31 In-Jokes From TV Shows And Movies That Couldn't Resist Making Allusions To The Roles That Made Their Stars Famous

    "I was on that island for what seems like eternity!" —Lost star Jorge Garcia on How I Met Your Mother

    Hannah Marder
    by Hannah Marder

    BuzzFeed Staff

    A while back, we asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their favorite times TV shows and movies referenced other parts their actors had played. Here are some of the best examples!

    1. On the iCarly/Victorious crossover, when Sam remarked that Tori looked like Shelby Marx, who had also been played by Victoria Justice:

    Nickelodeon

    Suggested by Jade

    2. On Community, when Abed did a Don Draper impression on Annie, who was played by Alison Brie, who also starred on Mad Men:

    NBC

    Suggested by isaovand

    3. When Jorge Garcia guest-starred on How I Met Your Mother and he mentioned being on an island for "eternity," as his character was on Lost:

    Jorge's character on How I Met Your Mother says "I'm sorry. But I was on that island for what seems like eternity" then there's a photo of him on Lost
    ABC

    Suggested by shellezbellez

    4. And also when his character Blitz on How I Met Your Mother chimed in with the numbers that were important on Lost:

    ABC

    Suggested by shellezbellez

    5. When Barry Zuckerkorn, played by Henry Winkler, jumped over a shark on Arrested Development in an obvious reference to Winkler's character Fonzie infamously jumping over a shark on Happy Days:

    Fox / ABC

    Suggested by unrepentant_cow

    6. When Hank said he looked like an FBI agent on Californication, referencing the actor's role as FBI agent Fox Mulder on X-Files:

    Hank saying "I look like a fucking FBI agent" on Californication and a picture of the actor as an FBI agent on X-Files
    Showtime / 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by kronus47

    7. When Ray said Supergirl looked like his cousin on Legends of Tomorrow, referencing the fact that the actor who played Ray, Brandon Routh, had previously played Superman (Supergirl's cousin) in the film Superman Returns:

    Ray saying "she really kind of looks like my cousin" about supergirl on legends of tomorrow, then a picture of him as superman in Superman returns
    The CW / Warner Brothers / courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by christinab44a37045e

    8. When Abby on Greek — played by Olesya Rulin of High School Musical fame — said she'd choreographed three of her high school musicals:

    Abby says she choreographed three of her high school musicals, the last being her senior year, on Greek — then there's a photo of Olesya Rulin, the actor who played Abby on Greek, playing Kelsey in High School Musical
    ABC Family / Fred Hayes / Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by kaitlins4251b0514

    9. When Living Single referenced the school Kim Fields' character attended on The Facts of Life, and Kim literally looked into the camera:

    On Living Single, Regine's ex's fiancé says "I went to a small private school called Eastland" and Regine replies "never heard of it" and then there's a picture of Kim Fields in Facts of Life, where her character attending Eastland
    Fox / Embassy Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by baobaopanda

    10. When Maddie auditioned for Sharpay in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody's production of High School Musical, a role that was also played by Ashley Tisdale:

    On The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Maddie says "Sharpay! People say I look just like her!" and Zack replies "really? I don't see it" and then there's a photo of Ashley as Sharpay in High School Musical
    Fred Hayes / Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by jessies4d5bf6ac6

    11. When American Housewife referenced Holly Robinson Peete's role as an undercover cop in 21 Jump Street:

    On American Housewife, Tami says "Well, maybe she thought I was an undercover cop. I get that a lot" and then there's a photo of the actress as an undercover cop on 21 Jump Street
    ABC / Fox

    Suggested by josephaloysiusc

    12. When One Tree Hill referenced Stephen Colletti's time on Laguna Beach:

    Julian thinks Nick Lachey was on Dancing with the Stars, then Laguna Beach, and Chase (played by Stephen Colletti) walks by and says "No, that was some other tool" and then there's a photo of him on Laguna Beach
    The CW

    Suggested by nicolef41c198aa0

    13. When Sky High referenced Lynda Carter’s many years playing Wonder Woman in the hit TV show:

    Lynda Carter's character says she can't do anything to help them because she's not Wonder Woman in Sky High, then there's a photo of her playing Wonder Woman in the Wonder Woman show
    Disney / ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by josephaloysiusc

    14. When Dawson's Creek made a reference to The Mighty Ducks movies, which Joshua Jackson starred in:

    Pacey says "No way! Emilio Estevez, he was in those duck movies, remember? God, those were classics. So funny" and then there's a photo of him in the Mighty Ducks movies
    The WB / Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by rachell11

    15. When Psych had a scene where Gus had trouble remembering Holes, which Dulé Hill (who played Gus) appeared in:

    Shawn tries to get Gus to remember "Holes," calling it the movie with Sigourney Weaver and Shia LaBeouf, but Gus can't remember — that's because the actor was in "Holes" as Sam
    USA / Buena Vista Pictures

    Suggested by clabblecrobble

    16. When Castle dressed as a "space cowboy" on Castle, donning a similar costume to his from Firefly:

    Castle's daughter asks him what he's supposed to be, and Castle says "space cowboy," donning his costume from "Firefly" — his daughter says he wore it 5 years ago
    ABC / 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by elinumber2

    17. When Legends of Tomorrow had Victor Garber make a comment about the architect of the Titanic — a person he actually played in Titanic:

    Dr. Martin Stein (played by Victor Garber) says, "Whoever built that ship ought to be shot" on Legends of Tomorrow, and then there's a photo of Victor playing the Titanic's architect in Titanic
    The CW / Paramount Pictures

    Suggested by josephaloysiusc

    18. When the characters on Teen Wolf kept telling Liam to "be like Clark Kent" — a character who actor Dylan Sprayberry (aka Liam) had played in Man of Steel:

    Mason tells Liam to be like Clark Kent, and then there's a photo of Liam Sprayberry playing Clark in Man of Steel
    MTV / Clay Enos/Warner Bros. Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by roxannedsouza

    19. When Sam made this face on Supernatural after Dean admitted to not having seen House of Wax, which Jared Padalecki starred in:

    Dean says he's never seen House of Wax, and Sam looks offended — then there's a photo of Jared Padalecki in House of Wax
    The CW / Warner Brothers / courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by haileyannes

    20. When "Pietro" on WandaVision made this blatant Kick-Ass reference — a movie he starred in with the actor who played the actual MCU Pietro:

    Evan Peters as Pietro says "Kick-Ass", and then there's a photo of the MCU Pietro, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and the two actors in Kick-Ass
    Disney / Lionsgate / courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by meganhash13

    21. When The Good Place totally gave Michael a bartender scene exclusively because of Ted Danson's iconic role on Cheers:

    Michael as a bartender on The Good Place, and Ted Danson as a bartender on Cheers
    NBC / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by queenbavmorda

    22. When Kimmy on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt mentioned the Reverend (played by Jon Hamm) lying about writing a Coke commercial...that Jon Hamm's character in Mad Men actually did write:

    Kimmy says the Reverend, played by Jon Hamm, said he invented the "buy the world a Coke" commercial — we then see Don Draper on Mad Men, played by Jon Hamm, coming up with the commercial
    Eric Liebowitz / Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection, AMC

    Suggested by mollymcduck

    23. When The Rock's character gave Zac Efron's character this nickname in Baywatch, based on the teen film that made Efron famous:

    The Rock calls Zac "High School Musical," then there's a photo of Zac in that film
    Paramount Pictures / Disney Channel

    Suggested by naia8334

    24. When One Day at a Time made a genius reference to Rita Moreno starring in West Side Story:

    Rita Moreno's character in One Day at a Time says "I like to be in America" — then we see the actor singing that phrase in West Side Story
    Netflix / United Artists

    Suggested by chanush

    25. When 30 Rock cast Matt Damon as a character, then had Liz unable to remember that Matt Damon was in Invictus:

    Liz says "That's from Invictus. Wait, who was the white guy in that?" Then there's a photo of Matt Damon in 30 Rock and also Invictus
    Ali Goldstein / NBC / Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by kate3

    26. When Good Omens, which starred David Tennant, referenced The Doctor's home planet from Doctor Who, which also starred David Tennant:

    photo of Galligrey in the background of a Good Omens scene with david Tennant, and photo of david tennant in Doctor Whoe
    Amazon / Adrian Rogers / Sci-Fi Channel/BBC / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by alannahpema

    27. When Veep made a subtle Seinfeld reference by alluding to the episode where Elaine accidentally shows her nipple in her holiday cards:

    Seline says "So it doesn't look as if we've just airbrushed the nipples out of this thing" on Veep, and on Seinfeld, Elaine says "Oh my god! That's my nipple!" looking at her Christmas card
    HBO / NBC

    Suggested by quart_knee

    28. When Arrow had Oliver make a comment about a vigilante in a hockey mask after the actor, Stephen Amell, played a vigilante in a hockey mask in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2:

    Eleanor says "What kind of vigilante wears a hockey mask?" And Oliver says he thinks it's cool on Arrow, then we see Stephen Amell wearing a hockey past in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2
    The CW / Jessica Miglio / Paramount Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

    Suggested by christinab44a37045e

    29. When Jon Cryer guest-starred on NCIS and referenced his Pretty in Pink character twice in one sentence:

    Jon Cryer says "That would be just ducky, Ducky" on NCIS, and then there's a photo of him playing Duckie in Pretty in Pink
    CBS / Paramount / Courtesy: Everett Collection

    Suggested by meld84

    30. When Married...with Children referenced Ted McGinley's roles on Happy Days and Love Boat:

    kids ask Jefferson what it was like being on Happy Days, and he says he wasn't on it, and his name is Jefferson — another kid asks if that was his name on Love Boat
    Fox

    Suggested by michaeldavid

    31. And finally, when The Haunting of Hill House made a subtle Twilight reference in a scene with Elizabeth Reaser, who starred as Esme in the franchise:

    Kevin says to Shirley on Haunting of Hill House, "Why not send her to Carlisle?" and then there's a photo of Elizabeth Reaser playing Esme (Carlisle's wife) in Twilight
    Netflix / Summit Entertainment

    Suggested by jenerosity

    Got any we missed? Let us know in the comments below!