Countdowncreator Derek Haas and star Jensen Ackles break down how a surprise cameo from a TV star happened in episode 1 of the thriller series. Debuting its first three episodes on Prime Video on June 25, the series follows Mark Meachum (Ackles), an LAPD detective who is recruited to join a covert task force with the intention of catching a murderer. Things escalate as the team has to prevent a major disaster. TheCountdowncastincludes Jessica Camacho as Amber Oliveras, Eric Dane as Nathan Blythe, Violett Beane as Evan Shepherd, Uli Latukefu as Lucas Finau, and Elliot Knight as Keyonte Bell.
In an interview withEW,Haas and Ackles detail howMilo Ventimiglia joinedContdownfor a cameo appearance. Ventimiglia was intentionally kept out of the marketing material to make it a surprise to viewers. Despite never meeting him before, Haas reached out to Ventimiglia, and assumed he would not take the small role. Ackles contacted the actor after seeing the sequence, praising his work in the action scene. Haas also adds that his mom is upset at him for killing theThis Is Usactor. Check out their comments below:
Haas: We purposefully left him out of all the ads and the promo. And then he was great.
Ackles: Derek came to me and threw out a couple of names and Milo was one of them, and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, get Milo.’
Haas: I felt like he was doing us a favor. I didn’t know him, but I was delighted when he said he wanted to meet about it and I thought, ‘There’s no way he’s going to do this.’ And then he was like, ‘I think this would be really cool.’ I don’t think he’s ever done something like that before.
Ackles: I spoke to him after I saw it. I was like, ‘Sequence looks amazing, you crushed it, you’ve got to be sore, that was a lot of running. We’re not as young as we used to be.’
Haas: My mom’s mad at me: ‘How could you kill Jack from This Is Us?’
What This Means For Countdown
The Series Could Attract More Big-Name Stars
The appearance came as a surprise.Milo Ventimiglia is best knownfor his TV roles inGilmore Girls,This Is Us,andHeroes. He also played Rocky’s (Sylvester Stallone) son, Robert, inRocky BalboaandCreed II. The actor has an impressive number of high-profile credits to his name, so his cameo was a great way to kick offCountdown.
Having Ventimiglia signals thatmore stars may be on the way to appear inCountdown. Haas could be a draw for more actors to join the show as he has created popular shows likeChicago Fire,Chicago P.D., andFBI: International.Ackles also may be a draw for other actors he has worked with before, as he is reuniting with hisSupernaturalco-stars Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins inThe Boysseason 5. IfCountdownis renewed for season 2, it could be an opportunity to have more cameos.
Our Take On Ventimiglia’s Cameo
The Show Could Have More Surprises
Keeping Ventimiglia out of the marketing was a good way to build excitement for the series. Having him appear in an action scene no one saw coming sets high expectations. If the show is willing to go out of its way to hide a prominent actor, it gives the impressionCountdowndoesn’t want to show its hand too early and leaves the audience expecting more twists and surprises.
Countdown
Cast
Countdown, released in 2025, follows LAPD detective Mark Meachum as he joins a secret task force composed of undercover agents from various law enforcement branches. Following the murder of a Department of Homeland Security officer, they uncover a deep conspiracy, igniting a time-sensitive mission to protect millions.
