 Recurring cast members who appear in "Acafellas" are Stephen Tobolowsky as former glee club director Sandy Ryerson, Patrick Gallagher as football coach Ken Tanaka, Iqbal Theba as Principal Figgins, Kent Avenido as Sheets and Things employee Howard Bamboo, and Naya Rivera and Heather Morris as glee club members Santana Lopez and Brittany Pierce. Whit Hertford guest-starred as choreographer Dakota Stanley. Cheyenne Jackson was originally supposed to play Dakota Stanley, but when he arrived in California he learned that he had the flu. John Lloyd Young played Henri, "a retired wood shop teacher with an excellent singing voice", and Victor Garber and Debra Monk played Will's parents. Morrison was "thrilled" by Garber's casting, having been a longstanding fan of his. Josh Groban received special guest star billing, playing, in Colfer's words, "himself as this ignorant asshole". Morrison's rapping in the episode was an already acquired skill, with Gilsig commenting: "He can do it. It didn 't look like a joke, it actually looked totally authentic, and he was fantastic. I think he has just an amazing musical range. People like that who have been singing their whole lives, they have such a command of that." Riley deemed Kurt's coming out in the episode "very emotional" and "one of [her] favorite scenes". Colfer described the scene as "very respectful and very touching ... very, very real and serious."
