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The Hollywood star Keanu Reeves joined the cast of the dystopian series Severance in a voice cameo role in the second season's first episode. Titled Hello Ms. Cobel, the episode premiered on January 17, 2025, on Apple TV+. Ben Stiller directed the episode, which was written by the showrunner Dan Erickson.
In addition to Keanu Reeves, the episode also featured new characters played by Alia Shawkat, Bob Balaban, Stefano Carannante, and Sarah Bock.
The critically acclaimed series returned for its second outing three years after it wrapped up its first season in April 2022. 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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Keanu Reeves' cameo in Severance season 2 episode 1 explained
In Severance season 2 episode 1, Keanu Reeves' voice can be heard in the 'Lumon is Listening' animated video shown to Mark, Helly, Irving, and Dylan in the break room. The purpose of the video is to entice the group by showcasing the company's reforms made since the Macrodat Uprising five months ago.
In the video, Keanu Reeves voices the animated Lumon building and takes the MDR workers through a brief history of its founding in 1870. He hails them as heroes for highlighting the workers' dissatisfaction and promises reforms in the way of new snacks and exciting games for its employees.
The video concludes with Keanu Reeves's voice thanking Kier for the MDR workers and their rebellious antics from the end of season 1, which is labeled as the Macrodat Uprising.
Shortly after the episode aired, Dan Erickson shared why Reeves was the perfect choice for this role by telling Collider's Carly Lane:
"All I can say is that we talked about a couple of different people for that role. We always wanted it to be somebody that people have certain associations with, but also, it had to be a very warm presence. The Lumon building is very friendly in the context of this video, and there’s a friendliness to that particular voice and a heart to that particular voice."
Also Read: Severance season 2 complete release schedule: All episodes and when they arrive
What happens in Severance season 2 episode 1?
The first episode of the latest season takes place five months after the events of season 1, in which Mark, Helly, Dylan, and Irving got caught connecting with the outside world through the overtime contingency. They made shocking discoveries about their respective outies (real lives outside of work) but were stopped when Milchick abruptly ended the contingency.
Mark returns to Lumon to find his colleagues replaced by new members from other branches of the company. The management has also gone through some changes, with Milchick serving as the new manager after Cobel's departure in season 1. Mark also meets the new deputy manager, a young child named Ms. Huang.
Milchick informs Mark that his group is world-famous and seen as the "face of severance reform." The company's board brings back Helly, Irving, and Dylan after Mark insists on having his old team back. The group reunites for the first time in several months. They are ushered into the break room and shown the 'Lumon is Listening' video, voiced by Keanu Reeves.
Later, Milchick informs the group that they have the freedom to decide if they want to continue working or leave permanently. Realizing that leaving essentially means they will cease to exist, Mark and his friends decide to stay and continue their investigation into Lumon's secret dealings.
Mark has another reason to stay as he wants to rescue the wellness counselor, Ms. Casey, who is his outie's deceased wife, Gemma. Helly, who was shocked to learn that she is the daughter of Jame Eagan, the company's current CEO, keeps her outie's identity a secret from others for the time being.
The episode ends with all four MDR workers sitting at their respective desks and going about their work - sorting numbers into bins. Mark is shown to be working on the Cold Harbor file, which is cryptically linked to Ms. Casey/Gemma.
