Summary

• Disney Channel has a history of featuring big celebrities in cameo roles, usually as themselves.
• Many pre-fame actors got their start on Disney Channel in minor roles.
• Unexpected celebrity cameos on Disney Channel include Larry David, Steven Tyler, and Mark Cuban.

Many celebrities have appeared on Disney Channel TV shows in cameos playing themselves over the years, and some of them were unexpected. Famous people guest-starring on Disney Channel is nothing new. Over the years, Disney Channel shows have featured big celebrities in all types of roles. Tons of pre-fame actors appeared on Disney Channel in minor roles early in their careers. Meanwhile, plenty of notable figures have also guest-starred as a one-off character in a Disney Channel show simply because they're recognizable, and their appearance would be good for ratings.

Disney Channel is also notorious for writing celebrities into episodes of shows to play themselves, from singers to pro-wrestlers to billionaire businessmen. Some of these cameos make complete sense, such as pop stars like Aaron Carter and Jesse McCartney, whose fan bases at the time had plenty of overlap with Disney Channel viewers. Others, like Larry David and Mark Cuban, however, were quite surprising.

12 Aaron Carter On Lizzie McGuire

Season 1, Episode 7, “Here Comes Aaron Carter”

Pop star Aaron Carter was only 13 years old — the same age as the main characters — when he guest-starred as himself in a special Christmas episode of Lizzie McGuire in 2001. In the episode, which is titled “Here Comes Aaron Carter," Lizzie and her pals find out that Carter is shooting a Christmas-themed music video in their town, and they make it their mission to sneak onto the set to meet the teen idol. By the end of the episode, Carter performs his real hit song "I Want Candy" during the fake video shoot, and Lizzie, Miranda, Gordo, and Matt are invited to appear in the music video.

Before the video shoot, though, Lizzie and Aaron Carter share a kiss under the mistletoe in the doorway of his dressing room. In real life, Carter was dating Hilary Duff, who plays Lizzie, at the time the episode was filmed. Sadly, Carter ed away on November 5, 2022, at the age of 34. His tragic death is one of the many reasons that rewatching Lizzie McGuire today can be uncomfortable or bittersweet.

11 Steven Tyler On Lizzie McGuire

Season 2, Episode 20, “Xtreme Xmas”

Like Aaron Carter, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler also made a cameo in a special Christmas episode of Lizzie McGuire, though his appearance was unexpected. In this season 2 episode, "Xtreme Xmas," Tyler dresses up as Santa Claus and accepts donated gifts. At the end of the episode, the rock star shows up to the Christmas parade in his Santa get-up before performing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" on Lizzie's float, which he finished for her. It's not until he performs out of his Santa gear — though still donning the hat — that the characters acknowledge "Santa" is Steven Tyler from Aerosmith.

10 Jesse McCartney On The Suite Life of Zack & Cody & Hannah Montana

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Season 1, Episode 17, “Rock Star In The House” & Hannah Montana Season 2, Episode 12, “When You Wish You Were The Star”

Teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney made multiple appearances as himself on Disney Channel shows. In 2005, he guest-starred in season 1, episode 17 of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, “Rock Star In The House," in which the singer/actor stays at the Tipton Hotel. London is determined to meet her "future husband," McCartney, so she and Maddie dress up as male waiters and sneak in to watch him rehearse his hit song, "Beautiful Soul." After Zack steals McCartney's lucky bracelet to sell to obsessed fans, he and the girls sneak back into McCartney's hotel room while he's sleeping to return the bracelet, but they get caught.

Two years later, McCartney played himself once again in season 2, episode 12 of Hannah Montana, “When You Wish You Were The Star." When Jesse asks out Miley (as Hannah), she has to turn him down because of her school commitments, which he takes this as a rejection. Miley wishes on a star that she could be Hannah all the time, because her regular life takes up too much of her time. Her wish comes true, and now that she's permanently Hannah, she and Jesse are able to date.

9 Larry David (& His Real-Life Daughters, Cazzie & Romy David) On Hannah Montana

Season 2, Episode 7, “My Best Friend’s Boyfriend”

One of the more unexpected celebrity cameos on Disney Channel, Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm creator Larry David appeared in the season 2 Hannah Montana episode "My Best Friend's Boyfriend" with his real-life daughters, Cazzie and Romy David. In the scene, the Davids are waiting for a table at a restaurant, but it takes forever. The host keeps dismissing them, so Larry pretends that it is Romy's birthday. When she doesn't play along, he claims that it's actually Cazzie's birthday, but she denies this.

Miley-as-Hannah and Lilly-as-Lola show up and can get a table right away. The David daughters name-drop their dad's accomplishments, but in this world, Hannah Montana is a bigger star than him. Cazzie adds salt to the wound when she points out that "Uncle Jerry," as in, Jerry Seinfeld, could've gotten them a table.

8 Jonas Brothers On Hannah Montana

Season 2, Episode 12, "Me & Mr. Jonas And Mr. Jonas And Mr. Jonas"

The Disney Channel celebrity guest stars that probably made the most sense were the Jonas Brothers. The pop trio were signed to Hollywood Records, which is owned by the Disney Music Group, and they later got their own Disney Channel series, Jonas. Plus, Nick Jonas was dating Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus at the time. The Jonas Brothers also went on to open for Miley Cyrus on her Best of Both Worlds Tour after the episode aired.

The trio appeared in the season 2 episode "Me & Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas." Miley-as-Hannah is thrilled to meet Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas at the recording studio. The boys are excited about meeting her, too, but not as excited as they are about meeting her dad, Robby Ray. They ask him to write a song for them, but when Robby Ray starts spending more time with the Jonas Brothers than he does with Miley, she attempts to sabotage their songwriting collaboration. Near the end of the episode, Hannah and the Jonases record the song "We Got the Party" and perform it at the beach.

7 John Cena On Hannah Montana

Season 4, Episode 7, “Love That Lets Go”

Pro-wrestler-turned-movie-star John Cena hadn't been acting long before he guest-starred as himself on Hannah Montana. In the episode, titled "Love That Lets Go," Miley's brother Jackson is attempting to read To Kill a Mockingbird to impress his girlfriend, Siena, but keeps getting distracted by a wrestling magazine. A photo of Cena begins trash-talking Jackson before Cena himself materializes out of the magazine. He pulls some wrestling moves on Jackson in an attempt to motivate him to read the book. Jackson wakes up, realizing it was a dream, but Cena's motivation is effective, and Jackson starts reading the book.

6 Tyra Banks In Hannah Montana: The Movie & On Shake It Up

Hanna Montana: The Movie (2009) & Shake It Up Season 3, Episode 10, “My Fair Librarian It Up”

While not technically a TV show, Hannah Montana: The Movie is still part of the Hannah Montana franchise. Hannah Montana: The Movie was only the second film based on a Disney Channel TV series, after The Lizzie McGuire Movie. It was released in theaters in April 2009 while the third season of Hannah Montana was airing. Tyra Banks appears in a scene toward the beginning of the film, in which she physically fights with Hannah over a pair of shoes. The brawl between the women is photographed by paparazzi and makes "Hannah" late for Lilly's birthday party.

A few years later, Banks made an appearance on an actual Disney Channel TV show as the school librarian, Ms. Burke, in an episode of Shake It Up. Her cameo there was overshadowed by one by Carly Rae Jepsen.

5 Carly Rae Jepsen On Shake It Up

Season 3, Episode 10, “My Fair Librarian It Up”

Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepsen performed her song "Sweetie" on Shake It Up season 3, episode 10, “My Fair Librarian It Up." Before her performance, Jepsen has a brief interaction with the character Rocky, who is completely oblivious as to who she's talking to. Tyra Banks' cameo appearance as the school librarian, Ms. Burke, also occurs in this episode.

4 Dwayne Johnson On Cory in the House, Hannah Montana, & Wizards Of Waverly Place

Cory In The House Season 1, Episode 21, "Never The Dwayne Shall Meet," Hannah Montana Season 2, Episode 17, "Don't Stop Til You Get the Phone," & Wizards Of Waverly Place Season 2, Episode 15, “Art Teacher”

Another pro-wrestler-turned-actor, Dwayne Johnson, might hold the record for playing himself on the most Disney Channel TV shows. A couple of years into his acting career, Johnson appeared on season 1, episode 21 of the That's So Raven spinoff Cory in the House. In the episode, titled "Never the Dwayne Shall Meet," Johnson is hired by the President of the United States to be an advisor for a new fitness plan. In one scene, Johnson has a tea party with his The Game Plan co-star Maddison Pettis, who plays the president's daughter, Sophie, on Cory in the House. The episode aired only a week before The Game Plan premiered.

That same year, Johnson appeared in Hannah Montana season 2, episode 17, "Don't Stop Til You Get the Phone." Miley sells an embarrassing photo of herself as Hannah Montana to a tabloid but later realizes she's wearing a necklace that says Miley. To prevent blowing her secret double life, she offers to trade the photo for an even more embarrassing photo of Johnson. She and Lilly trick Johnson into letting them give him a makeover, complete with a full face of makeup and a wig with curlers. Miley has a change of heart about the photo, though, and Johnson helps her get the Hannah photo back.

Two years later, Johnson appeared in Wizards of Waverly Place season 2, episode 15, "Art Teacher." In this episode, Max Russo fakes a disease called mono-oranegeosis to get out of gym class, and Johnson visits to cheer him up. Since these cameos, Dwayne Johnson has starred in several Disney productions, including Race to Witch Mountain, Moana, and Jungle Cruise.

3 Shakira On Wizards Of Waverly Place

Season 3, Episode 12, “Dude Looks Like Shakira”

Mega-superstar Shakira made a bizarre yet hilarious cameo on Wizards Of Waverly Place season 3, episode 12. In the episode, aptly titled “Dude Looks Like Shakira," the Russo kids' Uncle Kelbo comes to stay with them while their parents are out of town. However, when he shows up, he is Colombian singer Shakira. He reveals that he has been breaking the rules of magic to transform into Shakira all along, but is no longer able to control when his transformations happen. At the beginning of the episode, Alex Russo and Shakira sing a duet of the latter's song "Gypsy."