Look at ST VI. Slater had a cameo. It added absolutely nothing to the film. Plummer, is a big name and played a big role, and again, it's not like it was a blockbuster film (despite being one of the best Trek films).
Slater's presence didn't add anything to Star Trek VI, but it didn't detract either. There was a point to his scene - Sulu wasn't going to sell out his old friends on the Enterprise. Sure, the ensign part could have been played by anybody, so it didn't matter either way. I had no idea who Slater was when I first saw the movie, and though I've since been told he was apparently famous or something I've never seen him in another picture.
Obviously, I know who Tom Cruise is, and I've seen one or two films in which he's starred. The one I liked the most is Eyes Wide Shut, but Collateral is also good. I think Cruise has a gift for playing cold, unlikeable antiheroes and villains and is far better in those than his more conventional leading man turns, such as Ethan Hawke in the Mission Impossible series. An innocuous cameo similar to Slater's is fine by me.
I'm not sure if I'd call Plummer a big name. Plummer strikes me as one of those respected thespian-type actors, like David Warner, who also appeared in this film. He's not a box office draw so far as I know, but I don't know much.
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