Ben Stiller, actor and executive producer of the popular Apple TV+ series “Severance,” has disclosed that Keanu Reeves was not his first choice for a voice cameo in the show. Stiller originally approached former President Barack Obama for the role.
Stiller made the revelation during his March 3, 2025 appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” The actor, who is also the main director for “Severance,” confirmed that the voice behind the animated Lumon building in the “Lumon is Listening” sequence from the Season 2 premiere is indeed Reeves, who received the role after Obama declined.
Stiller shared on the show that he initially wanted Obama to lend his voice to the role. “There was one person that I asked before him and he said no,” said Stiller. “That person was President Barack Obama.”
Stiller explained that he did not contact Obama directly for the part, but rather sought the former president through official channels, specifically through his lawyer via email.
To Stiller’s astonishment, Obama personally responded in just a couple of days. “Like two days later, I get an email back from Obama saying, ‘Hey Ben, big fan of the show, love Season 1, can’t wait for Season 2. I don’t think I have time in my schedule to make this happen.'”
The timing of Stiller’s request coincided with a period when Obama was heavily committed to campaigning for the midterm elections of 2022. Additionally, throughout 2023, Obama was involved in numerous Netflix and Spotify projects via Higher Ground, a production company co-founded with his wife, Michelle Obama.
Following Obama’s polite decline, Stiller extended the opportunity to Reeves. The actor accepted the role of voicing the anthropomorphic Lumon office building in the series’ propaganda video. According to Stiller, Reeves, an already established fan of the show, undertook the role with his usual professionalism.
Reeves was specifically chosen for his “warm and inviting voice,” considered a perfect fit for the propaganda video’s aim of pacifying the characters within the series. The serene tone of Reeves’ narration counterbalances the ominous implications of the corporate message.
The Apple TV+ series “Severance” features Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at the enigmatic Lumon Industries. Employees at Lumon Industries undergo a procedure called “severance” that surgically separates their work and personal life memories. The show mixes elements of workplace humor with psychological thriller and science fiction, and has become one of Apple TV+’s most viewed and critically lauded series.
Interestingly, Apple TV+ initially showed reluctance in casting Scott, prominently known for his comic roles in series like “Parks and Recreation.” Stiller advocated for Scott, viewing his comedic background as a valuable asset to the show’s distinctive mixture of comedy and drama.
As “Severance” continues to unravel its elaborate mythology and complex characters in its second season, it may not feature Obama’s voice, but his endorsement as a fan of the series certainly underlines its wide-ranging appeal and significant cultural influence.