Jesse Heiman may not be a household name, but sure enough, audiences will recognize his face. Throughout the early 2000s Heiman was featured in numerous comedies as a background extra; often credited as “Student” and mostly featured as such. Labeled “The World’s Greatest Extra”, Heiman has over 100 acting credits, that is more than Christian Bale and Brad Pitt! Of course these are background roles and mostly without dialogue, but Heiman has still made his way into the minds of audiences with his trademark curly hair, rosy cheeks and glasses.
Heiman took off to Hollywood in the early 2000s, getting his first gig as a concert crowd extra in the final scene of Rat Race(2001) and would later break into extra roles in a slew of school comedies. Heiman even has an extensive television list with a reoccurring role on Chuck, a speaking role in Entourage, and numerous sitcoms and TV appearances, such as The Big Bang Theory, Parks and Recreation, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, How I Met Your Mother; list goes on and on.
‘American Pie 2’ (2001)
American Pie 2 (2001) became Heiman’s first real extra role, credited as “Petey” the trombone player. His background role can be seen briefly practicing his trombone sitting on the opened back door of a school bus. Given the “one time at band camp” running joke we wonder if Petey has any other stories to tell.
American Pie 2 (2001) came off raunchy sex-crazed success of the first film. Once again starring Jason Biggs, the four horny friends spend the summer at a lake house full of partying and debauchery. When Bigg’s character finds out that his old love interest Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth) is coming to visit, he seeks out Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) for sex advice, leading him to the very band camp that Heiman’s trombone wielding extra can be seen.
‘Van Wilder’ (2002)
National Lampoon’s Van Wilder (2002) is most well known for the first big leading role for Ryan Reynold‘s and his trademark sarcastic humor. The film follow Reynold’s as the titular character in his seventh year of college who is cut off financially from his father and must pay his own way through to finally graduate.
Heiman can be seen in Van Wilder (2002) as yet another student, this time credited as “Student on couch”. For a wide-eyed college boy this couch served as a risqué kind of tutoring, with the tutor keeping the students engaged with her lack of a top.
‘Spider-Man’ (2002)
Spider-Man (2002) was a huge pop culture success, seeing the beloved web-slinger swing his way onto screens for the first time. The story tells the origins of Peter Parker (Tobey Mcguire) as he becomes Spider-Man, facing the real world problems of life in High School. Bullied, Peter finally gets the upper hand and uses his newfound powers to beat up his aggressor, resulting in a shocked and partially disturbed Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) along with a shocked onlooker, Heiman, just over her shoulder.
Heiman credits Spider-Man (2002) as the fist time his family and friends noticed him in a movie, validating his choice to come to Hollywood. Over 20 year later, and with Maguire reprising his role as Peter in Spider-Man: No Way Home(2021), it’s safe to say this will remain one of Heiman’s most lasting appearances.
‘Austin Powers in Goldmember’ (2002)
The third installment of the International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers (Mike Myers) takes on more daddy issues teaming up with his father Nigel Powers (Michael Caine) as well as Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyoncé) to stop Goldmember, also played by Myers. Returning of course is Dr. Evil, again played by Myers, and Mini Me (Verne Troyer) as they look to complete their villainous plot.
In a flashback sequence, audiences were taken back to Austin and Dr. Evil’s school days. As they all look at their test scores, and just before a flying cupcake, Heiman can be seen as one of their fellow students.
‘Catch Me if you Can’ (2002)
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Taking a step into more dramatic territory, Heiman landed a background role in the biographical drama Catch Me If You Can (2002). The film is lead by Leonardo DiCaprio as the con man Frank Abagnale, who made millions posing as pilots, doctors and lawyers before an FBI agent (Tom Hanks) catches his trail.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film features a star-studded cast, including the likes of Amy Adams, Martin Sheen and Christopher Walken. Nestled in the long cast list is Heiman, who can be seen in a classroom early in Abagnale’s story.
‘Old School’ (2003)
In one of Heiman’s more notable roles, he stars as Budnick in Old School (2003), one of the pledges for the film’s newfound fraternity. Starring Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Farrell, the three middle-age friends look to start a party heavy fraternity, taking on a wide demographic of aspiring members.
Heiman can be seen on several occasions throughout the film; the cinder block test, joining his peers at a diner, as well as the third acts’ series of trials in order for the fraternity to be recognized by the college. This includes the gymnastics performances, Farrell’s flaming mascot stunt, and most iconically, the fraternities grand entrance as they come down the college steps.
‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ (2008)
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) stars recently split couple, played by Jason Segel and Kristen Bell, and their new flames, Mila Kunis and Russell Brand, who all collide on a vacation resort in Hawaii. This romantic comedy, also written by Segel, is full of raunchy humor and awkward relationship dynamics as jealousy and competition surround the lovers.
Throughout the movie, Segel’s character, Peter, shows a lack of interest in his current job as a crime series’ ominous composer. Instead, Peter has been working on his own Dracula musical, complete with puppets. In the movies’ finale, the Dracula musical comes to fruition and who do you think is in the audience, you guess it, Jesse Heiman.
‘The Social Network’ (2010)
Heiman continues his penchant for playing students in one of the most defining creations of the 21st century, the dawn of Facebook and the subsequent explosion of social media. Back when Facebook required you to have a college email address to sign up, the roots of the platform owe its start to students of Harvard University, Heiman plays one of these students seen in a classroom auditorium.
The Social Network (2010) stars Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg and Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin, two friends who develop the idea for Facebook over the course of their tenure at Harvard in 2003. However, the friendship becomes strained as the debate over who takes credit for the groundbreaking social media platform.
‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ (2011)
No longer a student, Heiman is credited in Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) as “Office Worker”. Heiman can be seen in the movie when Sam (Shia LaBeouf) is interviewing for a new job, and getting life advice from the boss, Bruce (John Malkovich). Heiman can be seen awkwardly walking by and spying in the office.
The third installment of Michael Bay‘s Transformers franchise that picks up four years after the previous movie Revenge of the Fallen (2009). It stars LaBeouf once again alongside Megan Fox and a large A-list cast that attempts to aid the Autobots in their ongoing war with the Decepticons.
‘Neighbors’ (2014)
Neighbors (2014) follows new parents Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) who move into a new house, ready to nestle into peace and quiet. Their tranquility is quickly interrupted by the fraternity next door lead by Teddy (Zac Effron) and puts the couple through a whirlwind of party trouble.
However, audiences will have no luck finding Heiman in the sea of frat boys and students this time, as his role was cut from the theatrical release of the film. Heiman is credited as “The Babysitter” and was reportedly cut from the film because the scene was deemed inappropriate with his character caught drinking breast milk. Heiman was so close to another glorified background extra.
