WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Squid Game season 3.Netflix’sSquid Gamehas come to an end, including a surprising cameo from an Oscar-winning star in the show’s final moments.Squid Gameseason 3’s endinginvolves many tragic deaths, including that of the series' protagonist Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who sacrifices himself in order to save Jun-hee’s (Jo Yu-ri) baby. However, while the Front Man is forced to evacuate the island and demolish its infrastructure as the Coast Guard descends upon them, the games continue, appearing to have simply moved operations to the United States. And this is what leads intoSquid Game’s massive cameo and spinoff tease.
After Gi-hun’s sacrifice, the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) goes to America and briefly witnesses a new Recruiter (Cate Blanchett) at work. InSquid Game in Conversation, also now on Netflix,Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, and series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk discuss Cate Blanchett’s cameo inSquid Gameseason 3.Even the show’s leading actors were unaware of Blanchett’s involvement while filming. Check out their full comments below:
Lee Jung-jae: That was a surprise. No one told me about it. At one point, someone I knew said, “I heard a famous Hollywood actor’s gonna be in the show.” And I told them, “Oh, I don’t know, I haven’t heard anything about that.” So I had my doubts. I didn’t know who would be making a cameo, and I never thought it’d be someone so famous.
Hwang Dong-hyuk: We actually kept it a strict secret amongst ourselves for a very long time.
Byung-hun: In the end, though, because of scheduling, Cate Blanchett, she’s one of my favorite actors, but I didn’t even get to say hello. She and I shot that final scene separately since it’s just the camera cutting back and forth between us. I couldn’t say hi because once we shot it, we had to go.
This was Blanchett’s first time playing ddakji, the game the recruiter typically uses to find potential players. Check out the further comments:
Byung-hun: Oh yeah, so the day we filmed, I saw her practicing over and over while we were setting up. She was pretty far away though, so I couldn’t see her face clearly. She was practicing for a long time.
Hwang: We sent her the ddakji in advance. But she wasn’t able to try it out much before the shoot. She had to hit the other ddakji and flip it but she couldn’t get it. So I went over and gave her a quick lesson. Right there and then. The take we used, that was real. The tilt-up from the ddakji where we first show her face. That confidence you see, that’s all real because she’d finally managed to flip it over. And that’s the take we used.
In an interview withNetflix Tudum,Hwang also talked about what Blanchett brought to the show:
We thought having a woman as a recruiter would be more dramatic and intriguing. And as for why Cate Blanchett, she’s just the best, with unmatched charisma. Who doesn’t love her? So we were very happy to have her appear. We needed someone who could dominate the screen with just one or two words, which is exactly what she did. If Gong Yoo is the Korean Recruiter, I thought she would be the perfect fit as the American Recruiter, bringing a short but gripping and impactful ending to the story.
During the shoot, she reminded me of what true talent looks like. Even with just a few looks and lines, her performance was mesmerizing. She was amazing at playing ddakji. I believe she successfully flipped the ddakji with her first try, and we were able to get that one long take right away.
Of this final scene,Lee Byung-hun also said (via Tudum), that it is “truly an ending that fits the [show’s] name.Personally, I interpret it as, despite all of the noble efforts of so many people, the world still continues as it was before.”
What These Comments Mean For Cate Blanchett’s Squid Game Cameo & The Franchise’s Future
Squid Game’s Creator Lends His Support To Actors Like Blanchett Carrying On The Franchise
WhileSquid Gameseason 4is not happening, it was announced some time ago that Oscar-nominated director David Fincher was working on an English-languageSquid Gameseries, the details of which are still heavily under wraps. Even after Blanchett’s appearance in the flagshipSquid Game, it is not confirmed whether this upcoming show is a spinoff or a remake. However,Hwang Dong-hyuk’s comments speak to the impact Blanchett had onthisshow, with only a few moments of screen time. Certainly, the accoladed actress can deliver a chilling effect with only a look.
Blanchett’s appearance signals thatit’s likelySquid Gamethat can attract legendary talent from all over the world,and Hwang’s comments about her impressive abilities foreshadow how several actors could have the same effect. Thecast ofSquid Gameseason 3gives them a lot to live up to, as they have been delivering heart-wrenching performances that delve into complex ideological quandaries for years. The BTS stories also reveal that there may be some questions about whetherSquid Gamecontinues to use Korean children’s games when Hollywood actors aren’t so familiar with them.
Our Take On Cate Blanchett’s Performance In Squid Game
Squid Game: America Has Some Challenges To Overcome
I’ll be honest, at least initially, my primary reaction to the final scene ofSquid Gamewas: “Wait, is that Cate Blanchett?” In other words, her presence distracted a little bit from the story implications. This is as good a segue intoSquid Game: Americaas any, but per Lee Byung-hun’s comments, if the point of the ending is just that this cruelty always continues, I hope the plan for the spinoff is more than just more games with a star-studded cast. However, I am sure many are still intrigued by Fincher’s series even after the somewhat divisive ending ofSquid Game.
