Activision's juggernaut shooter series has welcomed some big names, including some that you probably forgot about.

The Call of Duty series might soon join the Xbox family with Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. With that major deal looking set to close, we're looking back at the history of Call of Duty and specifically all the celebrities who have lent their voices and likenesses to the series over the years. Given the enormity of the Call of Duty series, it's no big surprise that Activision would recruit major stars for roles big and small, and there have been many famous actors and celebrities who have suited up and gone to virtual war in Call of Duty since the series debuted in 2003.

In this gallery, we're rounding up all the biggest celebrities to appear in Call of Duty over the years, from 2003's Call of Duty up to the current day. This gallery includes characters from across Call of Duty campaigns, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone. There are many celebrities featured here, so many so that there are some you likely forgot appeared in Call of Duty. Also, there is no order or ranking for this gallery.

Idris Elba – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Idris Elba, the popular British actor known for Luther, played Sergeant "Truck" in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011). He played a memorable role in the campaign, ultimately perishing in dramatic fashion during a major structure collapse.

Ice Cube – Call of Duty: Black Ops

Actor Ice Cube played Joseph Bowman in 2010's Call of Duty: Black Ops. Not only did players encounter Bowman in the main campaign, but Bowman was the voice of the SOG faction in multiplayer.

Kevin Spacey – Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey played the main villain role in 2014's Advanced Warfare. Spacey played the head of a criminal private military company named Atlas. Spacey's star was soaring at the time thanks in part to the success of House of Cards, but in 2017, sexual assault allegations came to light, prompting him to be written off House of Cards and losing other jobs.

Jason Statham – Call of Duty 1

All the way back in 2003, action movie star Jason Statham played the British SAS soldier Sergeant Waters in the original Call of Duty, which was a World War II game. Statham wasn't exactly a household name at the time, although prior to Call of Duty, he had starred in the Guy Ritchie movies Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.

Helena Bonham Carter – Black Ops 4 Zombies

Call of Duty's Zombies mode has welcomed a great number of top-tier celebrity talent over the years, including Fight Club star Helena Bonham Carter in Black Ops 4. She played Madame Mirela, a fake psychic and con artist.

Jeff Goldblum – Black Ops 3 Zombies

The beloved Jurassic Park actor lent his talents to Call of Duty: Black Ops III's Zombies mode. He played Nero Blackstone, a down-on-his luck magician who was part of a team fighting zombies in the Shadows of Evil campaign.

David Hasselhoff – Infinite Warfare Zombies

Everyone's favorite Baywatch actor, David Hasselhoff, appeared in Infinite Warfare's Zombies mode as himself. The role was pretty meta and hilarious. Even though he had no idea what Call of Duty was when he got the call, it all turned out fun and lighthearted.

Gary Oldman – World at War and Black Ops

One of the best celebrity performances in Call of Duty over the years was Gary Oldman as Viktor Reznov in Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty: Black Ops. Oldman delivered many memorable lines and guttural screams as the major villain from the campaign.

Kit Harington – Infinite Warfare

During the height of Kit Harington's success with Game of Thrones, he took on the role of Salen Kotch in 2014's Infinite Warfare. He played the main villain and had some major plans for world domination until he had his day ruined.

Sam Worthington – Black Ops

When Black Ops was released in 2010, Aussie Sam Worthington was riding high off the success of starring in James Cameron's Avatar a year prior. He played the protagonist Alex Mason in Treyarch's popular game and would reprise the role in Black Ops II and Black Ops 4. Black Ops 3, meanwhile, took place decades into the future and did not involve Mason.

Heather Graham – Black Ops 3 Zombies

Scrubs and Austin Powers star Heather Graham appeared in Black Ops III Zombies as Jessica Rose. One of four main characters in Shadows of Evil, Rose is a burlesque dancer who gets caught up in the wild events of the Shadows of Evil story and finds herself blasting away at zombies alongside characters played by Jeff Goldblum, Neal McDonough, and Ron Perlman.

David Tennant – WW2 Zombies

Scottish actor David Tennant, known for his roles in Doctor Who and Harry Potter, appeared in Call of Duty: WWII's zombies mode as Drostan Hynd.

Katee Sackhoff – Black Ops 3

Katee Sackhoff, known for her starring role on Battlestar Galactica as well as The Mandalorian, appeared in Black Ops 3's campaign as Sarah Hall. She played an IT specialist member of the team. Hall was also available as an unlockable character in Black Ops 4's Blackout mode.

George Romero – Black Ops Zombies

The horror movie legend George Romero, known for his Night of the Living Dead series and the godfather of zombie fiction, was a natural choice to guest-star in the Call of Duty Zombies series. He appeared in Black Ops' Zombies mode as the bad guy n the Call of the Dead map.

Ed Harris – Black Ops

Ed Harris, known for his roles in action and adventure movies like The Rock and the TV show Westworld, appeared in the original Black Ops as Jason Hudson. He was the CIA handler for main character Alex Mason and was also available as a playable character in Blackout. Activision would later recast the role.

Michael Keaton – Black Ops II

Taking over for Ed Harris as Jason Hudson was Batman actor Michael Keaton for Black Ops II. We are not sure why Harris didn't come back, but scheduling might have played a role.

Ray Liotta – Black Ops 2 Zombies

Goodfellas star Ray Liotta, who passed away in 2022, appeared in Black Ops II's Zombies mode's Mob of the Dead story as the character Billy Handsome. It was called Mob of the Dead because it featured a number of actors who played gangsters in their acting careers. The mode was set in Alcatraz Prison.

Michael Madsen – Black Ops 2 Zombies

Michael Madsen, who starred in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, had a starring role as Michael "Finn" O'Leary in the Mob of the Dead story campaign for Black Ops II Zombies.

Chazz Palminteri – Black Ops II Zombies

Oscar-nominated actor Chazz Palminteri, who is perhaps best known for The Usual Suspects and A Bronx Tale, starred in Black Ops II's Zombies campaign Mob of the Dead. He played Salvatore "Sal" DeLuca.

Joe Pantoliano – Black Ops 2 Zombies

The Matrix and Bound actor Joe Pantoliano played a starring role in Black Ops II's Zombies mode Mob of the Dead alongside Ray Liotta, Michael Madsen, and Chazz Palminteri. Pantoliano portrayed the character Al "The Weasel" Arlington in the game.

John Malkovich – Advanced Warfare Zombies

Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich, known for his roles in Burn After Reading and In the Line of Fire, starred in Advanced Warfare's Exo Zombies mode as Oz. He was one of four playable characters, alongside those played by Bill Paxton, Rose McGowan, and Jon Bernthal.

Bill Paxton – Advanced Warfare Zombies

Zombies need to die, and Advanced Warfare's Exo Zombies mode featured the late actor Bill Paxton (Aliens, Apollo 13) to play the character Kahn in a fight against futuristic undead.

Rose McGowan – Advanced Warfare Zombies

Rose McGowan, Planet Terror actress and activist, starred in Advanced Warfare's Exo Zombies mode as Lillith Swan. She was one of four playable characters in the campaign, the others played by actors John Malkovich, Bill Paxton, and Jon Bernthal.

Jon Bernthal – Advanced Warfare Zombies

The Walking Dead actor Jon Bernthal played corporal Jim Decker in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's Exo Zombies mode.

Dominic Monaghan – Call of Duty: Vanguard

The Lord of the Rings and Lost actor Dominic Monaghan showed off his acting skills in Call of Duty: Vanguard, portraying the sadistic Nazi villain Jannick Richter. GameSpot spoke with Monaghan about his "very fun, flashy, exciting role" in the game.

Malcolm McDowell – Black Ops 3 Zombies

Malcolm McDowell, an acting legend who is known for his role in A Clockwork Orange, played Monty in Black Ops III's Zombies mode. He plays a central character in the Zombie's storyline and is more than what he looks to be at face value.

Kiefer Sutherland – World at War and Black Ops 4 Zombies

Kiefer Sutherland, star of the TV show 24, has pulled double duty in Call of Duty. He voiced Sgt. Roebuck in Call of Duty: Black Ops and a different character, Gideon Jones, in Black Ops 4's Zombies mode.

Charles Dance – Black Ops 4 Zombies

Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance voiced the character Godfrey in the Zombies mode, Dead of the Night, in Black Ops 4. He was joined by other characters portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter, Brian Blessed, and Kiefer Sutherland.

Brian Blessed – Black Ops 4 Zombies

Flash Gordon and Star Wars actor Brian Blessed portrayed Jonathan Warwick in Black Ops 4's Zombies campaign, Dead of the Night.

Jimmy Kimmel – Black Ops 2

The late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel had a cameo in Black Ops II. He pops up in one of the endings where he's interviewing main character Chloe Lynch and discussing the events of the game. It was pretty weird.

Avenged Sevenfold – Black Ops II

The rock/metal band Avenged Sevenfold wrote a song, "Not Ready to Die," for the original Black Ops and then appeared in Black Ops II. In a bizarre post-credits cutscene, the band performs another original song, "Carry On," at a fictional concert where other people from the game appear, including a character that strongly resembled Hillary Clinton.

Paul Reubens – Infinite Warfare

Pee Wee Herman actor Paul Reubens, who recently passed away, starred in Infinite Warfare's Zombies mode. He played Willard Wyler, a movie director who is not all he seems…

Messi, Pogba, and Neymar Jr. – Warzone

Soccer stars Messi, Pogba, and Neymar Jr. came to Call of Duty: Warzone as playable Operators in 2022, timed with the men's World Cup. They are no longer available to buy, because it was a limited-time event, but they're still available for those who bought the skins.

Snoop Dogg – Warzone

Everyone's favorite rapper and marijuana aficionado, Snoop Dogg, came to Warzone as a playable Operator. The store bundle included a bunch of other pot-themed cosmetics and items, continuing Call of Duty's legacy of getting stoned and shooting guns.

21 Savage – Warzone

The rapper 21 Savage is available in Warzone as a playable Operator, and he's got his own unique weapons, voice lines, and cosmetics. He also runs around shirtless.

Nicki Minaj – Warzone

Another rapper, Nicki Minaj, is playable in Warzone through an Operator bundle. She has her own special weapons, including the "Super Freaky" gun. And she has a tracer pack that makes her bullets look pink. One of her finishing moves is leaping into the air and crashing down on her foe, destroying them with her high heels. Pretty sweet.

William Fichtner -- Modern Warfare 3

William Fichtner was a natural choice to appear in Call of Duty, as he previously starred in the acclaimed war movie Black Hawk Down. In Modern Warfare 3, he plays Sandman.

Bruce Greenwood -- Modern Warfare 3

Bruce Greenwood, who starred in I, Robot and the new Star Trek, played Overlord in Modern Warfare 3.

Timothy Olyphant -- Modern Warfare 3

Justified star Timothy Olyphant portrayed Grinch in Modern Warfare 3, as part of the game's wider celebrity cast. As it happens, Olyphant went to high school with someone named Grinch, so that's fun.

Ron Perlman -- Black Ops 4 Zombies

Sons of Anarchy star Ron Perlman starred in Black Ops 4's Zombies campaign, Shadows of Evil.

Neal McDonough

Minority Report and Captain America character actor Neal McDonough had a starring role in Shadows of Evil, the Zombies campaign mode in Black Ops 4.

Christopher Meloni -- Black Ops 3

Law & Order star Christopher Meloni appeared in Black Ops 3 as the character John Taylor, lending his voice and likeness to the game.

Danny Trejo -- Black Ops Zombies

Action movie star Danny Trejo appeared as himself in the Black Ops Zombies Call of the Dead map.

Robert Englund -- Black Ops Zombies

Actor, writer, and director Robert Englund, known best for A Nightmare on Elm Street, appeared in Black Ops Zombie's Call of the Dead map.

Michael Rooker -- Black Ops Zombies

Black Ops Zombies' Call of the Dead map featured a star-studded cast, including none other than Guardians of the Galaxy star Michael Rooker.