Severance Fun Fact: President Obama Was First Pick For Keanu Reeves Role

The Severance Season 2 premiere's talking Lumon building almost sounded very presidential, had executive producer Ben Stiller had his way.

During a visit to ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night, Stiller recounted how the acclaimed Apple TV+ drama reached out to John Wick franchise front man Keanu Reeves to voice the Lumon HQ in the animated "Lumon Is Listening" video that was played for returning MDR staffers Mark S., Helly R., Irving B. and Dylan G. in the Season 2 premiere.

"We reached out to him and he was like, 'Yeah, I'll do it,” Stiller said, noting, "He did multiple takes, took it very seriously." (SNL's Sarah Sherman meanwhile voiced the water tower in the same video.)

When Kimmel then asked if anyone else had been considered to voice the Lumon building, Stiller revealed that the producers' "very short list" was led by a former POTUS.

"There was one person that I asked before [Keanu Reeves], and he said no: President Barack Obama," Stiller shared.

"I didn't ask him in person," Stiller made clear, "I knew someone who knew his lawyer" who agreed to relay a message. "So I wrote an email to him, and like two days later, I get an email back from President Barack Obama, saying, 'Hey Ben, big fan of the show, love Season 1, can't wait for Season 2. Don't think I have time in my schedule to make this happen.'"

"What's more important than doing the voice-over for the animated building in Severance?" quipped Stiller. "But it was pretty cool that he responded."

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