11 Surprising Actors Who Have Appeared in the 'Transformers' Movies
John Turturro (‘Transformers,’ ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,’ ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon,’ ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’)
The celebrated character actor is a prime example of a guy you’d never, ever think would appear in a Transformers movie. Amazingly enough, he’s appeared in all but one of them as Seymour Simmons, a conspiracy-minded former government agent whose volcanic personality is a reliable source of over the top humor. In The Last Knight, it’s revealed that Simmons is currently living large in Cuba, enjoying beachside basketball games with a crew of Autobots. (Photo: Everett)
Bernie Mac (‘Transformers’)
The late comedian appears as the used-car salesman who accidentally facilitates Sam Witwicky’s introduction to Bumblebee. Mac also kick-started a trend that continues to this day of Bay setting aside certain roles for stand-up comics. T.J. Miller later appeared in Transformers: Age of Extinction, while Jerrod Carmichael has a small part in The Last Knight. (Photo: Everett)
Rainn Wilson (‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’)
At the height of his Office fame, Rainn Wilson appeared as a rock star-like Astronomy 101 professor who openly flirts with the comely co-eds in his class and loftily compares himself to Albert Einstein. This is the guy Dwight Schrute wishes he could be. (Photo: Paramount)
John Malkovich (‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’)
In Bay’s typically “understated” attempt at humor, Malkovich appears in the third movie as Sam’s boss, technology tycoon Bruce Brazos, proprietor of Accuretta Systems. Any resemblance to Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, is, we assume, absolutely intentional. (Photo: Paramount)
Frances McDormand (‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’)
Marge Gunderson in a Transformers movie? You betcha. McDormand popped up in Dark of the Moon as the U.S. national intelligence director, and managed to retain a no-nonsense expression with all of the nonsense going on around her. (Photo: Everett)
Buzz Aldrin (‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’)
In one small step for man, and a giant leap for Transformer-kind, the real-life moonwalker comes face-to-face Optimus Prime. “From a fellow space traveller, it’s a true honor,” Aldrin remarks in the film. As impressive a robot specimen as Optimus is, he’s got nothing on Buzz in terms of cool factor. (Photo: Everett)
Bill O’Reilly (‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’)
The then-current, now-former Fox News host gave Simmons a whirlwind ride through his “no spin zone,” ultimately relegating his guest to “pinhead” status for arguing in favor of an Autobot alliance. We can only imagine how non-Francophile O’Reilly would react to Hot Rod, the French Transformer we meet in The Last Knight. (Photo: Everett)
Kelsey Grammer (‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’)
Believe it or not, whoever is president in the Transformers universe saw fit to nominate Frasier Crane as a CIA director. Who’s next: Joey Tribbiani as the head of the FBI? (Photo: Everett)
Stanley Tucci (‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ and ‘Transformer: The Last Knight’)
According to his co-stars, Tucci proved himself a real card on the set of Age of Extinction as inventor Joshua Joyce. Maybe that’s why Bay invited him back to play Merlin in the opening scenes of The Last Knight. And Tucci rises to the occasion, playing the mythological wizard with Monty Python-esque brio. (Photo: Everett)
Tony Hale (‘Transformers: The Last Knight’)
The Veep and Arrested Development funnyman is uncharacteristically serious — and even macho — as a physicist who plays a key role in one of The Last Knight‘s many climaxes. He’s like Buster’s cooler, smarter twin brother. (Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Mitch Pileggi (‘Transformers: The Last Knight’)
Everyone’s favorite FBI spook has a near-wordless cameo as one of the leaders of the anti-Transformer mercenary army, the TRF. Here’s a real X-File for him: what will it take to get David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson to appear in the next Transformers? (Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Images)
The Transformers are the stars of the Transformers franchise, but that hasn’t stopped director Michael Bay from being able to tempt some very familiar — and very surprising — human faces into appearing in each of his five films. From the original 2007 blockbuster to this summer’s Transformers: The Last Knight, which is in theaters now, the director has thought outside the box when it comes to casting supporting players and cameo parts. Here are some of the unexpected actors and personalities who have appeared alongside these robots in disguise over the past decade.