The Guardians of the Galaxy had plenty of familiar faces join them for their last ride. The group’s third and final film featured a bevy of returning co-stars from the franchise. It also included some new characters played by some pretty famous stars. Did you catch them all? Or did some fly over your head like a rocket flying into the forever? Don’t worry if you missed any. Here’s every major supporting role and all the cameos—including those we knew were coming, ones we expected, and those we didn’t see coming—we spotted in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Cameos We Knew About in Advance
Linda Cardellini, Mikaela Hoover, and Asim Chaudhry as Lylla, Floor, and Teefs
Linda Cardellini, Mikaela Hoover, and Asim Chaudhry’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 cameos as Lylla the otter, Floor the rabbit, and Teefs the walrus were among the best.
Batch 89 will forever remain in our hearts.
Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord
Sylvester Stallone once again played Yondu’s former Ravager mentor Stakar Ogord. Only this time he had a new member in his clan. The 2014 Gamora had joined the Ravagers following her departure from Earth in Avengers: Endgame. Stakar helped facilitate Gamora’s (not ultimately) paid mission with the Guardians to break into the Orgoscope. He then warmly welcomed her back to the Ravagers at the end of Vol. 3. It was fun to see this Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 cameo in action, even though we already knew it was coming.
Nathan Fillion as Orgoscope Guard Master Karja
When he wasn’t busy dealing with his idiot employee, Nathan Fillion’s easily annoyed Master Karja and his organic orgosentry uniform were trying to capture the Guardians on the Orgoscope. Karja was a good shot, but even he couldn’t fire in zero gravity.
Tara Strong as Mainframe
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Tara Strong, Loki‘s Miss Minutes herself, replaced Miley Cyrus as the voice of the Ravager Mainframe for one of the more sneaky cameos. The floating mechanical artificial intelligence head first appeared in Vol. 2.
Michael Rosenbaum as Martinex T’Naga
Stakar’s first officer Martinex T’Naga, played by Michael Rosenbaum, also returned in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The crystal-headed Ravager was glad to have Gamora in the clan.
Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha
Elizabeth Debicki’s Golden High Priestess of the Sovereign was not the powerful figure we first met in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Her peoples’ creator, the High Evolutionary, had her under his thumb (thanks to a box that let him lord over her). She was determined to have her own creation, Adam, capture Rocket for the High Evolutionary to earn the Sovereign his favor. But Ayesha died when the High Evolutionary destroyed Counter-Earth.
Jennifer Holland as Orgoscope Administrator Kwol
James Gunn truly made the film a family affair by bringing his wife and Peacemaker standout Jennifer Holland to the MCU. In Holland’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 cameo, she played Orgoscope administrator Kwol who Gamora shot in the leg. Kwol was also shocked by Adam Warlock’s fatal misunderstanding of how to intimidate a witness.
Daniela Melchior as Orgoscope Employee Ura
Holland wasn’t the only DC alum Gunn brought into the Guardians franchise. The Suicide Squad director also found a role for Ratcatcher 2, Daniela Melchior, in the MCU movie. She played the kidnapped Orgoscope employee Ura, who may or may not have found Star-Lord charming.
Krugarr
Another former member of Stakar’s clan, first seen in Vol. 2, was back working with his old leader in Vol. 3. The silent-but-funny sorcerer Krugarr opened the portals his fellow Ravagers used to board the Guardians ship near the Orgoscope.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Surprise Cameos That Weren’t Surprising
Seth Green as Howard the Duck
Just as he had in the previous two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Howard the Duck made a cameo in Vol. 3. He was seen playing poker on Knowhere.
Christopher Fairbank as the Broker
Also spotted at that poker game was Christopher Fairbank’s Broker. This cameo was more than just an Easter egg from the first film. It revealed not every citizen of Xander died during Thanos’ attack when the Mad Titan stole the Power Stone.
Rhett Miller as Bzermikitokolok
The Old 97’s Rhett Miller was still rocking out on Knowhere as Bzermikitokolok, the leader singer and guitarist of the band that performed original Christmas songs during The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. He was also in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s cameo-filled poker game.
Gregg Henry as Grandpa Quill
Gregg Henry made it three-for-three in the Guardians trilogy as he once again played Quill’s grandfather. The two had an emotional reunion and appeared together during the film’s second and final post-credits scene.
Stephen Blackehart as Steemie
Knowhere’s dispatcher Steemie, played by Stephen Blackehart, was still on the job inside the dead Celestial’s skull in Vol. 3, just as he had been in the original movie and in the group’s Holiday Special. The Guardians relied on him to help them during the evacuation of the High Evolutionary’s ship. That was a far cry from when Drax put a knife to his throat years ago.
Actual Surprise Cameos in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Michael Rooker as Yondu
James Gunn kept to his word and didn’t undo Yondu’s death. But that didn’t stop him from finding a way to bring back Michael Rooker and his blue “angel” for one last cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. He appeared as a vision to Kraglin, as Yondu told his old friend to use his heart to guide his whistle arrow.
James Gunn as Lambshank, The Definitely Not Scary, Really Cool Looking Amorphous Blob
Blink and you would have missed one of the film’s strangest creatures. But that was impossible thanks to Mantis’s totally real compliment. It brought attention to Lambshank, the weird little blob voiced by James Gunn himself.
Pete Davidson as Phlektik
Another alum from The Suidice Squad made their way into the MCU with a secret cameo. Pete Davidson played Phlektik. And he was really on set to film the role even though it was impossible to know he was really there.
Judy Greer as War Pig
Judy Greer, for reasons we’ll never understand, was not in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. But she did become a two-time MCU member in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. She voiced the High Evolutionary’s War Pig, the bioengineered muscle who lost its head to Adam Warlock while trying to kidnap Rocket.
We didn’t like War Pig initially, but we can’t hate anyone played by Judy Greer.
Originally published May 17, 2023.