Ben Stiller Says President Barack Obama Turned Down ‘Severance’ Role
Written by djfrosty on March 5, 2025
Severance, the mysterious sci-fi thriller featuring Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, and Brit Lower, is now in its second season on the Apple TV+ streaming platform. Fans of Severance almost got a cool treat after series director and producer Ben Still asked President Barack Obama to voice the role of the Lumon Building as seen in the show’s first season.
As shared by the great Deadline team, Ben Stiller was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week and shared the bombshell tidbit that he asked former President Barack Obama to voice the role of the infamous Lumon Building, which was part of a pivotal scene in the series.
From Deadline:
“I didn’t ask him in person, I knew someone who knew his lawyer and his lawyer said I can relay the request if you write an email,” Stiller told Kimmel. “So I wrote an email to him saying like, ‘Hey we have this show,’ whatever. And like two days later, I get an email back from President Barack Obama.”
In his reply, Stiller said Obama told him he was a “big fan of the show” and was awaiting the second season. However, the former President of the United States turned down the offer saying, “I don’t think I have time in my schedule to make it happen.”
Could you imagine hearing Obama’s smooth voice on Severance? That would’ve been cool. The show is deep into its second season, and the mysteries of Lumon, along with the dual lives of the “outies” and “severed,” are still under deep examination. If you’re in the market for a show that’ll have you talking for days after, we highly suggest it.
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Photo: Apple TV+