Did Tim Cook appear as a Lumon employee in Severance season 2? Explained

Apple TV's hit dystopian series, Severance season 2, was undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated shows of the new year. Leading up to its premiere on January 17, 2025, the series had generated a lot of buzz online, with one critic calling it "one of 2025's best shows." It holds a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

With two episodes down and eight more to go, Severance season 2 has maintained the suspense and intrigue of its highly rated first season. On January 24, 2025, Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, appeared in a promotional video as a Lumon employee reporting to work on his first day after undergoing the severance procedure.

However, it must be noted that the video doesn't suggest Cook will appear as a Lumon employee in future episodes of Severance season 2. Instead, the promotional video was released to coincide with the release of the second episode, titled Goodbye Mrs. Selvig.

The official synopsis of Severance season 2, as per Apple TV, reads:

"Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe."

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Everything to know about Tim Cook's promo video for Severance season 2

On Friday, January 24, 2025, the show's director and executive producer Ben Stiller shared a promotional video on X with the caption, "Was helping this new guy find his office this morning. …" The Apple CEO reposted the video on X with the caption:

"Ready to clock in for episode 2!"

The video begins with Tim Cook reporting to work as a severed Lumon employee for his onboarding. He steps into the familiar elevator, where his 'innie' is awakened, before stepping out onto the severed floor. After a short walk through the white hallways, Cook is excitedly greeted by the floor manager, Mr. Milchick, who calls him the "core of the apple."

As he plays an orientation video for the company's newest recruit, Severance season 2 appears on the screen.

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What is Severance season 2 about?

Severance season 1 was released between February 18, 2022, and April 8, 2022. After a long wait of three years, the hit Apple TV series returned with its second season on January 17, 2025, which will conclude its 10-episode run on March 21, 2025. The workplace mystery series is created, written and executive produced by Dan Erickson. Moreover, it's produced by Fifth Season and Stiller's Red Hour Productions.

The show's second season picks up from the events of the overtime contingency, where Mark, Irving, and Helly breached the severance protocol to awaken in the outside world. After making shocking discoveries, Mark and his friends endeavor to expose the company's sinister workings, while Lumon aims to sabotage their plans at every turn.

Severance season 2 features an ensemble cast comprising Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Zach Cherry, Patricia Arquette, Tramell Tillman, Christopher Walken, Dichen Lachman, Jen Tullock and Michael Chernus, among others. Furthermore, Sarah Bock and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson joined the cast of Severance season 2 as a series regular and guest star respectively.

Erickson told The Hollywood Reporter on January 17, 2025, that events like the pandemic and the Hollywood strike "informed" the writing on season two.

"We didn’t really know when we were making season one.... what it was going to feel like to come back into the office having been doing remote work for so long. That experience informed the way we wrote season two."

He continued:

"That experience of coming back to work changed the way people were talking about work and talking about how much of ourselves we owe to our employer and what we should expect back in return. It’s not a straight line, but I think that those kind of conversations led to things like the (Hollywood) strikes, and people reassessing what work should feel like. So that made it into the story."

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Viewers can stream all episodes of Severance on Apple TV+.