Summary The Studio turns celebrity cameos into absurd comedic gold by letting A-listers roast and reinvent themselves.

The show blurs industry roast and reflection with unforgettable self-portrayals by Hollywood elite.

The episodes highlight the real struggles of Hollywood icons, showcasing chaos, power dynamics, and comedic genius.

In the wild new world of TV satire, no show has turned the celebrity cameo into a rollercoaster quite like The Studio. This Apple TV+ hit, masterminded by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, doesn’t just sprinkle in big names for a ratings boost—it throws A-listers headlong into absurdity, letting them roast, unravel, and sometimes totally reinvent their public personas. At the center of the chaos is Matt Remick (Seth Rogen), the hapless but hopeful studio boss, juggling the impossible: keeping the corporate overlords happy while chasing cinematic greatness.

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What makes The Studio truly unique? The sheer brilliance of having Hollywood’s elite not only appear as themselves, but do so with zero vanity—fully in on the joke, and sometimes the punchline. As the show blurs the lines between industry roast and genuine reflection, this topic counts down the most unforgettable self-portrayals in The Studio’s first season.

8 Anthony Mackie

The Star And Producer Of Alphabet City

Episode: “The Note” (Episode 3)

Appearing in episode three, “The Note,” Anthony Mackie takes self-deprecating comedy to new heights as the conflicted star-producer of Alphabet City. Tasked with breaking the news to Ron Howard that a pivotal 45-minute sequence in his film needs to be cut, Mackie’s on-screen discomfort is instantly relatable to anyone who’s ever been caught between creative egos and studio politics.

The episode plays with the illusion of power that comes with a producer credit, showing Mackie just as powerless as the studio heads when facing a legend like Howard. His hilarious exchanges with a terrified Matt Remick reveal the human cost of Hollywood’s “don’t shoot the messenger” culture.

7 Ice Cube

The Voice Of The Kool-Aid Man

Episode: “Casting” (Episode 7)

In episode seven, “Casting,” Cube isn’t just playing himself; he’s stepping into the absurd role of the “real” Kool-Aid Man. The episode skewers everything from racial casting politics to the pitfalls of “diversity” in modern Hollywood, and Cube delivers every line with the perfect mix of exasperation and swagger.

Ice Cube steals the show when he candidly takes down the studio’s hand-wringing: “The Kool-Aid Man is Black. He ain’t White. He ain’t no Mexican. He Black.” Also, his deadpan response to Matt’s awkward attempt to street cred Ice Cube is cringe-comedy at its best. By anchoring the episode’s sharpest satire, Ice Cube turns a potential throwaway cameo into a hilarious scene with a touch of criticism on big studios’ superficial approach to inclusion.

6 Olivia Wilde

The Director Who Went Completely Crazy

Episode: “The Missing Reel” (Episode 4)

In the fourth episode, “The Missing Reel,” Olivia Wilde plays herself directing a neo-noir detective film and, in a nod to cinematic purism, she insists on shooting on actual film. This choice becomes the episode’s central conflict when an expensive reel goes missing, forcing Remick to investigate.

Behind the camera, Wilde goes full-on crazy —scheming, mysterious, and unafraid to manipulate the studio for her own vision. Wilde’s confession that she destroyed the reel to force expensive reshoots is both hilarious and unbelievable. Wilde fully leans into the femme fatale trope, orchestrating a reel heist to outmaneuver studio execs and get her way, which miserably fails in the end.

5 Sarah Polley

The Frustrated Director And Her One-Shot Sequence

Episode: “The Oner” (Episode 2)

Academy Award-winner Sarah Polley appears in the second episode, “The Oner,” as herself, attempting to film a technically demanding one-shot scene for her new romantic drama as the sun sets. However, Polley’s attempts are repeatedly and hilariously sabotaged by the clumsy interference of Matt Remick.

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Her transformation from patient director to volcanic rage is played for both laughs and empathy, as viewers watch her creative ambition crushed by executive incompetence. The fact that “The Oner” is itself filmed in a single, chaotic, long take only deepens the joke and makes the episode a must-watch.

4 Dave Franco

The Actor Who Partied A Little Too Hard

Episodes: “CinemaCon” (Episode 9), “The Presentation” (Episode 10)

Kicking off the critical CinemaCon presentation in the season’s final episodes, Dave Franco and fellow guests accidentally ingest large quantities of psychedelic mushrooms at Matt’s party. Franco’s giddy positivity becomes the inadvertent soundtrack for disaster, with his voiceover recaps and endless “Now You See Me” plugs blurring self-promo and parody.

Whether it’s babbling nonsense or egging on a delirious Zoë Kravitz, Franco’s unfiltered antics keep both the cast and the audience off balance. His character hilariously satirizes celebrity behavior at industry events, embodying a sort of “toxic positivity” as he blissfully floats through the escalating chaos, while infuriating those trying to manage the crisis.

3 Ron Howard

The Nice Guy Who Completely Loses His Cool

Episode: “The Note” (Episode 3)

Ron Howard’s guest spot in “The Note” is pure, unpredictable fun. Long considered Hollywood’s ultimate “nice guy,” Howard flips the script with a performance that swings from patient mentor to completely furious. The studio team believes a 45-minute sequence is detrimental, but Matt Remick is petrified to deliver the news due to a past humiliation where Howard derided a note Matt gave on A Beautiful Mind.

When Matt finally blurts out that Howard’s 45-minute motel sequence is “boring,” the director’s explosive response is hilariously chaotic. It’s a cameo that skewers the idea of “untouchable legends,” showing just how much power and pettiness lurk beneath even the friendliest reputations.

2 Martin Scorsese

The Heartbroken Legend Is Left In Tears

Episode: “The Promotion” (Episode 1)

If any single scene sums up The Studio’s commitment to self-aware satire, it’s Martin Scorsese’s impassioned, devastatingly funny arc in the series premiere, “The Promotion.” Pitching a dream project about Jonestown, only to have it axed in favor of a Kool-Aid Man movie, Scorsese delivers a masterclass in tragicomedy. His tearful breakdown at Charlize Theron’s party is both hilarious and oddly moving.

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Scorsese’s performance doesn’t just add to his legendary status; it lays bare the heartbreak of “real” art getting steamrolled by commerce. By making the king of cinematic seriousness the ultimate casualty of Hollywood absurdity, The Studio sets a new bar for daring self-parody.

1 Zoë Kravitz

The Unpredictable Star Who Has An Ego Death

Episodes: “The Golden Globes” (Episode 8), “CinemaCon” (Episode 9), “The Presentation” (Episode 10)

Zoë Kravitz appears as herself in a multi-episode arc as a star of Continental Studios’ films. Zoë shows the fans a new layer, from juggling awards-season anxiety, industry parties, to surviving TV’s wildest on-stage meltdowns. From “Golden Globes” (where a microphone mishap ruins Matt’s big moment) to the delirious, mushroom-fueled mayhem of “CinemaCon” and “The Presentation,” Kravitz shines as the ultimate wildcard.

Kravitz’s performance is consistently outstanding. Her arc lampoons everything from celebrity image management to the randomness of success. Especially when she triumphs in her final speech, then promptly urinates backstage, the show’s blend of cringe and celebrity chaos truly hits the fan.