Notable guest appearances in PSB videos—plus 2 possibilities and 2 notable "nonappearances"
This list, with one exception, includes only those people who also have a substantial number of media credits outside of Pet Shop Boys videos. For that reason I don't include, for instance, Donna Bottman, the lovely young woman featured in the "Domino Dancing" video. My one exception is the special case of Dainton Connell, who makes it into the list by virtue of his repeat appearances—and because I was tempted to create a separate list just for him. But I decided to combine the two lists into this one.
- Ron Moody as the "chief executioner" in "It's
a Sin"
British actor Moody has appeared in scores of films and television shows. Among his more memorable roles have been as Fagin in the 1968 film musical Oliver!, as Iago in the 1981 BBC TV production of Othello, and as Merlin in the 1995 film A Kid in King Arthur's Court.
- Dusty
Springfield in "What Have I Done to Deserve
This?"
It almost goes without saying, but if I hadn't included the legendary British pop diva here, someone would have called me to task for the omission.
- Margi
Clarke as the "kept woman" in "Rent"
Known for her starring role in the 1985 film Letter to Breshnev as well as her numerous subsequent appearances on U.K. television, including recurring roles on Making Out and Coronation Street.
- Alexander
George Thynn, Seventh Marquess of Bath, as the "kept woman's 'keeper'"
and dinner party host in "Rent"
A wealthy British aristocrat, politician (once a member of the House of Lords and an unsuccessful candidate for the European Parliament), and author of several novels, famed for his eccentricity.
- Joss Ackland, Barbara Windsor,
Gareth Hunt, and Neil Dickson in various roles in "Always
on My Mind"
Featured in the Pet Shop Boys' film It Couldn't Happen Here, these four veterans of British film and television also crop up in this video cobbled from film exceprts.
- Ian McKellen as the vampire in "Heart"
If you don't count Dusty, this is probably the single most famous guest appearance in a PSB video. For more than thirty years a giant of the modern Shakespearean stage, Sir Ian has more recently earned a much wider audience with his many prominent film roles, among them Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movies, Magneto in the X-Men films, John Profumo in Scandal (for which Neil and Chris wrote the song "Nothing Has Been Proved"), and his Oscar-nominated turn as James Whale in Gods and Monsters.
- Jack Bond in "Heart"
This British television and film producer/director, who directed the Boys' film It Couldn't Happen Here as well as their "Always on My Mind" and "Heart" videos, makes a brief cameo appearance in the latter as a farmer standing on the side of the road as the limousine approaches the castle.
- Eagle-Eye
Cherry in "Being Boring"
Son of trumpeter Don Cherry, half-brother of singer Neneh Cherry, and an actor/singer in his own right, Eagle-Eye had a huge 1997 hit with "Save Tonight." He has also appeared in a number of films, among them The Doors and Born on the Fourth of July, and on television, including The Cosby Show and South Beach. On the PopArt DVD, he appears at timing 1:08:06 (and elsewhere).
- David Walliams and Matt Lucas in "I'm
with Stupid"
The comic duo, stars of the wildly popular U.K. TV show Little Britain, take center stage both literally and figuratively, with Chris and Neil a captive audience.
- Natalia Vodianova, Trent Ford, and Joseph Sayers
in "I Get Along"
Back when she was just an "ordinary" model, Russian now-supermodel Natalia Vodianova appeared in this video, shot by Bruce Weber. Joining her were at least two others also destined for bigger things: American actor Trent Ford and fellow U.S. model Joseph Sayers, the latter rapidly approaching rare "male supermodel" status.
- Dainton Connell
A fan favorite, the Boys' longtime minder/bodyguard, nicknamed "The Bear," appeared in no fewer than five videos before his sudden and untimely death in an October 5, 2007, automobile accident in Moscow:
- "So Hard" (one of the two large men who hover behind Chris and Neil throughout)
- "Jealousy" (that's him closing the doors at the end)
- "Was It Worth It?" (wearing the "Behave" sweatshirt, he even gets to dance!)
- "A Red Letter Day" (a brief glimpse as one of the many people standing in line)
- "Somewhere" (in a fleeting backstage scene)
—plus two very strong pre-fame possibilities:
1. Is that Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in "Jealousy"?
A number of online fans have speculated that this Nigerian-British actor, who would later gain fame as recurring characters in the TV series Oz and Lost, appeared in the Pet Shop Boys' "Jealousy" video. The actor portraying the guy who has a quick tryst with a woman in a public restroom could be a young Akinnuoye-Agbaje—there is a resemblance—and it's known for a fact that he appeared in a few music videos by other artists during the late 1980s and early 1990s. So far there's no absolute confirmation that's him in "Jealousy," although there does seem to be a consensus in that direction among his fans.
2. Is that Eva Mendes in "Se A Vida É"?
Similarly, several fans have identified American actress and "supermodel" Eva Mendes as appearing "pre-fame" in the "Se A Vida É" video. Again, there's a strong resemblance (the lovely dark-haired young woman who is seen for a moment adjusting her top), so it's a distinct possibility. And various websites have reported her presence in the video as a fact, stemming from her work at the time as an aspiring model and actress. Nevertheless, I have yet to see any absolute confirmation.
—and two notable "nonappearances":
- Geena Davis not appearing in "It's a Sin"
A widespread Internet rumor, replicated on various sites, holds that this famous American actress (Tootsie, Beetlejuice, Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own, etc.), appears in this video. The only female roles are three of the Seven Deadly Sins: Gluttony, Lust, and Pride—the latter traditionally considered the most dangerous sin of all. Indeed, some of those Internet citations have placed Davis in the role of Pride. But the actresses credited as portraying those three sins are, respectively, Naomi Gryn, Amanda Metro, and Paola Pieroni. Further confusing the matter is the fact that, in the audio commentary track of the PopArt DVD, Neil identifies "Pride" as Margi Clarke (see #3 above). So either Neil is mistaken or Clarke used "Paola Pieroni" as a pseudonym. If that's the case, is Geena Davis also using a pseudonym, perhaps in the role of one of the "other sins"? Personally, I doubt it; neither "Gluttony" nor "Lust" look anything like her. So unless and until I see convincing evidence to the contrary, I firmly believe that Geena Davis is not in "It's a Sin."
- Tiffany not appearing in "Heart"
The actress who portrays the bride in "Heart" admittedly bears a remarkable resemblance to the 1980s teen pop star Tiffany, thereby engendering a once-common rumor, but it's not her. Rather, her name is Daniella Colić.
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