A certain anthropomorphic building from Severance could have been voiced by a former POTUS, if only his schedule would have allowed it.
During a timely conversation with Jimmy Kimmel on Monday, just one day after he took part in the 2025 Oscars as a presenter, Ben Stiller, a director and executive producer of the Emmy-winning Apple TV+ hit, was first asked about the actor who ultimately ended up voicing the Lumon building in a recent episode.
As previously reported, Keanu Reeves’ voice could indeed be heard in the Stiller-directed “Lumon Is Listening,” which featured an animated version of the Lumon building in a faux instructional video for employees. But before Reeves was offered the part, as Stiller pointed out on Monday, he asked President Barack Obama if he might be interested in taking it on.
“I didn’t ask him in person,” Stiller told Kimmel. “I knew someone who knew his lawyer and his lawyer said, ‘I can relay the request if you write an email.’ So I wrote an email to him saying, ‘Hey, we have this show, whatever.’ Two days later, I get an email back from President Barack Obama saying, ‘Hey, Ben. Big fan of the show. Love Season 1, can’t wait for Season 2. Don’t think I have time in my schedule to make this happen.’”
Stiller continued, “I’m like, what? What’s more important than, come on, doing the voiceover for the animated building in Severance? But it was pretty cool that he responded.”
Back in 2022, Obama’s name was publicly floated as one that the team behind Severance had among their dream picks for a then-in-development second season. While Obama didn’t share a rundown of his favorite TV shows that year, his 2022 film picks included both Aftersun and Decision to Leave, two titles that strongly suggest he is indeed a man of taste.
We are now rounding the bend on Severance's widely acclaimed second season. Stiller is again at the helm for “Sweet Vitriol,” the episode premiering this Friday. After that, just two episodes remain, including one directed by Uta Briesewitz and a Stiller-led season finale.