Former President Barack Obama was approached to lend his voice to Apple TV+'s hit series Severance, but ultimately declined the offer due to scheduling conflicts, executive producer Ben Stiller revealed. Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Stiller shared that he reached out through a legal intermediary to offer Obama a role as the voice of the Lumon building in a key in-show video sequence.
"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 said. "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."
Obama, a known fan of Severance, responded that he was looking forward to the new season but did not have time in his schedule to participate. The role instead went to John Wick star Keanu Reeves, whom Stiller praised for his delivery.
"He's just like the most warm, inviting voice," Stiller said. "I don't know if when you see the building and you hear his voice, you necessarily think immediately that it's Keanu, but then I think you have this just innate feeling."
The role would have marked an unusual television cameo for Obama, who has largely focused on his media ventures with Higher Ground, the production company he and his wife, Michelle, co-founded. While the former president has been involved in producing documentaries and educational programming, he has yet to take on an entertainment role.
The revelation of Stiller's outreach comes amid heightened media speculation about Obama's personal life. Reports have surfaced suggesting the former president and Michelle Obama are being courted by television networks for high-profile tell-all interviews, with figures rumored to be as high as $10 million per interview.
"There is going to be a real rush to bag their signatures for interviews, and the figures are going to be at least $10 million-and that's each," a television industry source told RadarOnline.
The speculation follows persistent rumors that the Obamas may be quietly negotiating a separation, with discussions about dividing assets reportedly underway.
"They want to have everything ironed out in advance," a source familiar with the situation said. "The last thing they want is an ugly fight with lots of nasty legal filings."
The couple has not publicly addressed the rumors, but speculation intensified after Obama attended former President Jimmy Carter's funeral and Donald Trump's inauguration alone, with Michelle Obama absent from both events.
