Billy Eichner reveals why those hilarious A-list cameos happen at the end of Bros

Eichner exclusively explains why he wanted Ben Stiller, Amy Schumer, Kenan Thompson, Seth Meyers, and more to appear in the gay rom-com.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Bros.

Billy Eichner's new gay rom-com was irresistible to a wealth of A-list stars who make cameos at the end of the film.

The Bros writer-star exclusively tells EW how he landed Ben Stiller, Amy Schumer, Kenan Thompson, and Seth Meyers for brief appearances near the project's conclusion, which brings full-circle the budding romance between Bobby (Eichner), a staffer about to open the country's first national LGBTQ History Museum, and macho lawyer Aaron (Luke Macfarlane).

"We liked the idea that, because we're building this LGBTQ History Museum, that Aaron, Luke's character, would automatically think of Night at the Museum because that's his way in, his family loves those movies and for me, my character, those movies are conventional, and Bobby kind of mocks him," Eichner explains. "As a way of [showing] Bobby at the end, showing that he's learning to listen and embrace his partner's ideas, we bridged Night at the Museum and the gay museum, and that's where Ben Stiller comes in."

In the final scenes of the film, a video of Stiller (playing himself) can be seen welcoming guests into the museum, while Schumer, Thompson, and Meyers appear in other museum exhibits as fictionalized versions of Eleanor Roosevelt, James Baldwin, and Harvey Milk, respectively.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQIeBB9XMe8. Bros | Official Trailer. University Pictures
Billy Eichner in 'Bros'. University Pictures

"They all just said yes, and they're all busy people," director Nicholas Stoller adds of landing the stars for the bit roles.

Kristin Chenoweth pops up for a brief moment at the beginning of the film, while Will & Grace star Debra Messing also has a hilarious cameo in two scenes of the film, playing a heightened version of herself as she makes a donation to Bobby's museum.

"At one point we said, this museum would have a straight ally who's a celebrity who wants to donate," says Eichner. "I don't know when, but Debra Messing's name popped into our head. She seemed like the perfect person. She's been on Billy on the Street a couple times, she was always so game and so fun. She crushes it, the audience bursts out into applause at every screening I've been to."

Bros is now playing in theaters nationwide. Watch EW's full Around the Table interview above.

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