20 times Olympians have appeared on scripted TV shows

Since the show Suits follows a group of big-time corporate lawyers in the city, it makes sense they'd have a slew of high-profile clients, one of them being the Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps. The swimmer appeared in an episode titled "Buried Secrets" in 2014, where he worked alongside one of the leads who was hoping to reel him in as a client. 

Gabby Douglas faced several setbacks on her journey to becoming an Olympian, so there was no better person to talk about the importance of perseverance on the Disney XD show Kickin' It than her.  

Shaun White appeared in a 2010 episode of American Dad. The three-time gold medalist made a quick cameo at a birthday party, causing everybody to lose their minds.

World-famous tennis player and four-time Olympic gold medalist Serena Williams once guest-starred in an episode of Law & Order. Like many of the other SVU episodes, the plot focused on themes of harassment and assault.

Kristi Yamaguchi brought her star power to a figure skating event featured in an early 2000s episode of Everybody Loves Raymond. She even posed as a model for the occasion!

If you've paid attention to Ryan Lochte since he appeared in the Olympics, then you know he has a humorous personality. He showcased it on his reality show, What Would Ryan Lochte Do? and in an episode of 30 Rock, where he once said he's just playing another version of himself.

Nastia Liukin has always been that girl, so her role on Gossip Girl made total sense. Who else could you imagine partying with elite New Yorkers on the Upper East Side?

Volleyball legend Misty May-Treanor was able to do some really fun things after winning the gold at the Olympics in 2008, including filming an episode of Wizards of Waverly Place. "Since my return from Beijing I've had opportunities to be involved with fun projects outside of beach volleyball," she said. "I can't wait to meet the cast and be part of such a creative show." 

Mary Lou Retton's role in a 1993 episode of Baywatch was brief but oh-so memorable — and we can thank the faux Olympic competition she hosted in the episode for that.

Michael Jordan made a quick cameo on My Wife and Kids, where he stopped by a charity event and spoke about his love of basketball.

Michael wasn't the only NBA legend on My Wife and Kids. LeBron James also appeared as himself in a ridiculous episode that featured a lot of disinfectant spray and orange juice.

When the Simpsons decided to take up tennis in a 2001 episode of their show, "Tennis the Menace," four-time Olympic gold medalist Venus Williams appeared alongside her sister, Serena, as doubles partners, competing with Homer and Marge.

Beyoncé said it best: "I know you know you, my girl, Simone [Biles]." Because of her star power, it only made sense for her to guest star in a 2020 episode of Black-ish. In it, the Olympic gymnast appeared in Dre's dream home, flipping and flying through the house, proving that everyday activities can be taken to new heights.

Lisa Leslie is a WNBA legend, so it should be no surprise that her resume includes several guest appearances on shows, including Sister, Sister, Moesha, and The Game.

Allyson Felix, known for dusting her competition in the women's 200m sprint during the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, appeared in an episode of Black-ish. In it, the gold medalist shared a few words of wisdom with the show's young female lead, reminding her to "never be afraid to try something new."

Since leaving the gymnastics world, Shawn Johnson has done a lot of work in front of the camera, including seasons of The Apprentice, The Challenge, and Dancing with the Stars. She also tried scripted television at one point, appearing in two episodes of the ABC Family series The Secret Life Of The American Teenager. During her stint on the show, she stirred up a little drama thanks to her fling with the school's bad boy, Ricky Underwood.

Johnny Weir is a former Olympic figure skater who has appeared in front of the camera a ton, including The Masked Singer, Zoolander, and his reality show, Be Good Johnny Weir. But I have to admit, his voice-acting work in Family Guy, in which he tells Stewie that the shape of his head is "stunning," is what takes the cake for me.

I guess it's been said that Tara Lipinski, who's also a former Olympic figure skater, can't go anywhere without her best friend, Johnny Weir, so it was only fitting for her to guest-star alongside him in the 2018 episode of Family Guy titled "The Griffin Winter Games."

It's one thing to watch Steph Curry on the basketball court, but watching him in his scripted show (Mr. Throwback on Peacock), in which the gold medalist connects with his sixth-grade teammate, is even better.

Although Alex Morgan's spot on the Nickelodeon show Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn was brief, it was full of inspirational advice, in which she urged one of the lead characters to be a person of integrity by keeping their promise to their teammates.