for the home release. While hilarious, they just didn't make the final cut. We won't spoil it for you, though it is worth the watch.

2023 Continued To See Pete Davidson Cameos

Just two weeks after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opened, moviegoers saw Pete Davidson pop up in another blockbuster movie: Fast X. Davidson appears in one scene as a friend of the hacker Ramsey, who ends up selling out the heroes. He is only in the movie for one scene and is never mentioned again. Given that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was number one at the box office for two weeks and then was overtaken by Fast X, that meant the May box office was dominated by movies with Pete Davidson cameos. It appeared he was the magic touch.

2023, then saw Pete Davidson in major roles that were beyond cameos. The first was as the voice of Mirage in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. His character is the most fleshed-out Autobot in the films other than Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. He then appeared in the film Dumb Money. While Davidson makes for a great cameo, it is clear he also wants to, and has the potential, to be a major star.

Pete Davidson Makes Regular TV Cameos

Pete Davidson has even begun to pop up in the reality television universe, which really shouldn't be such a stretch considering his SNL origins.

Davidson was featured in the first season of The Kardashians, the most recent reality series chronicling the lives and times of America's most famous family. Fans of the comedian are familiar with his incredibly long list of high-profile partners and his relationship with the original influencer Kim Kardashian. Given their breakup, he will not be seen much in later seasons. Weirdly, his involvement with The Kardashians can be viewed as yet another cameo, as his nonchalant demeanor, coupled with his tall, slumping frame, seemed completely out of place amidst the glitz and glamour of the family.

You know that an entertainer has become a household name when they begin to play themselves in projects. Davidson stars in Lorne Michael's Bupkis, a surreal and heightened dramedy about who else but himself. This play on his life also features Edie Falco as Pete's mother and Joe Pesci as his grandfather. Davidson plays a fictionalized version of himself, a comedy star with the attention span and bad habits of someone half his age.

And then there's the occasional foray back into the world of SNL. October 2023 saw Saturday Night Live's 49th season officially underway, with Davidson securely at the helm as guest host. After a hiatus from filming due to the Writer's Strike, Pete had the season opener well in hand with a hilarious rendition of Ken's song from Barbie, though he was arguably outshone by a surprise guest or two. As Davidson continues to get more famous, consumers can come to count on more classic Pete Davidson cameos in the future.