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For Sale Mar 29, 2026 at 12:17 PM

Best Brief Appearances?

Posted by orryxreddit


I was watching the Sixth Sense again the other day, and I'm just always blown away by Donnie Wahlberg's performance and how well he sets the scene for that movie despite only being in it for like two minutes. Another one that always struck me was the guy who played Elmo Blatch in the Shawshank Redemption. Just a great, creepy performance that really underlined the reveal that Andy was actually innocent. It got me to thinking, what are some other brief appearances like this that you felt were really impactful? I'm not talking about *cameos*. Doesn't have to be a famous actor. I'm talking about scenes where an actor really nailed the performance in a very brief amount of screen time. Thanks!

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Freethebirds11 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Alex Baldwin in glengary glen ross
1
MattyBeatz Mar 29, 2026 +1
I mean this is the standard for this question.
1
Freethebirds11 Mar 29, 2026 +1
I would argue Matthew McConaughey in wolf of Wall Street is also a standard for this question 
1
StoicSpork Mar 29, 2026 +1
David Bowie in The Prestige.
1
GuiltyLawyer Mar 29, 2026 +1
David Bowie in Zoolander
1
artpayne Mar 29, 2026 +1
Donald Sutherland in *Backdraft.*
1
tim-sutherland Mar 29, 2026 +1
This was my immediate thought. The parole scene is one of my favorite scenes of a film I've ever seen.
1
kamize Mar 29, 2026 +1
I’ll do you one better, Donald Sutherland in Beerfest
1
Impossible-Welder404 Mar 29, 2026 +1
I don't know if it counts because it is a show, but Olivia Colman in The Bear
1
jupfold Mar 29, 2026 +1
Also, Olivia Colman in Heartstopper
1
goteamnick Mar 29, 2026 +1
The old man at the gas station in No Country For Old Men is so good conveying a confused fear while instinctively maintaining decorum.
1
fergudar Mar 29, 2026 +1
Gary Oldman as Drexel in True Romance. Actually pretty much everyone in the cast, Christopher Walken, James Gandolfini, Dennis Hopper, Brad Pitt all have memorable brief parts!
1
Mst3Kgf Mar 29, 2026 +1
Beatrice Straight in "Network." She basically has one big scene, but she was so good, she nabbed Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars for just that scene.
1
PorchFrog Mar 29, 2026 +1
Beatrice Straight's role as a devastated wife confronting husband William Holden's infidelity in Network.
1
DeanofdaDead Mar 29, 2026 +1
Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction
1
mrblonde624 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Matthew McCeunaghey in Wolf of Wall Street
1
philament Mar 29, 2026 +1
DeNiro (uncredited) in “Brazil” (1985)
1
Shaggydog38 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Judy Greer in The Long Walk. She nailed it!
1
americanfalcon00 Mar 29, 2026 +1
clive owen, the bourne identity. "look what they make you give. [dies]"
1
ahorrribledrummer Mar 29, 2026 +1
The old lady waitress in the diner in Hell or High Water. WHAT DON'T YA WANT
1
ns77 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Really love every choice Michael Cera made in This Is The End
1
MattyBeatz Mar 29, 2026 +1
The scene where JT Walsh addresses the presidential cabinet considering bombing a US town in the movie Outbreak. It’s 2 minutes and he nails it. What a great character actor he was.
1
Mst3Kgf Mar 29, 2026 +1
"Take a good look, people, because these photos should haunt us until the day we die!"
1
ontheweed Mar 29, 2026 +1
John Candy in Home Alone
1
Natural_Party4256 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Margaret Hamilton had 13 minutes of screen time in The Wizard of Oz. Talk about owning the screen in a minor role? There you go.
1
MasterTeacher123 Mar 29, 2026 +1
McConaughey in wolf of Wall Street 
1
MovieMike007 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Alec Baldwin in *Glengarry Glen Ross*. Technically, one scene, and it’s not even in the original play. He walks in, verbally flays a room full of grown men, and exits. Sales motivation has never sounded more like a threat to your immortal soul.
1
Skegetchy Mar 29, 2026 +1
Steven Seagal in executive decision
1
HappHazzard31 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Robbie Coltrane in Flash Gordon Bronson Pinchot in Beverly Hills Cop. The guy pretty much made his career off the back of that single two minute scene.
1
MikeSizemore Mar 29, 2026 +1
Sean Connery in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
1
onelittleworld Mar 29, 2026 +1
PS Hoffman in Hard Eight.
1
Chaotic424242 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction. 🎤⬇️
1
calguy1955 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Wilford Brimley in Absence of Malice
1
Klotzster Mar 29, 2026 +1
Bill Murray in Zombieland
1
CortexCraft_ Mar 29, 2026 +1
the diner scene in heat always sticks with me because it’s so short but deniro and pacino make it feel huge anyway
1
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