The late heavy metal legendOzzy Osbournedelivered one of themost memorable musician cameosof all time in an underappreciated Adam Sandler comedy. As the iconic lead singer of Black Sabbath, Osbourne was dubbed the Prince of Darkness as he changed the face of modern rock music with his wild persona and rebellious spirit.
Condolences have been pouring out in the wake ofOsbourne’s death at age 76, and countless music fans have been revisiting all-timegreat albums likeParanoidandMasters of Reality. However,Osbourne’s legacy on film and television was also significant, as he was at the forefront of reality TV with the MTV seriesThe Osbournesand made movie cameo appearances.
Ozzy Osbourne Stole The Show (& Saved The World) In Little Nicky
Ozzy Appeared As Himself In Little Nicky
Ozzy Osbourne truly lived up to his nickname as the Prince of Darkness when he appeared inLittle Nicky, Adam Sandler’s 2000 fantasy comedy that bombed at the box office. As the story of Satan’s unlikely, good-hearted son tasked with bringing his two brothers back to Hell, Nicky needed to ensure boundaries between good and evil on Earth were preserved.
In a climactic scene, as Nicky faced off against his cruelest brother, Adrian, who had transformed into a bat, Nicky summoned Ozzy to bite off his head and save the world. This was a clever reference to an infamous incident in 1982 when Osbourne ate the head off a live bat on stage that he mistook for a rubber toy.
WhileOsbourne’s cameo inLittle Nickywas the movie’s most memorable, it was far from the only celebrity guest appearance in this much-maligned Sandler film. Other stars like Regis Philbin, Henry Winkler, and Dan Marino also popped up as themselves, with major names such as Quentin Tarantino, Reese Witherspoon, and Carl Weathers also playing minor roles.
Ozzy Is A Music Legend, But Movies & TV Are A Big Part Of His Legacy Too
The Osbournes Was A Pop Culture Phenomenon
As music fans and audiences look back on Ozzy’s legacy, it’s clear that movies and television were a big part of his appeal. With an acting career that kickstarted in 1986 with a small role in the anthology horror classicTrick or Treat,Osbourne had other cameos in movies likeAustin Powers in Goldmemberand the female-led reboot ofGhostbusters.
The Osbournes may have been crude, it pioneered an era of celebrity-led family reality shows.
However, it’s MTV’sThe Osbournesthat stands as a defining reality series of the 2000s that turnedOzzy Osbournefrom a heavy metal icon into a household name. AlthoughThe Osbournesmay have been crude, it pioneered an era of celebrity-led family reality shows, changing the way audiences connected with famous lives forever.
