Did You Catch All the Surprise Cameos in Marty Supreme?

Who would have guessed a movie about Ping-Pong could be so captivating? Marty Supreme, released on Christmas Day, is a true gem. The film, set in 1950s New York, follows Timothée Chalamet as he travels the world – from London to Tokyo – determined to become a table tennis star, despite his loved ones wanting him to give up the sport. Along the way, he encounters recognizable figures, including actors, artists, writers, and even actual table-tennis professionals.

Will you be able to identify everyone? Honestly, probably not. You’ll definitely recognize some faces, but others might be those people you vaguely recognize – you know of them, but can’t quite place the name. And then there are the super quick cameos – blink and you’ll miss them! You practically need to pause the movie to spot them. Don’t worry, though – we’ve found them all! Here’s a complete list of all the surprising cameos in Marty Supreme, in the order they appear.

Warning: Some spoilers for Marty Supreme ahead.

Mariann Tepedino as Mariann Tepedino

While Tepedino has acted in a few movies, she’s most famous for being a dedicated and well-known fan of Howard Stern.

We first meet her when she walks into Marty’s uninspiring shoe store where he works. He immediately dismisses her to sneak off with a coworker, highlighting how little he cares about his job.

Larry “Ratso” Sloman as Murray Norkin

I first came across this guy through his writing – he’s a really versatile journalist who’s penned pieces for Rolling Stone and even held the top spot at both National Lampoon and High Times. But he’s not just a writer; he co-authored the incredibly popular books with Howard Stern, Private Parts and Miss America, which were hilarious. And if you’ve got a good eye for acting, you might recognize him from a small role in Uncut Gems – a really intense movie!

Sloman plays the role of Marty’s uncle, who desperately wants his nephew to give up playing table tennis and work at his shoe store instead. He tries both pleading and pressuring Marty, but it doesn’t succeed.

Tyler Okonma as Wally

How You Know Him: You probably know him better as Tyler, the Creator.

In Tyler’s first movie role, he plays Wally, Marty’s close friend and accomplice. We first meet Wally playing Ping-Pong against Marty in a basement. Their most memorable scene involves blowing up a gas station and running away after a scheme goes terribly wrong.

Luke Manley as Dion Galanis

If you follow Barstool Sports, you might recognize him as Lukey Lunchbox, a past contestant on their Barstool Idol competition. And honestly, I don’t want to know what that nickname refers to.

From the moment we’re introduced to Dion, it’s clear he’s in a tricky spot. We first see him with Marty and his dad, Christopher, and it’s immediately apparent Christopher doesn’t think much of his son’s abilities – he actually calls him ‘limited.’ What really struck me is how quickly it becomes obvious that Marty is going to try and control Dion throughout the whole movie.

George “the Ice Man” Gervin as Lawrence

George Gervin is considered one of the greatest shooting guards to ever play basketball. A Hall of Famer, he had a successful career with teams like the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls.

In the film, Gervin portrays Herwald Lawrence, a real-life figure who owned a groundbreaking table-tennis club—the first Black-owned business in Times Square. The movie frequently shows Lawrence at his club, which is a regular hangout spot for the characters Marty and Wally.

John Catsimatidis as Christopher Galanis

He’s the owner of the Gristedes and D’Agostino supermarket chains in New York City, and he also hosts two radio shows: Cats Roundtable and Cats at Night on WABC.

He appears as Dion’s father, and is the target of Marty’s unusual request: to make orange Ping-Pong balls. Marty confidently pitches himself as the future of the sport in America, all while remaining surprisingly modest!

Géza Röhrig as Béla Kletzki

How You Know Him: He played Saul Ausländer in Son of Saul, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2015.

Béla is a close friend of Marty’s, and they both compete in professional table tennis. He’s first introduced during a group photo taken in London, but he has a particularly impactful moment later when he shares his harrowing story of surviving the Holocaust with Milton Rockwell.

Koto Kawaguchi as Koto Endo

He’s an accomplished table tennis player and a national champion. He won a team bronze medal at the 2022 Deaflympics in Brazil, and earned first place as an individual competitor in the 2021 Deaflympics qualifying tournament. He also placed first at the 2019 National Sports Competition for the Deaf and third at the 2020 National Table Tennis Championship for the Deaf.

Marty first notices Koto during the group photo at the beginning of the film in London. He’s surprised to see a Japanese player there, considering travel restrictions after World War II. Koto quickly becomes Marty’s main rival – though there are plenty of other competitors for that spot!

Nikhil Kumar as Amit Vishwakarma

He’s an American table tennis athlete who represented the United States at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He also achieved a significant victory by winning gold at the 2019 Pan American Games.

When He Appears: He’s Marty’s round-one opponent at his first match in London.

Timo Boll as Vladimir Sebek

He’s a world-renowned table-tennis player from Germany, famous for competing in the Olympics and holding the number one ranking globally on several occasions.

This person is the final opponent Marty fights in London before Marty reports the problems with their lodging.

Pico Iyer as Ram Sethi

How You Know Him: He’s a famous essayist, novelist, and travel writer.

You’ll first see him when Marty finishes his initial matches in London and complains about his lodging. He’s the head of the International Table Tennis Association. Right away, Marty shows his demanding side, telling him, “You’re treating me like an amateur. I need proper rest to win, and an American victory will be huge for table tennis.” Their relationship doesn’t get any better after that.

Kemba Walker and Tracy McGrady as Harlem Globetrotters

Kemba Walker is a former NBA All-Star who currently helps players improve their skills as a coach for the Charlotte Hornets. Tracy McGrady, also a seven-time NBA All-Star, has been a sports analyst for ESPN since he stopped playing professionally.

At first, Marty feels like playing ping pong during halftime with the Harlem Globetrotters is undignified, but he quickly changes his mind after losing a match to Koto in London. While McGrady and Walker also appear on the tour, the most memorable moment is Marty breaking off a piece of a pyramid in Egypt as a present for his mother.

Philippe Petit as Brussels MC

He’s a French tightrope walker famous for his daring walks across buildings – the kind of performances that are thrilling and terrifying to watch.

You can find him during the Harlem Globetrotters tour. He’s the announcer at the Brussels show, where Marty has to perform a silly act as a seal.

Lizzi Bougatsos as Pet-Store-Customer Mom

She’s a musician and visual artist based in Brooklyn, and she’s also close friends with Natasha Lyonne.

You can find her at the pet store counter, where Marty is trying to escape the police. She and her son are initially looking at a rabbit, but they ultimately decide to get an armadillo instead.

Abel Ferrara as Ezra

This filmmaker is a true New York original, known for his raw, artistic, and energetic films. You might recognize his work from titles like The Driller Killer, Ms. 45, King of New York, Bad Lieutenant, and The Addiction. Despite this consistent style, he actually creates a surprisingly diverse range of movies.

He first meets Marty and Wally at the rundown Halsey motel, where they’re getting ready for a night of scams. He arrives with his incredibly smelly dog, Moses, and has a terrible evening that ultimately leads him to become a ghost who bothers Marty later on.

Todd Vulpio as Pissed-off Neighbor at the Halsey

How You Know Him: He was also in Uncut Gems.

This appearance is incredibly brief and easy to miss. The man walks out of a hotel room at the Halsey just as Marty enters to speak with the front desk about a refund – he’d fallen through the bathroom floor in a room he wasn’t authorized to use.

Stephen Dachtera as Halsey Worker

You probably know him as a funny guy who became a lawyer. He also tried running for judge in Queens County as a Republican.

You won’t see his face, but you’ll notice his legs and feet while he’s on a ladder, fixing the damage caused by Marty’s unauthorized bath.

Levon Hawke as Christian

How You Know Him: Who knew Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman had another kid who acts?

This man is one of the people Marty and Wally try to con during a table tennis game at the bowling alley. He initially takes pity on Wally, but later wishes he hadn’t.

Hailey Gates as Trish

She’s a multi-talented creator – a filmmaker, actress, and journalist. This year, her satirical film, Atropia, won a major prize at the Sundance Film Festival. You might also recognize her as the host of the Viceland series, States of Undress.

You can spot her in the bowling alley scene – she’s the one who enthusiastically pulls a guy aside because she’s desperate to bowl.

Patrick “Wiki” Morales as “Lawrence’s Dirtbag”

How You Know Him: He’s a rapper and producer.

I remember seeing him briefly – it was when Marty ran into Lawrence’s ping pong place after that disastrous bowling scheme with Wally. He was just this guy calling out, “Hey, Marty!” It was a quick glimpse, but I definitely saw him.

Ted “the Man With the Golden Voice” Williams as Ted

He’s a former radio announcer and personality whose career was derailed by struggles with alcohol and drugs. In 2011, a viral video of him discussing his experiences with homelessness brought his career back to life.

Marty finds him at Lawrence’s place. He’s wearing a red sweater and offers his condolences – saying “Sorry about your loss” – even before Marty can ask where Lawrence is.

Alison Bartlett as Rockwell Receptionist Voice

How You Know Her: She played Gina Jefferson on Sesame Street from 1986 to 2015.

This woman is the person Marty speaks to on the phone while trying to find Milton for a meeting. Marty convinces her to reveal Milton’s whereabouts by claiming he has items belonging to her deceased son.

Fred Hechinger as Troy

How You Know Him: He’s an actor recently seen in films such as Thelma, Gladiator II, and Nickel Boys.

Troy appears as a fellow actor in a play alongside Kay Stone (played by Gwyneth Paltrow), a former Hollywood star. Marty playfully mocks him after getting onto the set. Kay believes Troy isn’t a very good actor, but honestly, the acting in that scene isn’t strong overall.

David Mamet as Glenn Nordmann

You probably know him as the award-winning creator of plays and films like Glengarry Glen Ross, Speed-the-Plow, and Heist. He’s won a Pulitzer Prize and been nominated for a Tony Award for his work.

He portrays the director of Kay’s play and is, understandably, annoyed when Marty unexpectedly shows up on set.

Jake Braff as Playwright

I first noticed him way back in 2009, in the Safdie brothers’ very first movie, Daddy Longlegs. It was a small role, but it stuck with me – you could tell he had something special.

This man is briefly seen sitting at a table when Marty arrives on the set of Kay’s play. He appears for just a moment next to Mamet.

Naomi Fry as Kay Stone’s assistant

How You Know Her: She’s a staff writer at The New Yorker.

You’ll first notice her giving Kay a glass of water while they’re filming. Shortly after, she’ll find Marty outside and let him know Kay is requesting his company for lunch.

Paul Grimstad as Production Manager

You likely don’t recognize his name, but you might recognize the face. This Yale professor has appeared in two popular movies this year: Marty Supreme and One Battle After Another, where he plays Howard Sommerville.

This man has a tough job – he’s stuck mediating between Kay and her husband, Milton Rockwell, who’s reluctantly paying for her play. We see him trailing behind Milton, listening to complaints about the budget. His frustrated reply? “I can’t magically fix this!” It’s clear he’s in a difficult position and won’t have an easy time.

Roman Persits as Pawn Shop Leon

How You Know Him: He’s a Diamond District jeweler who also appeared in Uncut Gems.

This character is a pawn shop owner who sadly informs Marty that the necklace he stole, believing it to be valuable, is actually fake and has no worth.

Penn Jillette as Hoff

How You Know Him: He’s a magician and actor you probably first saw as one half of Penn & Teller.

You’ll know he’s back when you see Marty attempting to “rescue” Moses, which, predictably, doesn’t go as planned. It’s just like all of Marty’s ideas – they usually end in chaos.

Mitchell Wenig as Mitch

How You Know Him: He’s one of the gray-haired brothers in Uncut Gems.

This character is Ezra’s helper. He assists Ezra in the search for Rachel and Marty, who are connected to the disappearance of his dog, Moses.

Ronald Bronstein as Blarney Stone Phone Voice

You probably know him from his frequent work with the Safdie brothers. He co-wrote and co-edited their films Good Time and Uncut Gems, and also appeared in their first movie, Daddy Longlegs. Beyond that, he recently had a role in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, directed by Mary Bronstein – who is also his wife.

He’s the person Rachel speaks to on the phone when she calls the Blarney Stone, attempting to have them bring out a dog she’s pretending is named Moses.

Isaac Mizrahi as Merle

How You Know Him: He’s a fashion designer and actor whose loud fashion reflects his big personality.

We first meet him as Kay’s publicist, backstage at the theater on opening night of her self-written play. He delivers a memorable, crude line, comparing watching Kay perform to a highly unpleasant and unusual experience.

Nancy Shankman as Kay’s Mom

How You Know Her: She’s the former director of music for the New York City Public Schools.

I first noticed her when she came to see Kay’s play on opening night. And honestly, it was her who gently let Marty down when he came to her, desperate to borrow money after the party. He was hoping to pawn a necklace, but she explained it just wasn’t a good moment.

Randy Credico as Milton’s Friend

I first came across him as a really sharp political comedian, but I later learned he also used to run the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice – a seriously impressive background, and it definitely informs his work.

Milton is at the movie premiere, enjoying a cigar, when Marty unexpectedly arrives, pleading to be included in his upcoming trip to Japan for promotion – despite Milton having already refused him. From where he’s standing, Milton witnesses Marty being spanked.

2025-12-25 20:59