With all the CGI, explosions (real or otherwise), and just the sheer amount of FX that goes into any Transformers movie, it should surprise nobody that one might forget that a certain actor was in one or some. After all, when we go and see these movies, are we going to see Anthony Hopkins and Frances McDormand? Or are we hoping to see Optimus Prime battle some nefarious bot that needs to be sent to the nether regions of the universe? So it stands to reason that amidst all that's happening on the screen, we might not remember that these films feature impressive actors both on camera and voicing characters.

Update August 9, 2023: This article has been updated to include even more great actors you forgot were in Transformers films.

It is easy to remember lead actors like Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Mark Wahlberg, John Cena, and Hailee Steinfeld. Everyone knows Peter Cullen is the voice of Optimus Prime, and recent films have gotten high-profile actors like Pete Davidson, Ron Perlman, and Michelle Yeoh to lend their voices to the Transformers. Yet over seven films, there are many actors who you may forget were in them. Either they were big stars at the time, or these films were some of their early work before they truly broke out. Here are 20 actors you forgot were in the Transformers films.

20 Rizwan Manji

wedding-season-rizwan-manji
Netflix

Before Rizwan Manji gained fame for his role in Schitt’s Creek as real estate agent Ray Butani, he had a small role in the first Transformers film in 2007. He played the role of Akram, the father of Mahfouz, a boy who helps guide Col. William Lennox (Josh Duhamel) and his group of U.S. soldiers to his village in Qatar during a battle with a giant mechanical scorpion. Akram ends up giving Lennox his phone during the scorpion attack so that Lennox can call the Pentagon to alert them of the attack.

Along with his role in Schitt's Creek and Transformers, Manji has also had roles in Charlie Wilson's War, The Dictator, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Peacemaker, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, How I Met Your Mother, Arrested Development, and many others.

19 Kelsey Grammer

Frasier Revival
NBC

When you've played the indelible TV personality Frasier Crane for 20 years, it seems like it would be extremely difficult for audiences to see you as anything else. The fact that Kelsey Grammer is a fantastic actor and can play any role is how he ended up in Transformers: Age of Extinction. In the role of Harold Attinger, Grammer plays a man who quite simply doesn't seem to believe or accept that humans and Transformers can co-exist. As a result, his time in this film is spent trying to rid the world of what he considers to be its biggest threat.

Grammer is outstanding in this role, and, once again, it seems like all the set pieces and overall bigness of the Transformers milieu completely steamrolled any memory of this fine actor's work. It's there, though, and when you see it, you know you are watching something special.

18 Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Dempsey
ABC

With McDreamy in this movie, how could we ever forget that Patrick Dempsey was in a Transformers film? After breaking very big in such seminal 80s films as Can't Buy Me Love and Loverboy, Dempsey didn't become a major star but more of an ensemble player. Always right up there in billing and featured on the one-sheets, it would be his turn on Gray's Anatomy that would reintroduce him to the world for the star that he is. His profile in movies picked up, and it wasn't long before he was playing Dylan in Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

At first, we think he's just placed in the film to make Sam Witwicky jealous. Dylan is the boss of Sam's girlfriend, Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), but it soon becomes clear that Dylan works for the Decepticons. His endgame is to help them move their Cybertron into the Solar System and then use Earth to help them reconstruct their planet. Dempsey is the film's primary human villain, but sadly in all the explosions and Transformers material, he is sadly overlooked.

17 Leonard Nimoy

mission-impossible-easter-eggs-leonard-nimoy-550x309 (1)
Paramount

Okay, when Dr. Spock returns to anything sci-fi related, that is a big deal, so how do we not instantly think of Leonard Nimoy when we think of Transformers films? This fine actor entered the Transformers universe with Transformers: Dark of the Moon. In the voice role of Sentinel Prime, Nimoy's character was believed by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) to be the one force that could tip the scales in the Autobot's war with the Decepticons. However, Sentinel betrays the Autobots and is the film's primary villain.

Nimoy is a voice role, so it might be difficult to remember he was in the film. However, he earns a spot on this list for two reasons. One might forget he was also the voice of Galvatron in Transformers: The Movie all the way back in 1986. So Nimoy has been forgotten about in Transformers twice, it seems.

16 Tony Todd

Tony Todd as Candyman in Candyman
TriStar Pictures

Yep, Candyman was in a Transformers film. Legendary actor Tony Todd lent his incredible voice to the primary villain, The Fallen, in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Described as the Transformers version of Lucifer, a fallen Prime who is the true leader of the Decepticons and Megatron's master, Todd was a great pick to voice this character. The movie is not fondly remembered, and neither is Todd's performance which is a shame because he is one of the few good things about it.

Related: Tony Todd's Best Performances, Ranked

In recent years, Todd has lent his voice to a number of superhero properties. He voiced Zoom on the CW series, The Flash, and is set to voice Venom in the upcoming Playstation 5 game, Spider-Man 2. He also reprised his role as Candyman in the 2021 film.

15 Rachael Taylor

Trisha and Jessica Jones
Via: Marvel Television

Inhabiting the role of Maggie Madsen in Transformers, Rachael Taylor plays an analyst working for the NSA. She is good at her job and doesn't have any problem telling the people around her that they're wrong. Her role is central to the plot because it sometimes takes convincing to make people believe that things like Transformers exist. So how can she be in this movie but not be remembered for it? Well, she was in the first Transformers film back in 2007. That was nearly 15 years ago!

As you know, that is an eternity in the world of movies, and given everything that's happened with the story since then (there's pretty much a completely different human cast from her time in the films), it makes sense that people might not recall her as much as they should. This isn't to say that Taylor completely disappeared after Transformers came out. To the contrary, she has done projects like Bottle Shock and Jessica Jones, among other things.

14 Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong Talks Community Season 5 [Exclusive]
 NBC

It is quite fair to say that Ken Jeong is one of the great comedians of the last 15 years. He has had roles in The Hangover franchise, Community, Step Brothers, The Office, Glee, Dr. Ken, and a bunch more. He plays the role of Jerry Wang in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Wang is a former NASA employee who left to work at Accuretta Systems after being blackmailed by Laserbeak.

Wang realizes who Witwicky is and tries to give him information regarding the Autobot spacecraft known as the "Ark" which is hidden on the dark side of the Moon. Laserbeak ends up throwing Wang out of the building window after realizing that his usefulness has run its course. Again, Jeong finds a way to still be funny, even in a role that gets a little crazy and chaotic.

13 Rainn Wilson

Rainn Wilson
NBC Universal Television Distribution

Forgetting that Rainn Wilson in the Transformers film series might be the most "egregious forget" on this list whole list. How can an actor as good and as memorable in everything he does be forgotten in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen? As you can imagine, given his bookish look, Wilson plays the part of Professor Colan. He is a brilliant astronomer who knows much about the galaxy and the world around him. His primary role in this film is to provide a bit of comic relief.

Rainn Wilson isn't one of the major players, but he's Rainn Wilson for crying out loud! His characters are unforgettable, which makes him turning up on this list a bit of a head-scratcher. Alas, here he is, and let me ask you this, when you think of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, is he the first person (or even the second or third) that comes to mind? He might not be, but that doesn't mean that we should forget his performance.

12 Isabela Merced

isabella merced
Paramount

Isabela Merced is best known for her roles in films like Dora and the Lost City, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, or Rosaline. Yet her breakout role in live-action was in Transformers: The Last Knight, where she plays Izabella, a street-wise kid who lives on her own after her family died in the battle of Chicago in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Merced is set to star in the upcoming Alien film and will play Hawkgirl in the new DCU, so she is about to become a bigger star, but many will likely not remember her from Transformers: Age of Extinction.

11 John Goodman

ABC

One of America's favorite TV dads lends his considerable voice talents (he was Sulley in Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University, after all) to the role of Hound in both Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight. Honestly, given John Goodman's role as Charlie Meadows in Barton Fink, I don't know that there is a better role for him to play than Hound. This Autobot packs a lot of firepowers, he's got a major screen presence, and he doesn't do any mission half-assed.

So why don't we remember that John Goodman was in TWO of these movies? Like some of the other actors on this list, a voice role in a film splashed to every corner with CGI might make it hard to stop and say, "Wow, John Goodman was fantastic in this." Now, films like Transformers are a major group effort. Every character, and by proxy every actor, is but one small part of a much larger machine. As a result of this, great performances (and actors) go unnoticed when they shouldn't. It's just the way things turn out sometimes, and it is in no way a slam on the actor, their work, or the films that they have contributed to.

10 Steve Buscemi

Steve Buscemi as Nucky in Boarwalk Empire
HBO

Goodman isn't the only Coen Brothers alumni to be in a Transformers film, in fact, so has his Big Lebowski co-star. There was a time when Steve Buscemi was the biggest, littlest actor in the world. Hot off of Reservoir Dogs, the actor would go on to show that he was as comfortable in films like Con Air and Armageddon as he would be in Ghost World and The Death of Stalin. In Transformers: The Last Knight, this chameleon-like actor gets even more into his character when he lends his voice to Daytrader. Further helping Buscemi's cause of disappearing into his character, this one, in particular, likes being a lone wolf.

Daytrader is an Autobot, so at least he's on the right side of history. However, his penchant for not really getting involved with the day-to-day business and conflicts that many Autobots face is why we don't really recall his role in this film. This isn't to say that Buscemi doesn't do fine, memorable work here. He does (and he also happens to be one of America's finest actors), but given that he's only using his voice, that makes it hard for him to separate himself from his fellow CGI counterparts.

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8 Dylan O'Brien

Dylan O'Brien as Thomas holding onto the side of a train
20th Century Fox

Dylan O'Brien voiced Bumblebee in the 2018 film Bumblebee. Yep, that's right. Given that the character is known for not speaking and communicating through the radio, the filmmakers decided that they wanted to make sure Bumblebee had a memorable voice, so when he lost it, there was a bit of tragedy to it. O'Brien gives the character a much-needed youthful energy and, in just a few short scenes immediately makes an impact.

Related: Every Live-Action Transformers Movie in Order: Chronologically and By Release Date

O'Brien broke out with his role on Teen Wolf and has since gone on to star in The Maze Runner film series. O'Brien has taken on a variety of projects, including Deepwater Horizon and Love and Monsters. Bumblebee might not immediately come to mind, but we assure you, he was in it and was very good.

7 Alan Tudyk

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20th Centruy Fox

Alan Tudyk has been in everything. From Firefly to voicing numerous Disney characters in films like Frozen, Wreck-It-Ralph, Big Hero 6, and the upcoming Wish, it appears that Tudyk is part of every film series. Yet despite being known as a prolific voice actor, Tudyk actually appears in Transformers as a flesh adn blood person instead of an Autobot or Decepticon.

Tudyk plays Dutch, the right-hand man of Agent Simmons in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Dutch speaks with an over-the-top accent, and because Tudyk is a naturally gifted comedic performer gets some genuine laughs but is role in the film has sadly been forgotten.

6 Gemma Chan

Gemma Chan as Sersi in Eternals
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

If you are trying to remember who Gemma Chan is in Transformers or which film she was in, it is understandable not to remember. Chan plays Quintessa, A Cybertonian Sorceress and the creator of the Transformers. Her role is primarily voice work, but the character is modeled after her, and she briefly appears as her human form at the end of the movie. Judging by the box office and the fact that Chan was not a household name at the time it is easy to forget.

While she had previously appeared in Sherlock and Doctor Who, since then, her star has risen quite a bit. The following year she appeared in Crazy Rich Asians. She lent her voice to the film Raya and the Last Dragon. She also plays two different characters in the MCU: The Kree warriror Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and Sersi in Eternals.

5 Anthony Hopkins

anthony hopkins abraham van helsing
Columbia Pictures

Having won his second Academy Award, how in the world can we ever forget an Anthony Hopkins performance? Let alone the fact that this master Thespian graced us in a Transformers movie? As Sir Edmund Burton in Transformers: The Last Knight, Hopkins's character is basically the keeper of the Transformers lore. He spends much of his time giving out needed and unneeded information about these transforming creatures that have been around forever.

One can't also forget the scene where, using a cane of sorts, Hopkins gets to steal the movie by shooting at Megatron. There are many reasons to be cynical and look at this as a "cash grab," but you have to admit that having Hopkins in a fun, popcorn-fueled film is pretty cool. As an actor who is generally only seen in films that are vying for Awards, it's great for him to show that he can let his hair down and have fun like the rest of us. Honestly, this might be one of the least forgettable performances on this list for that very reason.

4 John Malkovich

John Malkovich in The ABC Murders
Amazon Studios 

As an actor who also seems to have a wry (almost devilish) sense of humor, it isn't surprising that John Malkovich would be in a Transformers film. Playing the role of Bruce Brazos in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Malkovich seems to be reveling in every one of his scene-chewing moments. As the boss of a fictional corporation, Brazos seems to be a play on Bezos, and we all know who THAT is. This character is the eccentric boss of Sam Witwicky, who has some very "interesting" job skills.

As you can guess, Brazos is brash, has no regard for other people, and Malkovich plays him as just the kind of character that deserves a major comeuppance. As you can guess, he eventually draws the ire of Bumblebee while at Sam's apartment (this has to be a workplace violation of every sort, right?), and Sam sees just how much of a coward Bruce Brazos is. This performance is scene-stealing at its finest, and Malkovich appears to love playing in this mega-sandbox.

3 Angela Bassett

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The always incredible Angela Bassett has done it all, including voicing a Transformers. Yes, it might be hard to remember, but Bassett is the voice of the Decepticon Shatter in Bumblebee. Bassett gives a bone-chilling vocal performance that makes her villain stand out as one of the best, yet many forget she was in the film. This is partially due to it being a vocal performance but also that Bumblebee, despite being the best-reviewed film in the franchise, was likely the least seen.

Bassett has had an impressive career, working with directors like John Singelton on Boyz n the Hood and Spike Lee on Malcolm X. Bassett has been nominated for an Academy Award twice, first for her role as Tina Turner in What's Love Got To Do with It and recently as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

2 Ken Watanabe

Ken Watanabe as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in Clint Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
  • Warner Bros. Pictures

Having The Last Samurai actor appear in Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight, is, like having Anthony Hopkins and some others on this list, a way to class up the joint. In fact, Ken Watanabe has the distinction of being in two of these tentpole spectacles and being so good at voicing the character of Drift that we don't remember him being in the films! Again, this says literally nothing about Watanabe's fine acting skills. It's just that when you voice a character in any film where there's major spectacle, and let's be honest, that is primarily what these Transformer movies are, how are we able to distinguish good and bad when everything the actor does isn't happening before our very eyes?

Drift is an Autobot who actually changed looks between films. In Transformers: Age of Extinction, his Bugatti was black and blue colored. In Transformers: The Last Knight, Drift moves into being a Mercedes, and its colors are black and red. This, too, might have played into us not remembering Watanabe's solid work in this film.

1 Frances McDormand

frances-mcdormand-three-billboards
Searchlight Pictures

This final entry into this list is both surprising and not surprising. Francis McDormand is a multi-Academy Award-winning actress who has shown she can play any role. In Transformers: Dark of the Moon, she plays the role of Charlotte Mearing. As a micro-manager of the highest order, McDormand brings a demanding quality to this role that fits perfectly with the responsibilities of the Director of National Intelligence. In addition to this, she isn't as confrontational with the Autobots as some people expect her to be. Sure, Charlotte has her eccentricities, but McDormand weaves them into the character so that they don't get in the way of the job she needs to do.

Sadly, even with the many accolades that McDormand has acquired over the years, that isn't enough for us to recall her role in this explosive franchise. Maybe we should call this the Transformers effect? It's the ability to have actors that, in any other role or movie, would stand out in their performances. In this franchise, spectacle rules the day.