Severance’s marketing machine’s in full swing, and last night, March 4, 2025, director Ben Stiller hit Jimmy Kimmel Live with a juicy nugget: former President Barack Obama was nearly a voice in the season premiere.
While hyping the show’s latest triumphs, Stiller spilled that he’d reached out to Obama for a quirky guest role—voicing a talking Lumon building in a stop-motion propaganda video. It didn’t pan out, but the near-miss is a wild footnote to the show’s soaring run.
Let’s set the scene. In Severance season two’s opener, which dropped earlier this year, a creepy-cute animated Lumon building briefs employees on corporate bliss. Keanu Reeves, already confirmed by Apple’s press kit, delivers the voiceover with his signature cool. But Stiller’s Kimmel revelation flips the script. Before Reeves signed on, Stiller fired off an email to Obama via his lawyer, pitching the ex-president for the part. Days later, he got a reply straight from the man himself: “Hey Ben, big fan of the show. Love season one, can’t wait for season two. Don’t think I have time in my schedule.” Stiller laughed it off on air—fair enough, Obama’s got bigger fish to fry than narrating a cartoon HQ. Still, the idea of that smooth baritone echoing through Lumon’s halls? Priceless.
Severance season two isn’t just holding its own—it’s rewriting the rules. Apple TV+ hasn’t dropped exact numbers, but insider buzz from outlets like The Verge pegs it as the platform’s top performer this quarter. The first season hooked viewers with its brain-twisting take on work-life balance; now, season two’s doubling down with tighter plots and bolder swings—like that stop-motion bit. Stiller’s Kimmel appearance wasn’t just a promo stop; it was a victory lap. He teased season three’s ongoing production, hinting at more surprises. Obama’s “almost” cameo only amps up the hype—proof this show’s gravitational pull snags even A-listers from outside Hollywood.
Landing Obama would’ve been a masterstroke. Picture the X posts: “Obama in Severance?!” It’d be instant viral gold. Reeves was a stellar pick—his understated vibe fits Lumon’s eerie charm—but Obama’s name carries a different weight. That he’s a fan, per Stiller’s firsthand account, ties him to the millions glued to Apple TV+’s $9.99 monthly lineup, from Ted Lasso’s feel-good kicks to Silo’s dystopian grit. The platform’s betting big on originals, and Severance is the crown jewel.
With TSMC’s U.S. chip plants scaling up, per Bloomberg, Apple’s hardware pipeline could support more devices to stream it—think that rumored smart home hub. For users, it’s a win: more ways to watch, more reasons to stay hooked.
Stiller’s keeping season three under wraps, but Obama’s brush with Lumon sparks hope. Could a future episode snag him—or another wild card? Fans on X are tossing out names like Meryl Streep or Tom Hanks, dreaming up who might pop into this weird world next. For now, Severance thrives on its mix of mystery and star power. Obama’s pass is a fun “what if,” but his fandom mirrors ours—he’s just another viewer waiting to see where this severance split takes us. As Stiller put it on Kimmel, “Maybe he’ll clear his calendar next time.” We can dream.