Warning: This article contains major spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Even if you somehow miss his director’s credit, it’s often easy to identify a James Gunn movie — an ensemble cast populated by quirky anti-heroes, the mix of crude humor and genuine moments of pathos, the unending needledrops on the soundtrack… the list goes on. Maybe the most obvious way of marking out a Gunn film, though, is that the man tends to recruit the same people into each and every one of his projects. That’s earned him some ire on social media, but Gunn doesn’t seem in a rush to change the habit of a career.
Sure enough, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 continues the tradition and contains a number of actors you might call members of the James Gunn Acting Troupe as they’ve appeared in multiple projects from the creator. Chukwudi Iwuji, who plays the High Evolutionary, is obviously one of them but his inclusion in the threequel is hardly a secret. The following 10 stars, however, turn up in more surprising supporting roles that should have James Gunn fans suffering from déjà vu.
Linda Cardellini
As Gunn revealed prior to the film’s release, the voice of Rocket’s friend Lylla is provided by his good friend Linda Cardellini. The Dead to Me actress and the Guardians filmmaker first worked together on the beloved Scooby-Doo live-action films of the early 2000s, which Gunn wrote and Cardellini starred in as Velma Dinkley. Lylla is Cardellini’s second MCU role after Laura Barton, Hawkeye’s wife.
Sylvester Stallone
It was no secret that Sylvester Stallone would be back in Vol. 3 after a Vol. 2 post-credits scene established that we’d be seeing more of him next time around. Sure enough, the Rocky legend is back as Stakar Ogord aka Starhawk, the leader of the Ravager captains. This marks Stallone’s third collaboration with Gunn, seeing as he recently hopped over to DC to play King Shark in The Suicide Squad.
Michael Rosenbaum
Wherever Stallone’s Stakar goes, his loyal number-two Martinex is right by his side. The spiky crystal-faced Ravager first appeared in Vol. 2 and is back once again in Vol. 3. He’s played by none other than Michael Rosenbaum, best known as Smallville‘s Lex Luthor. Although these two films are the only times he’s worked with Gunn on-screen, Rosenbaum is a close friend of the director’s in real-life.
Stephen Blackehart
Stephen Blackehart might just be the original James Gunn regular, as he first worked with the filmmaker on his infamous screenwriting debut, 1996’s Tromeo and Juliet. Since then, the pair have teamed up again and again on Slither, The Belko Experiment (which Gunn wrote), and Slither (which Gunn produced). On top of embodying Ravager Krahl in Vol. 2, Blackehart has played Knowhere citizen Steemie in Guardians, The Holiday Special, and Vol. 3.
Mikaela Hoover
Alongside Cardellini, Gunn enlisted another of his frequent collaborators to voice Rocket and Lylla’s friend Floor, the adorable muzzled, spider-legged rabbit. Floor is played by Mikaela Hoover, who previously appeared in Super, The Belko Experiment, and The Suicide Squad. This is Hoover’s second time in the MCU after appearing in the flesh as Nova Prime’s Assistant in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Daniela Melchior
Maybe it’s too soon to call Daniel Melchior a James Gunn regular, but she’s well on her way to becoming one before long. Following on their successful first collaboration on The Suicide Squad, in which she portrayed fan-favorite Ratcatcher II, Melchior cameos in Guardians 3 as Ura, a hard-nosed employee of the Orgosphere who is awkwardly held hostage by Quill and Gamora.
Nathan Fillion
Like Melchior, Nathan Fillion’s involvement in Guardians 3 was spoiled in the marketing, although Gunn fans were hardly surprised he was working with his old pal again. Fillion previously played a CGI Kiln inmate in the first Guardians as well as Wonder Man in a Guardians 2 deleted scene. In Vol. 3, he finally appears as himself in the MCU as Orgosentry Master Karja. He’s previously worked with Gunn on Slither, Super, and The Suicide Squad.
Jennifer Holland
The least surprising cameo in Guardians Vol. 3, however, has to belong to Jennifer Holland, Gunn’s real-life wife. Holland is most known for playing Emilia Harcourt in the DC universe, working with her husband in The Suicide Squad and on Peacemaker (and additionally cameoing in Black Adam and Shazam! 2). In Vol. 3, Holland appears all too briefly as Orgosphere employee Kwol.
Michael Rooker
James Gunn recently admitted that he really didn’t want to kill off Yondu in Vol. 2 as it would put his good pal Michael Rooker out of a job. So it’s no surprise that he found a way to get the actor in both The Holiday Special and Vol. 3. In the threequel, Kraglin receives an inspiring vision of Yondu in the heat of the final battle. His cameo here means that he can still lay claim to being the only actor to appear in all of Gunn’s directorial efforts to date — Slither, Super, The Suicide Squad,, and the three Guardians.
Gregg Henry
Last but not least, Gunn also finds room for Gregg Henry in Guardians 3, confirming his place as the director’s second most prolific regular (he’s appeared in all of his movies bar The Suicide Squad). After debuting as Peter Quill’s grandfather in the first Guardians and cameoing again as the character in Vol. 3, Henry returns right at the end of the threequel as Quill finally returns to Earth. This scene also finally gives Henry’s character a name — Jason Quill (also Peter’s middle name).