8 Actors You Had No Idea Were In ‘Almost Famous’ (And One You Totally Forgot About)

While Cameron Crowe’s star power may be fading in light of his most recent box office failure, the 90s remember him fondly with memorable films, including the autobiographical Almost Famous. The film’s stars are all played by actors you know, but even the rest of the cast is littered with talent. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen the movie, you probably would have no idea the following stars were in it.

1. Jay Baruchel as Zeppelin’s Biggest Fan

Best known as Seth Rogen’s other BFF, most recently seen on the FX show Man Seeking Woman, Jay Baruchel plays Vic Munez, also known as Led Zeppelin’s Biggest Fan. He tours with them, but not, y’know, with them, and will kill you if you touch his pen.

2. Pauley Perrette as DJ Alice Wisdom

Most people would recognize her as Abby Sciuto, or the goth chick on NCIS. She plays a rock DJ who defends her love for The Doors against Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Lester Bangs. I like to believe her NCIS character is DJ Alice Wisdom’s daughter, who dug her taste in music but preferred to work with bodies rather than records.

3. Nick Swardson as Insane Bowie Fan

Literally billed as “Insane Bowie Fan” who has one shrilly line, Nick Swardson is a stand-up comedian that you’ve seen in a whole lot of crappy movies that mostly star Adam Sandler. He had a feature role in the crapfest Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star, but I think his best role to date was in Reno 911! as Terry, the shady guy on roller-skates that always seems to have a piece of fruit with him.

4. Mitch Hedberg as Eagles Road Manager

Without a line or more than 30 seconds of screen time, comic legend Mitch Helberg plays the Eagles’ Road Manager in Almost Famous. His only contribution to the movie is a background stoner, so with his head bowed and wearing his signature sunglasses, it’s likely Mitch wandered on the set and they just asked him to sit there for a while.

5. Zack Ward as The Legendary Red Dog

Scut Farkus. Scut FREAKING Farkus from A Christmas Story is unrecognizable as The Legendary Road Dog. If they had lingered on Road Dog’s face long enough, I bet we would have still been able to see those (so help me God) yellow eyes.

6. Marc Maron as Angry Promoter

This famed podcaster honed his signature vitriol long before he got his show on IFC by playing the Angry Promoter in Almost Famous. He also seems to have traded huge sideburns for a killer mustache.

7. Rainn Wilson as David Felton

Check it out! 1970s Rolling Stone employed the future Dwight Schrute! And they both have an affinity for large glasses and muted earth tones.

8. Eric Stonestreet as Sheldon the Desk Clerk

WHAT! Blink and you’ll miss Cam from Modern Family play Sheldon the Desk Clerk, lamenting over William’s overbearing mother.

Oh yeah, and remember Jimmy Fallon?

Jimmy Fallon’s a late night hotshot now, but in the 90s he was playing Stillwater’s hotshot road manager. Yeah, he had a much larger role than the rest of this list, but who remembers when he was an actor?! Crazy.