During the course of multiple seasons and dozens of episodes of Rick and Morty, the duo have met their fair share of characters from all corners of the universe. Evil aliens, strange monsters, friends, foes, and a bizarre array of potential love interests have made the rounds on the Adult Swim toon, adding to the chaotic intergalactic adventures. But behind the scenes, the voices of many characters are familiar as celebrities and public figures love making surprise cameos on the hit animated show.
1. Sam Neill
Character: Monogatron Leader
Episode: “The Old Man and the Seat”
The Jurassic Park star makes a cameo on the Adult Swim toon as the alien leader who meets up with Morty and Jerry after a dating app poses a threat to Earth. It is revealed that Monogatron Leader is making a play to pilfer the planet for its water supply because humans are easily distracted by relationships.
2. Matthew Broderick
Character: Talking Cat
Episode: “Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim’s Morty
One of the more mysterious cameos, Broderick plays a talking cat that convinces Jerry to go to Florida, where he promptly ditches Morty’s dad in exchange for popularity. Rick grows suspicious of the chatty feline and performs a mind probe, discovering that the furball has a dark, possibly sinister past.
3. Liam Cunningham
Character: Balthromaw the Dragon
Episode: “Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim’s Morty”
The Game of Thrones Onion Knight voices the dragon Balthromaw, a majestic creature with a few truly disturbing fetishes. He is given to Morty as a gift from Rick, but after a few adventures, the teen sidekick decides it is best to part ways with the flying firebreather. And take a shower.
4. Alfred Molina
Character: Mr. Lucius Needful/The Devil
Episode: “Something Ricked This Way Comes”
That one time Doc Ock took a turn as the Devil in the show’s sendup of Stephen King/Ray Bradbury tropes. Playing the owner of a cursed antique store that makes wishes come true at a cost, Mr. Lucius Needful was Summer’s evil boss and soon attracted the ire of Rick, who enjoyed foiling his every plan. Until he got bored, of course.
5. Jeffrey Wright
Character: Tony
Episode: “The Old Man and the Seat”
The mild mannered office worker is perhaps the least threatening of Rick’s foils, but probably the most annoying. Voiced by the Westworld star, Tony discovers and uses Rick Sanchez’s hidden toilet, violating the scientist’s safe space. This enrages Rick, who goes to great lengths to teach the quiet widower a lesson in personal space.
6. Taika Waititi
Character: Glootie
Episode: “The Old Man and the Seat”
The Thor: Ragnarok director lends his vocal talents to the adorable intern who is just dying to develop his app. After Jerry falls prey to his app-developing schemes, Glootie releases LoveFinderrz on an unsuspecting Earth. The dating app is actually a tool meant to distract humans from defending their planet.
7. Christina Hendricks
Character: Unity
Episode: “Auto Erotic Assimilation”
The former Mad Men office administrator played Rick’s former flame and collective hive mind Unity. A powerful entity that can control an entire population of a planet, she attempted to rekindle the romance with Rick, only to realize that their relationship is unhealthy and best left in the past.
8. Susan Sarandon
Character: Dr. Wong
Episode: “Pickle Rick”
To avoid a family therapy session with the good doctor, Rick turns himself into Pickle Rick. However, by the end of the episode, the briny, brainy scientist finds himself in the office of Dr. Wong, where he falls under her scrutiny, even if it is just for a few minutes.
9. Werner Herzog
Character: Old Reptile
Episode: “Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate”
The German film director and Mandalorian star made a brief cameo as a reptilian alien who explains the nature of humans and their attachment to their genitalia. In the episode “Interdimensional Cable 2,” Jerry is asked to donate his manhood to save the life of an intergalactic civil rights leader who requires it for a heart transplant. Herzog delivers a downtrodden monologue about the nature of member-obsessed human culture, stating Jerry will be unlikely to make such a sacrifice.