Keanu Reeves delighted fans with an unexpected cameo during the premiere of "Severance"! The 60-year-old actor lent his voice to a captivating animated segment in the season 2 opener of the Apple TV+ thriller. Specifically, he narrated the "Lumon is Listening" video shown to employees of the Macrodata Refinement department, embodying the voice of a building. Although easy to overlook, series creator Dan Erickson recently shed light on Reeves' casting in an interview with Collider.
"Let me just say that we deliberated over several candidates for that role," Erickson revealed. "We always envisioned someone whose voice would evoke certain associations among viewers, but it also had to exude warmth. The Lumon building comes across as very friendly in the context of this video, and Reeves' voice has that particular friendliness and heart."
In addition to Reeves' delightful cameo, stars Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, and John Turturro reprised their roles. And according to Deadline's report in October 2022, viewers were treated to eight new cast members in season 2 of "Severance." The star-studded lineup included English actress Gwendoline Christie, renowned for her roles in "Game of Thrones" and "Wednesday," along with Merritt Wever of "Nurse Jackie" and "Godless" fame.
Also joining the cast were actor and writer Bob Balaban ("Waiting for Guffman," "The French Dispatch"), Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development," "Search Party"), Robby Benson ("Ice Castles," "Beauty and the Beast"), Stefano Carannante ("Mirabilia"), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson ("The Tourist," "Trapped"), and John Noble ("Fringe," "Elementary").
Reeves' appearance in "Severance" followed closely after his voice-acting debut as Shadow in "Sonic the Hedgehog 3." Speaking at the premiere in December, he shared with PEOPLE his enjoyment of portraying such an intense character. "Shadow is incredibly intense, and I loved that aspect of him. Despite his intensity, he has a good heart. So, I got to play super intense," he noted. "I want revenge, but there's also a sensitivity and an attempt to showcase my good side."
Previously, Reeves was celebrated for his on-camera roles in "The Matrix" and "John Wick." The latter franchise marked its 10th anniversary of the first film's release last year. When co-director Chad Stahelski was asked in October 2024 if the film could have existed without Reeves, he promptly responded, "No," to PEOPLE.
"The stoicism displayed by John Wick is a big part of who Keanu is," Stahelski continued. "You have to see Keanu on set. Everyone hears the stories, but he's always there early. He's the first one to arrive and the last one to leave." He further shared that Reeves, who served as an executive producer for the fourth movie in 2023, is "curious" about every aspect of the production process. "He doesn't try to overproduce, overbear, or change the course. He just wants to know," Stahelski added. "[He] loves the property, loves the character, loves the work. That kind of involvement, that kind of love, inevitably infuses the project with his own DNA."
New episodes of "Severance" air every Friday on Apple TV+.
