Season 2 of Severance was about as well-received as the first. It gave fans some answers while also providing plenty of twists, but one of the most fun came early in Season 2, when we were introduced to the voice of the Lumon building, and we discovered that it sounds exactly like Keanu Reeves. However, the John Wick actor wasn’t Ben Stiller’s first pick for the role, and his reaction to learning that said first pick was Barack Obama was incredible.
Keanu Reeve’s Severance Role Was Offered To Barack Obama
In a recent appearance on the New Heights podcast, Keanu Reeves was asked about the fact that Ben Stiller had revealed he had initially offered the role of the Lumon building to Barack Obama. It turned out the John Wick star had no idea. Keanu said simply…
Oh, I didn’t know!
So, the Kelce brothers got to break the news to Keanu Reeves that he wasn’t the first choice for the voice of the claymation Lumon building.
A lot of actors might be disappointed that they weren’t the first choice and only got the role after somebody else turned it down. Reeves, however, takes it all in stride. While he initially seems to feel bad that he was a second choice, he ultimately decides that he doesn’t care that he wasn’t the first pick. He’s just happy he got the job. Reeves said…
Oh, well then Barack must have said ‘no,’ and I was the second choice. ‘Oh my god, I was the second choice?!’ That’s OK, as long as I got the gig. I don’t care if I’m not the first.
Keanu has found some incredible success being the second choice in the past. It’s now a well-known story that he only got the call for The Matrix after Will Smith turned the role down. Clearly, he doesn’t take offense at being a second choice, and it’s simply a fact that many iconic roles came about after other actors said no.
Ben Stiller Explained How He Wanted Barack Obama In Severance
Back in March, Stiller relayed the story of how he actually asked Barack Obama if he would perform the voice-over that Reeves ultimately ended up doing. While Obama apparently has an Apple TV+ subscription, as he’s a fan of the series, he was unable to do it because former Presidents are really busy. Stiller said on Jimmy Kimmel Live!…
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. So I wrote an email to him saying ‘Hey, we have this show, whatever’ and like two days later I get an email back from President Barack Obama saying ‘Hey Ben, big fan of the show. Loved Season 1, can’t wait for Season 2. Don’t think I have time in my schedule to make this happen.
Keanu Reeves has an amazing voice and ended up being a great choice for Severance. That said, I will now always wonder about what we could have heard, because Barack Obama could have been incredible in the role.
Perhaps, if Barack Obama’s schedule opens up, there will be future opportunities for him in Season 3 of Severance. He says he likes the show, so it sounds like he’d be willing. If not, I’m sure Keanu Reeves will be happy to fill in.